I'm much more a flavor type of player and GM than one who is interested greatly in balance and power. If a 3PP sounds cool, I'll go with it. That said, I am pretty picky about the 3PP publishers I allow. Currently it's mostly Rite Publishing, Dreamscarred Press, Kobold Press, and Rogue Genius Games.
By what leap of logic are you making that statement? If you're using a Paizo product to play a Paizo game, then by definition, you are using first party products.Anyone who plays Pathfinder is using third party rules. Those who claim otherwise are deluding themselves.
Really?
Is it that hard to see?I mean, I don't agree with it, but he's pretty obviously espousing the view that Pathfinder is just 3rd party 3.5.
By what leap of logic are you making that statement? If you're using a Paizo product to play a Paizo game, then by definition, you are using first party products.Anyone who plays Pathfinder is using third party rules. Those who claim otherwise are deluding themselves.
Really?
Is it that hard to see?
I mean, I don't agree with it, but he's pretty obviously espousing the view that Pathfinder is just 3rd party 3.5.
Its not just that its 3rd party 3.5. Its that its the same people. The same company. The same process. Did james jacobs magically become a better developer, writer, editer etc when paizo switched from publishing adventures in dungeon magazine and publishing under the pathfinder brand? Do you gain game design super powers when you put a stamp on something and call it 'your game'? In 2007 James Jacobs wrote 3rd party products for Dungeons and Dragons 3.5. In 2009 he was writing 1st party products for pathfinder. Both were while working for paizo, under the same leadership, in the same building, maybe even on the same computer/desk (speculation on my part) Is the simple fact that he put the pathfinder logo on the cover instead of the ogl logo of 3.5 the driving force behind the quality of his work? Where did the magical 3rd party to first party switch happen?
Is the stuff that Owen Stevens writes in his capacity as head of the module line somehow vastly superior to what he writes in his capacity as head of his 3rd party company Rogue Genius games? What about the freelance work he and many others have done for paizo on paizo products before he begame a permanent paizo staffer?
The hard line in the sand some people draw is absurd. There was no knighting ceremony by the game design lords of creation for Lisa when she greenlit the idea of creating pfrpg. She and the rest of paizo's staff are the same people they were when they were publishing dungeon and dragon, and when they published those first few aps under the 3.5 ogl, and when they released pathfinder and council of thieves, and now when they are publishing pathfinder as an industry leader.
Paizo was 3rd party then, they are '1st party' now. It doesn't alter the quality of their work, or the nature of the creative team themselves. So where is the difference? If Kobold press released a Kobold RPG system revolving around the primary races of the game being kobolds and goblinoids using the open gaming liscences of pathfinder, will that magically transform them into a different company? Assuming you started to play KRPG, would you consider their products any differently then you do now other then the fact that they would specifically suite your kobold themed adventure?
Does it make any sense at all to asses those products differently then say if you were running a kingdom building game, whether or not you wanted to use ultimate rulership or ultimate battle by legendary games?
The divide of 3rd party vs 1st party made sense in the WOTC era where they did everything in house and churned out more material then you could possibly use. With paizo, that divide is barely there anymore if it is at all.