If you could ask Stephen Baker anything...

[whitebeard]

What's really funny, and I mean in an ironic way, was just how much nerd rage that SNL skit created within the Trek fan community. Shattner's seeming inability to appreciate the meal ticket his little lark had afforded him for decades at the expense of the fans, turned him into a hated man for years.

I see your use of the word "nerd" there, so I geek-ed out with a little research. To be sure there are nerds present at a Trek convention or comic-con... But according to this Venn Diagram http://www.greatwhitesnark.com/2010/03/25/difference-between-nerd-dork-and-geek-explained-in-a-venn-diagram/, I would have to classify the overwhelming majority as "dorks."

Venn Diagram is awesome!!

[Sjeng]

bladiblabla.

BOOM!

blaaahblablah

(sorry, not bashing your post GK ) oh, my Goddess. We need a topic where GK posts more cool images like these to drool over! Make it so!

[Jackyboy]

I love the Venn Diagram!

Good questions to ask so far. I guess I would assume that it is the Warhammer World and you can use anything found within....although if it makes you happy surely adding anything into the game is fine

[Daedalus]

In the other thread I proposed compiling the ultimate list of questions for Stephen Baker to answer.
If this goes well I'll ultimately try and contact him. Maybe we can finally get some of those ancient questions answered regarding both canon and rules.
This is of course under the assumption that you still accept Stephen Baker's words as valid in HQ matters...

In his Kaos interview, Stephen Baker mentions Roger Ford helped with the inception and Ben Rathbone helped with the development. As the infamous Legolasbaker only received rebuffs regarding his many attempts to question SB, you may also wish to consider contacting these other two key contributors.

Feel free to discuss each other's and wordings etc.
I'll keep this first post updated with any new questions.

Q. Who does the old whitebearded man in the red cloak depict? Is it Morcar or Mentor? Someone else?

I'm not sure if SB would be in the loop regarding art direction, but it's possible. Anyway, I'd word it this way since I suspect the ambivalence is intentional:
Q. Who does the white-bearded, red-cloaked sorcerer on the Information Screen depict? Is it Morcar, Mentor, or both?

Q. To what degree is the HQ and Warhammer world identical? Is it just the geography, or also races and events?

Anyways... What I'm really asking is whether I should include Warhammer's Snotlings, Pink Horrors, Skaven and Bloodletters...
Or if I should only include generic fantasy creatures like kobolds. Or even if there are no other races than what we've seen so far!

I'd recommend more specificity here, or you may not get the answer you wish. I'd word it like this:
Q. To what degree are the history and geography of Hero Quest and Warhammer identical? How do they differ, if at all?

Q. Was Hero Quest meant to additionally include other Warhammer monsters such as Snotlings, Pink Horrors, Skaven and Bloodletters, or was it instead bounded by generic fantasy creatures like kobolds and basilisks? We're both Warhammer and generic monster additions envisioned, or neither?

Q. What do you consider canon for HQ?
- Pictures printed in official quest books
- The North American exclusive material; Frozen Horror and Mage of the Mirror
- White Dwarf quests
- Quest published in other fantasy magazines
- The Japanese version of the game system
- Marvel Winter Special
- Sticker Album
- Dave Morris Novels
- Advanced HeroQuest
- Warhammer Quest
- Warhammer Fantasy
- HeroQuest 2 Legacy of Sorasil - Amiga game

I'd be surprised if SB knows about or remembers all of these. I'd recommend cutting the guy a break by limiting the choices to those he could have been involved with before he left in '92:

- Games Workshop monster art including a snotling on the back cover of the Wizards of Morcar Quest Book
-Warhammer Old World map on the back cover of UK Return of the Witch Lord expansion
- The North American exclusive material; Frozen Horror and Mage of the Mirror
- White Dwarf quests
- Marvel Winter Special he advised
- Sticker Album, including WH Old World map with featured Quest locations and Mentor's Domain
- Dave Morris Novels

The only question i'd ask would be... What ideas were cut from the original game?

+1
We do know this:

...Honestly, the first prototype was more complicated but in a couple of months we simplify it a lot. In a first version they appeared loose cardboard sections for each room or hallway, but decided we were too. So we redid the game with a single and huge game board, folding into three parts, like the game Inkognito: but it was too expensive ...

We also know doors and objects could be destroyed, as evidenced from the Fire of Wrath original text seen on the UK TV commercial.

This spell may be cast on any
object or door in the same Room
or Passage. The object and
anything in it will then be
destroyed. The spell may not be
cast on Monsters or Players.

Apparently, doors could be locked. This may explain the nearly useless door-opening use of the Genie Spell Card, as well.

My questions:
We're there any other expansions planned? Could he share anything about the unreleased Dwarf and Wizard Quest Packs?
Does he believe Hero Quest can ever be re-released in some form? If SB could design a remake of Hero Quest, what would he change?
I'd also like to know how many Defend Dice Borin's Armor affords and the duration of the North American Courage spells--but these are more trivial questions.

[Goblin-King]

Great post

Trivial questions are most welcome as well.

[Count Von Bruno]

If you are a cool dude you might also recognize the painting as the cover of Blue Öyster Cult's album "Cultösaurus Erectus".

Turns out I'm a cool dude!

(massive Blue Oyster Cult fan)

Had no idea about the background of that work though..RIP Sandy Pearlman

[Daedalus]

The only question i'd ask would be... What ideas were cut from the original game?

+1
We do know this:

...Honestly, the first prototype was more complicated but in a couple of months we simplify it a lot. In a first version they appeared loose cardboard sections for each room or hallway, but decided we were too. So we redid the game with a single and huge game board, folding into three parts, like the game Inkognito: but it was too expensive ...

We also know doors and objects could be destroyed, as evidenced from the Fire of Wrath original text seen on the UK TV commercial.

This spell may be cast on any
object or door in the same Room
or Passage. The object and
anything in it will then be
destroyed. The spell may not be
cast on Monsters or Players.

Apparently, doors could be locked. This may explain the nearly useless door-opening use of the Genie Spell Card, as well.

Also known about the original form of Hero Quest from Graham Carr's interview with Stephen Baker from Games Review:

• the game was slower and not as simple
• it had character generation instead of ready-made Heroes
• there was step-by-step rules learning in graded scenarios
• it had much less visual appeal (before GW involvement)

[Bareheaded Warrior]

Frankly, I don't wanna fill this HQ background with Kobolds or a sentient horseman race or Conan.

Conan? You mean the red scantily clad guy with the big muscles, the giant sword and horrible haircut?