Why Heroquest is awesome!

[Mr Papafakis]

Here's a link to an in-depth review of said game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx8sl2uC46A Found on this dudes blog: http://vultureswargamingblog.blogspot.c ... great.html

While I don't agree with the premise of the review it's still worth a look

 

[Stormbringer]

That was brilliant! And I totally agree with him -- especially on the issues of table-size and the old sculpts!

 

[LilBroGrendel]

I liked the part where he said "The best thing about HeroQuest is..."

 

[stone cold lead]

While I don't agree with the premise of the review it's still worth a look

I was expecting some dry pseudo intellectual nonsense after reading that line but it's actually the best thing ever!

 

[dieselmonkey]

Whilst it was amusing, I can't be alone in thinking that the game itself was bloody awful! Simplistic, naff miniatures and no depth.

The whole GW/MB Games episode was just embarrassing from start to finish, it represented the pure pursuit of cash over any kind of in-depth quality for me. When I was at GW, we generally tried to pretend it didn't exist! It probably didn't really help that we were a good 5-10 years outside it's target market, though.

The best thing that could be said about it (and Space Crusade) was that it helped to introduce a younger generation to wargaming, and that was really it's single redeeming feature.

 

[stone cold lead]

Whilst it was amusing, I can't be alone in thinking that the game itself was bloody awful! Simplistic, naff miniatures and no depth.

The whole GW/MB Games episode was just embarrassing from start to finish, it represented the pure pursuit of cash over any kind of in-depth quality for me. When I was at GW, we generally tried to pretend it didn't exist! It probably didn't really help that we were a good 5-10 years outside it's target market, though.

The best thing that could be said about it (and Space Crusade) was that it helped to introduce a younger generation to wargaming, and that was really it's single redeeming feature.

I hated both games at the time as I saw them as dumbed down kiddy games. Never played them and likewise pretended they didn't exist. Now though I kind of wish I'd at least taken a look at them. A friend had both of the advanced versions and whilst I accepted them more, for some reason we just never did anything with them.

 

[Stormbringer]

When I was at GW, we generally tried to pretend it didn't exist!

I get the same reaction from current GW staff when I mention it to them. But, looking at them, they were probably born after it came out and have never heard of it.

It probably didn't really help that we were a good 5-10 years outside it's target market, though.

Yeah; whereas, those of us who were only 6 when it came out, it was a dream. Most of the love for it is from people of that generation, I suspect.

The best thing that could be said about it (and Space Crusade) was that it helped to introduce a younger generation to wargaming, and that was really it's single redeeming feature.

I would say the best thing about HeroQuest is that it launched a whole new genre of board-game (of which Warhammer Quest is a major member) which continues to be popular almost thirty years later.

 

[ramshackle_curtis]

I think they are great games. I love reductionism in gaming and I think both heroquest and SC were super little games.

 

[Mr Papafakis]

Like I mentioned in the initial thread "I don't agree with the premise", that being that it's the greatest game ever. Far from it, it's a terribly one sided game where the GM has little to no input, apart from laying down cannon fodder for the other players to cut down. It was a good intro into RP for kids, but as a game for adults it sucks.

I do like his energetic review style though

 

[Stormbringer]

it's a terribly one sided game where the GM has little to no input, apart from laying down cannon fodder for the other players to cut down. It was a good intro into RP for kids, but as a game for adults it sucks.

This is true. But, it does become more interesting if you play it using the combat rules from Advanced HeroQuest.

 

[Fimm McCool]

As the game that first got me into the hobby I have very fond memories of HQ. A few years back I started playing again and whilst in its basic form it is, yes, a bit simplistic its simplicity means it can be customised very easily. I added skills tables, new equipment and spells, xp acquisition and 'Spirit Points' which determines how models react to the characters. I did find the D6s too weighted in favour of the adventurers, so now use D10s to give the monsters slightly more chance of defending and the heroes slightly less. In fact, I have two sets of d10s, one for 'normal' monsters and one for boss baddies which have even white and black shields. I think you can be very flexible as a GM in a game of HQ, it's a question of narrating the story rather than laying down technicalities. You have to give the players leading information and misdirection to lure them into traps and add to the experience.

 

[Erny]

I talked to Bryan about HQ at the last BOYL. He only vaguely remembered it and if I remember the conversation right, MB approached GW not the other way around. Compared to other MB games HQ was amazing. To a kid that had only ever managed a couple of games of, "pretend were playing", MERP using a friends older brothers books and miniatures the game was just the best. Naturally after a few months solidly playing the faults of the game were apparent but that's when we improvised and then just bought WHFRP and WHFB.

HQ is awesome in what it represents.

Oh and the video was great.

 

[Mr Papafakis]

As the game that first got me into the hobby I have very fond memories of HQ. A few years back I started playing again and whilst in its basic form it is, yes, a bit simplistic its simplicity means it can be customised very easily. I added skills tables, new equipment and spells, xp acquisition and 'Spirit Points' which determines how models react to the characters. I did find the D6s too weighted in favour of the adventurers, so now use D10s to give the monsters slightly more chance of defending and the heroes slightly less. In fact, I have two sets of d10s, one for 'normal' monsters and one for boss baddies which have even white and black shields. I think you can be very flexible as a GM in a game of HQ, it's a question of narrating the story rather than laying down technicalities. You have to give the players leading information and misdirection to lure them into traps and add to the experience.

So basically what your saying is the game is awesome, but only if you totally reinvent it?

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Yeah, that's funny. Not quite as funny as that bloke off of Neighbours wearing a space marine costume yelling like a costermonger.

I would say the best thing about HeroQuest is that it launched a whole new genre of board-game (of which Warhammer Quest is a major member) which continues to be popular almost thirty years later.

What about TSR's Dungeon (1975) or Terence Donelly's Sorcerer's Cave (1978)?

 

[Erny]

Do those games count as a launch if they sank almost without trace? Were they mass advertised on TV like heroquest?

 

[ardyer]

Yeah, that's funny. Not quite as funny as that bloke off of Neighbours wearing a space marine costume yelling like a costermonger.

I would say the best thing about HeroQuest is that it launched a whole new genre of board-game (of which Warhammer Quest is a major member) which continues to be popular almost thirty years later.

What about TSR's Dungeon (1975) or Terence Donelly's Sorcerer's Cave (1978)?

They were also a decade before Heroquest. So while they might have introduced a generation to gaming, it would have been a different generation.

 

[dieselmonkey]

Do those games count as a launch if they sank almost without trace?

Not that much without a trace, I've got both.

 

[Zhu Bajie]

Me too Dieselmonkey, but I didn't buy them new!

Yeah, that's funny. Not quite as funny as that bloke off of Neighbours wearing a space marine costume yelling like a costermonger.

I would say the best thing about HeroQuest is that it launched a whole new genre of board-game (of which Warhammer Quest is a major member) which continues to be popular almost thirty years later.

What about TSR's Dungeon (1975) or Terence Donelly's Sorcerer's Cave (1978)?

They were also a decade before Heroquest. So while they might have introduced a generation to gaming, it would have been a different generation.

Stormbringer said "whole new genre of board-game". HQ may well have introduced a new generation to dungeon-crawl boardgames, but that's a different thing.

Do those games count as a launch if they sank almost without trace? Were they mass advertised on TV like heroquest?

Yes. Sorcerer's Apprentice went to 2 editions and had an expansion set released, and in fact was name checked by Stephen Hand as inspiration for Chainsaw Warrior (trivia!) and a whole bunch of other game designers rate it. Bit of a "cult classic" that one. Might be wrong but I think it was the first game with the lay-the-rooms-down mechanic out of the box. It's great fun and takes over multiple rooms in a house if played with the expansions.

TSRs Dungeon was re-released in the 80s and again in 2014, and is still in print now. I'd use that as a signal for it's continuing popularity, and was also the game that launched the genre of dungeon-crawl boardgames that continue to be popular today. Heroquest, not so much. Heck even GWs DungeonQuest predates it (and is still in print today), although it's a less generic take on the dungeon-crawl.

The best thing about Heroquest is the soundtrack on the ZX Spectrum.

 

[Stormbringer]

Well, I wasn't so much suggesting that HeroQuest launched the "dungeon-crawl" genre, but more the "four-plastic-heroes-moving-about-on-a-square-based-grid-fighting-plastic-monsters" sub-genre -- of which I would cite Dragon Strike, Dragonfire, Dark World, Advanced HeroQuest, Warhammer Quest, Dungeons & Dragons the Fantasy Adventure Board Game, Descent: Journeys in the Dark and the D&D Adventure System games as the main successors (following HeroQuest). Nowadays, though, the market is so saturated with this sort of thing (mostly thanks to Kickstarter) it's getting harder to keep track of.

I still believe HeroQuest played a huge role (if not the biggest) in the formulation of that specific type of game and remains one of the best examples of it. I would not categorise Dungeon! or Dungeonquest in the same genre, even though they do involve four heroes in a dungeon.

 

[AranaszarSzuur]

Here's a link to an in-depth review of said game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx8sl2uC46A Found on this dudes blog: http://vultureswargamingblog.blogspot.c ... great.html

While I don't agree with the premise of the review it's still worth a look

I'm experiencing a severe beard-envy XD .