I was a playtester on this, and still have the final draft files on my PC.  I'm putting my neck out and saying that BRP will be one of, if not the best generic "Toolkit" games ever done.

Assuming, of course, that you like the BRP system.  (Which I do.)

What has been done is they've presented a simple core system to the rules (much along the lines of SB5) and then included tons of optional BRP holdovers as sidebars, appendices, etc.  So, for example, in the Combat chapter it uses a simple 'DEX-Rank' initiative system.  But, if you like the old RQIII "Strike Ranks" a full exposition of those rules are in a boxed callout nearby.

Take the Powers chapter.  You've got your choice of the following "classic" BRP powers built right in: Magic (from Worlds of Wonder), "Powers" (from WoW SuperWorld!), Psychic Abilities (from ElfQuest, I beleive), Sorcery (from Stormbringer 5), and the Mutations from Hawkmoon.  Guidelines are given for mixing and matching, or using one independently of all the others.  Good stuff.

I honestly cannot think of a single genre, or style of play which I could not run nearly right out of the box with BRP.

Frankly, my only complaint about it at this point, is that I wish it were going to be a boxed set, instead of a book.

Quote from: BalbinusSome of it certainly is reprinted material, but the playtest files I saw looked damn good so I have high hopes for it.

And most of the material in it which is reprinted is from games which are so out of print as to be mostly forgotten by the RPG hobby (Worlds of Wonder, ElfQuest).  And, that material has also been reworked, and brought up to speed with the revised core systems.

Quote from: zombenI was a playtester on this, and still have the final draft files on my PC.  I'm putting my neck out and saying that BRP will be one of, if not the best generic "Toolkit" games ever done.

Assuming, of course, that you like the BRP system.  (Which I do.)

What has been done is they've presented a simple core system to the rules (much along the lines of SB5) and then included tons of optional BRP holdovers as sidebars, appendices, etc.  So, for example, in the Combat chapter it uses a simple 'DEX-Rank' initiative system.  But, if you like the old RQIII "Strike Ranks" a full exposition of those rules are in a boxed callout nearby.

Take the Powers chapter.  You've got your choice of the following "classic" BRP powers built right in: Magic (from Worlds of Wonder), "Powers" (from WoW SuperWorld!), Psychic Abilities (from ElfQuest, I beleive), Sorcery (from Stormbringer 5), and the Mutations from Hawkmoon.  Guidelines are given for mixing and matching, or using one independently of all the others.  Good stuff.

I honestly cannot think of a single genre, or style of play which I could not run nearly right out of the box with BRP.

Frankly, my only complaint about it at this point, is that I wish it were going to be a boxed set, instead of a book.

I'm sold!

Quote from: ClaudiusI'm sold!

ditto...always liked BRP, so no reason to turn my nose up at it now.
it would be late to me if i had been waiting on it, but i haven't, so it's all good.

I've been waiting a long time for something like this to happen. Now I like other systems, but BRP will always have a place in my heart. If they publish it, I'll buy it. For sure.

My only gripe is: Why didn't Chaosium do this before? :confused:

Quote from: ClaudiusMy only gripe is: Why didn't Chaosium do this before? :confused:

As mentioned earlier in the thread, they did.  Sort of.  Rather poorly.  Financial and organisational problems were getting in the way.  From what I'm gathering, it looks like matters are sorting themselves out.

You know, I'll buy a copy.  It can go on the shelf right next to my son's D&D 3.x books that I bought him.  He'll be able to take my copy of RQ Vikings and go batshit. :haw:  Maybe I'll even run that "Trouble Comes to Vinland" campaign for him...

!i!

I think I'll buy it but I said that about MRQ before the reviews started rolling in. Plus (probably more important) when it comes to new games as opposed to satisfying my craving for "scarce" OOP stuff, I'm a cheapo.

Quote from: ClaudiusMy only gripe is: Why didn't Chaosium do this before? :confused:

Because they've been in a 'bad place' financially for the past ten years or so.  The CCG craze hurt them hard, and they're only now recovering.  They've been putting out lots of good Cthulhu stuff (their top-selling line, natch) and ditched lines which were dragging them down (Stormbringer) which has helped their cash flow to the point where they can start expanding out into other areas.

I'm sure Chaosium has been wanting to do BRP for a long time now (in fact, I beleive I recall Charlie mentioning it to me at least 5 or 6 years ago) but it's only in the past couple of years that they've had the resources to do it.

I hope it works and it's all that they want it to be.  But I have my doubts - not because it's from Chaosism, but because generally generic systems suck.  They have a lot of information that you have to go through before hand strip out what you don't want flush out all the missing details for whatever setting you are actually trying to do and then spec out all the rules/details to your players.

Generic systems are all well and good if you want to put the effort into it.  But for the most part you are still better off to take something close to what you want and make the few changes to get there.

So are they going to go with a core book + supplements model like Savage Worlds and nWoD, or are they waiting and seeing?

Quote from: kryystI hope it works and it's all that they want it to be.  But I have my doubts - not because it's from Chaosism, but because generally generic systems suck.  They have a lot of information that you have to go through before hand strip out what you don't want flush out all the missing details for whatever setting you are actually trying to do and then spec out all the rules/details to your players.

Like I said earlier, BRP will have a solid "Core" set of rules and then tons of optional versions of different things.  For example, the 'core' rules use the tried-and-true dice rolling for character generation, but there's a sidebar on allocating points.  The 'core' rules don't have skill category modifiers, but there are two optional systems for doing that if you like them.

Also, last time I spoke with Jason about it, the book was going to include a 'checklist' which a GM could copy, mark all of the optional rules in his campaign, and then just hand that to the players.  All the players will need to start making their characters at that point, is a copy of the rules, and a copy of that 'options handout'.  Doesn't get much simpler than that.

Quote from: MoriartySo are they going to go with a core book + supplements model like Savage Worlds and nWoD, or are they waiting and seeing?

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's a bit of both.  I've heard rumors from various sources that things like a "Generic SciFi Setting Book" have been comissioned, or at least discussed, but I really don't know for sure.

I'm hoping they do things like the scripted campaigns for Savage Worlds.  I've got an idea for a dark, gritty 'powered humans' game I'd love to do, based on BRP and the Powers chapter therein.  Sort of like the "Heroes" TV show in many ways, but I came up with the concept years ago.  My thought would be that if I wrote that up to publish for BRP, it would be a single, 64-pp setting and campaign outline, with no other support planned.  Basically give the GMs and Players a fairly well-developed 'framework' to drop their own scenarios into.

Quote from: zombenLike I said earlier, BRP will have a solid "Core" set of rules and then tons of optional versions of different things.  For example, the 'core' rules use the tried-and-true dice rolling for character generation, but there's a sidebar on allocating points.  The 'core' rules don't have skill category modifiers, but there are two optional systems for doing that if you like them.

Also, last time I spoke with Jason about it, the book was going to include a 'checklist' which a GM could copy, mark all of the optional rules in his campaign, and then just hand that to the players.  All the players will need to start making their characters at that point, is a copy of the rules, and a copy of that 'options handout'.  Doesn't get much simpler than that.

Well except generally equipment lists, monsters and possibly spell lists.  Like I said I hope it's a good book - but typically Generic systems fail to impress because they are generic.

Quote from: kryystWell except generally equipment lists, monsters and possibly spell lists.  Like I said I hope it's a good book - but typically Generic systems fail to impress because they are generic.

THe equipment list was pretty massive and useful for anything from prehistoric to far future, if I recall.

As to spell lists, the game comes with 5 different 'powers' systems:
Magic (spells)
Sorcery (summonings)
Superpowers
Psychic powers
Mutations

To be completely honest, however, I have not seen the monsters chapter yet.  That was all being handled off of the playtest list (aside from a few basic critters we had for test fights).  My guess is it will be a good cross-section of critters from 30 years of Chaosium games.

Quote from: zombenTHe equipment list was pretty massive and useful for anything from prehistoric to far future, if I recall.

As to spell lists, the game comes with 5 different 'powers' systems:
Magic (spells)
Sorcery (summonings)
Superpowers
Psychic powers
Mutations

To be completely honest, however, I have not seen the monsters chapter yet.  That was all being handled off of the playtest list (aside from a few basic critters we had for test fights).  My guess is it will be a good cross-section of critters from 30 years of Chaosium games.

I may just have to retract my generic statement on generic systems if they actually provide enough to play the game out of the box without a massive amount of prep work to quantify the setting you are trying to pigeon hole it into.