[Q&A] Greg Stafford (Chaosium)

[19:02] <+MrChaosium> I am Greg Stafford, founder of Chaosium and Issaries. Discoverer of Glorantha, game designer of RQ (original), Heroquest (original) Pendragon (all eds) Ghostbusters, and a bunch of other stuff

[19:02] <+MrChaosium> I am here to answer what I can,t houjgh I parobably have less information that you all want

[19:03] <+GianGero> 🙂

[19:03] <+MrChaosium> You are welcome fo rme stepping back into Chaosium. I consider it to be a significant part of my legacy and felt I could help it out in these trying times.

[19:04] <+MrChaosium> hey, done. Gimme some concrete questions to answr, or not.

[19:04] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:04] <~Dan> Thanks, Greg!

[19:04] <~Dan> The floor is open to questions!

[19:04] <+Lysus> As someone who’s interest has been piqued by Glorantha in the past, where is the best place to start?

[19:04] <+JakeKolodny> How are things going over at Chaosium?

[19:05] <~Dan> (Those may take some answering, so let’s have a question pause there.)

[19:06] <+MrChaosium> Glorantha first: I think the best place to start is with the basic HeroQuest Glorantha book. But here is a secret to playing Glorantha: don’t worry about the big stuff. Choose a litttle piece of that vast world and play in it. You don’t need to know everything. Start small

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[19:06] <+MrChaosium> Imagine if you were playing a WWII game for a bunch of infantry grunts. You’d just choose what theater of oeprations you want, and then worrya bout that setting

[19:06] <+MrChaosium> Same for Glorantha. Start small and then expand.

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[19:07] <+MrChaosium> And guy that big fat pair of books if you want to know it ALL. I was trying to write that dang thing for 40 years before Moon Design got it done. But again: start small.

[19:07] <+MrChaosium> done with that and on to Chaosium

[19:08] <+MrChaosium> I am really chuffed with how well things are going at Chaosium. We’ve got an A1 staff chugging away to do the work now and stuff is moving. Not everything is certain yet, but our #1 goal is still to fulfill that CoC7th KS.

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[19:09] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:09] <+Catseye> a few years ago, I tried to get information about possibly producing licensed books for BRP. But nobody ever returned my e-mails, What sort of future does BRP have?

[19:09] <+MrChaosium> A good one!

[19:09] <~Dan> Questions may resume! 🙂

[19:09] <+MrChaosium> I apologize for the problems of a few years ago. Such things are why I am back in my role

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[19:10] <+MrChaosium> Drop a line to Ben@chaosium.com for BRP stuff.

[19:10] <+MrChaosium> We are taking an active interest in expanding the BRP realms.

[19:10] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:10] <+GianGero> Greg do you like crossover between different gaming worlds? For instance, Orlanth Battles Cthulhu or something similar…

[19:10] <+CJ23> I wrote the first monograph the Parapsycholigist’s Handbook. Will you continue producing monographs?

[19:10] <~Dan> Speaking of BRP, do you consider it the go-to system for Chaosium?

[19:10] <~Dan> (Question pause.)

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[19:11] <+MrChaosium> Gian: (hi)_ No, I generally do not like crossovers, unless the game is specifically for that. I’d never put anything Cthulhu into Pendragon. I would never put anything Cthulhu into MY personal game of RQ.

[19:12] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Guest75! Please set your name with the /nick command. 🙂 )

[19:12] <+MrChaosium> But then, I am a fuddy old purist at heart.

[19:12] <~Dan> Heh. 🙂

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[19:12] <~Dan> (wb, Benoit!)

[19:12] <+MrChaosium> OTOH, one of the most fun games I ever played in was a mash of juwt about every Chaosium game ever done (up to that time). We had superheroes, babboons, dilitante with this girlfriends, and howled with laughter all night.

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[19:13] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, ajtheronin!, Guest35! Guest35, please set your name with the /nick command. 🙂 )

[19:14] <+MrChaosium> BRP: Yes, At this time I’d say it is the CHAOSIUM go-to game. It is the most basic, most generic. But if someone wants a specific setting, then use the CoC or other specific genera.

[19:14] * ~Dan nods

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[19:15] <+MrChaosium> One of the main reasons that Chaosium was started was because I hated the smooshed up nature of the OD&D setting where kobolds were monsters and in the same place as a balrog or flying horse.

[19:15] <+MrChaosium> done

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[19:15] <+Catseye> Will there be a return of any of the BRP based games of the past? Say Superworld for example?

[19:15] <+Crazy-Cabal> Do you guys still have the Elric! license?

[19:15] <~Dan> (Did you see the monograph question, Greg?)

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[19:16] <~Dan> (Just in case: [19:10] <+CJ23> I wrote the first monograph the Parapsycholigist’s Handbook. Will you continue producing monographs? )

[19:16] <~Dan> (And questions may resume. We have room for one more before a pause. 🙂 )

[19:16] <+salimond> What courses were you taking way back at Beloit that helped open the door to Glorantha? Remember the reading lists?

[19:17] <+MrChaosium> Monograph: We are going to entirely change how monographs are done. In general, we will not be doing them. We need to concentrate our resources on our lines and find that the monographs are not a huge addition to our resources. As an idea it was cool, but didn’t seem to work out. The economics at Chaosium for it just don’t work. I am sorry for all your monogr

[19:17] <~Dan> (Question pause. 🙂 )

[19:17] <~Dan> (Cut off at “all your monogr”, Greg.)

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[19:17] <+MrChaosium> monographers out there, but I’d suggest that you could bnuckle down and do the hard work to make it a chaosium-quality professional submission and both you and we would be well off.

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[19:18] <~Dan> (Howdy, stormbringer!)

[19:18] <+MrChaosium> BRP of the Past: Yes, we will probably be resurrecting them in a better form.

[19:18] <+stormbringer> Dan!

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[19:18] <+MrChaosium> We do not have the rights to Stormbringer anymore

[19:18] <~Dan> (Heh. Good timing. 🙂 )

[19:18] <+stormbringer> (I am good like that. 🙂 )

[19:18] <+MrChaosium> Ahh, beloit.

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[19:19] <+MrChaosium> You know, I had never read any fantasy or science fiction when I discovered Glorantha. I had, however, read just about every European literature of the medieval and Greek eras.

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[19:20] <+MrChaosium> I remember the first time I found The Hobbit I thought to myself, “Dang, someone beat me to it,” where “it” = a fantasy world. 😀

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[19:20] <~Dan> Huh. I’ll be darned. 🙂

[19:20] <+Groovetronic> Hello Greg, thank you for RuneQuest and Glorantha, which literally changed my life, as well as your ongoing work with Jeff Richards and Moon Design. Are you planning on any original work to be done for RuneQuest 6, 13th Age in Glorantha or HQG for Glorantha in partnership with Moon Design or Design Mechanism?

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[19:21] <+MrChaosium> Illiad, Oddesy, Beowulf. Le Morte d’Arthur, Charlemagne, Mabinogion, Irish myths, Icelandic sagas, Geoffrey fo Monmouth, Snorri Sturlasson, Saxo Grammaticus. That’s a good start.

[19:21] <+MrChaosium> done

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[19:21] <+Groovetronic> ((whoops, sorry, apologies))

[19:21] <~Dan> (No worries. 🙂 )

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[19:21] <+CJ23> Pendrafon

[19:21] <+MrChaosium> I am occasionally thinking of Gloranthan work

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[19:22] <~Dan> (Howdy, MonkofLords!)

[19:22] <+MrChaosium> I would like to finish all the unfinished stories I have begun.

[19:22] <+CJ23> What is the future fo4 Pendragon¿

[19:22] <+MrChaosium> But in truth, it is not the priority that it used to be with me.

[19:22] <+Groovetronic> Thank you. I’m excited for any of your future work.

[19:22] <+MrChaosium> Pendragon: I am very happy with the work that Nocturnal and I are doing for KAP

[19:22] <~Dan> (Please hold questions during the question pause so that Greg can catch up. Thanks! 🙂 )

[19:23] <+MrChaosium> We’ve just done a big batch of books that are mainly bakcground. Net release is Book of Uther that is background and material for the Uther Period of GPC.

[19:23] <+MrChaosium> I want to turn to getting more adventures and stuff done.

[19:23] <+MrChaosium> and there is a KAP 6 sdomewhere int he fugure.

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[19:23] <~Dan> (Howdy, Blarghedy!)

[19:24] <+Blarghedy> (‘allo. Router spazzed.)

[19:24] <+MrChaosium> Anything questions missed up there?

[19:24] <+MrChaosium> Hey, to the “changed my life.”

[19:25] <~Dan> Looks like you’re caught up. Questions may resume!

[19:25] <+Bloodshadows> Any news on the secondary shipment items from the Horror on the Orient Express Kickstarter (dice, simulacrum, screen)?

[19:25] <+MrChaosium> I am very happy to hear that. It is one of the greatest joys I have when people share how an RPG changed his or her life.

[19:25] <+CJ23> What games do you still run yourself, assuming you have time?

[19:25] * +Groovetronic is very interested to hear what Greg games week to week! 🙂

[19:26] <+MrChaosium> RE: Oriental Express. No, no news on that I am afraid. I feel the primary need is to the CoC7th supporters. We can turn to peripheral stuff after the core stuff is done

[19:26] * +Groovetronic picked up the RQ2 boxed set in 1980 at NYC’s Compleat Strategist, and entered Pavis when all of his friends were playing AD&D. After that, my future was set.

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[19:27] <+CJ23> (I’d never have become a parapsychologist if not for Cthulhu).

[19:27] <+MrChaosium> These days the only RPG I play is Pendragon. I just love the setting and system so much. I do play boardgames at time, and th enext one I will play is Sandy’s Cthulhu Wars

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[19:27] * +Groovetronic has heard great things about Gods War for Glorantha. But I also want to try Cthulhu Wars too!

[19:28] <+MrChaosium> Yes, both games are similiar in system and scale. I mean, how cool is it to have the world world as your gameboard?

[19:28] <~Dan> 🙂

[19:28] <+MrChaosium> ANd then populate it with foot-high figures!

[19:28] * +Groovetronic can’t wait!

[19:28] <+MrChaosium> Me either!!

[19:28] <~Dan> Does Chaosium have any new licenses in the works? And if so, are there any you can discuss?

[19:28] <+MrChaosium> I do know Sandy is sweating over it just about every day

[19:29] <+MrChaosium> We do not at this time have any new licenses under development that I can talk about.

[19:29] * +Groovetronic just finished a character arc across two complete Cthulhu campaigns (one BRP, one Trail of Cthulhu, same PC).

[19:29] * ~Dan nods

[19:29] <+Catseye> My biggest enthusiasm for Call Of Cthulhu came with the D20 version. It was the one that really captured my imagination. However,CHaosium only put out a very few supplements for it. Is it possible that version will ever be revisited?

[19:29] <~Dan> I understand. Can’t blame a guy for trying. 😉

[19:29] <+MrChaosium> I loath talking about things that are not done, because they constantly disappoint people when we reveal our human limitations in meeting impossible goals

[19:29] <+RJ> The Prince Valiant RPG is well-regarded but is a rarity now. Do you think you might ever reprint it?

[19:29] <+MrChaosium> Yes, Prince Valiant is going to be reprinted! Well,

[19:29] <+Groovetronic> What new BRP products are in development? (please direct me if this has already been answered)

[19:30] <+Groovetronic> YAY

[19:30] <~Dan> (Question pause.)

[19:30] <+MrChaosium> redone a bit too. Nocturnal has acquired the license again from… um, whoever the holder is.

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[19:30] <+MrChaosium> It is going to be redesigned a bit so that it will be more kid-friendly.

[19:31] <+MrChaosium> I am looking forward to that. I originally made PV because I wanted a RPG with 1 page of rules.

[19:31] <+MrChaosium> It is also the only game I know of htat rewards both the character and the player. Gold stars!

[19:31] <~Dan> 🙂

[19:31] <+MrChaosium> And “get out of a fix” certificates for the player to give the GM

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[19:32] <+MrChaosium> and also a bu nch of adventures that are illustrated by the fantastic art of Prince Valiant

[19:32] <+MrChaosium> You know, before I publsihed the gtame I was allowed access to a guy’s private and COMPLETE collection of PV sunday comics

[19:32] <~Dan> Wow. O.o

[19:32] <+RJ> cool

[19:33] <+MrChaosium> I went through them from first to about 3/4 of the entire series. A very very special moment enveloped me when I read one particular strip and remembered that I had thought, “OK, I like this. I am going to learn more about it.”

[19:33] <+MrChaosium> And I mean more about PV, cuz I was already deeply immersed in Arthuriana

[19:33] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:34] <+CJ23> How different will pendragon 6 be?

[19:34] <~Dan> (Let’s see… I think the CoC d20 question is the only one outstanding.)

[19:34] <+MrChaosium> The d20 version was the one that was compatible with D&D, I recall.

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[19:35] <+MrChaosium> I gotta say that the venture was not a big financial success. We don’t have plans to continue that. With our limited resources we just want to the best of the best in trms of game quality and need that income to keep it up!

[19:36] <+MrChaosium> One more thing on Prince Valiant: I think it is now the longest-running comic adventure int he world. And Hal Foster was the artist.

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[19:37] <+GianGero> Are you inspired also by cinema and TV series or are you too conservative for that futurist Zistori tech 😉 ?

[19:37] <+MrChaosium> Do you know that Foster wanted the character to be named Arn. Later he had Prince Valiant come to America? And while here his wife gave bith to a son who was named Arn! Ha, after like ten years of drawing he finally got his wish. And if I am not

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[19:37] <+MrChaosium> mistaken Prince Arm was born on the exact same plot of land in upstate NY where Foster lived.

[19:37] <~Dan> (cut off at “if I am not”)

[19:37] <~Dan> Heh. Awesome. 🙂

[19:38] <+Catseye> One of my personal pet peeves in superhero games lately has been the overwhelming focus on combat instead of the heroism. How well could that quality be simulated with BRP?

[19:38] <+MrChaosium> I almost never watch TV. Never have, even though I remember us getting our first TV ever when I was in first grade. And I know ther eis some decent stuff to watch, but I usually just wait until I can binge watch a few seasons at once.

[19:38] <+MrChaosium> Love Rome, for instance.

[19:39] <+MrChaosium> Ande Battlestar Galactica.

[19:39] <+MrChaosium> But they do not inspire me to make games of them–just to steal plot ideas

[19:39] <~Dan> So currently, you have a number of BRP systems, and some non-BRP stuff (sort of) like Pendragon. Going forward, is your first move with a new game to try to fit it into the BRP mold, or do you approach each game individually in terms of rules?

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[19:39] <+MrChaosium> As for movies, very few last mroe than a half hour after I see them. I mean, when they are playing I am enthralled even by crappy movies. I love that suspension of disbelief! Take me away!

[19:39] <~Dan> (Howdy, Ismellzombies!)

[19:39] <+Ismellzombies> Hey dan, whats crackin tonight!

[19:40] <+MrChaosium> but I rarely ever think about them afterwards, and almost none are such that I want to see it again.

[19:40] <~Dan> (Talking to the legendary Mr. Greg Stafford. 🙂 )

[19:40] <+Ismellzombies> oh high greg, what a very close to my last name you have [sanford]

[19:40] <+MrChaosium> Here is one of my favorite moviees though: Memento. Love it so much my wife and I went back a wek later to see it again

[19:40] <+MrChaosium> but that’s rare

[19:40] <+MrChaosium> And of course I lvoed LoTR.

[19:40] <+CJ23> Did you enjoy Ghostbusters? It was a very radical rpg design – could it be brought back?

[19:40] <+Ismellzombies> Memento is brilliant

[19:41] <+MrChaosium> But have not been moved to see the Hobbit at all!

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[19:41] <+MrChaosium> Oh, yea I loved Ghostbusters. We designed that for West End Games. We never held the license, WEG did.

[19:41] <+MrChaosium> And you know they went on and used the game system for several other games, so that it gratifying.

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[19:42] <+MrChaosium> And it was fun to write such a light-hearted game.

[19:42] <+CJ23> Shame. Really cool system, fun setting

[19:42] <+MrChaosium> and yes, I liked th eGB movies too! Not sure about the ones coming up…

[19:42] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:42] <+MrChaosium> e

[19:42] <~Dan> In case you missed it: [19:39] <~Dan> So currently, you have a number of BRP systems, and some non-BRP stuff (sort of) like Pendragon. Going forward, is your first move with a new game to try to fit it into the BRP mold, or do you approach each game individually in terms of rules?

[19:43] <+MrChaosium> I much prefer to fit the game system to the setting.

[19:43] <+MrChaosium> the Pendragon system was a departure from BRP in many ways (though not all of course)

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[19:43] <~Dan> So what qualities do you see in a given setting that says “BRP” to you?

[19:44] <+MrChaosium> First I try to figure out the key to each setting. Sandy delivered the Sanity stat that transformed CoC from anotgher BRP to being unique. IN Pendragon the fact that Glory is the “coin of the game” as it were is a critical part.

[19:44] * ~Dan nods

[19:45] <+MrChaosium> For BRP it needs to have a motivation–why are we playing this game? Wghat is special, and how do we bring thaqt to the forefront?

[19:45] <+MrChaosium> I see many games that are just the old one in a new setting, but games and places shoudl be special

[19:45] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:45] * ~Dan nods

[19:46] <+Lysus> I have heard it said that a significant reason for the Cthulhu Mythos’ enduring popularity is the fact that it was one of the last works to enter the public domain before the repeated extension of copyright terms starting in the 60s and continuing through today. What are your thoughts on the public domain – does it enhance creativity or stifle it?

[19:46] <+GianGero> Do you know that Italy is much better than California? I go to bed, now. Thanks again: good chatting and thank you Dan for the opportunity! Bye to everybody else, ciao!

[19:46] <~Dan> One thing I have always loved about Chaosium is the fact that you guys put out some seriously complete rulebooks, with supplements that are truly supplemental. Is that your personal design philosophy at work, and will it continue?

[19:46] <+MrChaosium> Gian, I know that some parts of Italy are WAY better than parts of CA, but not MY part! I live surrounded by mountains and redwoods on one side and the Pacific on the other. Very hard to beat 🙂

[19:47] <~Dan> (Sleep well, GianGero!)

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[19:47] <+MrChaosium> G’night Gian

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[19:48] <+MrChaosium> My intent with games has always to be complete and to meet the needs of the gamers. We do this full time, but I am aware that not everyone has the time that we have. So it has always been my intent to be as complete as possible.

[19:48] <+MrChaosium> Or rather, as complete as it needs to be.

[19:48] * ~Dan nods

[19:48] <+MrChaosium> I dont’ like to just fill out junk to be complete. Did youever see the French CoC supplement on 1920’s CoC?

[19:48] <~Dan> I did not.

[19:49] <+MrChaosium> It wa sgorgeous, and HUGE! If Irecall correctly just about avery place sho in Paris was identified. Wow, i say, but then, most of that will never be sued. So, like in Masks of Myarlathop, I prefer to give the parts of great cities where the game goes, or might go while doing stuff you do in the game.

[19:50] * ~Dan nods

[19:50] <+MrChaosium> Ha ha, Mylarathotop: the plastic monster!

[19:50] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:50] <+CJ23> One Glorantha question: what is the relationship between Teelo Norri and the Red Goddess. Im totally confused. Does her ego get wholly replaced? Does she get sacriificed? Or does she realuse her divinity as she becomes All?

[19:50] <~Dan> I love the fact that CoC includes things like vampires and birds and snakes as well as Mythos critters, for example.

[19:50] <+JakeKolodny> Will you be consulting on Six Ages?

[19:50] <~Dan> (Not really a question. Just gushing a bit there. 😉 )

[19:51] <+ajtheronin> Don’t know if this hS

[19:51] <+ajtheronin> was asked but are you going to revamp Masks for 7e?

[19:51] <+MrChaosium> Teelo Norri’s fate is one of those great ambiguities that I planted in Gloranthas. Her fate can go in so many difections I leave it to the GM to decide what it True in his world.

[19:52] <+CJ23> Thanks!

[19:52] <+MrChaosium> Jake: I am afraid not, since at this moment I don’t know what Six Ages is! *blush* Wha tusuall happens on the new Glorantha material is that I get calls from the creative staff (ie, Jeff) and he asks the off the wall questions that I answer (or occasionaloty don’T)

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[19:53] <+MrChaosium> I imagine that we will be updating Masks for 7th ed.

[19:53] <+MrChaosium> some of those supplements are too good to ever let them go away

[19:54] <+JakeKolodny> Dang, must be super secret if you don’t even know what it is. :O

[19:55] <+MrChaosium> 😀

[19:55] <~Dan> It’s so secret, Greg doesn’t even realize that he IS working on it.

[19:55] <+MrChaosium> Dang, that Red Goddess got ahold of me again, I guess!

[19:55] <+CJ23> Greg is Illuminated. This may be a Nysalor riddle? 🙂

[19:55] <~Dan> “Hey, what’s this check for?” “Never you mind, Greg…”

[19:56] <+MrChaosium> I lips are sealed

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[19:56] <+MrChaosium> done

[19:56] <~Dan> So, I’d like your opinion on something regarding the state of the business….

[19:56] <+CJ23> How can we help Chaosium?

[19:56] <+MrChaosium> I will do my best, but I have not

[19:57] <+MrChaosium> been active in the biz end for several years

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[19:57] <~Dan> It has long seemed to me that many companies, especially in the early 90s, turned their backs on the casual gamer in favor of the hardcore gamer — doing away with published adventures in favor of vast strings of metaplotted supplements, for example.

[19:58] <~Dan> Chaosium never went that way.

[19:58] <+MrChaosium> You can help Chaosium by continuing to hold you faith in us, and to speak online when the doomsayers are spouting off–write reviews of the good stuff!

[19:58] <~Dan> Do you see the casual gamer as an important part of the hobby?

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[19:58] <~Dan> (Howdy, Silverlion!)

[19:58] <+MrChaosium> You know Dan, I pay very little attention to the other companies’ products so it is difficult for me to compare

[19:58] <&Silverlion> (Allo Dan)

[19:58] * ~Dan nods

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[19:59] <+MrChaosium> Casual gamers ARE our hobby. I do consider folks who meet to play weekly casual in this definition.

[19:59] <~Dan> No problem. This kinda piggybacks on my earlier question about complete rulebooks, but it seems that Chaosium never engaged in the kind of “strip mining” of the hobby that I’ve seen other companies do.

[19:59] <+Catseye> Metaplot I generally despise. because it takes the emphasis off the role of the player characters being the stars of the show.

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[20:00] <~Dan> Although, to be fair, I think that’s been turning around in recent years.

[20:00] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, Dumnbunny!)

[20:00] <+MrChaosium> RPGs are hobbies, not lifestyles, and I have always expected people to come and go according to their time available

[20:00] <~Dan> Some have told me in the past that casual gamers aren’t profitable enough.

[20:01] <+MrChaosium> “Turning around” in that Chaosium has been strip imining? Or other companies have back off of that gamer habitat destruction?

[20:01] <~Dan> Oh, no, I’ve never seen Chaosium go that route. I mean other companies.

[20:02] <~Dan> For a while, it looked like the hobby was in a bit of a death spiral to me, precisely because companies were putting out products that appealed to the most dedicated gamers.

[20:02] <~Dan> So there were fewer casual gamers in the market.

[20:02] <~Dan> So they said that there was no point in appealing to casual gamers.

[20:02] <~Dan> And so on.

[20:02] <+MrChaosium> If someone is designing only for the non-causual gamer then they are working fo ra very tiny, loud and demanding market segment. (and what would non-casual be, a professional gamer? A hard-core gamer who makes it a lifestyle? Wha?)

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[20:03] <~Dan> Well, I’m speaking in terms of the type of gamer who would NEVER use a published adventure and will buy a never-ending stream of supplements.

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[20:03] <+StormBringer> Dan hits on the primary reason I have 1989 as a cutoff for Vintage Games. Convoluted, multi-supplement products that were almost required to keep things moving.

[20:03] <+Naphicus> I’ve been very interested reading the conversation so far, but nonetheless wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Greg for being here and to Dan for moderating this nice meeting. The return of the Great Old Ones has certainly made the stars right for Chaosium 🙂 I’m leaving now, best regards from Chile!!!!

[20:03] <~Dan> The kind of gamer who’s willing to throw down extraordinary sums of money and spend insane amounts of time on the hobby.

[20:03] <+MrChaosium> You know, I do remember that phase. I’ll just say that the casual gamer is who we at Chaosium want to make our games for. If someone has to actually study something to play, then it is not worth the investment and they will turn from being casual gamers into non-gamers

[20:04] <~Dan> Take care, Naphicus! Come back any time! 🙂

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[20:04] <+StormBringer> I think Dan is talking about the hard-core player that incorporates ‘gamer’ as part of their identity.

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[20:04] <~Dan> Excellent. Again, kudos on that. I’ve always maintained that Chaosium was a class act for that.

[20:05] <+MrChaosium> Well, we love the guy who wants to throw down loads of dough on us too!

[20:05] <~Dan> Well, yeah. 😀

[20:06] <+MrChaosium> Here is something I have observed: The market divides up into these types of players:

[20:06] <+Catseye> Greg, overall, I find your opinions and approaches refreshing. I have encountered way too many game professionals who were out to leech every last dime from the pocket of their customers.

[20:06] <+CJ23> I identify as a gamer as my primay income is writing rpg supplements. I dont see much difference between the 3 ,nights a week and once a month guys

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[20:06] <+MrChaosium> the kids, from whatever age to sometime in HS. They are power gamers, often cheat die rolls, and dont’ care too mucha bout sensible settings

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[20:06] <+CJ23> Will Chaosium be attending conventions next year?

[20:07] <~Dan> (Question pause.)

[20:07] <&Silverlion> I’ve had to give up being hard core..:D Too expensive

[20:07] <+MrChaosium> then there are the HS and college kids. They are voracious for knowledge, like to play in a sensible setting, and have the maturity to play Chaosium games

[20:07] <+MrChaosium> Then the gamers go away

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[20:08] <+MrChaosium> When they are married, with a ob, or otherwise settled in some fashion and have some spare time, they come back to gaming. They are mature and have mature sensibilities.

[20:08] <+MrChaosium> We have always aimed at the second and third groups–the early college and settled adults.

[20:09] <+MrChaosium> We will be at GenCon, because GenCon is where RPG happens.

[20:09] <~Dan> (Screw Settlers of Catan… It’s Settlers of Chaosium!)

[20:09] <+MrChaosium> I I beleive we will be at Necronomicon too, though that’s not primarily a game con

[20:10] <~Dan> (Questions may resume!)

[20:10] <+MrChaosium> I like Settlers because non-gamers are brought into the fold with it. And it is simple.

[20:10] <+MrChaosium> ask ask ask

[20:10] <+salimond> I think CJ23 had a good one: how can we help? Me, I just want to know the best Doors record.

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[20:10] <~Dan> I believe Lysus has a question that we both missed earlier…

[20:10] <+Lysus> I have heard it said that a significant reason for the Cthulhu Mythos’ enduring popularity is the fact that it was one of the last works to enter the public domain before the repeated extension of copyright terms starting in the 60s and continuing through today. What are your thoughts on the public domain – does it enhance creativity or stifle it?

[20:11] <+MrChaosium> Hm, never thought of that actually.

[20:11] <+MrChaosium> Here is why I think that CoC work well:

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[20:12] <~Dan> (Howdy, SolutionCat!)

[20:12] <+SolutionCat> (evening)

[20:13] <+MrChaosium> Basically, the investigators are small and insignificant beings caught up in something that is much, much bigger than them, individually of collectively. They live in a harsh world where they may be destroyed by accident. They will always end up dead or insane or with their face planted on a wall and knowing its fate. But they struggle on BECAUSE THEY CAN

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[20:13] <+MrChaosium> It is very heroic. And there is one more factor:

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[20:14] <+MrChaosium> The players know that their characters are in a world that is deadly, impersonal, but it has some sense even if they do not understand it–heck, CAN not understand it

[20:14] <~Dan> (wb, MOB, and howdy, JamesGillen!)

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[20:14] <+JamesGillen> howdee

[20:14] <+MrChaosium> The characters are much like us: small and insignificant and in a world where we will be snuffed out eventually, no matter what.

[20:14] <+MrChaosium> In CoC “we matter.”

[20:15] * ~Dan nods

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[20:15] <+MrChaosium> The lesson is this is for everyone to not be crushed by our miserable messed up world. Go out and do something good, something good for everyone even if they never know about it. Why? Because we CAN

[20:16] <~Dan> Huh. That’s… rather cool. 🙂

[20:16] <+MrChaosium> The sun rises in Oz and MOB rises among us! Yay!

[20:16] <+MrChaosium> Tbhank you Dan.

[20:16] <+Lysus> Thanks for the answer.

[20:16] <~Dan> I have a question regarding the Dreamlands.

[20:17] <~Dan> I LOVE the Dreamlands, but the last couple of Dreamlands books were very… well, Lumley-ized.

[20:17] <~Dan> Surreal vistas gave way to topless zombie babes and termite babes.

[20:17] <+MrChaosium> Has everyone realized that a key factor in most Chaosium games is that the character can die? And probably will? It’s built into Pendragon, with an out of continuing with descendants.

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[20:17] <+MOB> Enjoying the chat here in Aus!

[20:17] <~Dan> Any chance of a new version, perchance with more surreal? 🙂

[20:17] <+MrChaosium> But in the end: Pendragon, CoC, SB–everyone dies in the end…

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[20:18] <+SolutionCat> lol, how long do characters take to make?

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[20:18] <+RJ> Have you heard of the Aztec RPG New Fire? Death is a big part of that game.

[20:18] <+MrChaosium> Topless Zombie babes, huh? Jeez, I sure hope we can do better. Lumley seems to have missed something in the mythos and I am not especialoloy fond of his material.

[20:19] <~Dan> Yeah. Xura became Zura, home of Zura of Zura, the topless zombie babe queen.

[20:19] <&Silverlion> Good for you

[20:19] <~Dan> It was… kind of disheartening. 🙂

[20:19] <+MrChaosium> Characters: Once you know how it is usually quick. We had one player in the original Shadows of Yog soth campaign–the first CoC campaign ever–who had a new character EVERY GAME. He got real good at making new characters

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[20:20] <~Dan> Shadows is a bit of a meatgrinder. 😀

[20:20] <+MrChaosium> for oput other games: it takes a bit, because in part the character generation is a partil “how to play” lesson. Once you know how to play, chargen gets easier and faster.

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[20:22] <+MrChaosium> My character is SOYS was an Irish bum. I couldn’t play ever sessions, so when I could it mean he came back seeking work to buy another bottle. The dilitante of the game would hire him as a driver (cuz he was sober.) Well, he got thwacked by a Hound of Tindalos that left this deep burn scar at the base of his neck

[20:23] <+MrChaosium> It was seared around the edges. He used to keep his cigarettes in there to keep them dry. He lost 98 SAN when Cthulhu rose from the deeps, but survived. At the end the other players just bought his a carton of cigs and big bottle of booze and left him at the RR tracks.

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[20:23] <+MrChaosium> Oh sorr, I hate it when people tell me character stories. I should probably do the same.

[20:23] <+MrChaosium> But it illustrates that SOYS is, indeed, a meat grinder/

[20:23] <~Dan> Are you kidding? Greg Stafford is sharing CoC war stories with us. This is golden! 😀

[20:24] <+JamesGillen> heh

[20:24] <+Bloodshadows> I never grow weary of CoC stories

[20:24] <+MrChaosium> ask away amigos

[20:24] <+RJ> In the Gencon seminar on myth and games you did with Jeff, I think you said that shamanism in Glorantha is pretty different from the shamanism in your own life. Can you say more about how they’re different?

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[20:25] <~Dan> This question may be a bit vague, but… what do you consider Glorantha to be, fundamentally? A literary creation? A game setting? A mental exercise? Something else?

[20:26] <+MrChaosium> Sure. The idea of a fetch is pretty whimsical, although a living tradition in some places. And my time in the spirit world is not as hazardous at in RQ, and “spirits” are not somethign that you can use in that way as RQ.

[20:26] <+MrChaosium> Such fo rshamanism. It is not what everyone thinks it is, and the only way to really understand it is to practice it. It is not for everyone, but for some of us, it works very well,. I has saved my life and made me a better person.

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[20:27] <+MrChaosium> What is Glorantha? Good question.

[20:27] <+MrChaosium> I think that it is a body of myth. It is a liviong myth in some senses because I know that it opens people up to new things, new ideas, new ways of thinking.

[20:28] <~Dan> Huh. Interesting.

[20:29] <+MrChaosium> I think it has manifested primarily as a game setting, but it was also a sort of exorcism for me, sort of a world construction, a finding my life purpose really. Heavy stuff, I guess, but it was also lightweight–it was my way to entertain girls in college. It was the way I made my living without having a “real job.” It was a way to meet people, share my

[20:29] <~Dan> That being the case, did you ever hesitate to use it as a game setting? Did it ever seem… I dunno… disrespectful, somehow?

[20:30] <~Dan> (Cut off at “share my”)

[20:30] <+MrChaosium> knowledge and experience. A way to get free trips to Europe and Oz and Japan from fans who loved my work, and by extension, loved (or at least liked) me. “:)

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[20:30] <~Dan> Heh. Cool. 🙂

[20:30] <+MrChaosium> No–no disrespect to it. Her eis what happened.

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[20:32] <+MrChaosium> When I was in college in 1966 one day, since I had run out of storeis to read (remembver, I had not discovered fantasy fictions yet) I decided to write a story of my onw. That made me write some background, That madfe me write more background, and part of another story. One afternoon I was in a whimsical fugue state and

[20:32] <+MrChaosium> and Glorantha just sort of opened u to me. It was a visionary experience

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[20:32] <&Silverlion> So you hallucinated Glorantha, that explains ducks..:D

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[20:33] <+MrChaosium> I was enthralled, and at one point thought to myself, “Wow, this is so huge I could never write about the whole thing. Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a staff of people who understood this place the way I do, and everyone was working towards exploring it, and documenting it!”

[20:33] <+MrChaosium> And well, that happened. My college vision came to be manifest in the world.

[20:33] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, aumshantih!)

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[20:33] <+MrChaosium> My vision of beauty and adventure and my plans for it came true.

[20:34] <+MrChaosium> I am pretty damn happy and proud of that

[20:34] <&Silverlion> (I am kidding btw.)

[20:34] <~Dan> That’s awesome. 🙂

[20:34] <&Silverlion> It is an awesome setting, even if it isn’t one I use, I can admit that.

[20:34] <+MrChaosium> Silverlion–actually it was probably one of the few times in those days that I wasn’t hallucinating! 😀 Ther eis a difference in a hallucination and a vison, after all.

[20:35] <~Dan> 😀

[20:35] <+MrChaosium> And in those days, I had plenty of both. Remember, this was 1966 and I was all about sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. Dang man, I spent a summer as a for ereal hippy on Sunset trip with the rest of that crowd and the wonderful time that it was.

[20:36] <+JamesGillen> Sunset trip.

[20:36] <&Silverlion> Indeed.

[20:36] <~Dan> So did you introduce your versions of elves and dwarves and trolls and such totally independent of Tolkien? Or did they show up later, filling a need for Glorantha’s version of such things?

[20:36] <+MrChaosium> It was quite an adventure: anti-war protests and be-ins.

[20:36] <&Silverlion> Wouldn’t know. I came later.

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[20:37] <+MrChaosium> Oh, I didn’t know anythign about Tolkein’s glorious creation when the dwarves and elves, the Mostali and Aldryami, formed in my writing. I needed a symbol, a factor, a living formulation of the Makers and Growers. mostali and Aldryami.

[20:37] * ~Dan nods

[20:37] <~Dan> I find literary convergent evolution to be fascinating. 🙂

[20:37] <+MrChaosium> I am willing to bet that most of you listening in are post-1966. 🙂 I’m an oldie now.

[20:38] <~Dan> But a goodie! 😉

[20:38] <+MrChaosium> Yea, convergent, good concept for it.

[20:38] <+Guest87> Greg, one of the few settings that could be considered a peer to Glorantha is M.A.R. Barker’s Tekumel. What are your thoughts on it?

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[20:38] <~Dan> (Guest87: You can set your name with the /nick command. 🙂 )

[20:38] <+MrChaosium> thank you Dan. It is very pleasant to look back on a life that I feel good about.

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[20:40] <~Dan> You know what, Greg? As far as I can tell, you’ve followed your dream and then some. That’s what life is supposed to be, sez I.

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[20:40] <~Dan> Hell, you’ve MADE and SHARED your dream.

[20:40] <+MrChaosium> I encountered Tekumel when it was first released. It was a bit after Gloranth started to grow. I thought it was fascinating. One day I was having dinner with a friend who spent time in an ashram every summer. He took one look at it and said, “Oh, this is SE based on Asian mythology.”

[20:40] <~Dan> (Welcome to #rpgnet, tedshubris!)

[20:41] <+MrChaosium> I thought Tekumel was very interesting, and again, convergent mythology in many ways. And MASR was a pretty nice guy. And he seems to have been one great GM too, judging from what I have read from people who played in his games.

[20:42] <~Dan> On a related note, what was your first encounter with roleplaying games?

[20:43] <+MrChaosium> Dan: Yes, indeed. And if I have a gift for everyone else it is the encouragement to latch onto their own dream and work it. I never really made any money in my life, but loved my work and what it has done.

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[20:43] <~Dan> (Howdy, Cassiemouse!)

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[20:43] <&Silverlion> Wise.

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[20:44] <+TheShadow> That’s quite an inspiration…

[20:44] <+MrChaosium> First encounter with RPG was when a friend of mine sent me a copy of D&D. Actually, the first copy of D&D ever sold. He ran into GG at a printers. Gary was pickign up the first edition of D&D and my buddy said, “Hey, I got a friend doing a fantasy game. Lemme buy one.” And he sent it to me.

[20:44] <+MrChaosium> I checked this story with Gary, and he confirmed it.

[20:45] <~Dan> Indeed. I think “hero” would be a bit extreme in this case, but… you encourage people to be the heroes of their own lives.

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[20:45] <+MrChaosium> But man, I thought that first edition was just terrible,. Bad spelling, bad organization, bad paragraphing–no editing. Everythign that I set out NOT to be.

[20:45] <+TheShadow> THE first copy…? Any idea where it is now?

[20:45] <~Dan> Wow. Greg Stafford bought THE first copy of D&D? O.o

[20:46] <+MrChaosium> No, probably thrown out long ago. I lent it to anotehr friend, not knowing how valuable it would later be.

[20:46] <+JamesGillen> NOOOOOOOOOoooooo

[20:46] <~Dan> Oh, man. That’s heartbreaking.

[20:46] <+MrChaosium> Yes, though I didn’t buy it, I received it as a gift. 🙂

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[20:46] <+MrChaosium> Hero: yes, go be hero of your own story.

[20:46] <+JamesGillen> D&D small paperback or AD&D PH?

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[20:47] <+TheShadow> Well, I’m pretty happy with my near-mint condition RQ first ed.

[20:47] <+MrChaosium> D&D in the brown box, with the cover glue on separately. 1st edition

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[20:47] <+JamesGillen> mm

[20:47] <+tedshubris> ephemera like that is what always turns out to be the most valuable later on. It’s only through luck that anyone manages to hold on to it. That or pathological hoarding

[20:47] <+MrChaosium> Bring it to GenCon and I’ll autograph it for you. 🙂

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[20:48] <+MrChaosium> ha ha, I am a pathological hoarder now. I’ve got a small shack stuff with stuff from my past. Hoepless, drives my wife crazy

[20:48] <+TheShadow> I’ll gladly take a raincheck for a couple years until I can make the trek over the Pacific Ocean 🙂 It’s on my list

[20:48] <~Dan> This is a bit self-serving, but… what are your thoughts on reviews? I’m a long-time reviewer, including of Chaosium products. 🙂

[20:49] <+MrChaosium> I love honest reviews that do somethign other than list components. I could always tell when a reviewer had only read Prince Valiant. It was super clear that they had usually not even ready it thoroughly.

[20:49] <+MrChaosium> I liek to see a review of something that has been PLAYED.

[20:49] * ~Dan nods

[20:50] <~Dan> So, a quick note, Greg…

[20:51] <~Dan> First, let me stipulate that you are MORE than welcome to hang out with us and answer questions as long as you like. For that matter, you are more than welcome to hang out with us any time you like.

[20:51] <+MrChaosium> Mr TheShadow–don’t wait too long. I don’t know how many conventions I will get to, and I live really far off the beaten path. Like a 6 hour drive from Sand Franciso.

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[20:51] <+Catseye> yeah. I got a review of one of my books yesterday. And it was clear that the person hadn’t actually read the book. Just skimmed it. Which is disappointing to say the least.

[20:51] <~Dan> That said, in what remains of “regular” time, do you have anything that you’d like to bring up that we haven’t covered?

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[20:51] <+MrChaosium> Thank you Dan. I see that I will have to be going very soon. I can smell my dinner being cooked.

[20:51] <~Dan> (Howdy, ToddBogenrief!)

[20:52] <~Dan> Heh. No problem. Even legends gotta eat. 😉

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[20:53] <~Dan> I do hope you’ll visit with us again soon — in another Q&A for future products, if nothing else.

[20:53] <+MrChaosium> Sure. First, thank you all for being here. And Thank you all for doing what you do to support us and our companies. Thank you for spreading the word of RPG, for being people who are having some fun. If you are a KS participant, please accept my apologies for the cockup of Orient Express and CoC7, and please have faith that we will out utmost to meet promi

[20:53] <+MrChaosium> our obligations. Thank you for having the faith and remember: that stuff about being a hero of your own story and pursing your own vision is real.

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[20:54] <&Silverlion> Take care good sir.

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[20:54] <+MrChaosium> Thank you all. Care is totally what I take these days. 🙂

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[20:54] <+MrChaosium> And same to all you!

[20:54] <~Dan> Greg, I’ve had some of the RPG greats in here, and I can honestly say that this has been one of the most delightful Q&As ever. 🙂

[20:54] <~Dan> Can you hang out just a moment while I post the log and get you the link?

[20:54] <+MrChaosium> Thank you Dan. It has been a pleasure for me too.

[20:55] <+MrChaosium> And man, I sure can type fast sometimes!!

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