Heroquest by Restoration Games

[Anderas]

Thought I just leave this here... let's see what they do with this. Found on Facebook, but the forums are a better place to follow a topic over a few years.

Restoration Games makes a new trademark currently for Heroquest, "Heroquest Legacy".

https://trademarks.justia.com/900/31/he ... c_BgmmIFwk

[Spookyhappyfun]

I feel like I've read somewhere that HeroQuest was like their Holy Grail. It's the game they would have loved to be able to do but weren't ever sure they'd be able to due to all the copyrights.

I'm nervously excited. I know that if you ask people what makes something "HeroQuest" and what would need to be included in a new version to capture the same feel, you'd get a bunch of very different answers.

For me, I feel like part of what makes HeroQuest so great is the simplicity of play and the ability to modify the rules, to add to as desired, and to use what’s presented as a jumping off point to create your own quests and worlds and new items. It’s a “game system” and not just a singular game.

But what I also love about it is the art and design. The super serious box art is important, but I love that the miniatures aren’t very detailed and fit in well with the more exaggerated Warhammer minis of that era. Meanwhile, the board art was more detailed and seemed harsh and dirty and gave a fantastic stark dungeon feel. I’m not sure how much a re-creation would be able to reproduce that, but I guess we’ll see. That wouldn’t make or break the game for me, but it would be nice to be able to capture that feel again.

This is still speculation at this point with nothing official, as far as I know, about any game actually being made. But if it really happens, this will really be something to watch and could be something amazing.

[Spookyhappyfun]

I'm also very interested to see if Games Workshop allows them to keep it in the Warhammer universe and continue to use their IP. I hope so, but who knows. Maybe goodbye Fimir and Chaos Warriors.

[Gold Bearer]

I'm nervously excited. I know that if you ask people what makes something "HeroQuest" and what would need to be included in a new version to capture the same feel, you'd get a bunch of very different answers.

100%!

For me, I feel like part of what makes HeroQuest so great is the simplicity of play and the ability to modify the rules, to add to as desired, and to use what’s presented as a jumping off point to create your own quests and worlds and new items. It’s a “game system” and not just a singular game.

Yea. It needs to be simple and open ended but unlike the original, not at the cost of clarity. Too much rule ambiguity was the biggest problem it had I think.

But what I also love about it is the art and design. The super serious box art is important, but I love that the miniatures aren’t very detailed and fit in well with the more exaggerated Warhammer minis of that era. Meanwhile, the board art was more detailed and seemed harsh and dirty and gave a fantastic stark dungeon feel. I’m not sure how much a re-creation would be able to reproduce that, but I guess we’ll see. That wouldn’t make or break the game for me, but it would be nice to be able to capture that feel again.

I completely agree, apart from not making or breaking the game. The most important thing they need to recapture is the feel of the original. I think the artwork is very important and should follow the same style, specifically the Euro version where the two were different but more like the US version in terms of the stuff they had that the Euro version didn't like chaos spells and multi BP monsters.

Maybe they should go as far as to use the original basically as is as a skeleton to build on. The four heroes as they were with maybe a little extra each, for example the barbarian can use a battleaxe with one hand, a great axe for the barbarian and dwarf, elf moves with the highest two of three dice, wizard gets four spell sets with ice added. Four more heroes would be nice as well, ranger, knight, cleric, theif maybe.

Oh, plus it should definitely have combined spells after they find the Storm Wand.

I'm also very interested to see if Games Workshop allows them to keep it in the Warhammer universe and continue to use their IP. I hope so, but who knows. Maybe goodbye Fimir and Chaos Warriors.

Now that wouldn't break the game. Chaos warriors could easiy just be renamed to something like dark knights. Fimirs would be missed but they could add other monsters. There's actually very little really in HQ that's GM, it's quite generic. I would be a shame if they couldn't use the term chaos though, it just feels right.

[Anderas]

Restoration Games is one of the few companies I can believe that they're able to make a new version that keeps the feel of the old version but with improved details.


There is a lot in this game!
* optimised out-of-the-cupboard until start time (You put only the heroes, the start tile and a door, here we go)
* optimised stowaway time (all minis die during the game and are in the game box, except for the heroes)
* a barebone rulebook, instead all the rules as cards on your hand, in the moment you need them - no dice tables, no look up time in the rulebook except rarely for morcar if there is a new trap for example. In modern games sometimes spend an hour reading rules before start and then again during the game.

* a powerful quest book that can change everything - but then every quest condensed down to one page only!
* In every single quest there is something new you've never seen before. This keeps the exploration spirit up.
* Easy to expand for everyone (hey, we all do it, right?)

* beautiful miniatures in a consistent style, not too many of them (conan, massive darkness, zombicide) and not too few (Gloomhaven)
* Miniatures with relatively low load of details - so you have a realistic chance at painting them even as beginner.
* full color furniture!!!

However disadvantages are - the expansions are sometimes repetetive (Kellars Keep) or badly tested (Ogres, BQP, EQP); the shallow system at some point of time starts to bore experienced players.

So perfect would be a system that starts out as heroquest but then gets more and more tactical in the expansions. I hope that Restoration Games is around in the forums from time to time! Show yourself!

[Spookyhappyfun]

I hope that Restoration Games is around in the forums from time to time! Show yourself!

With luck they're probably checking out the HQ communities, if they don't already, and most roads lead to the Inn.

[Gold Bearer]

One thing I think the game does need if they follow the formula of the original (which I definitely think they should) is more spells. Maybe ten or twelve for each set but you still only get three (an artifact that allows four would be a good one) at random. Maybe the wizard gets to trade for random replacements. That way players would be more inclined to choose different spells sets. They should definitely keep all the original spells though, although Water Of Healing should be 3BP & 3MP, it always bugged me that two were the same, why?

[wallydubbs]

For me, I feel like part of what makes HeroQuest so great is the simplicity of play and the ability to modify the rules, to add to as desired, and to use what’s presented as a jumping off point to create your own quests and worlds and new items. It’s a “game system” and not just a singular game.

But what I also love about it is the art and design. The super serious box art is important, but I love that the miniatures aren’t very detailed and fit in well with the more exaggerated Warhammer minis of that era. Meanwhile, the board art was more detailed and seemed harsh and dirty and gave a fantastic stark dungeon feel. I’m not sure how much a re-creation would be able to reproduce that, but I guess we’ll see. That wouldn’t make or break the game for me, but it would be nice to be able to capture that feel again.

I couldn't agree with you more. It's much simpler and quicker then D&D, which takes an hour alone just to write out your character sheet. It's a lot more simplified here; and in being allowed to edit or change or add to the rules you get to find the perfect level of comfort for the players without overwhelming them or complicating things.

The artwork on the box totally creates the setting and the mood of the game. The heroes are practically surrounded but it doesn't seem hopeless because they're fighting valiantly.
This wouldn't work if the box cover was cartoonish with disproportionate heads and spindly arms (Sorry, Munchkin). They used professional artwork to guide the mood instead of something my 13 year old daughter could have drawn up.

I also have to point out the figurines: this game would not be anywhere near as captivating if I had to use paper cut outs to represent the heroes and monsters. I know some countries had to use paper cut-outs but I think the game loses something tangible without them and I highly doubt I would've gone searching for the game if we used paper cut-outs in my youth.

Also, many of the quests have something unique and different about them that perks the heroes interest:
The Maze has the heroes pit against eachother in a friendly race to the center of the Maze.
Rescue of Sir Ragnar has the alarm to Ragnar's cell.
Melar's Maze has the Frozen gargoyle and introduces artifacts to the game.
Legacy of the Orc Warlord and Race Against Time have an escape aspect, where the heroes don't know the way out.
The Lost Wizard has that stone Potion that'll leave the heroes guessing.
Castle of Mystery is unique in it's own way.
Bastion of Chaos gives a bounty on each monster, causing each hero to strive to get the next kill.
Barrok Tor has the Witch Lord, which the heroes cannot kill, prompting them to go to the Quest for the Spirit Blade.
The Trial, Lair of the Orc Warlord, Prince. Magnus' Gold, Legacy of the Orc Warlord, Fire Mage and Return to Barrom Tor all have a big boss that needs to be defeated.

Even the expansions Keller's Keep and Return of the Witch Lord: The Dwarven Forge, Halls of Dwarven Kings, Cold Halls, Forbidden Caverns, etc.
Some of the later expansions lose this and just resort to boss after boss after boss (Wizards of Morcar).

But one thing the game can use a little more of is a Pass-Fail objective, like Ragnar, where the heroes can live but still fail the task.

But the name makes me wonder... "Hero Quest Legacy", it makes me wonder if this would be a remake or a sequel...

[lestodante]

I think I will be happy if they could put the game back to life as it was the originals, maybe just few corrections (short sword and hand axe cards are unuseful for example). Also a merged version featuring US and UK versions.
Then theyh must release all the expansions packs and eventually the unreleased ones, maybe being helped by the support of the community for playtest and ideas for what was left uncomplete.
And then they must release additional pack of figures (sprue of monsters) and card packs as add-ons: "Oh look, it's December and they released the Ice Spells set!"

[lestodante]

Barrok Tor has the Witch Lord....

It's Barak Tor...

..Fire Mage and Return to Barrom Tor all have a big boss that needs to be defeated.

No, I sayd BARAK TOR!!!

Anyway, guys the correct title is "HeroQuest Legacies", not legacy.
It is also possible they have in mind to release the unpublished expansions only and not the whole game. Who knows?
Ohhh another consideration... are we sure they are going to release something about our HeroQuest? Maybe they are going to doa seguel for the game by Moon Design, not by MB/Hasbro.