Here’s – a bit more insight on the RQG revised project that me (MOB), Mark Morrison and Brian Holland are working on:
Streamlining, Usability, Compatibility. These are the three guiding principles of our revision of the RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha core rulebook. Every decision we make in this project keeps these principles in mind.
Streamlining: we aim to cut the book to about 60% of its current length.
Usability: we’re not just cutting sections out of the book, we’re making it easier to use, both to understand the game system and the setting, and for use in play. It includes a bestiary. The book is also going to have a usable index.
Compatibility: the new RQG Core Rulebook works with any RQG book, published before or after. It is not backwards compatible with RQG it is fully compatible with RQG. Because it is RQG.
You’ll be able to play RuneQuest straight out of the new revised RQG core rulebook. If you own that, and any of the Cults Books* that take your interest, and maybe RQG Bestiary, you’ll be able to play for years. RQG will be supported by scenarios and campaigns: we have an extensive back log of potential material for RQG to release. And there’s always the Jonstown Compendium.
Please remember, this is entirely separate to the project Jeff is working on, with creative input from Mike Mearls. That’s an exciting all-new version of the game which has as its focus adventuring in Pavis and the Big Rubble.
*on that, I will reiterate that we are committed to satisfactorily finishing the RQG Cults of RuneQuest series. Darkness next.
Please note that the Pavis and Big Rubble material is not part of the RQG revised project.
Making the revised RQG core rule book easy to navigate and use at table is a key objective of our project.
There will not be three versions of RuneQuest. For the time being there will be one: RQG, because the RQG revised core rulebook we’re working on will be fully compatible with everything that’s been released for RQG, before and after it comes out. That includes the existing 2018 RQG core rulebook.
Chaosium is revising the 2018 RQG rulebook based on what we’ve learned over the past eight years. Sadly, in that time RuneQuest has not sufficiently grown or attracted a new audience. We concluded RQG (the current edition) needs two things to help turn this around: a revised rulebook that is easier to use for newcomers to enter the game (and for people to use at the table), and plenty of playable material rather than just reference books that primarily appeal to readers. We’re working on both those things, and are committed to ramping up the RQG release schedule.
The project Jeff is working on with creative input from Mike Mearls is entirely separate to this. It has as its focus adventuring in Pavis and the Big Rubble. When that comes out there will be two different flavors of RuneQuest, and we’re fine with that. Just like there is Call of Cthulhu and Pulp Cthulhu. (Or Warhammer and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar.)
The recent Black Lodge video initiated a great deal of commentary about RuneQuest. We said we were listening, and would take note. After reading through and reviewing the literally hundreds of comments it seems (to me, at least) that the following points broadly sum up what RuneQuest fans are thinking:
- What’s going make RuneQuest grow is new people not bouncing off when they try it. They need to be able to discover the setting through play (or, as we’ve described it, by getting dust in their sandals).
- The existing RQG rulebook needs fixing up to make it shorter and more user-friendly.
- Existing fans are hanging out for the RQG GM book (promised since 2018) and heroquesting rules (promised for literally decades)
- RuneQuest should have an epic campaign of its own, just like Call of Cthulhu has Masks of Nyarlathotep and Horror on the Orient Express, and Pendragon has the Great Pendragon Campaign. Roll on The Great Argrath Campaign?
Thank you for the many thoughtful and constructive responses across many platforms.