Observation Post

On the Horizon
As I anxiously await the summer (convention schedule) releases, I thought I would make mention of what I am most looking forward to among this year's RPG releases.
Chaosium has promised us a new RuneQuest Glorantha this year. First exposure to the new RuneQuest from Chaosium came in the form of the RPG Day RuneQuest booklet (released over Origins weekend) which had what I would expect in such a product - brief rules, an adventure and a few pre-made characters so a play group could set down at the table and run a game together. At Gencon last year Chaosium sold a pre-publication sneak preview of RuneQuest Glorantha at their booth. It is text only, but contains some good new material, most I expect will be in the final release along with a lot of cool new illustrations. Chaosium's RuneQuest Glorantha re-unites the Glorantha setting with a new version of RuneQuest that is more compatible with classic 2nd edition than editions 3-6 were. Chaosium's stated idea is to keep the new RuneQuest Glorantha and all the recently reprinted RuneQuest 2nd Edition materiel compatible.
A related product also from Chaosium is 13th Age Glorantha which has just been released this week in digital form along with The Glorantha Sourcebook, a detailed description of the Glorantha setting for use with 13th Age Glorantha, RuneQuest Glorantha or HeroQuest (or any other system). I expect hardcover book versions to be available at least in print-on-demand format soon (and will probably wait until I can bundle the two). I expect physical copies of both volumes to be for sale at Origins and Gencon this year.
Adventures in Middle Earth seems to be taking off with a number of new titles expected this year from Cubicle 7. I anticipate the new books geared for 5e will be drawing heavily from Cubicle 7's existing material for The One Ring and which will cover the same areas for the 5e system. I have the first three Adventures in Middle Earth tomes and very much approve of the conversion of certain Middle Earth flavored concepts taken from TOR and added to 5e for M.E. play such as the rules for Travelling, Shadow and The Fellowship Phase. Adventures in Middle Earth demonstrates how far afield the 5e system can go when being modified to fit a specific setting quite different from The Realms.
Frog God Games has a Kickstarter for their new 5e Rappan Athuk conversion. In addition to 5e monster stats, the new version of the Dungeon of Graves will have full color maps, new levels/areas, and new artwork commissioned just for the 5e version and funded by backers. In addition, Frog God Games is offering a deluxe wall size tapestry map, how cool! Frog God Games has been around a while and Rappan Athuk exists tailored for other related game systems, so there is little doubt in my mind that this Kickstarter will deliver and on time this year and I am hoping that physical copies of a hefty 5e tome will be available soon for purchase by us non-backers.
Another setting which may be on the horizon this year for 5e is Greyhawk. The folks at Wiz-Bro have asked for signatures on a petition question regarding interest in the classic Greyhawk setting for 5e over at their website. As of today 287 signatures have appeared and the goal seems to be 1,000. No idea what form this 5e Greyhawk support might take if we do get it since they have already released several of the adventures originally located in the Greyhawk setting (including favorites such as the Temple of Elemental Evil and Tomb of Horrors) in 5e format placing them in the default Realms setting.
Goodman Games, publisher of the excellent Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG has been working on Mutant Crawl Classics and I am guessing it will be available for purchase soon.  Mutant Crawl Classics RPG is I believe based on the DCCRPG in the same way Gamma World was based on TSR's other Most Popular Fantasy RPG back in the day. Mutant Crawl Classics RPG, like Gamma World promises lots of radiated fun in a post apocalyptic world of gonzo mutants, killer machines and crazed militants seeking world domination and genetic purity. Not for the faint of heart!
I don't often get a chance to sing praises for a Warhammer product despite it being one of the best known IP names in the adventure gaming hobby, but I am looking forward to Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play 4th Edition announced for later this year from Cubicle 7.  This latest version of Warhammer FRP promises to return to the flavor of the beloved 1st and 2nd editions of the "Grim World of Perilous Adventure". How it will tie into The Old World setting or Age of Sigmar is unknown to this author.
Modiphius, publishers of the Conan and Star Trek RPGs, is working on the John Carter of Mars RPG using their versatile 2D20 system. The folks at Modiphius have successfully modified their 2D20 mechanics to give Conan and Star Trek each an individual feel appropriate to the subject material. I believe Conan feels like sword & sorcery, while Star Trek feels like the 1960's TV show. The John Carter-Mars novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs are cited as having been major influences on White Box designer E. Gary Gygax and I am looking forward to seeing what Modiphius does with the sword & planet subject.
Right around the end of 2017, Steve Jackson, designer of the MicroGames Melee and Wizard and founder of Steve Jackson Games, announced he has (re-)acquired the rights to the full line of his The Fantasy Trip products including Melee, Wizard, In The Labyrinth and all the rest of The Fantasy Trip designed by Steve Jackson and originally published by Metagaming. The Fantasy Trip (TFT) is one of my all-time favorite game systems and even with the interest  in older RPGs that we have enjoyed this past decade has remained in the shadows...at least until now. Mr. Jackson has not immediately announce his plans for the future of The Fantasy Trip, but I am hopeful that before this year is out, something new for TFT fans will be "in the works" at Steve Jackson Games.