Michael Dean's page

Developing a reputation for promiscuity is not sexist if it can occur in both sexes equally, as it easily could even in Golarion. :P

Golarion's reputation of being "free of the Madonna-Whore Dichotomy" as well as other real-world social problems is exactly the reason why I bothered making this thread at all. I figured it'd have the potential to be almost as funny as that "Grappling a Succubus" thread. XD

Yeah, this isn't 2010 anymore, though, so not sure how "funny" this thread is going to be. It's not off to a great start, that's for sure.

Got it. It doesn't kick in until 9th level. Thanks!

The various barbarian raging resistances, aren't they supposed to have a number? How much damage do they reduce?

I really, really like the new layout and extend my praise too. One minor quibble; when I'm leafing through the class section, I have to zero in on the text to see what class I'm at. It seems like there should be a tag on the corner of the pages letting you know it's "fighter" or "cleric," unless I'm missing something really obvious. It's not that big a deal, but the class section is huge, so it is noticeable.

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Well, it will be in Indy the next few years, at least, because they've got a multi-year contract.

We generally make reservations at hotels on the north side of town. We've never had any problems making reservations even a month in advance because we don't try to get ones downtown.

Parking: best place I've found is the huge parking ramp just to the east of the basketball arena where the Pacers play. Always seems to have room and prices are good.

Huh, I forgot I posted in this thread. I ended up down in Texas for the Cotton Bowl and found a copy of this book in an Arlington game store 5 minutes before they closed on New Year's Eve. Yay!

I joined the KS, so I didn't want to look too much at the book at Gen Con while I'm waiting for mine. But I did get the Bestiary since I only get the pdf pledge, and it is amazing! I forgot that I got the leatherette version, so I could have picked up the "regular" version and justified it as my day to day use book. I did open it up briefly and the production values are really some of the best I've seen in rpg books.

Well, that makes me happy they are so popular. It does put a crimp on wandering in to look at stuff. Even 2 years ago I thought they could use another cash register or three. It's not that big a deal, I guess; Paizo stuff is readily available at local game stores.

I had to miss last year due to a wedding, but I'm coming this year. So, if I'm hearing correctly, to even get in the booth area to look at merchandise, you have to stand in line that winds outside the exhibit room?

In '12 and '13, I remember big lines for the cash register but you could still look at stuff.

Could you please cancel my AP subscription? Hate to do it but it's time.

I added a new subscription and PF Unchained is supposed to ship with my next AP next month. However, my local game store had it today and it was my 5th book on a buy 4 get the 5th free deal, so I couldn't pass it up. Could you start my subscription with the next book coming out?

Thanks!

I'm likely to stick with PF, even though I'll buy the core 5e books as I have every edition since I was a kid. I'd even support a new edition of PF, even one that might make a significant departure from the current edition. For me, Paizo has earned a lot of good will, and with Kobold's Midgard setting and Frog Gods' work, there's a lot of good stuff for me to keep buying.

Great, thanks! I love all things desert related, ever since TSR's Deserts of Desolation. So there's no way I'm passing on this; it's just a question of how much 'splainin I'm going to have to do.

Okay, this is the first time I've used "backerkit," so this may be a stupid question. I pledged for the $40 book, but upped my pledge to add the maps, so right now I'm up to the $61 I pledged. I kind of promised my wife that I would not go overboard on this KS, so I feel obligated to keep to the $61.

However, I really want Dunes, and it's at a price point that is about my monthly average on spending for games. So, my question is whether I've already been charged the $61 for my pledge amount, and would adding Dunes just show up as a second charge later? I can wait until June to up my amount if that's the case, and I won't get the stink eye for having a $90-$100 charge versus two different (more reasonable) charges. I know, I know, navigating a marriage with a non-gamer involves lots of land mine-avoidance techniques! :)

Rich, I got my print version a couple of weeks ago (usually I won't let myself look at a PDF before I get my hard copy, but I cheated here). Outstanding job on this! I keep it on the same shelf as my copies of Razor Coast, Slumbering Tsar, and Rappan Athuk. Which means I really, really like it.

Ha ha, thanks Erik! I am dying to get my hands on the PDF.

This morning I jumped the gun and pre-ordered Deep Magic. This evening I see it's offered in the book/pdf bundle. Could you cancel the pre-order and change it to the book pre-order/pdf bundle? Or at least cancel the book pre-order so I can go in and order the bundle?

Thanks!

...Oh look, print/PDF bundles and PDF now available. :D

Dang it! I just pre-ordered the book this morning when I saw this thread. Is there a way to cancel it and do the book/pdf bundle?

Whew, thanks Sara! You can just put it in store credit. I'm sure I'll put it to good use fairly soon!

Good evening;

I'm looking at the postage on this order and it concerns me. 2 items, 2 lbs., Std postal deliv., and $19.49 shipping? Is the shipping correct??? I'm just not seeing how it suddenly jumped more than twice the price for shipping. I realize that it's already shipped and too late to cancel, but is this a new rate that I can expect in the future? If it is, I'm going to seriously have to rethink whether I am willing to keep subscribing (or ordering) in the future. Sorry, but that was a third of the total price of the order.

By comparison:

Order #2991077 was 2 lbs., std. postal, and $8.29;

Order #2966181 was 1lbs, SPD, and $6.39;

Order #2921588 was 1lbs, SPD, and $6.93;

Order #2916336 was 3 lbs, SPD, and $8.28 (GURPS hardcover plus subscription PF)

Just spent the last week moving to our new house, or I would have bought it sooner. Will be ordering tonight. It'll be my first rpg delivery to the new digs.

Wow, that looks really great! When it goes on sale, what's the company name it will be listed under? I've got to get a copy of this!

Michael Dean wrote:

Clearly I'm very late to the party, but will this book be in print again? I'd like to take it as a good sign that it's on back order.

You can pick up a copy HERE It is now Print-On-Demand through DriveThru RPG. It's a very nice book, I have a copy in the next room.

Thanks!

Clearly I'm very late to the party, but will this book be in print again? I'd like to take it as a good sign that it's on back order.

Michael Dean wrote:

Have the hardcovers come in yet? I ordered this back in November and it's still pending.

Looks like something was holding it up. I've pushed it through and we will get it shipped ASAP.

thanks
sara marie

Thanks, Sara!

Have the hardcovers come in yet? I ordered this back in November and it's still pending.

He'll always be one of my favorites for writing The Black Company rpg. Good luck!

Just a note,

Accourding to the records I just saw there are two Hardback copies left at the store, so I have ordered more to be shipped to paizo, I will let you know when they ship.

Steve.

Darn, that's disappointing. I was just adding this to my list of books to check out at Gen Con! :)

Bill: I wanted to say I thought, in rereading my post, that I was harsher than I intended, and I'm sorry if it sounded like I was calling you out. I also wanted to make sure that you know that I think your criticism is a valid one, too. Layout and artwork are extremely important to a book, and I agree with you that a wall of text can make it that much harder for the reader to enjoy.

Mike

Hi. I just wanted to say that I did make it clear in my review that it is 100% based on how the product looks. I am sure the content is great, but for the reasons in my review, will probably not use it... I will say that If the review (based soley on the layout, font and art)is innapropriate, I will remove it. I normally dont take the time to review books, and usually never on those I dislike, but I was very disapointed in this book. To be fair it could be that the cover art (Wayne Reynolds) put too high an expectation in my mind.

Thank you-
Bill

Bill, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I was really disappointed in your review and thought it belonged in the discussion thread rather than as a review. The thing is, giving a product 1 star when all you even considered was the artwork and layout wasn't fair in the least.

while I like the fact that Paizo has a separate place for reviews and that anyone can do one, I also think that someone thinking about doing a review has some responsibility to put some effort into it, and actually review the whole book. When you review something, customers like me are also evaluating you based on what you bring to the review. Yours, frankly, was not of much value because it didn't really tell the reader much, other than that you didn't like the art. But why? No discussion of what your standards are for art or even that you considered that a WAR cover might have sucked up much of the available art budget. I have no idea how to evaluate your standards because you didn't even tell us which art was ok and which was bad, so the reader knows where you are coming from.

Your upfront admission that you didn't even bother to read the book was an odd choice for a review, and kind of a slap at the authors who, I'm guessing from EZG's review, spent a lot of time putting this together as a labor of love. Don't you think the fair thing would be for you to give it some serious consideration before writing a review? Like I said, your review seemed more properly placed in the discussion thread rather than as an actual review. The whole review came off as kind of lazy without much effort involved.

Does this one still have the freeing Nethus related adventure in it?

That got moved out of the Tales book into its own. It's not finished yet.

Game reviews for me, like movie reviews, depend a lot on the reviewer, since there is a lot of subjectivity built into a review. That's why I'm very skeptical about product reviews and book reviews...if I don't have some idea of what the reviewer likes or dislikes, it's hard to tell if the review is worthwhile to me.

That said, EZG's reviews are the first thing I look for when I'm checking out a new product, beause he's built up that level of credibility. And it's not that I'm not buying if he gives a bad review; I've bought items that he didn't give a glowing review to but the issues he pointed out were not big issues for me. But I know going in that it will be thorough and I'll feel better informed about buying. So, congratulations and I hope there are many more!

I am totally on board with this adventure. Great idea.

Michael Dean wrote:

Jiminy wrote:

TinyTrish wrote:

Just look at the replies of half of this thread. No wonder your friend is all down on the whole pathfinder world.

Really? Which half of the replies have been aggressive or antagonistic?

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Exhibit A: the two posts following yours...

I'm sure Jiminy can see the future but chose not to :)

I couldn't resist the irony of Jiminy's post looking for the hostility in the thread and the two following posts. I mean, he had to have seen Jiminy's post, right?

TinyTrish wrote:

Just look at the replies of half of this thread. No wonder your friend is all down on the whole pathfinder world.

Really? Which half of the replies have been aggressive or antagonistic?

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Exhibit A: the two posts following yours...

He looks kind of like Crispin Glover.

He TOTALLY looks like Crispin Glover.

This is a great blog post! I grew up an Air Force brat, and my entry into Dungeons and Dragons was only made possible in my small town in Michigan due to the fact that Wurtsmith Air Force Base was also in said small town, and had enough "Flyrods" on base who played to support a gaming store in Oscoda, Michigan, a town two hours away from any mall.

I would fully encourage such a concept, if for no other reason than it creates more variety in Paladin concepts. I think one of the hangups I've always had with Paladins is that my "default" for them is "Good Christian Soldier," which really cramps the creativity. I have to consciously break from the default position to engage in making a character. I try to steer away from the whole boyscout image. I mean, being a boyscout can be fun, but I hate to limit it to just that.

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. I do hope the MMO is successful but I don't realistically see it in my future. But I'd definitely check out Emerald Spire if it's published. In fact, I'd love to see Paizo attempt a Mega Dungeon a la Rappan Athuk in a couple of years. I like the planned books coming out in 2013, but I'm even more curious what they are thinking of publishing in 2014. They've covered all of the "expected" types of supplemental books, other than maybe exploring the other continents of Golarian, so my interest in the future is definitely piqued.

Just received the shipping notification that it was delivered. Skipped lunch today on the hope that it would arrive so I could go home to take it inside.

It is awesome! Only had time to take it out of the box and look at it for a few minutes, and now I can't wait for the workday to end to flip through it tonight. Nothing to add that is different from others who have received theirs, except to echo comments that I was amazed at how heavy the thing is. Pictures don't do it justice until you actually pick it up and hold it in your hands.

Definitely had the same excitement level as when I picked up Ptolus a few years ago at Gen Con, and the quality of the printing is on the same level and better with the case and the art prints. I remember thinking back then that I doubted there would ever be a comparable game book release in terms of the quality print and color presentation, but I am glad to say I was wrong.

I know there are no plans on the horizon for another project like this, but I will certainly jump on the next one if and when it comes out. If there is ever a core book release of a new edition of PF, I hope there is at least the possibiity that Paizo would give it the deluxe treatment.

All right, stop! Collaborate and listen: Dice is back with a brand new edition!

Can you please list the issue numbers in the product description?

Judging by the cover pictures, it looks like issues 9-12, which would fit a year 3 of a quarterly product. but yeah, it would be nice to have the issues listed.

Thanks Cos and Liz.

Ordered. Now I just have to hope it gets up here via slow boat to Alaska rate before December 23rd. I suppose I'll still have my PO address when I am moved to Portland, OR and be able to check it randomly when on a busniess trip back up here.

Thanks.

Dude, you live in Alaska and take business trips to Portland? I want your life! What do you do for a living; fly a puddle jumper on extreme adventure expeditions and fly down to Portland to pick up clients? Wrestle Kodiak bears? Pan for gold? If you sell insurance, don't spoil my vision. :)

Edit: sorry, looks like I got it reversed on the Portland-Alaska thing, but still, way to live!

Jim Groves wrote:

Michael Dean wrote:

I love coming here and it bothers me that I let you all see me at my worst.

Well, I'm not Geraint, but I'm all about second chances!

Come on in, Michael—it's another day, and we got room for everybody.

:)

I second that, Jim.

I've got more time for a man who can apologise with grace than I have for a dozen men who never make mistakes.

And if you've never had a misunderstanding on the internet, you've probably never been on the internet. :D

Thanks, Geraint and Jim, I appreciate it.

Geraint, I apologize. I overreacted to your first post because I thought you were taking a swipe in a thread that was meant to be a positive one about Mike. Unfortunately, my snark only made it worse, and I am embarrassed that I didn't follow my own personal rules regarding posting. I hope you'll forgive me and I hope everyone else will let me chalk it off to having a bad day. I love coming here and it bothers me that I let you all see me at my worst.

Please don't imply that I am some kind of jerk who slags people off behind their backs. You don't know me and that's a pretty horrible thing to say. It's also untrue.

Hmm, that's kind of rich, actually. Rather sensitive, aren't we, considering your first post?

Mike was a great presence on the boards but the Guide to Darkmoon Vale was his work and it remains one of Paizo's least impressive publications.

Wow. Was that really necessary? I'd hate to be the first guy to leave a party you're at.