Ivan Orlov's page

$20 for a playtest? Bye bye excitement, another way to make money.

Thanks all

During character creation, if a character gets the same feat twice from multiple sources can the player choose a different feat instead?

Guess they have been trying for a while.

The Blog wrote:

There are some key things to note about this boon. First, it is entirely based on games played, so GMing does not count towards completion; we have the Regional Support Program and convention rewards for GMs.

I don't see why this is necessary. There's absolutely nothing wrong with having a boon for playing, but if something is equally available to DMs and players it's not gated behind dming. Dms are players too.

The regional support program doesn't seem to have universal implementation. From talking to a number of people it seems like some areas just haven't been implementing it, leaving some DMs out. There seems to be an idea that it's not for all places or circumstances.

Online DMs don't have a region, so they get left out. (although playing the requisite number of times online is certainly easier, as are online conventions.)

I’m one of those lucky ones without a regional support program as well. That is one thing d&d adventures league got right. One region and same rewards no matter where you live. Instead of meeting someone at the rare con who is playing something cool. You say how? They say I gm’d 6 times in NYC! And you reply well I gm’d 20 times, but I get nothing because I live in a small town.

Argh my entire response was just deleted. I’ll start again and I apologize for the tone of my post. I broke the cardinal rule of never post/email when tired and frustrated.

Now for the crux of the post, I understand wanting to give players boons, but it should not prevent the gm’s, the ones that make the games happen, from also getting a similar award. For many reasons as posted above, not everyone is willing to GM. And rewards like this have the opposite effect. Why would someone step out of their shell if they can play and get rewards for only playing? Before someone says it I know you shouldn’t and don’t GM just for rewards, but let’s be realistic it helps motivate some people. Here you are rewarding the opposite behavior, why expand when I can just play and earn a special race etc and the GM can’t. I have been playing rpgs for a long time and know who i can and can’t push
to get behind the screen.

This is a separate issue and the biggest cause of last nights frustration. It is very difficult to find information about different aspects of SFS. GM rewards are mentioned multiple times, but they aren’t on the website or in the guide. They are mentioned in blogs but not how they work or what the rewards are. It makes it feel like only a few select people or just con goers can get the rewards and they aren’t available for people in general and that goes against the point of organized play.

Before another group jumps down my throat, I know you don’t have to give out boons and I should just be thankful that you do. And I am thankful, but as boons are given out they should be done so that everyone has a chance to earn them. I’ll never gripe about GM boons in any game because that truly goes towards the goal of getting people to try their hand at GM.

PS I have zero interest in playing the aliens in the boon, so not griping about that, but how it is implemented.

So as the only GM I allow players to enjoy Starfinder. Without me they don’t get to play. Because I do that I am punished and not allowed to play an alien race. Brilliant bleeping logic! Thanks soooo much.