Disappointed with AU

[Finkin Swiftfingers]

I'm the only player in my game group that has not been excited by AU. Everyone has bought the book (except myself) and eventually one of our DM's will get to running a campaign there.

Wish I cared to play there but I would rather stay in the Realms or in one of our homebrew worlds.

 

[Pevishan]

Geoffrey, just because something is published with the d20 licence does not mean it is not OGL - in fact I think the d20 requires that it also be OGL.

 

[Gez]

I'm not sure Judge Dredd -- a d20 STL game -- requires the Dungeon Master's Guide.

On the other hand, AU -- a "mere OGL" game -- requires it.

One should keep in mind that Monte Cook has already written a Dungeon Master's Guide -- the one for D&D 3 back in 1999. He probably don't really want to do that again without good reason.

For AU, rather than D&D, you can probably use the Warcraft line of products instead. Maybe Everquest with a grain of salt (not the monsters and characters, but things like conditions, falling damage, climate hazards, etc.).

And if you can rant and whine on the Internet, then you have Internet access! So the SRD is there for you! Weeeeee!

 

[Desdichado]

For AU, rather than D&D, you can probably use the Warcraft line of products instead. Maybe Everquest with a grain of salt (not the monsters and characters, but things like conditions, falling damage, climate hazards, etc.).

Warcraft is a D&D setting only. Everquest is a complete "d20" game in its own right.

 

[WayneLigon]

I guess I didn't read things right. I never once assumed that AU was ever meant to be a totally stand-alone product. It was just what it says it is, a variant PH.

 

[jrients]

I believe Mr. Cook has all but explicitly stated that his target audience is people already playing D&D, hence the "alternate PHB" tagline. I think its a deucedly smart move, myself. He lets WotC use its corporate muscle to get gamers in the hobby, then uses the OGL to sell them his products. His audience will always be at least one order of magnitude smaller than WotC's customer base, but that still leaves plenty of room to make some green for an operation as small as Malhavoc.

But, in short, it means his products are not newbie friendly and cannot be completely disentangled from mainstream D&D.

 

[Ranger REG]

I guess I didn't read things right. I never once assumed that AU was ever meant to be a totally stand-alone product. It was just what it says it is, a variant PH.

But a variant PH to what? A variant to EverQuest Player's Handbook? A variant to Gamma World Player's Handbook?

And what gamemaster's guide should help the AU GM? EverQuest? Legend of the Five Rings Second Edition Game Master's Guide?

Yeah, the above sounds like I think about as literal as a genie, but like I said, don't assume that all AU owners are also DMG owners, at least for the game master in the group.

Hence the cliche.

And I'm sorry if Monte Cook is tired because he has written D&D DMG. But I feel he may shortchange his own customers if he does not make it a fully standalone product line. Otherwise, just carry the label and simply refer to the DMG to make it GM-friendly.

 

[Selganor]

Yeah, the above sounds like I think about as literal as a genie, but like I said, don't assume that all AU owners are also DMG owners, at least for the game master in the group.
[...]
But I feel he may shortchange his own customers if he does not make it a fully standalone product line. Otherwise, just carry the label and simply refer to the DMG to make it GM-friendly.

No product I've seen from Malhavoc yet has been targeted for "beginning players/DMs", you can assume that people using Malhavoc's stuff KNOW what they'll get. Great ideas but some of the work still is to be done by the DM.

AU has always been marketed as "A Variant Player's Handbook", so you can't assume that it is NOT a complete game by itself.

And as for which DM book you'll need... Due to the licenses Monte could NOT refer to D&D at any place in AU...

 

[johnsemlak]

Sure, he can pitch it to us, who have already been exposed to d20 and OGL, and we can make the cryptic connection without having it spelled out in the book, but he should follow the same format as EverQuest RPG line.

I don't have the Everquest RPG. What is that format?

Regarding Newbies, as mentioned above, AU has clearly been targeted towards veteran gamers, most of whom are savvy enought to make the leaps of logic required, probably.

Here's another way of looking at it--If Monte Cook published an AU varient DMG and MM (not his supplementary Diamond Throne Bestiary, but a true replacement for the MM) and made them 'required' for playing AU, loads of fans would complain about having to buy so many books.

 

[nharwell]

I don't have the Everquest RPG. What is that format?

Regarding Newbies, as mentioned above, AU has clearly been targeted towards veteran gamers, most of whom are savvy enought to make the leaps of logic required, probably.

Here's another way of looking at it--If Monte Cook published an AU varient DMG and MM (not his supplementary Diamond Throne Bestiary, but a true replacement for the MM) and made them 'required' for playing AU, loads of fans would complain about having to buy so many books.

Ironically, the biggest complaint I've heard until now has been that AU reprints too much from the PHB....