Pathfinder 1E Do you look for specific authors? (slight Paizo tie-in)

[Glyfair]

I know this topic has appeared before (quite a while ago, IIRC), but as my POV has changed somewhat I wanted a fresh perspective.

I was looking through Paizo's Gamemastery adventures and noticed that their module listing doesn't list authors. Yes, you can bring up each individual adventure and find out the autheor. However, if I'm scanning for an adventure to pick up, I'm not likely to do that for every adventure.

I've found myself looking for adventures (and some other RPG products) from specific authors more than I did. For example, I have found Nicolas Logue to be an excellent adventure writer and am more likely to pick up something he has done.

Do you make purchase decisions based on the author of the product?

 

[Crothian]

It is a factor. The last PDF adventure I bought was Ring of Thieves and since I'd never heard of it the fact it was written by Rodney Thompson was really what sold me.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I pay attention. I give anything by Patrick Younts extra attention, since he tends to bring in flavors that other designers seem less interested in. (Italian Renaissance gnomes ruled by a copper dragon? Yep, that's Younts. An American folklore take on Halloween monsters? Also Younts.)

 

[Umbran]

For my reading fiction, yes, I use author as a criteria farily frequently.

For my gaming products, generally not.

For adventures... I almost never buy them at all. Picking and choosing by author generally requires I know somehting abou the author pool. For adventures, I don't know enough to be choosy on that basis.

 

[jmucchiello]

Do you make purchase decisions based on the author of the product?

Only negatively, there are authors whose take on d20 does not sit well with me. No names here obviously as I'm sure there are people who love their work. It's just not for me.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I would say so. There are a few authors that I know and like. If there name is on an adventure (or any gaming product for that matter) I am more likely to buy it. For example, I don't think I would have signed on for Open Design if it wasn't for the fact that I knew it was a Wolfgang Baur project.

There aren't really any names that will get me to shy away from a product, except for maybe Jim Ward.

Olaf the Stout

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I'm a fan of Bruce Cordell personally. Also, there are certain publishers that I avoid wholesale because the products I have seen from them (and had the misfortune to buy before I knew how bad they were) were exceedingly disappointing. Again, no names because there are probably some folks who are fans of their material.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Some names, sometimes. Often not though.

Some examples of where I have factored this in, at times: Mike Mearls, Steve Kenson, Charles Rice, David Jarvis.

 

[Mouseferatu]

In my case, it's not that I look for specific authors, but rather for specific author-topic combinations. For instance, if it's Greyhawk, I look for Erik Mona to be involved. If it involves demons, Erik and James Jacobs. If it's Eberron, you can't go wrong with the creator, Keith Baker. And so forth.

I cannot, off the top of my head, think of any major name authors that I avoid. I can think of a particular publisher that I avoid, even if it's an author and a subject I would otherwise go for. But as with the above posters, I see no sense in naming it.

 

[Napftor]

I'm more of a look at the content type purchaser. If it has an author attached to it that I've heard good things about then that only solidifies the purchase. Game books are like trips--you go on them because you like the advertised destination; authors are like the tour guides--you'll enjoy the trip more with a knowledgeable and friendly guide.