D&D 5E Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

[Hussar]

Sure, but better than buying an entire crappy hardcover. coughdragonheistcough

Dunno why people have such a hate on for Dragonheist. I've run it twice to great effect. It's a really fun module. I dunno. I really liked it.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

Dunno why people have such a hate on for Dragonheist. I've run it twice to great effect. It's a really fun module. I dunno. I really liked it.

It would have been much better received if it wasn't called Dragonheist.

 

[pukunui]

Dunno why people have such a hate on for Dragonheist. I've run it twice to great effect. It's a really fun module. I dunno. I really liked it.

For me, it boils down to the amount of effort the writers put into taking away the players’ agency throughout the adventure. That and the fact that it can’t decide what kind of adventure it wants to be. The book is great as a toolbox, though, so I don’t regret purchasing it.

 

[delericho]

Wotc is sitting on a mountain of old IP they can mine to do anything they want with.

You say that, but once you discount the stuff that's already been done, the stuff that won't be redone because it's problematic in various ways, and the stuff that was always just dross, I'm not convinced there actually is all that much left.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

True, but most people also want to get from point A to point B efficiently, so having numerous different connecting passages makes sense.

But having a single main passage is more efficient with regards to tunnelling if you are building underground. It's also very common in schools in my experience (even though two corridors and a one-way system would produce fewer collisions).

However you do it, in real life buildings are rarely "interesting". Nor are mines for that matter (single main shaft with lots of short dead-end branches).

And it rarely matters. "Turn left or turn right" is not a real choice unless you have some basis to distinguish between them.

 

[TheSword]

It would have been much better received if it wasn't called Dragonheist.

Then maybe those folks should take a step and get some perspective. Maybe take a more pragmatic view of a product than just feeling like the name isn’t good enough?

 

[pukunui]

Then maybe those folks should take a step and get some perspective. Maybe take a more pragmatic view of a product than just feeling like the name isn’t good enough?

Yeah. Honestly, the adventure’s name is the least of its problems.

 

[Micah Sweet]

You say that, but once you discount the stuff that's already been done, the stuff that won't be redone because it's problematic in various ways, and the stuff that was always just dross, I'm not convinced there actually is all that much left.

That's up to them. The point is, they can use what they want, and there's plenty of stuff (good stuff IMO) that they haven't used yet.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

And wouldn't it be fun to buy "modules" again, with the maps printed on the removable, heavy-weight covers? (Although I would prefer modern cartography, not TSR blue.)

So would I, but the print process that produced the blue maps is dead, along with the possibility of manufacturing modules cheaply enough to sell at a profit.

the only way to do modules now is as online-only content.

 

[TheSword]

It's art, so opinions vary and always will.

Bad. Focus on standalone adventures instead of paths and compilations would be far better. Not everything has to be a full-size hardcover book.

Bad. I'd like the focus to remain squarely on the tabletop where it belongs.

There is a difference between art being a stylistic choice vs just being very well done. It’s also not just the quality it’s the volume of art. I like to be able to show evocative features of a site or person to my players not just have art in a book to break up the text.

To be honest I don’t really see the difference between the compilations and three or four copies of Dungeon Magazine. Similar price adjusted for inflation with a very minor mark up for something that will last a lot longer and have much better production values.

The tabletop question goes back to my point about barriers to entry. If I play VTT (as millions do) quality battlemaps and NPC images make a huge difference to the game. Huge difference. Nothing about having a full colour illustrated map stops you being able to play as you like. Unlike my earlier comment about redundant text - if it’s redundant artwork you can ignore it at a glance without it masking and hiding all the information.

This isn’t just about face to face or VTT either anymore. We use some computerized elements in face to face sessions too. Handouts projected onto the TV, Maps explored on the TV, or home printed battle maps for with the mini collection. Technology is progress I’m afraid.