In general people have ideas they think are going to be great all of the time and sometimes it works and others it fails. And at times even great ideas fail and horrible ideas generate lots of $$$. But having done all of the things that are necessary to make the product successful at launch is very important.
Think about what would have happened to D&D and AD&D in that late 70's if they waited 5 years beyond launch to make all of the different dice available to play the game (that is to say the game only shipped with d6's but required D4's, D8's, D10's, D12's, D20's and D100's). I think if they had not had the various dice the game would not have gone anywhere. 

But having said that, there were quite a few issues that to me, showed up at the beginning (alpha) that persisted that were problematic and these ideas lost quite a bit of what I and a lot of people I know loved about RM.
   

I agree you need monsters and spells...but having said that a friend loaned me his copy to read and we both did not think much of the game.
He was also interested in the new version of HARP but when he went to the website, he said it was a mess and it really turned him off of buying HARP II.

MDC

Note: Only have read to page 75
On page 75 it talks about having too much essential salts (ES) on your body and it exploding, can you make sticky ES bombs to stick to a target and have them explode? 
It sounds like it is an interaction between the persons magic stat (aura maybe or inner being) and the ES, is there a reason why someone walking over ES does not set it off like a land mine?
Thanks
MDC

Thanks for the info I remembered the 3 levels of stun but not the exact text of Frenzy.
I am going to need to make some PC's and run some combat to get a better feel of the system.
MDC

So the combat maneuver Jab, which inflicts the dazed condition would knock a person out of frenzy?
Also it does not state it but does thrust also give the dazed condition?
Thanks
MDC

I classify the beta editions in the following way, RMU B1, RMU B2 and RMU JDE but I stepped down before JDE took over the helm of RMU.

I did download a version listed as RMUB2 last year as some people were looking for a game so I wanted to see if it would work for them. 
It did have crit tables more like RMSS and less a simple mathematical progression of things listed. ie less spread sheet and had a little more art to it.

Having said that, IMHO making RM simple for simplicity sake often treaded on HARP and blurred the lines between the two products, it would be better to add RM spell casting to HARP then dramatically simplify RM's math and skill system.

I like RMSS for the detail and if I want to play a less detailed game I will play something else. Also if you have computer support the game is often a lot easier to play and run.

MDC

I did not read all of the posts above but just the last page.
In general I am in agreement with what has been said and can offer the following perspective.

1) I do not know what is in RMU JDE (Jay Dale Edition) except for the basics.
2) IMHO they changed and replaced things in what they thought would make it simpler but just made them different or more complex. Often I thought they just changed it because the could.
3) The combat charts and crit charts from RMU B1 were an abomination to what I enjoy in RM and most of the people I know play RM for. In general they play RM for detail and the ability more accurately represent some facet of their game and or game world.
4) In the RMU B books that I read they often tried to make the math easier but then confused things on the word side. ie, they explained things in 3 paragraphs instead of 1 and said things in the text that did not play out in the math or the rules.

In general I know people who like HARP but even that products direction has begun to turn people off but I do not know anything about new newest HARP revamp and do think some of them will buy the core book to see what if any changes are made and how they like it.

In general I think the more good RP products on the market make the industry better and even can expand to other areas such as books, movies and TV and I hope they can produce a product that more people like then dislike.
MDC

I am glad i checked my SPAM Folder yesterday, as it your message got sent there.

I have heard back from one person I sent your announcement to and he seems interested enough to buy.

I do think cost is often an issue and it can be tough for small companies to compete in spaces and thus you have to think of and do things that you said you are doing, ie release parts in smaller price points (as long as it does not kill you and or dramatically increase the over all cost) and often releasing more material for a smaller price point then the bigger companies do.

Good Luck
MDC