Age of Worms H/C - unlikely :(

[meomwt]

In this thread on the Paizo boards, James Jacobs notes that a hardcover compilation of The Age of Worms AP is looking less and less likely.

This is a real shame, as it would be a great resource (especially if some of the Dragon articles made it in there as well).

Seems like WotC won't give it the red light - this book would likely dent their own adventure sales, which are rapidly becoming market leaders. So if I want it, I'll have to invest in the back issues to get all the modules.

I'd say AoW would be good for Wizards. They'd get a healthy fee for the Licensing on the book, and it might encourage purchasing of other modules from WotC to complement the AP (if I ran an AP, I'd throw in a couple extra adventures so that the focus wasn't exclusively on the meta-plot - it shows that other things happen in the world!).

Ah well. Such is life...

 

[Nightfall]

Meomwt,

You're not the only one unhappy with WotC's decision to do adventures. I don't mind them doing them for FR and Eberron, but to do so for "generic/GH" sucks a lot. Especially now that it's looking like only Goodman Games might be the remaining source of d20/D&D modules.

 

[jdrakeh]

For me, I'd only buy it as a hardcover because I'm both a bibliophile (I am super anal-retentive about how my gaming books are handled) and a practical hobbysist (i.e., I try to use what I buy in actual games if at all possible).

The problem with the magazines for me is that actually using them tends to make them fall apart rather quickly, even if handled carefully (transporting them to game seems to eat them up quicker than anything else, really). And that kicks my obsession with product preservation into high gear.

I don't have this problem with throwaway adventures, oddly -- most of the stuff I've seen in Dragon and Dungeon is so mediocre that if an issue burns up after a few game sessions, I could care less. The AP adventures are an exception, as are some adventures from Dragons of old (e.g., Barnacus: City in Peril).

Basically, my practicality conflicts with my desire to maintain my gaming material in pristine condition. Hardcovers wear much better for me (I can use a hardcover for years and it will still look brand new at the end of that time period, typically). This is especially true since I gave up smoking (no more yellow finger stains on the edges of non-gloss paper).

Now, back in the day (read "when I had a good job and money to burn") I simply bought three copies of every game product that I owned -- a player copy, a GM copy, and an archival copy. In recent years, I've started backing up the products that I own in PDF format and printing a copy for use, while putting the physical product up on a shelf*.

So. . . the fact that there will be no AoW hardcover saddens me greatly, as I'll likely never get to see the whole thing Damn my obsessions and compulsions.

*Before anybody gets all hot and bothered, this use of PDFs is covered under Fair Use.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Meomwt,

You're not the only one unhappy with WotC's decision to do adventures. I don't mind them doing them for FR and Eberron, but to do so for "generic/GH" sucks a lot. Especially now that it's looking like only Goodman Games might be the remaining source of d20/D&D modules.

How do you figure?

Green Ronin has Bleeding Edge.

Necromancer is doing stuff through Kenzer.

Piazo is doing OGL stuff in addition to Dungeon.

None of that counting PDF material.

 

[Nightfall]

Joe,

Necromancer games IS only doing stuff for one more year. It's highly likely (given the state of the market) they'll shut down.

That...or I'm drinking your coffee again.

In any even while I am sure Green Ronin's Bleeding edge line is very good, I'd want more adventures that DON'T involve WotC cornering the market.

 

[Klaus]

Meomwt,

You're not the only one unhappy with WotC's decision to do adventures. I don't mind them doing them for FR and Eberron, but to do so for "generic/GH" sucks a lot. Especially now that it's looking like only Goodman Games might be the remaining source of d20/D&D modules.

You're unhappy because WotC is putting out high-quality adventures?



Don't get me wrong, I'd hate to see Necromancer go away (Bill said that's not 100% certain), but when WotC announced they'd do adventures again, the overall reaction was of approval.

 

[The Cardinal]

For me, I'd only buy it as a hardcover because I'm both a bibliophile (I am super anal-retentive about how my gaming books are handled) and a practical hobbysist (i.e., I try to use what I buy in actual games if at all possible).

ditto!

 

[Drkfathr1]

I could live with it if I felt WOTC was putting out "quality" adventures. But honestly, has anything they've produced been anywhere near the quality of Shackled City, or AOW?

It's almost like WOTC saying: "Your stuff is better than ours, so we're taking our ball and going home!"

Instead, they should be hiring the writers from Dungeon to write their modules. After all, isn't Wizards all about the freelancer now?

 

[philreed]

I didn't buy the AoW magazines in anticipation of a hardcover. I'm an idiot.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I could live with it if I felt WOTC was putting out "quality" adventures. But honestly, has anything they've produced been anywhere near the quality of Shackled City, or AOW?

Actually, yes. Red Hand of Doom.

I'm thrilled that WotC is doing adventures, but I do admit, I'd be quite sad not to see an AOW hardcover.