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So whats the easy way to go about mapping etc?
I have had the odd thought here and there about running a PbP, particulary PFS scenarios per PFS organised play rules, notionally because I play quite a bit of PFS these days and its an extra avenue for me to explore old material (was thinking Season 0 etc), do 'my bot for GMing', and also get credit for regular play.
So I suppose it's two questions, whats the easiest solution for maps?
Scan and do them in GIMP? or what?
And,
Who else is a PFS player (or interested in it?)
I'm still tossing it about as a concept, as there would be a few conditions on it, like posting rates and scenario pacing... I'd want them high tempo 'short sharp shocks'; I can't stand parties taking a week of dithering about just getting a door open - I'd want 4 weeks maximum from "Briefing/start" to "Wow, that was a great adventure, lets get some ale/Finish".
Maptools is apparently one of the best once you get past the initial learning curve.
I do mine up with Powerpoint and images cut from PDFs and imported from jpegs - can be quick and dirty, but lacks some of the fancy stuff that Maptools can do.
In just about any instance life throws at you, 'quick and dirty' is almost always a valid answer. In this case it is probably for the best for the high tempo idea :)
Shifty - if you PM me your email address I can fire you through the ppt with the base map I used for the last S&S combat. That way you could tinker with it and see if you like it.
For a finished map I just save the ppt as a jpeg and crop it in an image editor.
I am down, Shifty. I have a PFS number, but haven't played in a scenario yet.
Rightyo cool
Still looking through some of the process, will see what the interest level is (personally and more broadly!)
Im interested as well Shifty. Just got a Society# but will need to download the ruleset and make a character.
It's a pretty good system in that it has a standardised approach to level gain - each scenario gives 1xp, and you need 3xp to level. Similarly each scenario gives each player uniform 'loot', you get a Chronicle sheet at the end of each Scenario and you all get the same equal shares.
There's never a loot discussion.
Everyone knows when the next level is coming.
The Fame and Prestige stuff adds a bit of complexity, and often annoys new players, but generally, it all works out pretty well.
If you have any questions on how PFS play works, just ask.
I have never done any PFS and really do not have the time to get involved in anymore campaigns at this point, although I wish I could join.
As far as the maps go, I use Maptools which is pretty easy. With Maptools, I export the picture as a .png. Then I just upload them to my Google Drive. With Maptools, you can simply size the view to whatever portion of the map you want to use before exporting. The learning curve is not that bad and I am pretty sure that DMZZ, DMHW and myself all use it if you have any questions. It also has some nice stuff for blocking lines of sight and lighting if you want to get a little more advanced.
Thats cool Tirion :)
What is 'fun' is that keeping it PFS, if any of the players are between adventures they can actually take those characters to a PFS game and play the character at a real live table for extra kicks. It sort of jumps the wall between pbp and face to face play. Hence if people knew they had particular game days coming up that could be tailored around, and because it operates on a 'Tier' system, there is not a requirement for everyone to be of exact equal level etc.
Hopefully I can read over the Society rules this weekend.
Beside leveling and loot the rules set is pretty much standard Pathfinder correct?
Stiehl9s - it is explicitly standard Pathfinder. The rules are rigid to allow for portability of characters and for an expectation of how the scenarios are built.
I have looked at PFS play for a while. But have never jumped in. Right now I am in too many campaigns - way too many, and am considering changing jobs and moving. So this is REALLY not the time to get into something else new.
Yeah the rules are pretty rigid PF, and there are some limits (see the additional resources tab) - races are Core plus a few exceptions (ie Aasi and Tief are now allowed, as are
http://paizo.com/pathfinderSociety/about/additionalResources
Marks comments are also quite on point for another reason - portability - because it is a standardised format, you can play that character in one GM's pbp, then in someone elses PFS pbp (or wven tabletop) the only restriction is you can only play one at a time. I suppose on the upside it means if GM's take breaks or pack up, the game doesn't 'end' for that character - he can easily jump into another game as is.
That sounds more than cool. Any idea on when you would want to get started?
In other news my old I-pod finally crapped out, so after buying a new I-pod Nano I decided to treat myself with some new music some I knew and some not.
Dream Theater - prog rock
Dream Theater - ballad
Finally broke down and got some Finntroll
Fell further in love with Folk Metal with Eluveitie - I'm starting to turn further metal as well... as I'm beginning to accept Death Growls as a legitimate form of vocals.
Then realised that I had a JBT live DVD I hadn't seen yet, so watched that.
TL;DR - I miss being able to go to decent live gigs...
Steel Panther.
That is all.
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In other news my old I-pod finally crapped out, so after buying a new I-pod Nano I decided to treat myself with some new music some I knew and some not.
Dream Theater - prog rock
Dream Theater - balladFinally broke down and got some Finntroll
Fell further in love with Folk Metal with Eluveitie - I'm starting to turn further metal as well... as I'm beginning to accept Death Growls as a legitimate form of vocals.
Then realised that I had a JBT live DVD I hadn't seen yet, so watched that.
TL;DR - I miss being able to go to decent live gigs...
Good choices!
To further your developement, by all means start listening to Amon Amarth.
Also, Bolt Thrower are a good addition to any Warhammer40K scene...
fey - I actually bought Surtur Rising back when I first started dipping my toes in the water a year ago, but was initially turned off by the death growls (I tend to prefer the melodic side)... but I'll give them another run to see if they've grown on me ;)
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Similar experience here - I got the 'Golden Halls' as a gift when I couldn't stand death metal vocals aside from a few songs of various bands where I found the song so good I could 'tolerate' the vocals. Much later I got into Eluveitie during their Slania tour. When a customer at the gas station I work commented on me listening to Eluveitie and asked If I knew the new Amon Amarth Album (Surtur Rising was just out), I got that album a few weeks later and loved it - then I remembered the one I already got and suddenly loved it, too. Now Amon Amarth is one of my favorite Bands (though I can still count the number of Death Metal Bands I like on little more than one hand...).
I have found myself listening to a lot of Portishead, Morecheeba, and Daft Punk in recent years. They used to call it acid jazz, but I am sure that is no longer the case. I saw something about Daft Punk dropping their new album at farm show in Aussie. You guys know anything about that?
Yeah some of my friends said something about Daft Punk and some show or another, not sure, but it seemed like a pretty big deal to them - and yes it was something in Australia :p
That sounds more than cool. Any idea on when you would want to get started?
Just getting my head around how I see it playing out.
I'm sort of looking to begin with an end in mind, in that I would like to avoid just randomly undertaking scenarios, and instead trying to either build a common theme ie 'Pirates for the Pathfinders' where I look to keep the campaign waterborne or involved in seagoing adventure, or whether I just go a bit more classic and cherry pick out some older 'must play' scenarios.
My inclination is to run First Steps 1-3, which is a great intro to Factions and the like, and then take a retro step through Season 0, OR 'pick a theme'. The good news about PFS play is there's no reliance on a classical party build - my couple of sessions have been 3 barbarians, a Fighter, and a Samurai - they just roflstomped their way to victory ia pure carnage.
Old scenarios were built with 4 players in mind (up to 6), S4 onwards was built with 6 as the basis.
I have double shifts this week Mon-Wed, so will be looking to see who's interested and then go from there :)
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Good stuff, Shift.
So I found a guy here in Louisville, Kentucky trying to sell his kidney for $20,000 on craigslist,lmao. I guess he thought that with "Body Worlds", being here he'd take advantage of the buzz, hahahaha. I swear, they won't let you sell firearms or related items, but hooking and organs are A-OK.
Condolences DragonBlood - take what time you need and take care of yourself.
No worries Dragonblood, see you when you get back mate.
Hope the rest of your family is ok.
Condolences - don't worry about RPing now.
My condolences as well Dragonblood. Take care of RL, we will keep Mobo happily ruling his horde while you are away.
All the best Dragon.
Hey everybody. My grandmother passed away this morning, so I may be absent for the next few days heading back to Cincinnati. Feel free to take over Mobo and Sable if need be. Thank you.
I'm so sorry, love. Text me while you're gone if you feel like talking. *hugs*
That are sad news. My condolences to you Dragonblood.
Dragonblood: condolences. I hope it wasn't too great a surprise/shock, and that you and yours will remember her life rather than dwell upon her death.
Shifty: I'm pretty involved in PFS. I came in at the ground floor back in GenCon of--what year was that?? Um, 2009 or so? Season 0. I've got a PFS number less than 3000, yo!! Doing GenCon again this year, bringing both my PFS characters.
I only just started PFS as PBP and it seems to wokr well. One thing you need to get a handle on right away is character expenditures. You need to be METICULOUS about wealth, as that's the real reward. NO REPEAT NO REPEAT NO CHEATING. Everyone has to account for every gold piece. Your standing as a DM depends on it, really.
What we've started doing is a "wealth change" spoiler in any post in which wealth change occurs. Then at the end of the scenario it's easy to add it all up.
there are very specific rules for a lot of stuff (feats, classes, etc) but otherwise it's Pathfinder through and through.
Yeah thats what I am trying to get a firm grasp on.
Expectations on players, how to best 'cycle' the adventures so that there can be gaps for people to go away and play their characters etc.
The only way this thing works is if people get stuck right into the guts of the adventure and keep the momentum up. No one wants a PFS character 'stuck' in an adventure when they know they want to use it at a con in a few weeks etc...
SO that left me wondering what happens if a player needs to withdraw between scenarios, and then wants to come back again later? Do I have a player rotation system? Do I keep half a dozen players and the real number playing at any time can fluctuate between 4 and 6? Or do I want to run it on a FCFS or DKP system if I want to keep six at all times?
Conundrums.
I'm a PITA, if I am going to do it, I want it to be really slick :)
Keeping the scenario moving is the easy part - as long as the expectation is set early and firmly. I'd suggest that you set your most reliable online hour (be it start / end of work or last post before sleep) as the hardline for progression of story. That way each day you move the group forward, if only one suggestion of forward plan has gone in... then that's the lucky one that gets accepted.
As to players coming in and out I think it'd be down to getting the rhythm sorted for how long a scenario is going to take - that way you can get a decent idea of how long a character will be 'out of the mix' for normal playing.
I'd suggest starting with PbP only characters for a couple of scenarios at least though - just to make sure you've a good core to work through the bumps with.
I don't really think that allowing players to leave/join in the middle of a scenario is viable, or fair. One of the rewards is Prestige. typically there's one PrP (Prestige Point) for completing the overall scenario, and an additional faction-based PrP that is possibel not to get.
(interesting fact: I was in what we believe to be the veyr first group who ever got 2 PrPs in one PFS session, back in Session 0!! W00000t)
If a player joings a PFS session after the window for their faction's mission is closed, they can't get that PrP.
also, gold rewards are given out to the entire group, based on the obstacles overcome. If someoen joined halfway through, they're going to be rewarded for the entire scenario, that is, rewarded for stuff they didn't actualy do (unless youkeep very, very careful notes--blarg).
Ahh not arrive or leave during scenarios, but rather between them etc. ie if a player knew for certain they were going to be away for a week or two, rather than stop the momentum of scenarios they could sit that session out, and pick up the next scenario.
GM fatigue kills campaigns, but I am now of the belief that Player fatigue is as bad (or worse).
Look at our standing campaigns... HoRunes has had a fair few people through it, HoDarkness has had enormous turnover, and HoLight likewise has had significant turnover (although some players have even come back).
It seems logical then to have neat transition points where players can cycle in and out at regular intervals without disrupting or derailing the overall 'campaign' as it were.
It's a true statement Shifty - player fatigue does run campaigns down. PFS should help with that though, as the overarching story is player specific - and the scenario itself is the plot. So even if characters come and go, it's not as though they'll have three thousand posts of storyline to catch up on.
Yep, they only REALLY need to be up on current affairs.
The nature of the Scenarios is also a bit more flexible; if the Cleric leaves, it's not like it is essential to replace them with a new cleric, thereby limiting your field of potential replacements.
After all, no one wants to be handballed a 'To play this you will need to make X class only', that sucks :P
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Kenta / Caterine will soon be on a short vacation to the land downunder for a whirlwind feast of familial visitation, bacon and egg muffins and iced coffee. Departure is scheduled for this evening at 11:55 PM GMT+8. Characterful service will experience a slight delay in response time during the period and if patience could be extended that would be delightful.
The Kenta / Caterine unit should be returned to normal function and reliability on the evening of the 23rd of April GMT+8.
Time to go get new axe. Was looking at several Swedish models but I think the Finns are going to win out with a Fiskars.
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I hope I am back now...technician was here, fiddled with the system and finally tapped my home to a different, free wire - despite not having found any reason why my dsl-connection didn't work (at that time it didn't work at all). Now everything looks fine, so I knock on wood and hope it will stay that way.
Guys, sorry for spotty posting. We have a week of a trillion coferences at scholl. I'll be able to update tomorrow.
Just got done splitting some wood with my new Fiskars splitting axe. Man,those Fins sure do make a nice product. Chopping oak like butter.
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Funny, I was looking at a Fiskars in the hardware store while shopping for all the home improvements I am doing at the moment (which seems to be an endless amount of painting, plastering, and dicking about with fiddly and annoying jobs), have to say that their chopping axes looked pretty sweet, didn't spend too long looking at the splitters.
I looked at a lot of brands and ended up with the Fiskars due to price, quality and availability. That chopping axe looks on point as well. I have never been let down by anything they make.
Check this out X15 review
Sounds like we are in teh same boat, Shifty, lol.
That was the one I was looking at!