** spoiler omitted **
Your spoiler read my mind. ;)
Wayfinder, PaizoCon Founder
|
Since this is turning out to be a "how I found Paizo", here's my tale:
I hadn't played D&D for several years, due to moving across the country for a new job, and then having a kid. When we moved back to the Seattle-area, my old friend and gaming buddy was working for Paizo. He knew I wanted to start playing again, and was able to get me invited into a campaign at the Paizo offices. It was my first time playing 3rd edition. I had to unlearn THAC0, and learn this "new" D&D in the midst of gaming professionals. Turns out, that was the best way to do it!(And I'm still learning...always learning.)
After several sessions, Mike McArtor mentioned that he would post a thread on the campaign. This was news to me...messageboards? You have messageboards?? I created an account, and started posting in the campaign journal.
Paizo has done several things for me:
1) Brought me back into the gaming hobby.
2) Taught me the depth of 3.5 rules...the crazy stuff I've seen James pull off is wonderous. Seeing Jason running a three year campaign with a glorious story arc was inspiring.
3) Introduced me to people in the gaming industry, which has allowed me to take a more active role in our local scifi convention, Norwescon, by heading up the gaming track and bringing in industry pros.
4) Brought me to this community of gamers, full of excellent people I am glad to know, both digitally and personally.
5) Inspired me and the rest of the community to pool our talents and enthusiasm together to do something...as a true community.
Well, there was an unfortunate incident with the creepy old french dude. Anyway, there I was getting tons of media attention, feeling a little frazzled and down, when someone told me about a gathering of folks like me at this place called Paizo. So I tried it out.
Since arriving here, I've opened up more about my feelings. Even though I still get depressed, and still don't much like french people, I feel like I've definitely grown both emotionally and intellectually. Thanks Paizo, and thanks to my fellow poodles.
Yap! Yap!
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.
** spoiler omitted **
Hey, pal, what do you think you're doing? You're supposed to be dead!
Hey, pal, what do you think you're doing? You're supposed to be dead!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.
** spoiler omitted **
Huh?
Before Paizo, I was writing newspaper articles and constantly fighting the temptation to make things up.
Now I don't have to fight it anymore.
Thank you, Paizo!
Oooh! Oooh! I want to tell a "how I found Paizo" story!
So there I was, on a dark and stormy night browsing another online RPG gaming store when I saw they kept having all these GameMastery products mixed in with the D&D products. So I googled GameMastery, which brought me to Paizo. I read some product reviews for some Paizo stuff and after several weeks of stalling, I decided I wanted some of it. I tried to order from the shops I usually went through but they were out of something I wanted to order so I ordered from Paizo instead because they had everything in-stock. It was amazing! They mailed it to me! Seriously though, I ordered the Initiative Tracker and extra magnets, as well as the Critical Hit and Critical Fumble decks (and some dice and other stuff, whatever) and I love the Initiative Tracker and the Critical decks.
Since then Paizo has supplanted WotC as my primary source for RPG materials and I love all that stuff, and I LOVE how I can get actual feedback from the authors/editors and OWNER about products and stuff. How awesome is that? Awesome.
I love what Paizo has done for my game by increasing the speed with the Initiative Tracker (my players still make fun of me for taking so long, but it's much faster now) and how my game is spiced up with the Critical Hit and Critical Fumble decks. My brother must draw a critial fumble every session. (Actually, I think it was his Critical Hit last game that caused him to drop his sword.) The critical hits are so much more exciting and I would never come up with such cool fumbles on the fly like the cards have.
Paizo is always introducing new and innovative products on their site to improve my game, and that's just the best! I mean I know they're not doing it JUST to improve my game, but it is to improve mine among others.
I never read Dragon or Dungeon magazines, so when I buy back-issues of the magazines, they're great too, and all new to me. I love that the back-issues are kept available while supplies last, and the extra sales on them and stuff.
Oh, and I want to give a shout-out to the Paizo people that worked on the 3e Forgotten Realms Faiths and Pantheons. It's the second D&D book I ever bought and by far my most used. (FRCS was first, 3.5e core books were bought third and all together when they came out.) I look forward to putting as much wear on Gods & Magic in the coming years.
|
In my 36 years of life, 29 of which as an active and enthusiastic game, I've never, ever been to a convention...that was until PaizoCon.
Thus, thanks to Paizo there was a PaizoCon, thanks to PaizoCon I was able to physically meet a lot of people, fans and industry types, that up until PaizoCon I had only known them as text on my screen.
Also, thanks to PaizoCon, the system and flavor of fantasy role-playing games that I prefer is continuing and being actively supported. This is good as it gives me a preferred venue and system of freelancing, kept me interested in the freelancing thing and quite likely led me to doing minor editor's work with Rite Publishing (although they do share that honor with Open Design and the patronage movement).
All in all, Paizo has done a lot of good stuff for myself, the hobby I love, my freelancing, and other coolness.
So, yeah, Paizo is cool. Happy Anniversary!
|
Before coming to Paizo, Hungry Jack® had been feeding families like yours for nearly 70 years. From the launch of Hungry Jack® Mashed Potatoes in 1967 to the innovation of the reheatable microwavable Hungry Jack® bottle in 1994, Hungry Jack® was gathering families around the table for good times, great food and that delicious Hungry Jack® taste. That's why everybody’s happy when it's Hungry Jack™!
But since coming to this wonderful site, Hungry Jack® has broadened his horizons, expanding his stable of delicious recipes to include such fan favorites as:Kobolds in an Apple-Cinnamon Blanket, Baked Dragon Chops with Yams and Apples, Dire-Turkey Veggie Potato Bake, and everyone's favorite, Maple Glazed Orc Tenderloin.
|
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.
I agree. I posted on a few other boards before finding this one, and never felt as welcome as I do here. One of the other boards I posted on I had spent an hour looking for the answer to the question I had, and the went ahead and posted. The only answer I got was "Geez, that's why we have a FAQ thread so we don't have to keep answering dumb questions like this." Here I would never get an answer like that, except maybe from Sebastian. That is to be expected.
This is the first messageboard in which I participated in more than a passing fashion.
Well, before I found Paizo, when I was at work, I just worked.
Now that's all changed.
Well, before I found Paizo, when I was at work, I just worked.
Now that's all changed.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
*looks over shoulder for boss*
|
Contributor
|
Thanks to Paizo, I really feel like a part of a larger gaming community, instead of just my little circle of friends.
Also, thanks to the incredibly high quality of their product, I started getting interested in layout and design again for the first time since college. And I think most of us know where that ended up.
Thanks to Paizo, I really feel like a part of a larger gaming community, instead of just my little circle of friends.
Also, thanks to the incredibly high quality of their product, I started getting interested in layout and design again for the first time since college. And I think most of us know where that ended up.
The Police HAVE been called, Immora. Hostage Rescue will be there soon!
Before the Paizo.com messageboards, I was a pug-ugly yegg on the wrong side of the law. I was involved in capers ranging from jewel heists to pyramid schemes to the Church of Scientology and was frequently broken in to and out of prison.
I'm still a pug-ugly yegg, see? But now I've got internet Dungeons and Dragons friends.
Now spill the beans, Gladys, where'd you stash your take?!
I'd actually stopped playing D&D for over ten years when I tripped over Dungeon #95 and was intrigued by Porphyry House - I'd been vaguely aware that 3.0 had been released, and hadn't cared. (What can I say - I'd fallen in with a bad crowd - lots of VtM...)
I picked up the issue and was very impressed - one thing led to another, I found the web site and lurked for years, picked up the 3.0 books when they were going out cheap (because of 3.5!), got a group together and started playing again. I even started posting (a little bit) on the boards!
And then came the End of Days, when WoTC decided to go digital and I suddenly realised that my Dragon collection, which starts at #54 and goes to #208, then continues from somewhere in the early 300s again, had just stopped. So I did the unthinkable and actually SUBSCRIBED to a publication! And did it online!
And for this I blame Paizo...I mean thank...and so does my gaming group, as we get reading to start the Age of Worms.
Reggie
Paizo showed me canned adventures can be good, and that I can enjoy an adventure path enough to read it all in advance in order to brutalize and reform its flow as needed whenever my players freeform their way through it.
Thanks to Paizo:
- I'm in not one, not two, but THREE ongoing D&D campaigns, something that hasn't happened since college :)
- A good friend of mine, who always was leary of DMing after a bad first time with a former boyfriend is doing a fantastic job as DM of one those campaigns and enjoying tormenting her players ;)~
- I have found a world I love more than the Forgotten Realms (something I don't think I would have believed one short year ago!)
- The love I have long had for gaming, and more specifically Dungeons and Dragons, has been rejuvinated.
- I want to be writing things for gaming again ... Having co-written several adventures with my husband for Strategicon tourneys during the late 80s/early 90s, we rather burned out for a while, as well as having to relearn the rules again with 3.0 came out. But now, the quality of Pathfinder makes the ideas start to spin again :)
- These boards have become one of my favorite places to just hang out and peruse and participate in. I don't agree with all that is said, but that just makes it all the more fun!
Thank you so much, Paizo!
Without Paizo, I would never have discovered the sheer joy of having a magazine subscription(even though outside forces have interfered with that...).
Without Paizo, I never would have learned what it was like to be part of a SUPPORTIVE messageboard community(even if noone posts after me...).
Without Paizo, I never would have gotten to know an old friend better though the RPG Superstar contest and watched the delight in his eyes as he goes from weekly DM to someone who is really looking forward to getting his freelance career off the ground(even if I didn't make it past the first round...).
Without Paizo, I never would have met Tequila, Yoda, Baron(Ibis!!!), and so many other true gamers right in my backyard who I am proud to call friend(even if I did almost throw up on them in the cab after after-game drinks one night...).
Without Paizo(and deviantart), I never would have met Eileen, Set, Heath, Ditzy, fakey, Fatey, Lilith, Shiny(we gotta drive around your town blasting Public Enemy!!!) Kruelaid, and so many others who make checking a simple messageboard a joy(even if I do run into Sebastians posts occasionally...)
And perhaps most importantly...
Without Paizo, I would not have Pathfinder and its ruleset which, in addition to keeping 3.5 alive and well, keeps me on my toes with constant rule alterations for my campaign setting, which by extension, practically guarantees that it will see print one day(and I will gleefully hawk at an upcoming Paizocon...)
Long story short, I am thankful.
|
|
Having somewhere to vent my brains has really helped me over the four years I've been on Paizo. When I first joined, I was a snot-nose, arrogant-as-f*%& 19-year-old kid with no job, no friends, and a tendency towards addictive behavior. I have matured more as person over the last four years than I did throughout my entire adolescence. You guys on these forums have been my diaries, my therapists, my idea farmers, my inspirations, and my friends. Even if you don't know it, each and every one of you has gotten me out of some really bad times. Without this messageboard communty, I'd probably be dead by now.
Thanks, everyone.
Having somewhere to vent my brains has really helped me over the four years I've been on Paizo. When I first joined, I was a snot-nose, arrogant-as-f*&@ 19-year-old kid with no job, no friends, and a tendency towards addictive behavior. I have matured more as person over the last four years than I did throughout my entire adolescence. You guys on these forums have been my diaries, my therapists, my idea farmers, my inspirations, and my friends. Even if you don't know it, each and every one of you has gotten me out of some really bad times. Without this messageboard communty, I'd probably be dead by now.
Thanks, everyone.
~grins~ I was glad to have been of assistance. Heavens knows that you were worth the effort. ~hands you a bill~ There is the therapy bill for the last two years.
~GRINS and runs~
P.S. - Keep up the good work! Oh, and are you still on track for SCAD this fall?
|
|
Paizo has also gotten me back into D&D. I've played more PbP games on these boards than I have in RL in a long time.
On another note, a little less than a year ago, I mentioned Pathfinder to a guy I know, and he decided to pirate some of the material into one of his campaigns. A couple of months after that, he brought his sister and one of her friends to a game.
I've been dating my DM's sister for nearly six months now.
You heard it from me first, kids. However indirectly, Pathfinder gets you laid.
P.S. - Keep up the good work! Oh, and are you still on track for SCAD this fall?Yes sir. I'm all paid and everything (a miracle in itself).
Good and GRATZ!!! I am about to send you an e-mail with all my contact info. ~wry smile~ Just remember to NOT call the SWAT team until after you have met me! ~GRINS~
|
|
I arrived at Paizo in search of some quality adventures and arrived just in time for RotRL.
With the 4e debacle I would probably have given up on gaming - I only play with my girlfriend and we're too busy to write adventures - but Paizo's APs and adventures have allowed me to carry on and the supporting books are generally very well written and entertaining.
The community is great too, this is definitely the friendliest forum I have been on.
So, yeah, Paizo has influenced me by persuading me to keep on roleplaying.
I've been dating my DM's sister for nearly six months now.You heard it from me first, kids. However indirectly, Pathfinder gets you laid.
YEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
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.
Ok, but don't blame me if after receiving a case full of money, you also get a case with a dead hooker in it due to all the booze & blow I consumed while waiting to send to you causes me to forget the air holes.
|
|
Paizo's influence on me?
I've been able to run several campaigns for my daughter and 3 of her friends solely because of Paizo. Without you guys, I would not have had as much time, and they would not see a cover and say "OMG! We have to play that!"
D&D 4e would have sent me on to play something other than D&D... a wait, that's still true, I'll be playing Pathfinder. And without participation on these boards, I probably never would have come to the conclusion that wishing 4e well is wishing the gaming industry well. So cheers to all the 4e players and DMs out there!!
Paizo has gained both company and brand loyalty from me due to the presence of the staff on these boards (and the quality of your products.) You answer questions, joke around with your customers, and make us generally feel appreciated in a way that very few other companies, much less game companies, are capable of. Thank you.
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.Ok, but don't blame me if after receiving a case full of money, you also get a case with a dead hooker in it due to all the booze & blow I consumed while waiting to send to you causes me to forget the air holes.
It's all good if she's dead. Just being around me has been known to return people to life and cure all known diseases. I'm awesome that way.
|
|
It's all good if she's dead. Just being around me has been known to return people to life and cure all known diseases. I'm awesome that way.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.Ok, but don't blame me if after receiving a case full of money, you also get a case with a dead hooker in it due to all the booze & blow I consumed while waiting to send to you causes me to forget the air holes.
That's handy around hookers. ;D
|
Owner - Johnny Scott Comics and Games
|
Paizo and its community has made me strive to be both a better player and DM. The friendly people on the forums are great to bounce ideas off of, and to get excellent advice in a way no other gaming site can come close to. I truly believe that my adventure/campaign design skills have improved significantly since coming here, and believe they will continue to improve thanks to the high caliber of individuals present here.
Honestly, I have never felt as part of an online community as I feel part of this one, even if I haven't met any of the posters in person. Even when I am being chastised for a post I wrote without thinking it through, I truly feel welcome here. This place really makes me feel part of a larger whole, and for that I am very grateful.
Thanks, guys!
*returns to Untitled thread*
It's all good if she's dead. Just being around me has been known to return people to life and cure all known diseases. I'm awesome that way.
Give me a call. I may have some work for you.
Give me a call. I may have some work for you.
I'm sorry, who are you?
I'm sorry, who are you?
Ben Affleck? I was in Phantoms!
I heard you could bring dead hookers back to life.
I still remember picking up the rise of the runelords, looking though them and saying to myself, "hey this is amazing!" Before then I'd been disillusioned on "official" published stuff. When I saw those adventures and art though I realized that I had found something special again. I subscribed at once and have never regretted it at all.
I agree. I posted on a few other boards before finding this one, and never felt as welcome as I do here. One of the other boards I posted on I had spent an hour looking for the answer to the question I had, and the went ahead and posted. The only answer I got was "Geez, that's why we have a FAQ thread so we don't have to keep answering dumb questions like this."
Do we even have a FAQ board? Because if we do, I've never seen it.
David Fryer is right. I have no shame to talk about just about anything I want, and I'm more than happy to answer the same question two or three times. (Heck, if you can type 65 WPM, more power to you.)
The only time you're going to get bashed on the threads is if you try to tell someone how to run the place, or complain that the threads are too long. That's not even a personal challenge; that one extends community-wide...
And yeah, there is a lot of love on the boards, even if you are a poodle.
I learned the true meaning of Christmas.
** spoiler omitted **
~wicked smile~ Well, it is not every day that you get sent a Bella Sara Plushie. Am I right? ~evil grin~ And look at all the trouble that it caused you! Are you sure that you still like Christmas, Sebastian?
~gives an evil laugh and RUNS like hell~
|
|
Besides reigniting my passion and drive to roleplay and game as often as I can manage it, Paizo also introduced me to these boards. I'm not a big name or anything but this is the most I've ever posted on a messageboard before. I don't know why but I feel like it's ok to just kick back here.
Also ... it's made me have to reimagine what pops into my mind when I hear the word "gnome".
Besides reigniting my passion and drive to roleplay and game as often as I can manage it, Paizo also introduced me to these boards. I'm not a big name or anything but this is the most I've ever posted on a messageboard before. I don't know why but I feel like it's ok to just kick back here.
Also ... it's made me have to reimagine what pops into my mind when I hear the word "gnome".
Well, I for one am glad that you are here on the Paizo boards. ~hands you a beer and some cookies~ This is in case Lilith has not welcomed you to our madhouse already!