Hey Yo.
No worries Tik!
It's certainly on the cards.
The initial plan was to crack through I-III, which we have done, and then check 'where to' from there. I had some thoughts to a longer effort with a module (notionally a mod works out as equivalent of three scenarios) however the short sharp hit of Scenarios is sort of equally appealing.
My main concern with PBP's is disappearing players, because its a hassle to arrange replacements in the middle of an AP or half way into a 3 month module, whereas in this format you only drag the vacancy for a couple of weeks and tag in a new player. As I say, its a maybe, maybe not - not sure how people feel about it and what they might be keen for. Modules are good for consistency, scenarios are good for variety of flavours.
I'm also mindful that a few key cons are likely happening in the US and people might want to keep their characters freed up etc. Not certain though, I know I need one of mine before mid Aug for Way of the Kirin and the Lantern Lodge closure.
At the end of this scenario most players should be Level 2, which makes life a little more interesting too.
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I certainly hear you when it comes to losing players, Shifty. I found the best way to inoculate against that, is to have a core of players you know you can trust. Does that make you impervious to losing folks? No, but at least you can expect people to be courteous when they do have to bow out and give you plenty of notice.
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We only actually dropped one player in totality over three months, and had a couple miss out on Part III. There were two 'non starters' over the three sessions - they applied, got in, and then never posted. Strange but true!
On the other hand it took under three minutes to get new players on the forums, that's how popular online play is apparently!
I take on board Haemish's comment too, that a solid core helps, and we see that in some of the games I play in - but it can end up a bit of a monoculture :)
Perhaps rather than a straight up module another multi-part scenario arc could also work.
In it to win it.
I like the easy to digest nature of these modules. Pacing is quick enough for PBP and while we have hurried a little, I think it has kept down on drawing out unnecessary chatter with insignificant NPCs.
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...and as you know from being in PbP's with me as a player, I like a swift pace that sticks to the meat and flavour, but junks pointless time wasting :p
Can't stand procrastination and navel gazing. I've been in too many PbP's where it takes the party a week to open a door and no kidding things get so slow I forget why we were in the place to begin with :P
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Will be a little late with the evening post tonight, off to a concert.
You know you're good when Lemmy drives your truck
Long live Aussie rock :p
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Gee nothing like getting in early :)
We are just closing out First Steps III and I am delighted that it will occur dead on time. And people had their doubts pffft!
That said Helaman my old co-conspirator, after a brief respite (notionally to work out what is what) I will crack on with more entertainment.
My concern with a 3 month mod is a Field Ex I'd have smack in the middle of it...!
Yay! FTXs! After actions reviews, Bub meetings and briefings for guys who haven't stepped in the mud in 25 years!
Yay! FTXs! After actions reviews, Bub meetings and briefings for guys who haven't stepped in the mud in 25 years!
LOL Yeah I now get to do a lot of them too, I had visions of breifing up the lads for action and derring-do, bit just as often its a con-ops sales pitch uphill to the uninterested :p
Good stuff. I miss those we did in air defense sometimes. Leadership made it or broke it. We either had a blast or hated life. Good times...other than the time I got left by myself with the fire control equipment and I am a launcher guy. A whole lot that can go wrong when you have no idea how to shut down a massive radar! hahahaha
/facepalm.
Thankfully, when the coolant line blew the CO and Warrant Officer were both still on site.
So we are trying to decide to if we are to press on with the same characters, do PFS stuff, or just have enjoyed what we have done here and call it a day, right? I am up for any, but I have had a blast. Are all of your players up to move on or are some likely to move on? Consolidate or have the two groups reapply for the project you want to do, possibly?
Being that you will have the time in the field to ponder some options, are there any takes on Pathfinder or even another system you have always wanted to run which you haven't ever had the chance to get going?
Cool, sounds like a plan.
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do we know why the Shadow and Lantern Lodges are being disbanded?
The short answer is that there are too many factions, the longer answer is that both of these factions relate to a metaplot from a previous season: Lantern Lodge dealt with the exploration of the continent of Tian Xia in season 3 and the Shadow Lodge was the main antagonist from season 2.
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do we know why the Shadow and Lantern Lodges are being disbanded?
I wondered that too, also what replaces First Steps now in terms of introducing the factions?
I've been deliberating and reading up, and I think Kishara should go Silver Crusade after all, Andoran's were in the running, but she REALLY doesn't like Maldris...
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There are two season 4 scenarios that serve as the "retirement" scenarios for the factions: #4-21 Way of the Kirin for Lantern Lodge and #4-23 Rivalry's End for Shadow Lodge. They are both for Tiers 3-7 and each contains a special boon if you play them with a member of that faction. Both also let you know what happens to the faction leaders and the factions in general.
You can continue playing members of both of these factions through August 14th 2013, which is the end of season 4, or you can change them now if you like (though I wouldn't recommend it if you haven't played the retirement scenario yet). Whether you play the retirement scenarios or not, you'll have to pick a new faction by the beginning of season 5. This switch is free (no prestige cost) and you get to keep any faction-specific traits you had before. After all, just because you join a new faction doesn't mean you forget where you came from.
As you have guessed, First Steps will be discontinued in season 5. New intro scenarios will be released eventually, although a firm timeline for their appearance has not be revealed.
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Actually, Jivo, we do know IF you play the farewell scenarios: Way of the Kirin and Rivalry's End. If you are LL or SL before August 14th, you get a free switch and you can keep anything from those factions that you have already earned. After the 14th, however, all of those will no longer be available for new characters. My wife and I just blitzed two characters up to 40 Fame to get the titles: Master and Mistress for our Lantern Lodges. Also, if you want spoilers about why the factions are no more, I can tell you, but if there are chances you will play either of them before playing any 5th season stuff (because I'm sure there will be spoilers in some of the season five stuff) then you should wait, because they are good scenarios.
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Yep I am set to play Way of the Kirin next weekend, have stayed well away from it and too many spoilers so I get a surprise :) Its level 3+ which is a bit of a shame though for late bloomers!
The loss of First Steps 2+3 is a bit of a backward step though, great scenarios to introduce all facets of play. That said, they both 'feature' people of retired lodges... like who would care about Amara-Li's katana when shes reduced to once-was celebrity status?