D20 Modern Wish List

[JPL]

Oh, and WotC should hire Chuck Rice to write a martial arts book.

Chuck takes a second look at Blood & Fists and tweaks whatever seems to need tweaking. WotC commissions some snappy new art. Everyone makes a little money.

 

[Roudi]

Didn't think this was some sort of market-polling exercise... but I think it's valid enough that if people have things they'd like to see, and it's already been done, that they be pointed in the right direction. It would certainly help to demonstrate the real unfilled niches in Modern gaming.

That being said: many people have stated they want to see adventure resources. There are plenty out all ready. Let me name (and link to) a few.

Instant Action: Mischief Night, Shots Rang Out, and Full Circle, all by LPJ Design

Come for the Reaping and Slave Drivers, both by The Game Mechanics

Last Rites, Weekend Warriors, and Innana's Kiss, all by 12 to Midnight

Raid on Ashkashem by Sword's Edge Publishing

Ignotus: Desert Dreams and the Ignotus Hallowe'en Special by Sacred Wolf Inc.

Countdown: Operation Dead Drop and Operation Winter Kill, both by OtherWorld Creations, Inc.

Zombie Stomp! by Team Frog

Quickshots: Mission File Alpha, Mission File Bravo, and Mission File Charlie, all by The Brood

Omaha Beach - WWII Heroes Mission Pack 1 by SteelMagic Studios

Modern Backdrops by RPGObjects

The Thing in Radley Manor by Gold Rush Games

These all come from a quick perusal of RPGNow's Modern section. I also went to check out WotC's d20 Modern website, where I found 22 free adventures.

While it's true that even this expansive list doesn't cover all the desired types of adventures, well... I think there are certainly more out there than folks realize.

 

[The_Universe]

I'd like to see D20 Future fleshed out a bit more, as well. In every way. I'll mention specifics, later.

I'd also like to see a *real* D20 Modern/near future campaign setting that gives me something other than D&D Modern, a la Urban Arcana.

I'd like to see a monster book that gives us monsters/foes to use in a way that doesn't scream 'D&D.' You can even use the same stat blocks, but let's alter the flavor a bit to make it something different than "a gate opens up from Greyhawk to modern day earth." Where's the loch ness monster? The Chupacabra? Where would a non-D&D mind flayer come from? What's he/she/it doing? Why?

I want a D20 Modern/Future book that brings real world mythology into the real world, something like Gaiman's American Gods.

I'd like a book (as D20 past presumably well) that does pulp action/mystery within the D20 modern system.

I'd like a book of equipment and weapons that aren't all modern day fire arms. I want a colt single-action Navy revolver! I want to know what I can do with a battery charger. Where are the stats?

I'd like to see a book of maps of every day locales. What's a typical office block map out like? How about a country church? A typical apartment complex? A hotel? Where is a security guard likely to be standing?

I want to see D20 Dark*Matter. Perhaps this most of all.

Similarly, I'd also like to see some of the D20 Future settings fleshed out and given some depth. Dark heart of space, especially. Yum.

I want a book of robots, and how to make and assign CRs to my own.

I want a whole book of space ships.

I want a book of naval vessels from 1600-present. Maybe this could be more than one book.

I want to see D20: Victorian. It's essentially the same time period as D20 Old West, but an entirely different feel. Sidewinder does the Old West very well...now show me the British empire!

That being said, I also want D20: Old West. Not as a replacement for Sidewinder, but rather as a companion.

I want a "Book of Challenges." For real, this time. I want it to detail typical problems that a group in the present day or near future might encounter. In game terms, how do you forge an ID? Fake out a biometric ID? How do you stop a plummeting elevator? What's the average modern day security in a jail cell? Where in the modern world are the sewers big enough to walk in? What's down there?

I want D20 Modern climate books. Jungle, desert, glacial, etc.

I want D20 Modern region books, for most/all progress levels. D20: China, D20: Russia, etc. I think I'm getting into GURPS territory here....

...and that's just what I can come up with off of the top of my head!

 

[Sebastian Francis]

While it's true that even this expansive list doesn't cover all the desired types of adventures, well... I think there are certainly more out there than folks realize.

My problem is that I hate PDFs. I don't care that some people proclaim them as the Next Big Thing (TM), I hate them. I want a book that I can flip through and highlight and read on the can. I hate PDFs, hate the thought of paying money just to print something out and stick it in a binder, and will never, ever buy a PDF.

There's LOTS of folks like me in the RPG scene. So printed adventures is a HUGE plus for d20 Modern.

 

[The_Universe]

Oh - and miniatures. I'd like some miniatures.

 

[Roudi]

My problem is that I hate PDFs. I don't care that some people proclaim them as the Next Big Thing (TM), I hate them. I want a book that I can flip through and highlight and read on the can. I hate PDFs, hate the thought of paying money just to print something out and stick it in a binder, and will never, ever buy a PDF.

There's LOTS of folks like me in the RPG scene. So printed adventures is a HUGE plus for d20 Modern.

Well, it's unfortunate that you're missing out on so much just because of your dislike of the format. The main problem with making a print book of adventures is that adventures don't sell nearly as well as setting and rules resources do. Since print books are already a big enough financial investment and risk for everyone involved, few companies will even bother to write an adventure book for print. It is, unfortunately, an unsound investment.

PDF publishers are able to avoid a lot of the risk involved in producing books, and thus can expect to see some recouping of expenses on an adventure product. While you might prefer the print medium because it provides something physical for you to hold, it just isn't a safe investment for publishers anymore - probably not even for WotC.

So, unless you can gather enough people together to consistently and vigourously buy up all the printed adventures you can find (what few there still are) and make printed adventures viable once again... well, until you can do that, things will stay as they are.

 

[ukgpublishing]

Well, it's unfortunate that you're missing out on so much just because of your dislike of the format. The main problem with making a print book of adventures is that adventures don't sell nearly as well as setting and rules resources do. Since print books are already a big enough financial investment and risk for everyone involved, few companies will even bother to write an adventure book for print. It is, unfortunately, an unsound investment.

PDF publishers are able to avoid a lot of the risk involved in producing books, and thus can expect to see some recouping of expenses on an adventure product. While you might prefer the print medium because it provides something physical for you to hold, it just isn't a safe investment for publishers anymore - probably not even for WotC.

I have to second Roudi on this and add that one of the huge benefits to of pdf publishing is the elimination of these costs. Taking out the expense of printing takes away some of the headaches that come with working in these financial constrains.

For example, a print publisher is restricted in page count as each additional page costs money. Not so for the pdf publisher, we overrun by half a dozen pages and the cost is... the same.

Additionally, for many of our products the print route is completely non-viable. Taking our starship deck plans, to publish this 100+ page pdf on a quality cardstock in full colour would make take the product from being an $8 download to being well in excess of $50 in print.

If you are still unsure of pdfs, try some of the excellent free downloads at RPGNow and here at ENWorld.

John Milner
UKG Publishing

 

[Olive]

My problem is that I hate PDFs. I don't care that some people proclaim them as the Next Big Thing (TM), I hate them. I want a book that I can flip through and highlight and read on the can. I hate PDFs, hate the thought of paying money just to print something out and stick it in a binder, and will never, ever buy a PDF.

What abut free ones?

I understand your perspective, but given how badly DnD adventures tend to sell, d20 Modern print adventures are an insane idea.

 

[lmpjr007]

My problem is that I hate PDFs. I don't care that some people proclaim them as the Next Big Thing (TM), I hate them. I want a book that I can flip through and highlight and read on the can. I hate PDFs, hate the thought of paying money just to print something out and stick it in a binder, and will never, ever buy a PDF.

There's LOTS of folks like me in the RPG scene. So printed adventures is a HUGE plus for d20 Modern.

OK well since many of us use Lulu.com to make printed version of our PDFs, my next question is why aren't you buying those books then?

 

[Sebastian Francis]

What abut free ones?

I understand your perspective, but given how badly DnD adventures tend to sell, d20 Modern print adventures are an insane idea.

Oh, I agree completely. I'm just saying that personally I hate PDFs. But I'm not suggesting WotC should start losing money on D20 Modern print adventures.