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4 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2009 - 5:27AM
#121
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The difficulties of making the dungeon tiling work before the WotC tool is finished are the cause for the variable quality of the maps, including the ones in DRAG1-3. I realized they were hard to read in black-and-white print, but I simply did not had the tools available to make it easier. All I can do is appologize, and advice people to look at the electronic document before printing out the adventure. WotC also promised that their tool is going to take black-and-white printing into account so that they actually can be read when printed without colors.
Having said that, if you do have a problem with maps, don't let them stiffle your own creativity. Draw/make your own that are bigger, include other details or make more sense to you and your players. Of all the things you can change in an adventure, this is one of the easier things that are very unlikely to actually change the story.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2009 - 6:09AM
#122
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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Having said that, if you do have a problem with maps, don't let them stiffle your own creativity. Draw/make your own that are bigger, include other details or make more sense to you and your players. Of all the things you can change in an adventure, this is one of the easier things that are very unlikely to actually change the story.
Don't forget, though, if you do make your own version of the map, to keep in mind any "interesting" terrain in the original map, since, as Pieter pointed out in another thread, sometimes the monsters have powers that synergize with the terrain...
Then again, don't forget that the players can also use the terrain to their advantage. At the end of the first BHH module, in the fight outside the Halls with the two Dire Wolves, our party Rogue used his Positioning Strike power to one-shot one of the wolves by pushing it off the edge of the cliff.
At least, what the GM defined as the reason we had such limited fighting room was that we were on a narrow path between a higher side cliff on one side, and a sheer drop on the other... So the Rogue pushed the wolf off the drop side............
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Thud!
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4 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2009 - 3:05PM
#123
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- Dragon Slayer
- If only he would apply himself
- Dammit Jim, this is Star Trek, not D&D!
Date Joined:
Jan 31, 2006
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On the overall thread:
I think the mods are getting better. The first 1-2s I played were similar to the 1-1s. The 1-2s I have played of late have generally been an improvement. If I look at Eric Menge's AKAN1-2 vs AKAN1-1, I mean that's just a world of difference in terms of the amount of background, flavor, character, etc. No surprise, given the author. Similarly, AGLA1-2 has much better color and others in the 1-2 show improvements as well. Not perfection in all cases, but much better. It doesn't solve the whole issue (the few mods per region, etc.), but it is a step in the right direction.
Maps/Tiles
I think the Tiles are fine periodically. I get the product angle. However, I also see them getting pretty old and many are no longer available for purchase. They do limit what can be imagined and the immersion aspect. They are very hard to read in black & white when I print out mods. I'm glad to hear exceptions can be made. I understand WotC's angle here and I think this will change over time. For one, I can't believe the market for tiles will go one forever.
Teos
Follow my blog and Twitter feed with Dark Sun campaign design and DM tips! Dark Sun's Ashes of Athas Campaign is now available for home play (PM me with your e-mail to order the campaign adventures).
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4 years ago ::
Jan 20, 2009 - 4:06PM
#124
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Date Joined:
Oct 18, 2008
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i'm level 7 1 char works fine for me LFR
drop in drop out participation
a little railroaded but im only free so many hours a week i feel things get done before the LFR i used to never complete quests missions or such...chars tened to end at level 7 unexploered
the railroad effect does have its downsides i can not be so characterfull i need to ask the right questions and do the right action to provake the adventure of the night
I like the idea of linking and combineing adventures! as we dont do conventions this is a fantastic resourse! so thank you very much!
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4 years ago ::
Jan 21, 2009 - 10:53AM
#125
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Date Joined:
May 28, 2005
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Regional adventures may be written at paragon tier and some direction has already been provided in that regards for the coming year.
So does this mean my players can finally meet up with [s]Drizzt, er, Grimm Shado and rock out with him against the Pirate Assassins? Awesome!
EDIT: Let me assure you, this adventure would treat the Forgotten Realms IP with the reverence and respect it deserves.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 21, 2009 - 1:19PM
#126
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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Regional adventures may be written at paragon tier and some direction has already been provided in that regards for the coming year.
I'm not entirely sure how to interpret this statement. By "may", do you mean "Regional adventures may be written for the paragon tier; then again, they might not." or "WOTC has given their approval that regional adventures may now be written for the paragon tier."
The former strikes me as the more interesting formulation, in that it implies the possibility of having the regional "Faerunian world tour" model essentially serve primarily as the heroic tier feeder for the campaign, with campaign continuity and immersion kicking in once you hit paragon tier (with an occasional paragon tier regional module to finish off storylines).
Sadly, that's a lot to read into an ambiguity in a three-letter word.
The use of Dungeon Tiles was mandated not only for the reasons which Dragon9 listed, but also to make maps more professional in appearance.
While the maps may look more professional when viewed online, quite a few look like utter crap when printed out. I'm clearly not in tune with the NewRPGA mindset, but I'd consider a hand-drawn map in which I can clearly make out all of the terrain details to be far more professional than a gray blob.
-- Brian Gibbons.
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4 years ago ::
Jan 21, 2009 - 4:52PM
#127
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Date Joined:
Mar 29, 2001
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The tiles are pretty and all, but they are horrid for a product that might get printed in all sorts of formats. If it's not designed to be photocopied 20 times and then faxed another 20, and STILL be legible, well, it might not be good for this purpose.
Then again, I'm a old school graphic designer. If it's not legible from 20 feet away, it's crap.
WotC should really offer a black & white simple lineart map generator. I'd snap that up in a second.
-karma
LFR Characters:
Lady Tiana Elinden Kobori Silverwane - Drow Control Wizard
Kro'tak Warscream - Orc Bard
Fulcrum of Gond - Warforged Laser Cleric
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4 years ago ::
Jan 22, 2009 - 5:49AM
#128
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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Brian,
I think what it means is that, for the 2Q09 module releases, the Regional groups have the option of releasing a module for any one of the following level bands:
1-4
4-7
7-10
11-14
As usual, now, they can only release a single module for the quarter, but the module released, at least for 2Q09, no longer needs to be in lock-step across all the regions for levels covered.
And, as the future gets unveiled, the level bands available for publishing will gradually widen, until, eventually, it offers all three tiers, and all 3 level bands per tier.
One module, 9 possible level bands... The choices, the CHOICES!!!!111!
So, from the past to the future:
3Q08 = 1-4
4Q08 = 4-7
1Q09 = 7-10
2Q09 = 1-4, 4-7, 7-10, or 11-14
3Q09 = 11-14 (GenCon premiere of Paragon tier LFR)
4Q09 = 14-17
1Q10 = 17-20
2Q10 = 1-4, 4-7, 7-10, 11-14, 14-17, 17-20 (maybe 21-24?)
3Q10 = 21-24 (GenCon premiere of Epic tier LFR)
4Q10 = 24-27
1Q11 = 24-30
2Q11 and onward = 1-4, 4-7, 7-10, 11-14, 14-17, 17-20, 21-24, 24-27, 27-30
NB: Release schedule of the future pure speculation on a non-LFR admin type's part
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4 years ago ::
Jan 22, 2009 - 7:50AM
#129
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Date Joined:
May 11, 2005
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I'm not entirely sure how to interpret this statement. By "may", do you mean "Regional adventures may be written for the paragon tier; then again, they might not." or "WOTC has given their approval that regional adventures may now be written for the paragon tier."
Some regional adventures will be paragon tier, some will not.
Right now, we cannot yet say which or how many adventures each year.
Gomez
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4 years ago ::
Jan 22, 2009 - 8:31PM
#130
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Date Joined:
Jul 16, 2002
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3Q09 = 11-14 (GenCon premiere of Paragon tier LFR)3Q10 = 21-24 (GenCon premiere of Epic tier LFR)
NB: Release schedule of the future pure speculation on a non-LFR admin type's part
I think your speculation on the Gencon releases is incorrect. It has been mentioned that GenCon is considered an acquisition con, so I would doubt they wouldn't have a strong low level showign there to try to get new players. Those two scenarios you posted would be more likely for DDXP.
Sorry WOTC, you lost me with Essentials. So where I used to buy every book that came out, now I will be very choosy about what I buy. Can we just get back to real 4e? Check out the 4e Conversion Wiki. 1. Wizards fight dirty. They hit their enemies in the NADs. -- Dragon9 2. A barbarian hits people with his axe. A warlord hits people with his barbarian. 3. Boo-freakin'-hoo, ya light-slingin' finger-wigglers. -- MrCelcius in response to the Cleric's Healer's Lore nerf
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