An open letter to Randy Buehler

[reveal]

This is in response to Randy Buehler's statement that they will not release an overview to the Scales of War AP.

An open letter to Randy Buehler

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I totally agree with you.

This part in Mr. Buehler's response I'm not sure I understand:

The problem is that we’ve mapped out an elaborate plot that covers level 1 all the way through level 30 and there are a number of surprises along the way. Those “grand reveal” moments won’t be nearly as impactful if they’ve leaked out via plot summaries and/or an overview of where the Path is going.

I'm getting the feeling that he thinks of this adventure path as some kind of novel of which the DMs of this world are the readers. I understand that the secrets should not be revealed to the PLAYERS, but, for Hood's sake, the DMs should have as much information as it is possible.

Your example about the main villain in Rescue at Rivenroar is a good one. With the release of Siege of Bordrin's Watch (I admit, I haven't read it carefully, so I might have missed some details), there doesn't seem to be any important links between the first adventure and this one. Also (minor spoiler)

Spoiler

Rescue at Rivenroar "ends" with the adventurers finding a note from the Emissary, which appears in Bordrin's Watch in an encounter but very little info exists as to why this character exists, why he supplied weapons, and why he was the liaison to Sinruth

.

All in all, the adventures, while fun, lack cohesion, and I hope some overarching element is revealed soon to give the DMs a better understanding of just where in the Abyss they are going with this.

AR

 

[Joshua Randall]

Wizards (and Paizo) have actually stated numerous times that they know a measurable portion of their audience consists of would-be DMs who buy and read adventures, but never run them.

So, the adventures do need to be compelling enough to keep the interest of the people reading them.

 

[Hussar]

NOt that it's going to change much now, but, Editing out my boneheaded stuff. Never post while grumpy. Heh.

Talk about getting your butt handed to you.

 

[Spatula]

Funny, when Paizo did Dungeon, there was never, not once, an overview of all the adventures until after the entire AP was released. Why should that change now?

Dungeon #138 has a complete overview of the Savage Tide AP - adventure titles, authors, and plot synposis(es?). I only picked up individual issues that looked like they had adventures useful to me (never used any of the APs), so I don't know about the other paths.

While not Pazio, the free Star Wars Saga AP that's being published on the WotC site also had a complete overview. So I was under the impression that it's become SOP as far as these things go.

 

[reveal]

Funny, when Paizo did Dungeon, there was never, not once, an overview of all the adventures until after the entire AP was released. Why should that change now?

Not true at all. Savage Tide had an overview of all the adventures. I ran the campaign and loved reading it.

 

[Hussar]

Heh, this would be why I don't know about this. Started getting Dungeon at 139, so my 1 year sub would catch all 12 of the STAP issues. Ok, fair enough, my bad. I'll go away now.

 

[Henry]

Dungeon #138 has a complete overview of the Savage Tide AP - adventure titles, authors, and plot synposis(es?).

As noted though, wasn't this towards the end of the run? If there were one published aferwards, I could understand its helpfulness, but prior to the run has never been done, with the one exception of the Star Wars one.

 

[Hussar]

No, to be fair, the STAP starts at 139. I didn't realize they did this before the STAP had begun to be released. My bad.

 

[catsclaw227]

You may want to edit/remove one of the open letter's follow-up comments for obsenities. Unless you don't mind it, of course.