HQ Floats my boat

[Lorenzo Rubbo-Ferraro]

I have just read a few reviews on HQ and various posts at the Forge and it blows my mind that virtually all my game design concepts for Lila (a Mahabharata game) are implemented in it. I have been twiddling with mechanics and ideas for a while now (really to no completion) then came here and got a few tips to check out HQ and what the? The similarities are astonishing. In fact just about every concept I thought was cool and unique in my own game has already been done by HQ, like no other game, and then some! It's tripping me out. It's like the creator is my twin! Who is this guy?

I'm definitely buying a copy. I didn't think system was that important until I couldn't find one that did what I wanted coupled with forge users telling me otherwise.

I'm fairly convinced, and have accepted the fact, that no system made by someone else will ever do everything that I like but I guarantee you if I ever finish Lila it will resemble HQ 90%.

It may even be as simple for me as doing a conversion. In my game I would like the Virtue of the characters be the game currency. Do you think it a simple exercise to base Hero Points on Virtue? It sounds like a pretty flexible system. Is conversion fairly easy?

And final question (rhetorical if you like)...

Does HQ rock solid or what?

[RaconteurX]

Just about every concept I thought was cool and unique in my own game has already been done by HQ, like no other game, and then some! It's tripping me out. It's like the creator is my twin! Who is this guy?

The mechanics are foremost the creation of Robin D. Laws, whose other credits include Over the Edge (with Jonathan Tweet), Feng Shui and The Dying Earth (with John Snead). His partner in HeroQuest is none other than Greg Stafford, whose credits include Pendragon, Prince Valiant, White Bear, Red Moon (the boardgame that first exposed us to Glorantha, almost thirty years ago), and founding both Chaosium and Issaries. Oh, and both collaborated with the programming team from A-Sharp to produce the Gloranthan computer game, King of Dragon Pass. Greg also wrote or co-wrote most of the existing HQ product line.

It sounds like a pretty flexible system. Is conversion fairly easy?

It is, in my experience.

Does HQ rock solid or what?

It rocks, baby, and solid. :)

[Lorenzo Rubbo-Ferraro]

He he he,

Thanks Michael. I guess I'll be checking out his other stuff then too: Over the Edge, Feng Shui, The Dying Earth and also Greg Staffords stuff.

I downloaded Tri-stat dx (which is free now, and is the same/similar system that Feng Shui uses) becuase I found the concepts appealing. I shall give it another read.

Cheers.

[buserian]

It may even be as simple for me as doing a conversion. In my game I would like the Virtue of the characters be the game currency. Do you think it a simple exercise to base Hero Points on Virtue?

Hi Lorenzo,

Glad for you that you are so blown away by HeroQuest.

As for basing hero points on Virtue, I think that would be a relatively easy conversion. I would suggest you not eliminate all automatic hero point assignments. But, reducing the number of hero points you assign to a smaller number (maybe 1 or 2 at the start of an adventure, or even eliminating them altogether), and then giving hero points _during play_ for appropriate acts would seem to fit what you want. My suggestion would be, however, that you also have the threat of _removing_ hero points for unvirtuous behavior (or maybe forcing heroes to use hero points to buy up "unvirtuous" traits that they exhibit).

I would also strongly suggest that you let the _heroes_ define what is "virtue". That is, if a hero is a devotee of an assassin god, "virtue" for him will not be the same as a devotee of a pacifist healing goddess. Reward the players when the heroes act within their own virtues, not some externally determined ones, if you see what you mean. (I assume this is what you meant, but wantd to be sure.)

buserian

[Lorenzo Rubbo-Ferraro]

Quite right buserian!

I did have the concept of the Characters having a prominent Vice that would "reduce" their points.

I have also thought of what virtue is for different classes. For instance in the Mahabharata the brahmans (priests) are always truthful though the ksatriyas (warriors/government) have concent to lie if it is appropriate in fulfilling their occupational duty. Likewise priests are pacifists but the ksatriya may kill for the sake of upholding order.

So your points are quite pertinent.

I haven't got the book yet so I don't quite get the hero points stuff but when I do I will re read your post.

Cheers,
Lorenzo.

[Mike Holmes]

Actually, Lorenzo, you may find the virtue concept unneccessary. HQ covers that well already if you just make these personality traits for the characters. Then their use rewards itself in terms of effectiveness. HP then become about prioritizing specific virtues if that's what the player wants (or you directly reward).

Mike

[buserian]

Actually, Lorenzo, you may find the virtue concept unneccessary. HQ covers that well already if you just make these personality traits for the characters. Then their use rewards itself in terms of effectiveness. HP then become about prioritizing specific virtues if that's what the player wants (or you directly reward).

Mike

That's more or less what I meant to say, Mike said it more clearly. I was treating certain personality traits as the virtues Lorenzo was talking about, like HeroQuest does with personality traits in magic keywords.

buserian

[Lorenzo Rubbo-Ferraro]

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks Guys.