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I've learned that you don't stop piracy by taking products off the market, nor by burdening your paying customers with security concerns.
You profit (despite piracy) by appealing to a demographic that is willing to pay, and offering them service and convenience above and beyond what they would have to do to pirate your product.
Of all the digital product vendors I've been exposed to, Paizo and Steam get an A+.
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I've learned
...what customer SERVICE really can mean!
...that people who care about their product, make a great product.
...that it is good to not make a secret of the things a company is planning to publish.
...to finally play with minis! :) hurray Wizkids & Paizo!
...to almost forget about my two beloved magazines Dungeon and Dragon.
Thanx, Paizo, for what and how you're doing what you do!
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I've learned that evil can be fun and profitable. :)
But seriously, what I've really learned is that I would rather be a third party publisher here than anywhere else. The fact that Paizo is so 3PP positive makes it just an amazing communtity to be a part of.
Gary McBride
Fire Mountain Games
I've learned that even if everything Paizo does is not to my taste, it is worth waiting for.
I've learned that Paizo is the friendliest, most communicative company I've ever come across. There's very few companies that are so open towards their customers, and so active on their messageboards, if there are any at all.
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I've learned that if an adventure doesn't have goblins, tentacles, and the nauseated condition it's not a real adventure. ;-)
I've also learned that the best way to to make a product really successful is to actually listen to the end user and to involve them in the development process. Might seem like common sense, but the PF alpha and beta playtests were a revolution in rpg design.
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I've learned that Erik Mona loves metal.
I've learned that James Sutter plays metal.
I've learned that James Jacobs loves horror (and Lovecraft).
I've learned that one poster and I can totally disagree on the validity of 4th Edition but be in total agreement on politics. I'd name hm, but I'd probably be in violation of board rules, so I'll leave it a mystery.
I've learned that there are a ton of Conservative gamers, which really surprised me. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a full tilt Progressive.
I've learned that I wasn't the only gamer wanting to stick with 3.5ish rules and not board the 4th edition train. And I learned that Paizo felt the same way I did, and has become the safe haven for us grognards and the perfect steward to keep the d20 franchise alive.
Kudos to Lisa, Erik, Vic, James J., Jason, James S,, Wesley, and the rest of the wonderful Paizo bullpen. You keep the dream alive; I just wish I could afford your damn miniatures!
I have learned that Paizo puts quality ahead of meeting deadlines. I learned this from looking at a list of late products that I am eagerly waiting for and that I know, based on experience with past Paizo products, will be great.
I've learned that Paizo employees are willing to talk with their fans :)
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IVe learned that I cant even REMEMBER rules to an older game system, 5 years of pathfindery has slowly rotted away old rules sets!
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I learned that if I was patient for long enough, I would finally see a Fighter/Mage class to emulate my old favorite 1st Edition Gnome F/ Ill.
Woohoo for the Magus!
-Uriel
PS: I played 1st Ed, then didn't return until 3rd, so the whole Gish thing (I hate that stupid word) passed me by, but the Eldritch Knight and other iterations (3PP etc...) aren't something that I tried to make work for me.
Magus, however, rocks.
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Elf was my favorite original class. I felt the magus was the answer to elf.
Wait, where do you see Jewish influence in Golarion?
Also, I'll have to admit that I disagree with more than half of that.
Paizo showed me it was OK to say no to the new edition.
I fail to recall what a Dybbuk was or where it is found.
And the answer is neither. I am not a native speaker of English, you know.
Some things I've learned from/about Paizo are:
Even some of the best RPG designers have problems making high level play work in a balanced way.
That it is possible to have an online community that isn't full of flame wars, troll threads, and hardcore fanatics but is still full of gamers.
That a game company does care about delivering quality product still, not just quantity.
What I've learned about Paizo:
1. They care about the quality of product they produce, aim for high standards,and publish well-written, accurate, and beautiful gaming products. A+.
2. Their customer service people are terrific.
3. They support 3P material far better than I ever expected.
What I've learned from Paizo:
1. Making a good wondrous item is a lot harder than it looks.
2. Moving from 3.5 to Pathfinder does not have to be an angst-filled experience even if I hate the "new" stat blocks.
3. I still hate the "new" stat blocks.
Debby
Huh? Where is this secret community whereof you write?
That it is possible to have an online community that isn't full of flame wars, troll threads, and hardcore fanatics but is still full of gamers.
I said not full of, not devoid of =)
No community online gets away without having those, but by and large its less of an issue here than other boards I've frequented.
That making products complements not substitutes can work with a small but loyal fanbase and makes a lot of sense.
Removed a post. Please don't be antagonistic to other posters, thanks!
100 posts or 10,000+ posts, you've got an equal shot of a Paizo staff member responding to your post/thread if it's something they are interested in. Paizo staff members don't only respond to customer service issues or flame wars. They have interests, and if you share them, you can have quite the interesting conversations with them.
....or 15th post. I really just started using these boards and when Mike Brock chimed in on a scenario question I had, I thought that was pretty awesome. It also helped that he interpreted things the same way I would ;)
What I've learned about Paizo:
1. They care about the quality of product they produce, aim for high standards,and publish well-written, accurate, and beautiful gaming products. A+.
2. Their customer service people are terrific.
3. They support 3P material far better than I ever expected.
What I've learned from Paizo:
1. Making a good wondrous item is a lot harder than it looks.
2. Moving from 3.5 to Pathfinder does not have to be an angst-filled experience even if I hate the "new" stat blocks.
3. I still hate the "new" stat blocks.
Debby
Many a DM disagrees with the bolded part, sadly. They ban what they don't know in their ignorance.
Fear of the unknown. It's a stupid thing to have in a game where customization is a key trait alongside the fun of it.
Many a DM disagrees with the bolded part, sadly. They ban what they don't know in their ignorance.
Fear of the unknown. It's a stupid thing to have in a game where customization is a key trait alongside the fun of it.
I'd like to see some troll certification there sir.
And also...
I've learned that no matter how good a internet community is, it's still the internet. And, like war, the internet never changes.
Rules are guidelines to have fun, always feel free to houserule whatever you want, especially the miniscule ones.
Don't count out the old 3.0-3.5 books, they can still be quite useful.
I feel they have a connection to their customers, unlike most websites I am a member of.
I like how they encourage the RPG PDF market.
The artwork, ohh man. This style of art is now my favorite ones in RPGs, almost all of my players love the artwork!
Golarion seems like a wonderfully crafted world, but I rather just use my own homemade and wing it whenever I feel like it.
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The Overheard at the Paizo Office thread contains all we ever need to know about Paizo.
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Many a DM disagrees with the bolded part, sadly. They ban what they don't know in their ignorance.
Fear of the unknown. It's a stupid thing to have in a game where customization is a key trait alongside the fun of it.
Consider it this way:
When Paizo puts out an adventure (or any other type of product really), they're responsible for that content. It has to work.
( And if we're speaking honestly and authentically, I think we can agree that is tough enough when they're designing their own material. Some stuff has worked better than others. )
So when they use 3PP material, they're vouching for the quality of the material. But what if they don't have the time or the resources to vett 3PP material? Or even seek it out and read it?
They do use monsters from 3PP's. And I can tell you from experience, its far easier to check over a monster than it is to check out a character class, archtype, or rule sub-system.
I think ignorance and fear are really harsh and overly dramatic words to use to describe Paizo. They strive to deliver quality material and they rely on their in-house talent to create it. That way, they're fully responsible for that content.
Oh, another one, sadly negative (Liz, have mercy):
- I'll never marry Crystal Frasier ;/
Oh, I feel your pain. :-|
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I think ignorance and fear are really harsh and overly dramatic words to use to describe Paizo. They strive to deliver quality material and they rely on their in-house talent to create it. That way, they're fully responsible for that content.
I interpreted the ignorance and fear of the unknown part as being directed at the GMs Icyshadow mentioned, not Paizo.
That said, I too have learned that Paizo supports 3PP at an unprecedented level through promotions on the blog, plugging Kickstarters, having the Pathfinder Compatibility license, and helping out with emails to Paizo's customers. Add to that the actual inclusion of Golarion content in a 3PP product, and here I'm talking about F. Wesley Schneider's excellent article on the archdevil Barbatos.
Then there's RPG Superstar. While Paizo's purpose for hosting the competition no doubt is to recruit new talent for their own product lines, the result of the contest has been a large amount of talented game designers working for Paizo AND 3PP.
To put it in terms of loyalty garnered by Paizo's support of 3PP, if life was a war movie, I'll bet that Kobold Press, Legendary Games, Frog God Games, and all the other awesome 3PP out there would gladly take a bullet for the Golem if they had to.
Whether or not, the quality of each individual product released by a 3PP is stellar enough to warrant inclusion in a GM's game is not really the point of Paizo's support of the 3PP*. The point is that Paizo contributes to the d20 community and the spirit of the OGL in a way that I certainly haven't seen before.
*) I think that the severe degree of hit or miss in the early days of d20 3PP has a lot to do with a lot of GMs being hesitant to bring in 3PP material in their games. Certainly more so than the actual level of quality present in the current batch of 3PP offerings, based on what I've seen in the products I've purchased.
You're right. I may have misinterpreted what Icyshadow meant. Looking it back over it certainly looks that way.
@ Icyshadow, if I got you wrong, please accept my apologies.
(EDIT: There's another thread getting under my skin. Its probably time to take a couple days break away from the boards)
You're right. I may have misinterpreted what Icyshadow meant. Looking it back over it certainly looks that way.
@ Icyshadow, if I got you wrong, please accept my apologies.
(EDIT: There's another thread getting under my skin. Its probably time to take a couple days break away from the boards)
My I recommend the Hide Thread button? Just click that little ∅ next to it!
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Back to things I've learned about Paizo:
Being transparent about what you are up to is good for business.
*) I think that the severe degree of hit or miss in the early days of d20 3PP has a lot to do with a lot of GMs being hesitant to bring in 3PP material in their games.
I can say this is for sure true in my case. Some 3PP stuff was just bad/broken/junk. I will say the ration of good to bad has gotten better, but there is still 3PP stuff that is broken/bad/junk.
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What I learned about PAIZO:
>I see a team of competent visionaries, simply the A-team when it comes to design/development
>I see a team of accessible gamers who interact with customers, talk with them at conventions, answer emails, participate in the community, and enjoy the hobby and industry of gaming
>I see brilliant design choices that are steeped in the traditions of the game, yet flexible and modern enough to be refreshingly new and relevant
>I see the team branching into various domains such as card gaming, alternative Mystic Adventures, various game aids, etc., and although not all are my preference I know their viability and strengh as a company grows from it, assuring they'll keep supporting my games
>I see wisdom in continuing on the history of the game by modifying the 3.5 OGL ruleset and making it fresh and fun for a whole new generation with a strong appeal to long time gamers
>I notice how their marketing is just right, speaking to players rather than dictating to them. I see a noticable appreciation for the community and respect for the game itself, always seeking not to dishonor it for mere profit, but to evolve it with quality
>I value their discounts, incentives, and awareness of the needs of gamemasters and players alike. This is shown through good design and development of support materials like digital map files with APs, and online rules reference materials
>I learned they value feedback, yet know how to maintain the integrity of the game while still developing new things based on input. All the signs of good design, and good leadership.
>I see the empowerment of local leaders working well with PAIZO to develop the PFS, and although organized gaming isn't my preference, its done extremely well, and even drew me to participate in the past few conventions I attended.
>I'm certain they listen and have their thumb on the pulse of the gaming community. I know this first hand.
>They "get" the game. They understand it. They don't see it as something broken or something that needs redesigned every year to sell books. Their materials and books sell based on quality writing and game design, period. They're also inviting of 4th party publishers (lol, just made that term up) who wish to support Pathfinder RPG.
Jeez, this list could go on and on...
I've learned that Paizo has some really AWESOME sales where I can pick up tons of material (especially adventures) for a fraction of their retail price! Great job and thanks!