Looks like somebody's doing a BRP supplement

[soltakss]

Originally Posted by Jason Durall

If it's being based on the OGL version of Mongoose's version of the Runequest system, it's not a "BRP" game.

Basic Roleplaying is the name of the new core book based on the core system used in Chaosium games for 30 years.

Chaosium and Mongoose have been very careful to distinguish the two games. There may be a high degree of compatibility, but the systems are not identical. I am told that the Mongoose game diverges from BRP in many ways.

From a legal and commercial point of view, yes, RuneQuest and BRP are completely different games and there is no connection between them whatsoever.

However, historically, RQ and BRP were closely linked and form part of a wider family of games that includes games such as Other Suns.

From a player point of view, I don't really see the distinction.

It's like the difference between Swedish and Norwegian - they are different languages, they are politically different and they have different grammar and vocabulary but most Norwegians and Swedes can understand each other pretty easily (I think/hope).

I can see no problem, for instance, in using Land of Samurai with BRP or BRP Rome with RuneQuest.

[jarulf]

Originally Posted by soltakss

...but most Norwegians and Swedes can understand each other pretty easily (I think/hope).
.

/delurk
Depends on the Norwegian

But yes, Danes, Swedes and Norwegians can usually understand each other. A particular dialect may take some getting used to but on whole it's true.

/relurk

[Shiba Homer]

Originally Posted by jarulf

/delurk
Depends on the Norwegian

But yes, Danes, Swedes and Norwegians can usually understand each other. A particular dialect may take some getting used to but on whole it's true.

/relurk

What about Finns?

[jarulf]

Originally Posted by Shiba Homer

What about Finns?

Depends on if they know any Swedish. Some do, most (?) don't. But Simon's point was that the languages are related (to drag this somewhat )

[Dredj]

So, both versions of Runequest are very similar, system-wise; but they are considered different from a legal standpoint because Mongoose made some changes to the rules? That's how I'm understanding this.

[soltakss]

BRP and RQ derive from the same, or similar, rules-sets.

I am probably wrong here, but this is how I understand it:

BRP derives from Call of Cthulhu and Stormbringer 5 with some RQ3 thrown in. The base Call of Cthulhu are derived from BRP which was a cut-down version of the RQ Rules. The original Stormbringer was based on a similar set of rules to RQ2, but was quite a bit different, it evolved through various Stormbringer and Elric games until Stormbringer 5 which a lot of people consider to be better than RQ3, if such a thing were possible.

Mongoose RuneQuest derives somewhat from RQ2 and RQ3 but is heavily different. RQ3 derived from RQ2. RQ1 did exist but is almost the same as RQ2, RQ1 was written for Chaosium and wasn't based on anything else.

So, from a system point of view they are similar.

However, Chaosium lost the rights to RQ when they sold it to Avalon Hill. They got the rights to the RQ system, but not Glorantha, when Avalon Hill stopped publishing for a number of years (as I understand it) but Greg Stafford's Issaries gained the RQ Trademark and commissioned a new version of RuneQuest. Chaosium brought out BRP which is based on their own rules system.

So, they are owned by two different and rival companies and are no longer connected, despite a shared past.

BRP is not RuneQuest and RuneQuest is not BRP. But both are d100.

I hope that doesn't help.

[soltakss]

It's like the difference between Rugby Union and Rugby League - they are both forms of Rugby but split a long time ago. One became professional, the other stayed amateur for years and then became professional and now people can switch between codes. So they share a common heritage but are controlled by different bodies and have different rules. They are compatible to a certain extent but are fundamentally different.

It's the same with BRP and RQ. Both D100 but with different owners and different rules, but ultimately fairly compatible.

[Dredj]

Originally Posted by soltakss

I hope that doesn't help.

I think you kind of succeeded.

[Dredj]

Originally Posted by soltakss

It's like the difference between Rugby Union and Rugby League - they are both forms of Rugby but split a long time ago. One became professional, the other stayed amateur for years and then became professional and now people can switch between codes. So they share a common heritage but are controlled by different bodies and have different rules. They are compatible to a certain extent but are fundamentally different.

It's the same with BRP and RQ. Both D100 but with different owners and different rules, but ultimately fairly compatible.

I get it. Thank you.

[RosenMcStern]

Originally Posted by Dredj

So, both versions of Runequest are very similar, system-wise; but they are considered different from a legal standpoint because Mongoose made some changes to the rules? That's how I'm understanding this.

Simon said it all, but I'll add two more details.

a) Both? There have been five editions of RQ so far (one unpublished).

b) They are not [legally] different because Mongoose made some changes. They are because Issaries (the Trademark owner) wanted something different, yet recognizable as RQ. It was intentional. Whereas the similarities between BRP and previous editions of RQ, which are much deeper, are intentional too.