[PFS/GDV] 7-00 Overseer Thread

[shadowhntr7]

My group knew about it, but we've been making fairly slow progress and the players didn't decide to use it until just before the Act 3 transition.

[HugglesGerbil]

Table #32(HugglesGerbil) is passing the aid token to Table #18(GMErich).

[GM Fuzzfoot]

Table 5 (GM Fuzzfoot) is passing an Aid Token to Table 13 (Zinou).

[GM Zinou]

GM Fuzzfoot wrote:

Table 5 (GM Fuzzfoot) is passing an Aid Token to Table 13 (Zinou).

Thanks a lot and thank you for the PM ;)

[N N 959]

Any 3-4 or 1-2 table that has not gotten an Aid Token?

[GM Mars]

It looks like 22 and 25 have still not gotten an aid token, and 25 is in that range.

[N N 959]

Table 18 just said they haven't gotten one, I so I'm assigning it there.

[GM Fuzzfoot]

It looks like Table 18 got one on Sunday (read back 6 posts...)

[N N 959]

The GM said they didn't, so I'll let he or she figure it out.

GM Erich wrote:

Not yet NN959.

[GM Mars]

Yes, Table 18 currently has an aid token, so you need to pass the aid token somewhere else.

(I'll have the aid tokens updated in a little bit, but you guys are just on the cusp of me needing to make an announcement...)

[DM Beckett]

Sorry, my computer went down the entire weekend and Im still having some issues with it. My table still has an Aid Token that they really hadnt had an opportunity to use but, Ill remind them again as I get a chance to advance the story.

[GM Mars]

Pathfinders have found and uncovered the Sky Key Vault. It is there that the Sky Key—the Society’s ticket home—awaits. However, the dome of green energy remains strong, suggesting that too many Harbinger spellcasters are still anchoring the Society in this time period.

GMs, it is now possible to gain Vault successes. Map is also updated.

[GM Zoomba]

Our table is still not receiving the cross-posted Overseer updates or shown on the global map.

Gameplay thread is HERE (A tier 5-6)

[N N 959]

GM Mars wrote:

Yes, Table 18 currently has an aid token, so you need to pass the aid token somewhere else.

(I'll have the aid tokens updated in a little bit, but you guys are just on the cusp of me needing to make an announcement...)

The GM of table 18 has no idea he has an aid token.

Nevertheless, I am giving it to 25 then.

[GM Red]

My thanks, N N 959!

[GM Erich]

Table 18 gives their token to table 22

[DM Beckett]

I'm trying to encourage my players to use theirs. Does anyone need one in the near future?

[GM Lithrac]

My table (#2) still has one. Despite my encouragements to use it, they have held onto it until now.

[DM Beckett]

Same here. It's odd, as they where the same folks that asked me about why they hadn't gotten one yet.

[HugglesGerbil]

My table didn't use theirs and opted to pass it instead of using it. Perhaps you could ask your players if they want to pass it instead?

[Ethelnir]

Did we broken the dome?

[GM Hmm]

Ethelnir wrote:

Did we broken the dome?

There will be an announcement from GM Mars when the dome weakens.

GMs, we need those anchors down! If your party has not taken down all of its anchors, please encourage them to hurry and do so. We have six days left! Remember talking is faster than combat for most parties in play by post!

Hmm

[GM Aram Zey]

My table just cleared the fourth anchor.

[GM Aerondor]

Any idea how far away we are with anchors?

[GM Hmm]

Nope. I am tempted to go through and do a manual count on all the Paizo threads just to get an idea.

Hmm

[GM Aerondor]

The group I'm GMing just has two anchor successes. We dashed into the vault as soon as it was open. I suspect a lot of other groups did the same.

[GM Hmm]

We need an average of 3 per table to lift off. I'm going through and counting now. This is time consuming, so if anyone wants to help me tonight, please ping me.

Hmm

[GM Aram Zey]

I think the house also needs more vault successes. Table GMs should probably try to run things a little quicker and make sure all successes are reported.

[GM Hmm]

^ Agreed.

Preliminary Data

Note: I was counting fast. I may have made mistakes. If it was not Paizo, I didn't try to count it. I also counted a few successes as anchor successes early because they appear to be very close.

For the privacy of the GMs involved, I removed the column with the GM names.

My Conclusions, spoilered. Don't peek if you don't want to know.:

1. We need 99 anchor successes.

2. We have 64. I'm missing data from 1/4 of the tables.

3. The average of 64 divided by 25 is 2.56. If the missing tables are like the Paizo ones, we're close.

4. Unfortunately, most tables have abandoned the anchor hunt. They've gone to the vault. We need some of them to go to go back and take their anchors. Do the skill checks. This can go fast.

5. A distressing number of tables are stuck in encounter G1 which is optional and offers no successes. As it's optional, I think it would be reasonable to have a flood of other Pathfinders show up, kill the G1 defenders, and tell your guys to go battle Arodeth simulcra. Or go up and take care of anchors.

6. Without a few more tables taking on anchors, we're going to fail. If a number of GMs commit to taking on one more anchor a piece, we have a chance.

7. We need both anchor and vault successes. However, we need fewer Vault Successes than anchor ones. Get your vault success if you're committed there, and then take care of anchors.

We CAN do this. But we all need to dig in NOW.

Hmm

[GM Aram Zey]

My table is now doing a vault encounter, but we skipped the G1 encounter, which at the moment GMs should because the time we have less is the equivalent of less than 30 minutes left to go. This will be their first vault success, fighting the simulacra.

If Hmm's analysis is correct, I will make Shaine send my players back out to bump off their last anchor, but that will be the last one my table can contribute. They already have 4 anchor successes.

Would be nice if we can confirm code green soon.

[The Man Behind the Curtain]

My group is preparing to confront Lady Arodeth. Wish them luck. They've been diplomatic thus far so hopefully it will go fast and they can nab a vault success then go back to anchors.

[GM Hmm]

You can get more anchor successes by bumping off time storms. That's how I got to 6. I'm willing to face an endless flood of them if it will help all our tables come home.

Hmm

[GM Aram Zey]

In that case, after the last anchor there will be a procession of dinosaurs heading their way! If there is still time, of course.

Good luck, Curtain!

[Gayel Nord]

Mine have done all 5. There starting to negotiate with Lady. So far they one hard and one medium success.

p.s... I wonder why we have tables have those optional table looking at the table.

[GM Aerondor]

I know I lost a couple of days with the optional G1 encounter. Trying to work out if 30 minutes game time translated to whatever date... Anyway we were half way through when I hit the fast forward button. I think part 3 feels a bit rushed in PbP. Especially if you roll poorly in an anchor interaction, you are stuck in a combat or with a failure - and the combats take a while.

[GM Aram Zey]

I think the problem is that some GMs are simply not pulling their weight. One table I saw had a GM that posted 13 times in September. That's less than one post per two days on average, and there were some weeks he only posted once. That's like a GM volunteering to run a table in a 4 hour slot at a Convention, and then going off to do other things for more than 2 hours.

[GM Hmm]

No accusations, please. We rise and fall as one, and real life can hit any GM hard. Doing six weeks straight at a pace where I required 2-3 posts a day each from my guys... it's exhausting.

The important thing to remember is that we can turn this around NOW. We're in a race for our very lives, but we CAN do this!

My Speed Running Tips

And if we get out of this alive, I'm buying you all a virtual beer. Or tea, since I'm a non-drinker.

Hmm

[GM Dinuci]

We finished all our anchor successes. We are currently on G1 optional, low tier. If we finish this one we'll return to do some time storms.

[HugglesGerbil]

We (Table #32) cleared all 5 anchors here.

[DM Beckett]

GM Aram Zey wrote:

I think the problem is that some GMs are simply not pulling their weight.

This is one of the issues with running Specials or time sensitive Scenarios through PbP. Its difficult to find a good median to aim for because different groups play at different speeds, (and are not doing it wrong by doing so), and it shouldn't be meant to favor or punish either faster or slower groups.

There are really two ends of the spectrum on this, because faster groups, or ones that blitz through certain parts can not be left waiting around, and just throwing more encounters at them to keep things going is doing them a disservice as they burn through more resources. On the other hand slower groups need to enjoy the game too, and are doing what they can, so comments like "they are not pulling their weight" are very presumptuous and not helpful, and I know a lot of them are making similar complaints (faster groups are making them feel rushed and making it not fun to play).

It also seems very rude that other GMs would start looking in or policing up on other group's games. In a table top setting, would you go out and stand looking over other groups shoulders to nudge them to play the game right? And we really shouldn't be handing out successes just because we want to win.

Just play the game, focus on your games and enjoy. Lets encourage each other to play and enjoy more and build each other's confidence, not tear each other down and create more rifts between different camps of play. But, lets also remember that failure is, and should be an option, and can be a great learning experience for everyone.

[GM Andrew]

Just cleared all 5 anchors here. :) (Table #20)

[GM Baerlie]

Table 12 cleared three anchors before moving into the vault.

[The Man Behind the Curtain]

I've been having a tough time getting my group to post... 2 of my guys disappeared on day 1, 1 of my guys posts probably once every 2 days. My table probably isn't one to be relied on for getting a lot of anchor successes but they should be able to clear the vault.

[DM Beckett]

I'm having a similar problem, with one player having joined and offered to run more games than they can handle (and also having to deal with some real life issues and military commitments), another just dropping out due to not enjoying the Special's combat focus, and a few others posting less often than I'd hoped. But, it is what it is. We have contributed, I believe a decent amount all things considered.

Personally, I think that we are all doing fine. The end is coming soon, and it's understandable that tensions should rise, but it's also worth noting that that is one of the points of playing and running Specials, it's meant to be intense, risky, and somewhat stressful, which leads to a larger payoff in the achievement.

I also think that if we where doing poorly, as a whole, that James would have let us know a little more clearly to pick up the pace, or "lets try to focus on _____", hint, hint, nudge, nudge.

Yoda wrote:

This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away… to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph.

:P

[Magabeus]

My table just managed to insult Romnus...

[DM Beckett]

I mean, that's a victory on it's own, right.

[DM Beckett]

Table 29 passing an Aid Token to Table 21.

If this in not a legal pass, Instead please go to Table 17 or a random table in need.

[Magabeus]

Thanks Beckett, it is legal

[GM ShadowLord]

Table #31 has cleared all five anchors! I also had a player disappear, I have been GMPC'ing her to keep our table moving.

[GM Lithrac]

To all tables who finished all encounters in Part 3, remember that each Time Storm cleared after that counts as an additional anchor.

7-00, page 29 wrote:

Table GMs should also use time

storm encounters if the PCs complete all other accessible
encounters during Part 3, reporting each additional time
storm defeated as another Anchor success.