Legendarius's page

Wonder how many "Hidden Mickeys" there will be in the various scenes.

I ran more of the original 1E adventure back before Halloween for our group. We run a session of it when we get together for our annual extended game weekend. We were using Labyrinth Lord/BECMI as the rules engine instead of AD&D. Always a fun adventure regardless of system.

On the side topic of overhead bags, I wish the attendants would be clear that if you have two bags (aka one bag and a "personal item") that one of them must go under your seat and the other in the overhead. A lot of times I see people put two bags up in the overhead to get more room around their legs and then it makes it difficult for others to get their bag in the overhead. Not like if I can't find a spot in the overhead that I can put my bag under your seat. That's one of my pet peeves.

Fabius Maximus wrote:

Hama wrote:

In the theater where I go, the hall gets locked after the projector starts and the lights go out. You're late? Tough.

I love it.

Until a fire breaks out.

The doors can, of course, be opened from the inside easily.

So nobody can get up to use the restroom or to buy concessions, which is where the theaters make a lot of their money, unless they don't plan to get back inside the theater?

I suspect there won't be. This is one of those PF books that everyone always has in stock. I'd be very happy with a second printing of current Ultimate Equipment with all of the errata to account for the tables with missing entries and the like. I still may break down and get it eventually because it is a really good book overall from what I've seen looking at copies.

I see a number of factors here:
- 5E's shiny newness
- burn out of other similar fantasy systems like Pathfinder, 4E, etc.
- the game's quality (and I for one think they did a solid job designing and developing it)
- support product release schedule (what and how often)
- electronic support

My personal guess is that PF will retain a solid following and sales will level, at least for the pure crunch products. Adventures and campaign materials, along with generic support products like maps, will remain high. D&D will lead sales throughout 2014 and then we're just going to have to see.

This is good news and is the best approach for the customer given their available options. Here's hoping MM1 doesn't exclude many monsters that people consider classics until later books. Overall I liked the 4E monster books and approach to monster design but it was annoying that some of the classic giants, etc. had to wait until later monster manuals to make their official appearance.

Bruce Heard's World of Calidar from the kickstarter will be out soon. It has a Mystara flavor and promises a Voyage of the Princess Ark feel with Skyships and all.

Burger Time, or did you mean something more recent? :-)

I'll take both more bestiaries and more NPC/Monster codices please. These are by far my favorite accessory books and they have a ton of art which is awesome.

I'm surprised a little there is such a vocal resistance to potentially buying and playing 5E based on the degree to which it has or doesn't have an OGL. It would be like deciding not to support a restaurant because the chef doesn't share his or her recipes instead of based on how the food tastes or the portion size, price, location of the restaurant, service, etc.

For me, as a player, if I like the books and rules I'll get them and play them based on their merits. It's all "D&D" in the generic sense of the term and I can use/convert older content or content from other games at will. I can also play any of those older/other games at will.

Not switching because everyone in your group is happy with 1E or Pathfinder? That makes sense.

Not buying the physical books because you have a small apartment and no space for more books? I get that.

Playing the game based on the playtest or the upcoming free Basic PDF and deciding you don't like it as much as the existing games you play? Makes sense too.

I would LIKE to see a reasonable system come out for third party support. I'd like to see them contract out more to premium companies like Kobold, Green Ronin, Paizo, Cubicle 7, etc. with exclusive specific licenses. I'd like them to have a fan policy that lets people share all sorts of content, at least if not sold for profit.

I do think it's reasonable for them to support a license arrangement that gives people the ability to show compatibility and use the IP in a published work but requires compliance with guidelines that dictate standards and protects their IP. If a book/PDF has D&D on the cover that should tell me as a consumer that it meets some quality level.

Is the reaction mostly a case of not liking some business decisions WotC made in the past and/or not liking the design of some of their products? Hasbro/WotC as a company? Or is it really more philosophical - a belief that a game without an OGL is inferior and less likely to produce quality products? I just don't see the same reaction against FFG when it comes to closed properties like 40K/Star Wars for example. WotC/D&D seem to receive the brunt of this sort of reaction.

thejeff wrote:

Will you have to buy the module (or prove you've bought the module to get the PDF that goes with it?

That's actually not unheard of... Necromancer Games included a password in most of their 3rd edition era modules so you could then go on to their web site and download additional content.

That's not my impression. From what I can tell it appears that if there is something about the adventure that makes use of a system not in the Basic PDF, they will be adding to Basic to support you being able to run the adventure. So, say the adventure uses a mass combat option included in the DMG but not originally in the Basic PDF. They put the minimum you need into Basic so you don't need the DMG to do it. This is kind of like how a lot of 3.5 adventures in Dungeon and whatnot would include a sidebar if an NPC stat block used a non-standard class or something. I think the same is true if the module just had (Girallon, 10 hp) listed in the encounter assuming you had the Monster Manual they would add the stat block for Girallon to the monster portion of the Basic PDF.

Essentially as I see it, you should be able to play any adventure they publish using only the Basic PDF, the adventure you bought and dice.

I like the cover layouts and the new logo with the full name in the red banner. I find it grabs your eye. The pictures I've seen of the spines of the books are nice too. I think they'll look great on the shelf.

The Beholder cover of the Monster Manual is my favorite of the bunch.

I think what Legendarius is asking is why Boeing isn't installing a transponder that broadcasts the planes serial number, altitude, heading, etc. regardless of ownership or where it is operating. The engine manufacturer has done this.

This isn't about what the Malaysian government can or cannot do, it's about what Boeing can or cannot do. This was a 777 not a DC3

Right, can/does the manufacturer provide such equipment on the aircraft, and does the buyer of the aircraft need to subscribe to a service to access the data/who can see the data? I might see where an airline might not want Boeing to know everything about the aircraft they bought anymore than I want Ford to know my every move in my car, but wouldn't agencies like the FAA or those of other governments require an airline to have data provided to controllers in order to legally fly in their airspace?

I'm just glad they have started adding the Gazetteer series. GAZ1 Grand Duchy of Karameikos released this week and I bought it last night. GAZ2 is due out next week. So far they are $4.99. Well worth it.

@thing from beyond the edge - you remind me of some dude from whom I once ordered Pizza on the phone (from a local Pizza place) - I had 4 friends with me so we asked him to just cut the pizza into 5 slices, to which he replied "But that's mathematically impossible!".

Asking the pizza man to deviate from his standard cutting procedure is asking for trouble in any measurement system.

Wanna see what a Blood Knight looks like in full color?

Wanna work with me to pick one of the sample creatures we apply a template to?

Go check out Update #7!

The blood knight art looks great. Here's hoping that the goal is reached to get the book in full color. Personally, I'd rather see full color with the current amount of content as the next stretch goal but extra content is great too.

I've always enjoyed running games set in dungeons as well as playing games where dungeon exploration was a key component. I think it helps keep the players from getting bogged down in indecision by giving them a handful of obvious choices at every literal turn. Do we go to the end of the hall and peak around the corner? Do we listen at door #1? Should the thief climb up the statue and try to pry out the gemstone eyes?

A great dungeon has great rooms, chambers that have lots of bells and whistles and buttons and levers. They should provide lots of tactical options. A great dungeon also has some sort of theme, whether that reflects the original architect of the place or its current occupants. Ideally, there are distinct themes and common elements that set different levels of the dungeon apart.

Contrary to the idea that a dungeon is strictly hack & slash it can have a lot of roleplaying opportunities (think the various factions in B4 Lost City). It can also be a mostly puzzle solving/trap avoidance experience (think S1 Tomb of Horrors).

How the PCs approach the dungeon makes a difference too. Are they seeking to find a certain NPC or monster to eliminate? Are they searching for a particular item? Are they merely exploring to see what's there? Is it just a treasure hunt? Are they inside the dungeon trying to escape? The same map looks different if you adjust the room contents and the purpose the PCs have for being there.

I'd rather have a little known director being given his first shot at the job than bring in a known terrible director to do a half-ass job in order to keep the license. Getting a little known director trying to make his mark is going to throw himself into this job and make sure that it will succeed (it has to; his future job security depends on it).

Wasn't the lack of an experienced director part of the issue with the original D&D movie? His enthusiasm alone was not enough to make it a great film.

I'm partial to something along the lines of the Grand Duchy of Karameikos, basically a medieval eastern European style area with feudalism, a mixed population, superstition, a lot of dark wilderness, corrupt nobility, conflicting religions, etc. Toss in some Ravenloft style gothic horror with vampires, ghosts and werewolves. Layer in some ruins of a fallen empire and possibly lost civilization.

I don't think for me there is a lack of setting out there. Basically I just need to take the time to combine things I already own, put a spin on them and go.

A lot of great products on this list. I do wish the Castle Whiterock PDF was $10 or so - I have the boxed set and would like the PDF but not sure I want to pay $30 for it. Still, I'll probably get several of the $3 and $6 DCC modules.

I'm looking forward to this. I supported the kickstarter for the new Freeport Pathfinder book and hope to enjoy some Freeport fun in 2014.

Anyway, I'm now running a PFRPG campaign in the Grand Duchy of Karameikos. What a shame I didn't get GAZ1 in PDF when I had the chance!

The GAZ series is great and Karameikos is my favorite. The new Threshold magazine issue #1 on Vaults of Pandius has a lot of great Karameikos content, check it out if you haven't already. I'm pretty sure sooner or later WotC will get PDFs of the GAZ series up on dndclassics. I have all of them in print but I'll probably get some of the PDFs (GAZ1 and 3 at a minimum).

I still wish we could had a system here in the US that did the following:
- included all citizens
- ended employer provided healthcare plans freeing businesses to focus on their products
- allowed for a fully competitive marketplace across state lines (How many Geico/State Farm/Progressive/Allstate/etc. ads do I see for car insurance but nothing for health insurance competing?)
- provided full government sponsored coverage for basic health care at all ages (check ups, physicals, immunizations, etc.) and critical emergency coverage - private plans would augment the basics
- provided insurance for children and seniors above the basic level
- provided insurance for our veterans above the basic level
- focused on positive outcomes, disease prevention, health and wellness
- had a standardized record system that easily let me check all health care I've received and allow providers with my permission to access my medical records
- didn't limit your health care purchases based on relationship - so I can cover my friend or Uncle Vinny etc. on my plan as long as I pay the premium

For me it's been some classic D&D titles in PDF.

I got the following PDFs:
- Desert of Desolation bundle of the original I3, I4 and I5 modules
- UK series bundle to get UK1-UK8.
- I7 Baltron’s Beacon
- WGR4 Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun

A Planescape game based out of Sigil is one of those things I'd really love to do someday. I like the idea of it being fairly episodic with relatively independent episodes but with some overall plot/theme to each "season" of the campaign.

Definitely lends itself to adventure 1 has characters A, B and C searching for a lost artifact in the Abyss, adventure 2 with B, C, D and E escorting a diplomatic mission to a rendezvous point in the Outlands, adventure 3 a murder mystery in Sigil with all of the characters, etc.

For a simple low level starter AD&D 1E module, you might want to try any of N1 Against the Cult of the Reptile God, T1 Village of Hommlet or U1 Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. T1 is probably the best bet but all are good.

B2 Keep on the Borderlands as mentioned uses the Basic rules, but that said, if you did a straight up replacement of the monsters with the equivalent one in the 1E Monster Manual you're probably 75% or more of the way there.

I'd like to see some sort of hybrid show that combines a set of real world characters with realistic personalities, flaws, occupations, families, etc. who happen to all play an RPG together (versus some other activity like all go to the same bar every night ala Cheers or How I Met Your Mother) and then have scenes that depict the action in the game as viewed through the eyes of their game characters. Most of the show in my opinion should be real world drama - but where the main characters, by and large, are geeks. Not a sitcom like Big Bang Theory where all of the main characters are stereotypes but a more serious story.

L

How about the worlds of Jennifer Roberson's Chronicles of Cheysuli or Tiger & Del novels?

I also think a rendition of Terry Brooks Shannara world would be a good candidate.

If they do bring Vader back, I wonder if they'll borrow a page from Zahn's books where the Emporer maintained a secret cloning facility. It could also tie in with the Force Unleashed plots where Vader was trying to clone a jedi.

Smash the two together and you could have Vader with a secret cloning facility where he was trying to clone himself. I'd be ok with this kind of approach, simply because it'd be a different Vader. It wouldn't invalidate all that transpired between Luke and his dad in TESB and RotJ while at the same time still being Vader.

Time will tell, I suppose. I'll be seeing it regardless =P

Even if he was cloned he wouldn't be cool armor/heavy breathing Vader probably because they'd have to give the clone a lava bath. That said, a clone of Anakin looking Vader is doable. Zahn's books had clone Luke. The Dark Empire comics had cloned Palpatine. It wouldn't be a stretch to do Anakin.

Also, was Anakin's conception ever fully explained outside of Shmi's "I don't know what happened" and/or Qui Gon's "he may have been conceived by the midichlorians" explanation? Isn't it possible Anakin might have a "half brother" out there of sorts, equally strong in the Force?

I've long been a big Star Wars fan and look forward to what results from this development.

I worry the Ep VII-Ep IX movies, because what I've read indicates it will be about the "heroes of Yavin", will vastly contradict the numerous EU novels and comics set in the years following Return of the Jedi. I hope they can find a way to work it into the existing timeline.

I do hope they continue to work on a live action TV series set in the Dark Times between Episode III and IV. I think this timeframe has a lot of possibility. I hope it's pretty gritty, something in the style of a 10pm ABC show like 666 Park Avenue but probably not as dark as Walking Dead or American Horror Story.

I also think that a number of the novels and comic series would make great animated features in the style/quality of the Clone Wars animated series. The Thrawn Trilogy, Dark Empire, Shadows of the Empire and Crimson Empire (lots of Empire there) all come to mind.

L

Sounds like an interesting blend of having a permanent item and having a resource limit. If a player uses the item a lot, they run the risk of it not being around for long. If they rarely use it, it's a nice item to give them a little versatility.

Personally, I find it a disappointment that WotC didn't pursue this more. I think playing virtually in this fashion needs to be considered. A lot of gamers have friends and family who they aren't living near or who lack the space to conveniently host a game in person. I know as I am person who's in this situation. I get most of my game fix via weekly Xbox Live sessions or now a Skype D&D game we've started in playtesting Next with the rest being rare marathon sessions when we can get together in person. Having a well designed and well supported tool or tools that support this style of play is a good thing for the community. If they aren't willing to do the leg work, get in bed with someone who already has an offering. I think of how the DDM Guild came together to support minis play after WotC dropped D&D Miniatures support. They need a similar relationship here with the VTT.

One hopes the loss of this particular tool is not the death knell for electronic tool support as a whole via DDI. I'd hate to see it completely stagnate between now and whenever D&D Next is released. One has to believe they have some lessons learned from the 4E launch and are working on some comprehensive electronic support for the new game to include both web based DDI tools as well as smart phone and tablet apps.

Time will tell.

L

I have to say that overall I really enjoy this show. But there are certain things that require suspension of disbelief in terms of their decisions.

Is it just me, or do way too many people in this show regularly venture out on their own? At night, or in the woods, or out of sight of their friends. Umm, there are killer zombies out there and they’ll like eat you.

And while on the subject of bad ideas, to me that farm doesn’t seem overly defensible. They have very few people and no real defenses like walls, fences, trenches, etc. Shouldn’t they have a way to seal off the farm house and hole up if a bunch of the living dead show up for a snack? I mean have a stocked pantry, storm cellar, well for water (and/or rain barrels), and so on?

The other thing that gets me with them is they make these runs into town to go to the drug store to get stuff. Umm, take a couple of pickups and some shotguns, roll up to the store, take everything out, and move it to your home base. Why keep making trips into town when town is full of walkers and other trouble?

Also, there’s that big car pileup they ended up at right before they found the farm. Why not take a few trips out there with a posse and drive some of those cars back to the farm? Easier than messing with siphoning gas and it gives you spare cars and parts if you need them.

Just my take. It's fun looking at the actions of the characters in terms of how a PC adventuring party would likely address them.

L

I might be in the minority for saying this, but I don't believe that WotC will succeed or fail with 5E based on whether or not they have an open license of the game. I know if the products they produce are ones I like then I'll buy them and if they aren't I won't. It's only been about 10 years now but as many people will I think agree there was a glut of d20 product produced that was weak to be generous.

WotC could certainly offer a closed license to certain premium third parties, possibly free of charge, and have some great products made for the new version of the game. I think we all can agree there are some great content producers out there like Paizo, Kenzer, Green Ronin and Fantasy Flight Games who set the standard for quality in this hobby and would be great to have on the team.

I do think the idea of having the basic rules of the game (not necessarily the finished rule books with art, layout, etc.) available free of charge in PDF or a browsable SRD format is a good idea and aids play.

I don't think they are unreasonable to ask for people to subscribe to a service to provide online tools and content, in particular if they make the effort to keep the tools current and provide new features and tools to as many platforms as possible.

Me, I'm hoping they make a great game above all else, regardless of how open or closed the brand and the system are.

L

After reading a few more posts here, I see I missed a comment about the PDFs. I believe that WotC should make all of the adventures and campaign settings for pre-4E available again as PDFs. I bought several of the old adventures here at Paizo back when they were being sold and I find them handy, even if I run the game at the table mostly from the original print document. Now, ideally WotC would go back to the approach that lets other companies like Paizo and DriveThruRPG sell the PDFs, but even if they only sold them or made them available to DDI subscribers sold from their own website that would be a big improvement over the current state of things. In a perfect world, a print on demand option that let's you produce a close facimile to the original product would be great.

If convenient, affordable access to the past is not part of D&D's future, then I think that's a serious misstep.

L

The more I think about it the more I feel like the best idea for WotC is to make the following moves with D&D using 4th edition (with minimal changes to the current ruleset).

1. Keep creating D&D themed board games. Castle Ravenloft and the others are fun, fast and give you a dose of D&D without the prep.

2. Make use of your Hasbro parent and create some other products that use the D&D IP, for example a high end action figure line of major D&D characters like Drizzt, Raistlin, Mordenkainen, Bargle, etc. or Lego-compatible bricks and figures to help cross market the game and get interest in it. While at it license out to get things like school folders, beach towels, t-shirts and the like made to promote the brand.

3. Double your budget and effort on getting the DDI tools and features to be more robust. Make it very practical for people to get a real sort of D&D experience with the virtual table top. Add tools we've been craving like character and monster visualizers, dungeon builders, mapping tools, etc. While you're at it, create these kinds of apps for the iPad, Kindle Fire, etc. since tablets are well suited for tabletop play.

4. Go back to releasing a campaign setting a year with one or two hardcovers and a module or campaign in a box. Alternate between updates of a classic campaign world and a new setting or micro-setting like Nentir Vale. Keep releasing adventures adaptable to any setting. Take me back to Saltmarsh and the Isle of Dread.

5. Keep most of the Essentials products as is but release a new PHB that combines a lot of the Red Box, Heroes of books and original 4E PHB to make a single buy this book to play D&D for the non-DM.

6. Give me a good D&D Construction Set for Xbox Live so I can play D&D on Live with my friends. Let me create my own dungeons to run them through. Sell modules as downloadable content from the marketplace. Let me move virtual miniatures around the screen with my hand using the Kinect.

7. Work on a new animated D&D series of a quality level of at least the new Thundercats and ideally closer to Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Advertise all things D&D on the commercial breaks.

8. For the 40th anniversary release a single, deluxe, leather cover, cleaned up, new art version of the 1991 Rules Cyclopedia for collectors and old school gamers alike.

In other words, I want campaigns and adventures, not new or changed rules.

I want options for how I play from the table to the PC to a tablet to Xbox.

I want cool D&D themed stuff to buy to wear, put on my desk or get for my kids.

I want books and boxed sets of the best quality.

L

Don't we just need two states now, Red and Blue? :-)

Pennsylvania should be split along Eagles and Steelers territory.

We should make Puerto Rico a state and buy Cuba and make it a state too for some more Caribbean beach front property.

And on a more serious note, I'm all for making a new state North Virginia "The New Dominion", home to tons of tech companies and DC wine country, out of the counties near DC since we're night and day different from parts of the state below Richmond.

Legendarius of Loudoun

The only real way to fight to save a business, be it a book store, independent or otherwise, a game store, or whatever is to patronize it and spend money there. The main reason most of these businesses are vanishing isn't usually a lack of interest in the stores, but rather the introduction of alternatives that didn't previously exist. Video stores have been replaced by the likes of VOD and Netflix streaming and DVDs in the mail that offered convenience and better prices. Independent book stores have been replaced first by large chains with their wide selections and discounts and shopping experience and also by internet vendors like Amazon with their great prices and super convenience. I greatly enjoy small independent bookstores myself, and when I've found those that offered the products and service I like I've spent money there, but I certainly won't patronize a business just because it's small and independent, especially if out of the way and/or expensive.

L

I personally think it would be a great idea for WotC to once again make PDFs of their out-of-print/older edition products available. In a perfect world, you could get them here at Paizo or other online PDF sellers, but if you had to be a DDI subscriber to pay for those PDFs, I don't think that would be all bad - assuming when you paid for the PDF the file was yours to keep and you could redownload it from WotC any time as long as you maintained your DDI subscription.

I think physical reprints of a few classic adventures like Queen of Spiders or Temple of Elemental Evil or Keep on the Borderlands would be good too and would likely sell.

Lastly, my dream product to see from WotC is a deluxe, leather cover, republishing of classic D&D in the form of the 1991 Rules Cyclopedia with a revised layout and artwork and perhaps additional content (like gnome or half-orc classes and a removeable map of Mystara). I think that should be a premium release for the 40th anniversary of D&D coming up soon.

L

The statue should just be a star in a circle in the center of a square room 30 feet on a side with the floor of the room in tiles five feet on a side.

L

I saw GL in 3D yesterday and while the movie got totally dissed by the critics (as expected), to me it seemed very faithful to my memory of the Green Lantern character, at least as presented in the old Challenge of the Superfriends type cartoons (I haven't read the comics). I thought it was very well done visually. I thought the acting was ok for a comic book movie. I thought the casting of Sinestro was great with a nice setup for a sequel. It had a good amount of action. Sure GL made campy things using the ring, but didn’t GL always make green baseball gloves to catch missiles or the like? I think some people want the world from these movies and unfortunately a few shining stars like the Dark Knight have raised the bar and given the critics room to complain about comic book popcorn flicks like this one. Sounds like it was the number one movie for the weekend so hopefully it'll be profitable and I look forward to a sequel. It's nice to see a DC super hero movie that isn't Batman or Superman (though I love those too) given how many different Marvel titles we've seen (I saw Thor and liked that too).

L