SPECIAL NOTICE
Malicious code was found on the site, which has been removed, but would have been able to access files and the database, revealing email addresses, posts, and encoded passwords (which would need to be decoded). However, there is no direct evidence that any such activity occurred. REGARDLESS, BE SURE TO CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS. And as is good practice, remember to never use the same password on more than one site. While performing housekeeping, we also decided to upgrade the forums.
This is a site for discussing roleplaying games. Have fun doing so, but there is one major rule: do not discuss political issues that aren't directly and uniquely related to the subject of the thread and about gaming. While this site is dedicated to free speech, the following will not be tolerated: devolving a thread into unrelated political discussion, sockpuppeting (using multiple and/or bogus accounts), disrupting topics without contributing to them, and posting images that could get someone fired in the workplace (an external link is OK, but clearly mark it as Not Safe For Work, or NSFW). If you receive a warning, please take it seriously and either move on to another topic or steer the discussion back to its original RPG-related theme.

The BRP Renaissance

Started by Claudius, April 18, 2011, 03:50:18 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Claudius

Lately I have been thinking how great it is to be a fan of the BRP system nowadays. BRP was in its heyday a very loved and successful system, games like RuneQuest, Call of Cthulhu or Stormbringer come to the mind.

Unfortunately it went through difficult times, due to several circumstances, there was a time when Call of Cthulhu was the only in print BRP game, and I was convinced I would never see RuneQuest in print again.

This is why I'm so surprised at the BRP Renaissance*, today we have the BRP golden book, Mongoose RuneQuest 2, Openquest (I don't have it but heard good things about it), and a new edition of Aquelarre (the system is a BRP rip off) has just been released. And not only the corebooks, it seems they are getting some high quality support, take a look at BRP Rome, Crusaders of the Amber Coast, MRQ Vikings, MRQ Elric, etc.

What do you think? Is there a BRP Renaissance?

*= I borrowed the name of this post from a post in Akrasia's blog. Akrasia, I hope you don't mind! :)
Grając zaś w grę komputerową, być może zdarzyło się wam zapragnąć zejść z wyznaczonej przez autorów ścieżki i, miast zabić smoka i ożenić się z księżniczką, zabić księżniczkę i ożenić się ze smokiem.

Nihil sine magno labore vita dedit mortalibus.

And by your sword shall you live and serve thy brother, and it shall come to pass when you have dominion, you will break Jacob's yoke from your neck.

Dios, que buen vasallo, si tuviese buen señor!

Doom

You know, just one mention that BRP is short for "Basic Role Playing" would be cool.
(taken during hurricane winds)

A nice education blog.

arminius

Yes, I think so. A very interesting element is the support/solicitation by the various rules-publishers for original setting books. Mongoose had done a few of these for their first RQ attempt (e.g. they had a Pirates and a Japan book) but I don't think they generated much interest. The new round, which seems to come largely from 3rd-party initiatives (even if they end up being published by Mongoose or Chaosium) seems more inspired.

Not all of the offerings grab me. I don't get the point of Wraith Recon, and Deus Vult seems like a waste of a good title. Clockwork & Chivalry strikes me as a clumsy mashup. But in addition to the ones you mentioned, Chronicles of Future Earth and Celestial Empire (semi-historical China) at least have gotten my attention. There's also the forthcoming Age of Treason for MRQ.

Not sure what to make of the fragmentation of the core rules across 2-3 companies. It seems it can have both positive and negative effects. But the overall effect is a little like what GURPS promised, but with a set of mechanics that I think may be a bit more accessible, and--I suspect--greater room for customization so that the resulting books have more individualized flavor instead of seeming like reskinned versions of a generic rules set. The downside of this, though, is that there's no "central repository" of major rules options.

Pseudoephedrine

Quote from: Doom;452311You know, just one mention that BRP is short for "Basic Role Playing" would be cool.

D&D is short for "Dungeons and Dragons".

Claudius>

Yeah, there is. I don't think there's any one cause that you can thank, but it's a lot of little things:

The OSR and the coverage RQ products get from them;

A bunch of different products in different genres being widely available and in print;

The cleaned up layout of the new products compared to older editions (RQ3 is a great game, but it's got a very cramped and dense layout);

Some great new innovations (the big bonus rule in OQ, combat maneuvers in MRQ2, versions without a resistance table);

Universal resolution mechanics now being considered normal and even ideal;

And the Mongoose RQ SRD, which means you can published easily compatible products.

There's probably a couple of other factors that I'm missing. It's kind of a perfect storm for BRP.
Running
The Pernicious Light, or The Wreckers of Sword Island;
A Goblin\'s Progress, or Of Cannons and Canons;
An Oration on the Dignity of Tash, or On the Elves and Their Lies
All for S&W Complete
Playing: Dark Heresy, WFRP 2e

"Elves don\'t want you cutting down trees but they sell wood items, they don\'t care about the forests, they\'\'re the fuckin\' wood mafia." -Anonymous

Benoist

If you start calling it a Renaissance soon people on this site will say that BRP fandom is a sect where you're either "in" or "out", and you're a hypocrite and a liar for pointing out it is a diverse crowd with a lot of variety in styles in its player base. So I'd just dump the term altogether.

Is there a renewed interest in the system, its worlds and variants, and more exploration into the things it can do for different people out there? Sure. It's totally awesome. It's really a classic of role-playing, and deservedly so.

Dan Davenport

#5
Quote from: Elliot Wilen;452314Chronicles of Future Earth

I've got a copy of this one in my "to be reviewed" stack, for what it's worth.
The Hardboiled GMshoe\'s Office: game reviews, Randomworlds Q&A logs, and more!

Randomworlds TTRPG chat: friendly politics-free roleplaying chat!

Tahmoh

The Hardback edition of the Brp rules has also just been released in the past couple of week i believe which is pretty cool.

I may have to give chronicles of future earth a read along with celestial empire just as soon as i can find copies.

stu2000

I just wish they'd call it BuRPs.

I don't know. It's great that all this stuff is coming out. But it doesn't surprise me. It's a great, great game. A great game getting some recognition and support shouldn't be too surprising.
Employment Counselor: So what do you like to do outside of work?
Oblivious Gamer: I like to play games: wargames, role-playing games.
EC: My cousin killed himself because of role-playing games.
OG: Jesus, what was he playing? Rifts?
--Fear the Boot

Simlasa

Yep, it an exciting time for us BRP fans.
My list of 'must get that' stuff for BRP went from a handful of CoC monographs to a big list of cool new settings and variants... with more on the way.

The Butcher

Looks like the perfect opportunity to ask around for some input.

What are the best monographs? Toolkits, settings, adventures, whatever, you name it.

PaladinCA

I picked up the BRP Rome book the other day at my FLGS. It is awesome sauce.

I've never even run BRP. The book is just great.

Benoist

Quote from: The Butcher;452362Looks like the perfect opportunity to ask around for some input.

What are the best monographs? Toolkits, settings, adventures, whatever, you name it.
Holy shit! I want to ask too. Deserves its own thread, amigo!

J Arcane

I really should look at some of the BRP-based SRDs.

The system isn't terribly far from what I was trying to do with my original game, and it would save me a lot of development time to just scrap it and go with BRP if I like it enough.
Bedroom Wall Press - Games that make you feel like a kid again.

Arcana Rising - An Urban Fantasy Roleplaying Game, powered by Hulks and Horrors.
Hulks and Horrors - A Sci-Fi Roleplaying game of Exploration and Dungeon Adventure
Heaven\'s Shadow - A Roleplaying Game of Faith and Assassination


Doom

Quote from: Pseudoephedrine;452315D&D is short for "Dungeons and Dragons".

.

Yes, IHOTO.
(taken during hurricane winds)

A nice education blog.