2009 RPG Low Points
1. Announcement that Conan OGL effectively ends (12/09) with no new product forthcoming.
----Realization that while that sucks, if I were running Mongoose I probably would have come to same conclusion. They couldn't have known Pathfinder was going to be as big as it is.
2. Significant increase in antagonistic posters (all RPG boards). Either reading comprehension has dropped a bit, new posters are migrating from less civil boards, or people just want to argue. I've been blindsided numerous times where people take something out of context and run with it, going so far as to put words in my mouth despite the fact that my posts in the thread directly conflict with the claim they're making.
3. Edition War noise. Everyone won, at least to a far, far greater degree than anyone could have anticipated this time last year. Also, many who bemoan the continuation of the Edition Wars are the first to fire a salvo.
Note: No, I'm not pointing to anyone in this particular thread. It's just a general observation.
4. The One True Way. Tied to #2 above, people who come to a discussion assuming and insistent that the way they play is the right way. Any deviation of this, and you're doing something wrong.
5. The Economy. Put a big crimp in my RPG spending.
6. WotC Layoffs. I don't even play 4e and this pissed me off.
2009 RPG High Points
1. Introduced my oldest child to RPGs.
"It's better than a video game!" -- When a 9-yr old tells you that, you know things went very, very well.
2. More gaming in general.
Played RPGs with my core group more this year than in the past 3 years previous.
3. Pathfinder RPG.
It was everything I hoped for in a D&D revision. The only way it could have been better would have been to adhere even more to pulp fantasy. Unfortunately, that would have violated the goal backward-compatability with high-fantasy D&D so I know why it didn't happen. Also, the design goals of the Gamemaster Guide and Advanced Player's Guide are what I want to see from a RPG company rather than yet another splatbook of the prestige-class+feat+spell+magic-item format.
4. Trailblazer.
A great toolkit for any 3.x/OGL game. Cherry pick what you like. Also, seeing the underlying mathematical analysis is a great tool for balancing classes.
5. The OGL.
It made #3 & #4 possible. Long may it live!
6. Pathfinder Bestiary.
Completing the Pathfinder RPG as a standalone game, I no longer need WotC books to run a game. Plus, the book is one of the best monster books I own.
7. Paizo
They've emerged as my go-to-company for RPG goodness. While I wish they'd cut out some of the wonkier setting elements (Andoran colonial dress I'm looking at you), I love the RPG stuff. Additionally, I love their product line structure: RPG, APs, Chronicles, Companions, and Modules. Even though it parts me with more of my money, I can pretty much pick the item that will satisfy my gaming craving instead of the 3.x era where a purchase was usually 50% of interest to me / 50% unlikely to see use in my game. Now, the ratio is 75%-90% useable due to the quality as well as being able to be more targeted with my purchase.
8. Green Ronin
They were a very close #3 last year and advance to #2 by holding line. (Mongoose drops due to the Conan decision.) Between Freeport, 3rd Era, Game of Thrones, and Dragon Age, there is much RPG goodness I must obtain from these folks. Also, as I complete my d20/OGL library, I continue to find gems from earlier years that I hadn't purchased. Another class-act RPG company.
Good gaming to all in 2010!
1. Announcement that Conan OGL effectively ends (12/09) with no new product forthcoming.
----Realization that while that sucks, if I were running Mongoose I probably would have come to same conclusion. They couldn't have known Pathfinder was going to be as big as it is.
2. Significant increase in antagonistic posters (all RPG boards). Either reading comprehension has dropped a bit, new posters are migrating from less civil boards, or people just want to argue. I've been blindsided numerous times where people take something out of context and run with it, going so far as to put words in my mouth despite the fact that my posts in the thread directly conflict with the claim they're making.
3. Edition War noise. Everyone won, at least to a far, far greater degree than anyone could have anticipated this time last year. Also, many who bemoan the continuation of the Edition Wars are the first to fire a salvo.
Note: No, I'm not pointing to anyone in this particular thread. It's just a general observation.
4. The One True Way. Tied to #2 above, people who come to a discussion assuming and insistent that the way they play is the right way. Any deviation of this, and you're doing something wrong.
5. The Economy. Put a big crimp in my RPG spending.
6. WotC Layoffs. I don't even play 4e and this pissed me off.
2009 RPG High Points
1. Introduced my oldest child to RPGs.
"It's better than a video game!" -- When a 9-yr old tells you that, you know things went very, very well.
2. More gaming in general.
Played RPGs with my core group more this year than in the past 3 years previous.
3. Pathfinder RPG.
It was everything I hoped for in a D&D revision. The only way it could have been better would have been to adhere even more to pulp fantasy. Unfortunately, that would have violated the goal backward-compatability with high-fantasy D&D so I know why it didn't happen. Also, the design goals of the Gamemaster Guide and Advanced Player's Guide are what I want to see from a RPG company rather than yet another splatbook of the prestige-class+feat+spell+magic-item format.
4. Trailblazer.
A great toolkit for any 3.x/OGL game. Cherry pick what you like. Also, seeing the underlying mathematical analysis is a great tool for balancing classes.
5. The OGL.
It made #3 & #4 possible. Long may it live!
6. Pathfinder Bestiary.
Completing the Pathfinder RPG as a standalone game, I no longer need WotC books to run a game. Plus, the book is one of the best monster books I own.
7. Paizo
They've emerged as my go-to-company for RPG goodness. While I wish they'd cut out some of the wonkier setting elements (Andoran colonial dress I'm looking at you), I love the RPG stuff. Additionally, I love their product line structure: RPG, APs, Chronicles, Companions, and Modules. Even though it parts me with more of my money, I can pretty much pick the item that will satisfy my gaming craving instead of the 3.x era where a purchase was usually 50% of interest to me / 50% unlikely to see use in my game. Now, the ratio is 75%-90% useable due to the quality as well as being able to be more targeted with my purchase.
8. Green Ronin
They were a very close #3 last year and advance to #2 by holding line. (Mongoose drops due to the Conan decision.) Between Freeport, 3rd Era, Game of Thrones, and Dragon Age, there is much RPG goodness I must obtain from these folks. Also, as I complete my d20/OGL library, I continue to find gems from earlier years that I hadn't purchased. Another class-act RPG company.
Good gaming to all in 2010!
And I've yet got to play 80% of the Paizo stuff on my shelves, so no hard feelings there.
