Paizo has just hit it's Seven Year Anniversary!!! What I want to know is how has Paizo influenced you over the years? Everyone is invited to respond to this question. ~WEG~ Except for Cosmo! I still need to get even for those explosive Runes that he put on my Wayfinder! ~grins~ J/K Cosmo!
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2012
|
Before Paizo, I never, ever, would have considered posting as actively as I do. Frankly, I found other messageboard "communities" to be pretty damn scary and never wanted to post there, but this one has been very friendly, IMO. At least, I think you tolerate my inane blather.
|
|
For me, my enjoyment of RPGs comes from the published adventures. If there aren't good adventures to go with the RPG, then there isn't much point.
When I got back into DnD with the release of 3.0 and later 3.5, I didn't bother with Dungeon magazine because I assumed that the adventures there would be of an ilk that wouldn't serve my game.
Then I saw the cover of #150 and said to myself... is that who I think it is? Holy... So I purchased the PDF for #139 and really liked what I saw from the first adventure of Savage Tide. Its quality went right along with what I like to see in adventures, AND what I like to read even when I'm not DMing.
Only later did I stumble upon the revelation that the people at Paizo were also responsible for the content of Red Hand of Doom (mostly) and Ruins of Greyhawk (the two best WotC adventure installments in 3.5 in my opinion).
I now own the Shackled City hardcover, all the issues from Age of Worms (a small pain to collect them all but worth it) and Savage Tide, and most of the Pathfinder sub products (I canceled my subs recently only from money concerns, but I'm trying to keep up with Legacy of Fire via Amazon).
So how has Paizo influenced me? I see them as the gold standard for adventure design. Their stamp of approval on content requires more than just thinking an adventure would sell. They value theme, NPCs with meaningful backstories that provide roleplaying options for players, creature builds that make sense, and encounters that fit within the adventures they publish. When I read a Paizo adventure, I feel like I'm exploring design philosophy as much as I enjoy seeing how the continuing stories unfold. It keeps my own standards up.
Happy Anniversary, Paizo!
I stumbled across Paizo when ordering OotS for myself and thought ah well...... another shop to occasionally vist.
4E changed that
Paizo on taking the Mantle of 3E/3.5E and creating their own spin on it, and its backwards compatable, have ensured i'll never stop buying RPGS from them.
They have thousands of playtesters!!! who else can say that?
I am now a Paizo Groupie....... i tell all my friends about them and will be making it mandatory for my group to own the PRPG when it comes out. WotC never had that effect on my gaming life.
I came to Paizo through a link in WoTC's forums, they said Pathfinder was something akin to a "D&D 3.75 Edition" and was quite pleased. I'm somewhat of a newcomer, taking into account Paizo is 7 years old. I have loved Pathfinder and e-known a fine bunch of people. That is, besides telling everyone I know to see and try Pathfinder before getting 4E. Thanks, everyone.
|
|
I subscribed to Dungeon while I was locked up, and Paizo was publishing the mag at the time. I was impressed by the quality of the magazine and the adventures, but I had no idea, beyond the "paizo.com" on the title page that they had a whole, full blown community.
I didn't think much about gaming when I got out, but when I did get back into the mood, I checked out the web site. I lurked around for a bit, but I was mostly posting on other sites. When 4e's release date was announced, and pre-orders went up on Amazon, I thought "cool, I can get in on the ground floor of this one, and not have to play catch up". Then I saw the "Races and Classes" preview, saw that a PREVIEW cost $25 bucks, flipped through it and cringed, and canceled my pre-order of 4e.
Then Paizo announced they were doing their own thing, and the previews were free (didn't fully grasp the whole "playtest" implications at first, as I didn't really pay attention to the boards) and downloaded the Alpha. Then I started checking out the boards. And started posting. And haven't stopped since...
Pathfinder has influenced me, I don't even say I'm playing "D&D" any more unless I'm referring to AD&D 1e, I spend quite a bit of my on-line time on these boards (or messing with Paizonians on Facebook), and most of the gaming dollars I spent last year went to this company (and most of the Green Ronin stuff I own was bought from this site...).
Paizo gave me the chance to continue playing the game I love while not suffering from a lack of new, and excellent, content.
I was leery when I heard that Dragon and Dungeon were being handed off to this company I'd never heard of, but I kept my subscriptions up and gave them a shot. Paizo did not disappoint, and now that they've started their own line, the products just keep getting better.
Paizo's adventures, especially Read Hand of Doom, have influenced how I approach adventure design and even how I structure my campaigns. It's said that the best way to become an author is to read a lot of books. Well, IMO, the best way to become an outstanding DM is to read a lot of Paizo products.
|
Seven years ago... Paizo feed my need for Dragon and Dungeon Magazine. Then WotC announced the end of that arrangement. I went aw damn there goes my next few months of subscriptions down the toilet, but the wonder works of the People Republic of Paizo (PRP) offered a few free issues of this new fangled AP idea they had. So I took it and and from that moment on I was their minion.
Here's Paizo for seven years of giving the gamer populous games and ideas to keep our mind watering to see what happens next. To Seven years of listening to you base of fans for what works and interesting ideas. Finally I wish all the great folks at Paizo many, many more years of prosperity and success on all their endeavors.
Four things:
Because of Paizo I became a hard core fan of Adventure Paths.
As Taig, I owe to Paizo -and its community- that I became a messege boards addict and the a chatboard junkie. Never tried it before.
Because of Paizo I have gained more friends than ever in less than a year. An not your regula screen friend whom you never get to know if he's really the gender he declares to be, but friends who I've meet in person and are even cooler than on the screen. Friends who would take me into their home, help me professionally and on other stranger ways. And friends who would rub my back. Literally.
Because of Paizo, I got back to drawing.
'nuff said!
As Taig, I owe to Paizo -and its community- that I became a messege boards addict and the a chatboard junkie. Never tried it before.
Same. Love to be around a buncha people that are all slightly off center (I mean that in the best way possible). :D
Because of Paizo, I got back to drawing.
That is pure awesome!
|
|
I was also only recently a Paizonian. I had the Dragon magazine subscription from the 3.0 days, and was sad to see it canceled, but I wasn't that into the Dungeon mag since I was player more than DM in those days and didn't see the benefit of the adventures.
After 4th Edition was announced and Paizo moved forward with the Pathfinder 'initiative', I took a closer look. And signed up for the Adventure Paths to check out what was up. And I fell in love with the layout of the books, the high-quality design and terrific handling of how to publish an adventure series.
Way to go Paizo!
That is pure awesome!
Because of Paizo, I got back to drawing.
+1
Since I was never a magazine subscriber, Paizo was pretty marginal in my world, though I liked it when they gave away pretty things. Then, The Great Change was announced, and I started scrambling around to figure out who would support my game in the future. So besides creating an online compulsion, and latching onto my discretionary income, Paizo has made me very happy. And hooked me up with cool people I would otherwise have missed out on. My game, and the game of my circle of folks, has been greatly enhanced.
Thanks, Paizo, for keeping the faith. Happy Anniversary!
I found Paizo through the library. I was looking for D&D novels, but the librarian really couldn't know that much about it, because instead she pointed me to some magazines. Dragon. They didn't carry Dungeon, sadly. But I checked out a few Dragons, and they were really different! Up until then, all I had were two 3.5 core books, and one 3.0 DM's guide (which was sometimes confusing). Actually, those were my older brother's. Anyways, I found that Dragon was really good. I went on the forums, mostly by accident. I took a look at the site and examined the forums (I didn't really know what forums were). Since I was used to playing MOMGs, I used poor grammar and tended to spam a bit. Eventually, my parents decided that they didn't want me on a forum at my age.
Many years later, I returned, with a different account. And I realized that to compare this to any video game or other forum was a terrible crime. This is by far the most friendly forum I have ever visited, and Dragon is by far the best product I've ever read. Paizo has influenced my opinion of the internet, and my opinion of D&D. Without it, I'd probably be one of those really annoying guys on Twitter or Facebook who use awful grammar and spam other people with annoying quizzes and stuff.
|
Before Paizo, gaming wasn't really much a part of my life anymore. I hadn't gamed in a couple years before moving from New Orleans in the summer of 2001 to take a job in Philly. During all that time, my gaming fixes came from buying the books, visiting the WotC website, and occasionally pilfering free maps from the Dungeon website.
Then, suddenly, someone new was doing Dungeon and Dragon. I found my way here through a link, lurked for awhile, and finally got off my ass and created an account. The rest, as they say, is history.
Since then, I've got a new gaming group. More than that, I've got a circle of digital friends with whom I communicate practically everyday, sharing jokes, political views, and ideas/comments about the many hobbies we all seem to have in common. In short, I've got something of an extended gaming family, and I wouldn't trade any of it for gold.
Well...
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
|
Well,
In the last year I've gained confidence in my own writings, thanks to Paizo and this shiny tag.
In 2008 it got me to make some live web reporting on the message boards.
I've 'met' some good people on these boards, met and developed a healthy respect for Lisa, Eric and others.
Oh and I've 'met' Sharoth...
Personally, It's also led me to 'think before I post'. While I'm not an author, I'm just some shlub who got lucky with a bracelet, I do feel that my posts indirectly reflect on Paizo and I try (fail sometimes, but try) to not say things that I'd regret saying IRL.
Aberzombie, I wouldn't even trade it for miniatures!
This is a really great thread. My favorite thread in some time.
I esp. appreciate KC's post.
Paizo has really helped to open my eyes. Before finding my way here, I never really understood just how much my own existence makes the universe a better place. You can all thank me by sending me money, hookers, booze, or blow, in that order.
|
|
Paizo and its online community have shown me:
1.) A gaming company that truly cares what its customers think about them, and how they conduct business.
2.) Employees of said company who do not see themselves as being on a pedestal of greatness beyond the reach of the unwashed masses (us).
3.) A forum of users who understand that disagreement does not have to translate into visceral hatred.
(Granted, there have been a few exceptions to this, but the community, in general, is far-and-away more civil than most other RPG forums I could name.)
Couldn't ask for more, really.
Hmm, let's see.
Because of Paizo, I got to write Dungeons & Dragons stuff.
Because of Paizo, I got to write Forgotten Realms stuff.
Because of Paizo, I have my name on a fricken' book--something I was never sure was going to happen.
It's pretty much because of Paizo that I have anything resembling a writing career (yes, and you too, Sean...).
I can't say anything but good things about these guys. They've let me be involved, in some way (however small), in every Adventure Path so far, from pieces in PF #5 and #9, to a Companion article for LoF, to getting to close out two of the first five APs.
So, me and Paizo? We cool.
|
I had fallen out of gaming for a number of years, and came back into it when a friend of mine was starting a new campaign. He mentioned that there was an article in a recent Dragon that could be useful to my character, and I loved the magazine and promptly got my own subscription.
That led to me looking around these messageboards, and I realized that this is a cool place, with a lot of interesting people. Far and away better than any messageboard community I had ever seen.
Now, even though I have mostly drifted into the netherworld of 4e, I stick around because of the people. I don't know how Paizo managed to get so many fun and interesting people on their messageboards.
Paizo is:
a) the first and only forum I ever joined and the only place I post at all
b) my new home after the destruction of the realms
c) the savior for my love of the game, I was so frustrated with 3.5 and it's adventures that I was about to quit
d) the best damn adventure producer ever, after I mastered "Fortress of the Yuan Ti" and the two preceding adventures, I was so frustrated that I decided to never master again, now I am happily mastering ROTL for two groups and I have the (RPG-)time of my live
Thank you PAIZO
|
I was never a part of an online community before Paizo. I can to the site to get my mailing address changed for Dungeon magazine subscription and the entire place was so helpful and full of good people and posts that I had to stay. I still miss Ultradan, he was my favorite poster of my earlier times here. I think he still posts occasionally but his constant presence is missed. Lilith wasn't the cookie-giving-deity that she is now but her baking portfolio was growing and she was and still is a font of wisdom in all things.
Ahhh...Memories.....MEMories!
Well,
Oh and I've 'met' Sharoth...
Are you SURE that you want to brag about that?
P.S. - Where did we meet anyway? It has been a brain deadening day so far.
|
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6
|
Paizo's made me realize that there's hope I can do some game writing on a semi-professional basis. Which is quite exciting, as I never thought any of my ideas were good enough for that. And if it doesn't go anywhere, it was a lot of fun to try, and educational in the process.
Well having been a contributer to the Scarred lands setting for Necro games I found that 3rd party producers of OGL material were open minded and willing to give new ideas a go... I bumped into Paizo about 2 years ago by being a player in a SHackled City campaign... I found I liked the flavor tremendously so I delved further into the content... Upon reading the Beta for the PFRPG I was so impressed that I hassled my whole game group into reading the rules... We found that Paizo had made 7 of our 8 house rules that helped clean up 3.5 were goning to be part of the PFRPG canon... excited I subscribed to the Adv Path and found that not only was it running near paralell to my groups style but the level of content was exceptional... Thus we are converting come August.... and I am becoming a rabid poster on the boards...our homebrew world that we are cooking up will use the Pathfinder RPG rules system... and my game group is arguing over who gets to run the next adv path... I get the Coucil of Thieves...muahahahaha...
|
|
Paizo brought me back into gaming. With these boards they created an immeasurably deep font of knowledge, which not only taught me a lot but also renewed my curiosity for all things (even those seeming totally unimportant first) which I had lost quite some years ago. And when they allowed me and some other german fans to translate their blog entries they even helped us take a step into the industry.
And they made me getting my ass up and starting to write.
So, in short: They brought the magic back.
|
|
I'd say the biggest influence of Paizo has been getting me more involved in conventions. Running Pathfinder scenarios at conventions, introducing Pathfinder and Paizo to new people and making friends with them has been thoroughly enjoyable. And now it has even brought me to the stage of setting up a convention (PaizoCon UK) for the very first time. Something I never would have considered attempting even a year ago.
Welcome, Dragonsage! I really like that at 27 posts and counting, you're already "rabid"! :D
ADD: Another thought was stirred. Paizo sent me back to brick and mortar game stores, where I had not been in many years. I had been relying completely on books stores and online sources to supply my needs.
Gosh, what an absolutely great question.
I can still remember the buzz of actually getting an email from Chris Thomasson saying he'd like to buy Hollow Threats, and emails from these new amazingly enthusiastic guys called Jacobs and Mona. The scary thing is it just doesn't seem so long ago.
Still the first website I go to and the only one I go to every day so those fine fellows must be working some magic. Keep it up fellows!
Oh hang on, before this I never knew Hitchcock, Logue, Vaughn, Greer...
Ho hum - every cloud:)
They've influenced me out of a heck of a lot more money than I ever expected to spend as a 40 year old gamer with tons of RPG stuff already.
I had stopped subscribing to Dragon in the 2e era, never had subscribed to Dungeon, but with the release of 3.0, I was looking for adventures and finally subbed to Dungeon. Never looked back.
The Paizoians just seem to get me as a gamer like nobody else ever has before.
|
|
I can't recall exactly when I went from simply using Paizo.com to renew my subscriptions to full-on board lurker, but it must've been some time around Shackled City/Age of Worms (so... 2005/2006, I guess). Then some stuff happened and I woke up with a minis line that I still have a hard time believing exists.
I got into Dungeon and Dragon shortly before Paizo became the new overlords, and was really excited to have all this fun new stuff to think about running (gaming time was limited back then, so it all just collected cobwebs in my spider-filled brain). Eventually, I started recognizing the names of folks in my magazines and realized these folks really knew their stuff. When I heard the mags were going down, I happily jumped on-board for Pathfinder (I'd've plopped down the cash just for the Wayne Reynolds cover art, honestly). Haven't been disappointed yet.
But yeah, it's not just the actual Paizo folks, but the community at large that has made this feel different. Full disclosure: I generally hate my own kind (y'know, nerds, geeks, etc.). I've had awful experiences with stereotypical gaming hobbyists that still make me shudder to recall. But all y'all cats and kittens is be chill, yo. I've got a lot of folks that dwell on these boards that I'd totally hang out with in person (and, at PaizoCon, I actually got to with some of 'em).
So, i guess, to wrap it up:
Thanks to Paizo, for all the awesome adventures, campaigns, and nuggets of gaming gold that have provided me and many of my friends with countless hours of good times.
Thanks to all of you, the community, for showing just how cool an online community of gamers and assorted ne'er-do-wells can be.
And thanks, as always, to everyone who gave me this whole "art career" thing. I mean, it's just getting started now, but for a dude who just mangles paper and pixels without any real training to "go pro" is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I'm glad every day that I found this brilliant company and all of you guys. You make my day, every day. For cereal.
Director of Narrative
|
I visited the Paizo boards four years ago, shortly after subscribing to Dragon and Dungeon, to ask a question about Greyhawk related stuff. I had tried the identical question over on the WotC boards and just got talked down to. Here, the question was answered in a timely manner and further suggestions of resources were given.
After only a few weeks of visiting and posting nearly every day, I ended up meeting some extremely cool folks here and stuck around. Paizo, and the community here, got me more deeply involved in gaming. Before I started posting, I’d pretty much show up and play the game, didn’t hear about new products, didn’t go to the game store often and borrowed more materials than I had.
Because of these boards, this community and Paizo Publishing, I began freelancing. A few folks nudged me in the right direction and got me started pitching pieces to publishers (and free fanzines), and before long I hooked up with some of the best freelancers in the industry. From there things only got better. When I first started freelancing, my goal of goals was to do work for Paizo. When the magazines went away I was crushed as it looked like that goal was going to be much tougher to attain. I stuck it out and kept rocking out articles and adventures and just this year the goal of goals was realized.
In short, without Paizo my games wouldn’t be as good, I wouldn’t have a kick ass online community to talk with, I wouldn’t have met the amazing friends I’ve made over the years and I probably wouldn’t be writing RPG material. Thanks to everyone!
Paizo has given me a wealth of ideas and people to share them with. I currently live on a farm and am unable to drive to play RPGs at the FLGS. However, I still have a love of RPGs and am writing adventures and working on campaigns for my group when I see them on vacation. Paizo and its wonderful community have helped me stay interested and engaged in the hobby. The community has also inspired me to finish the boxes of miniatures I have in preparation for writing a painting article for next year's Wayfinder!
What Daigle said.
Coming onto the Paizo boards in 2004 gave me a place to be among people like me. You know... smart, silly, deadly with a spork.
Then one day an idea of mine took the attention of the then small Werecabbage writer's circle, which helped to truly reinvigorate a neglected writing career. Subsequently, I've experienced a sea change in my life. Nothing is as it was when I first arrived at Paizo.com. The friends I've made are true friends. The lessons I've learned about myself and others have helped me to become a better man (I'm DONE with serial killing and jay walking, I tell ya!). Sincerely. Why I chose to self-evolve here of all places, I don't know, but for that reason, along with Paizo's incredible talent and their mysterious ability to make a company feel like family, I will always hold them, and this place, in the most reverent esteem.
Because of these boards, this community and Paizo Publishing, I began freelancing. A few folks nudged me in the right direction and got me started pitching pieces to publishers (and free fanzines), and before long I hooked up with some of the best freelancers in the industry. From there things only got better. When I first started freelancing, my goal of goals was to do work for Paizo. When the magazines went away I was crushed as it looked like that goal was going to be much tougher to attain. I stuck it out and kept rocking out articles and adventures and just this year the goal of goals was realized.
*Tries to follow on Daigle steps*
I visited the Paizo boards four years ago, shortly after subscribing to Dragon and Dungeon, to ask a question about Greyhawk related stuff. I had tried the identical question over on the WotC boards and just got talked down to. Here, the question was answered in a timely manner and further suggestions of resources were given.
After only a few weeks of visiting and posting nearly every day, I ended up meeting some extremely cool folks here and stuck around. Paizo, and the community here, got me more deeply involved in gaming. Before I started posting, I’d pretty much show up and play the game, didn’t hear about new products, didn’t go to the game store often and borrowed more materials than I had.
Because of these boards, this community and Paizo Publishing, I began freelancing. A few folks nudged me in the right direction and got me started pitching pieces to publishers (and free fanzines), and before long I hooked up with some of the best freelancers in the industry. From there things only got better. When I first started freelancing, my goal of goals was to do work for Paizo. When the magazines went away I was crushed as it looked like that goal was going to be much tougher to attain. I stuck it out and kept rocking out articles and adventures and just this year the goal of goals was realized.
In short, without Paizo my games wouldn’t be as good, I wouldn’t have a kick ass online community to talk with, I wouldn’t have met the amazing friends I’ve made over the years and I probably wouldn’t be writing RPG material. Thanks to everyone!
** spoiler omitted **
For every 'Hollywood dream' style story such as comrade Daigle has recounted here, there will be dozens of wannabe writers who have had their delusions of writing adequacy thoroughly crushed by the cruel and uncaring environment that is the Paizo Messageboards, governed by the iron-fisted supreme Witch-Hunter lords, Jacobs and Frost. As the supreme Witch-Hunter lord Frost has been quoted as having said, 'CRY HARDER'.
Welcome, Berik!
Welcome to the Paizo web site, Berik. ~hands you a beer and some chocolate chip cookies~ Lilith will be around with some really good web cookies. Enjoy these Toll House cookies while you wait for the good stuff.
*rolls into the thread with a pile of cookies for the new guy*
Welcome to the boards Berik!
To answer the OP's query...a lot. It has driven a lot of my creative urges in the last three years, wait, four years...
Man, I've been here a while.
|
|
Two years ago I landed a gig in the gaming industry (not a writing one sadly... accessory manufacturer). One of my first assignments was some market research, so I made a long list of publishing companies and began poking around the websites.
Paizo immediately struck me as a high quality enterprise with great community, but when I got their first product (PF1) and I got to browse the forums I discovered just how cool it is. From outstanding quality of books to the insanely good customer service (seriously, Paizo should be a model example of How To Treat Your Customers), I got hooked.
While I had some D&D books before (I am a big Planescape junkie), I never got around to run the game. This changed thanks to Pathfinder AP - Rise of the Runelords is the first campaign DM'ed by me, and I quickly stocked two shelves worth of Paizo, WotC and 3PP books.
The ironic thing is that Paizo made me buy D&D books, and I was about to get some oldies from 90s as well but then a) WotC announced the 4dventure (losing me as a customer for the first time), and then b) they pulled the PDFs away (losing me as a customer for the second time). Poor little WotC, Paizo nabs them a free customer and then they alienate him. Ah well, PFRPG forever !
And I'm hooked ever since, spending WAY too much time on this forum.
Like most of you, I had never had the courage to post anything, I didn't want people to know how dorky I truly am.
The Paizo community not only forgives and embraces my dorky ways and total lack of knowledge in some areas (Ahem, anything electronic), but all of you have become the type of friends I would welcome into my home...But Lilith has to bring the cookies.
To start with, I wasn't a very popular person. I was never invited to parties, never got asked out on dates, and couldn't get into a gaming group. All that changed when I stumbled up on the Paizo messageboards. Here, I not only found a place that I could be myself, but there were actually people who laughed at the things I did and enjoyed my company. Sure there were problems (growing pains if you will) and some inevitable loathing and lecturing. All in all, I've found a place that makes me feel...special. Makes me feel...complete.