Snakes, why did it have to be snakes…
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One man's theory: I think a lot of folks are still playing Kingmaker or just finished Kingmaker and either haven't gotten to Serpent Skull or went straight to Carrion Crown because it just came out.
My group is still playing Kingmaker. Then I plan on running them through the Price of Immortalility three module arc (love to DM but I need a little intense prepration break and the modules are much easier in that regard) before starting the Skull.
Yup still playing King Maker. We are near finishing the 2 book now. This AP is going slow but is very fun. Tons of roleplaying going on as kings. My players set up festivals where they attend and socialize for example. So while the first book I gave the quests as poster board in Olegs this one has been quest found due to purely social interaction. Plus the players are enjoying the city building and expansion of their empire. I'm think the Jade Regent will be out before we finish the King Maker AP.
I think the general interest in "heroic jungle adventures" is much smaller than the interest in gothic horror. Tarzan certainly isn't very popular anymore and Indiana Jones is only 50% about exploring endless ruins, with the other 50% being more about character interaction and goofy comedy.
There was way too little contact with general civilization in the AP. I am not quite sure if I'll ever run it, with much more interesting stuff like Carrion Crown and Jade Regent around the corner.
There are also two things that happened here with serpent's skull.
#1 there are quite a few people that "took a break" from APs a) because they didn't like the KM AP and b) financial reasons.
#2 SS wasn't particularly wonderful, and got some bad reviews.
Largely I think it was mostly due to a "break" for financial reasons and people waiting to see what was "next"
There are also two things that happened here with serpent's skull.
#1 there are quite a few people that "took a break" from APs a) because they didn't like the KM AP and b) financial reasons.
#2 SS wasn't particularly wonderful, and got some bad reviews.
Largely I think it was mostly due to a "break" for financial reasons and people waiting to see what was "next"
Yeah - pretty much.
My group is finishing Book 6 of KM now and we are skipping SS.
SS just wasn't what I was hoping for when I first read about it, where as CC seems to be spot on.
There are also two things that happened here with serpent's skull.
#1 there are quite a few people that "took a break" from APs a) because they didn't like the KM AP and b) financial reasons.
#2 SS wasn't particularly wonderful, and got some bad reviews.
Largely I think it was mostly due to a "break" for financial reasons and people waiting to see what was "next"
Yeah - pretty much.
My group is finishing Book 6 of KM now and we are skipping SS.
SS just wasn't what I was hoping for when I first read about it, where as CC seems to be spot on.
Another factor imho is there hasn't been a lot of horror themed content for a while now. Carrion Crown brought our group back to the gaming table after a nearly 10 year hiatus.
There are also two things that happened here with serpent's skull.
#1 there are quite a few people that "took a break" from APs a) because they didn't like the KM AP and b) financial reasons.
#2 SS wasn't particularly wonderful, and got some bad reviews.
Largely I think it was mostly due to a "break" for financial reasons and people waiting to see what was "next"
Yeah - pretty much.
My group is finishing Book 6 of KM now and we are skipping SS.
SS just wasn't what I was hoping for when I first read about it, where as CC seems to be spot on.
I liked the SS AP but probably won't play it for some time. I'm figuring once our KM game is done we will take break from Pathfinder for Scifi gaming then start up with the CC AP or JR AP.
Horror is popular. VERY popular. It seems like whenever we do a horror-themed adventure or supplement, it sells quite well. Which is the main reason why we decided to do an all-horror Adventure Path. And judging by the traffic it's creating... that was a good choice! :-)
Do it again!!!
I'm not sure if popularity is 100% tied to post count. I'm running Council of Thieves right now, and I don't post in that forum much at all.
I'm not saying there is no correlation, just that because something generates a lot of excitement and buzz doesn't mean that the APs that haven't generated as much buzz haven't been getting attention away from the forums.
So what? You guys aren't satisfied with making some of the best written fantasy RPG adventures, virtually spanking anything that WotC has created, that you now have to go tread on the territory of White Wolf and Call of Cthulhu? For shame! When will enough be enough?!
*psst* Keep it up!
My two cents: Kingmaker offered something new and fascinating: kingdom building rules and mass combat rules as well as the most sandbox style AP around. Serpents Skull had a few sandboxy elements but it was set in a jungle (a rather niche setting) and had the whole Indiana Jones vibe going on (what's more popular/well known amongst gamers: Indiana Jones or Lord of the Rings) so it simply may not have caught as much interest. Even Council of Thieves had the fact that it was a. the first AP for the PRPG and b. set in Cheliax (which a lot of people liked for some reason) I personally think it was the least interesting of the AP's that have come out for the PRPG (with Second Darkness being the least interesting one for the 3.5, but that's just like... my opinion... man).
That and horror is a genre unto itself, mix some horror with peoples fantasy and you have people going after the AP like MC Cris might go after a bunch of reeces pieces! Hell, I bet if Paizo had been able to drag Nicolas Logue out of his hole for a module things would be looking even better for their sales figures, pity the 'Family-Job' monster devoured him.
Carrion Crown is barely into the second episode, and already the CC forum has almost overtaken the SS forum in post count.
Gothic Ravenloftesque horror > Indiana Jones style bungle in the jungle?
We're still doing Kingmaker. Plan to do Serpent's Skull next with main group and Carrion Crown with side group.
I like Isle of Dread type exploration modules about as much as I like gothic horror. Both look pretty fun.
As a bit of contrast, there seem to be considerably more Serpent's Skull pbp games than Carrion Crown, for whatever that's worth.
I like Serpent's Skull a lot and think it's really well put together. Nevertheless, horror is more my preference and my anticipation for Carrion Crown has been tremendous.