Stormtower
First Post
Kwalish Kid said:
Late to the thread, I know... but:
Rahasia FTW. I loved that module for B/X... must've run it for three or four different groups in highschool.
Impressions from KotS
- Thread starter Halivar
- Start date
Late to the thread, I know... but:
Rahasia FTW. I loved that module for B/X... must've run it for three or four different groups in highschool.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
Another interesting trivia: I think it would cost me ~50-60 € (78+ $) to fill up my parents car...Wolfspider said:
Books are cheap...
Stormtower
First Post
Actually Rahasia would be a GREAT mod updated to 4E. We need to get Mearls right on that. Why is my brain on that module today? It's Kwalish Kid's fault, I tell ya!
Oh yeah, KotS thoughts from a (former, mostly converted) 4E skeptic:
I like the delve format, similar to Slaughtergarde which I greatly enjoyed running. However, as others have said the ink quality is... not good. I am going to have to take this to Staples and get a transparent plastic binder or something for it, to avoid ruining the cover with fingerprints. Bad choice on the print quality and paper, WotC.
The module looks really fun in a retro, dungeon-crawl way. Fortunately these are the sort of games my current group enjoys best. Heavy combat, medium-lite RP, lots of killing and looting. I'm looking forward to running it. The artwork (smudged ink aside) is top-notch and impressive. I am pleased with the encounter design and the environmental traps, especially the zombie chase through the fear runes. But...
Regarding loot: WotC designers, am I expected to either a) print out treasure cards with a full ability writeup for each piece of loot, or b) make my players write out verbatim what the item does on an index card. Yippee, that is 4dventuring at its finest! Note the sarcasm here. I actually like item cards, but what about DMs without the time or resources to print them?
On a further note, the items and powers are so verbose! I cannot imagine a character sheet that will encompass this level of detail. I WILL PAY DDI FEES (note the all caps) for a working, non-buggy, functional and customizable charsheet application that produces sheets like the DDXP ones or the KotS ones. I don't want my players to write down a short paragraph every time they gain a power or item. What happened to streamlining the game?
WotC, you will have my money if you take steps to make future modules more durable (physically, binding/paper wise), use better ink, and give DMs and players tools to manage these verbose, detailed powers. I'm thinking item cards and treasure cards sold in standard playing-card packs, NON-RANDOMIZED. Make us a Martial Powers deck, Arcane deck, etc. along with stock magic items from the PHB and the upcoming treasure book. I'm a completist, I want to give you my money, and I want tools like these to make the game easier to run and play.
While I'm ranting, how about the minis release schedule? I am a devoted fan of the plasticrack. I own a complete set at least one of each mini, going all the way back to Harbinger. Can you guys - WotC - get out of your own way and release the minis in accordance with upcoming modules? I had to wait 6 months or more to get all the correct minis for Red Hand of Doom in 3.5. And I'm a huge collector! I can't imagine how daunted a newbie DM would feel, given all the minis needed (and the lack of many basic ones from KotS in the new DoD 2.0 set) just to run the encounters presented in KotS. You are not making the game any easier to break into, especially for new DMs.
I know this post may sound rather negative. Hmm, it's just because I am comparing KotS to Rahasia again... (j/k). Actually I am impressed with the adventure design for the most part, it looks quite entertaining. I am less taken with WotC's lack of an integrated overall strategy for product deployment that favors DMs looking to play with the "correct" minis for the encounters. The (not new or fresh, but really how could it be?) advice to new DMs is helpful, but if this product is really intended to seduce new customers and bring new blood to the game, it could have been better on many counts.
Mmmmm... Rahasia. Obscure codes on wine labels and teleporter-arena puzzles FTW!
Oh yeah, KotS thoughts from a (former, mostly converted) 4E skeptic:
I like the delve format, similar to Slaughtergarde which I greatly enjoyed running. However, as others have said the ink quality is... not good. I am going to have to take this to Staples and get a transparent plastic binder or something for it, to avoid ruining the cover with fingerprints. Bad choice on the print quality and paper, WotC.
The module looks really fun in a retro, dungeon-crawl way. Fortunately these are the sort of games my current group enjoys best. Heavy combat, medium-lite RP, lots of killing and looting. I'm looking forward to running it. The artwork (smudged ink aside) is top-notch and impressive. I am pleased with the encounter design and the environmental traps, especially the zombie chase through the fear runes. But...
Regarding loot: WotC designers, am I expected to either a) print out treasure cards with a full ability writeup for each piece of loot, or b) make my players write out verbatim what the item does on an index card. Yippee, that is 4dventuring at its finest! Note the sarcasm here. I actually like item cards, but what about DMs without the time or resources to print them?
On a further note, the items and powers are so verbose! I cannot imagine a character sheet that will encompass this level of detail. I WILL PAY DDI FEES (note the all caps) for a working, non-buggy, functional and customizable charsheet application that produces sheets like the DDXP ones or the KotS ones. I don't want my players to write down a short paragraph every time they gain a power or item. What happened to streamlining the game?
WotC, you will have my money if you take steps to make future modules more durable (physically, binding/paper wise), use better ink, and give DMs and players tools to manage these verbose, detailed powers. I'm thinking item cards and treasure cards sold in standard playing-card packs, NON-RANDOMIZED. Make us a Martial Powers deck, Arcane deck, etc. along with stock magic items from the PHB and the upcoming treasure book. I'm a completist, I want to give you my money, and I want tools like these to make the game easier to run and play.
While I'm ranting, how about the minis release schedule? I am a devoted fan of the plasticrack. I own a complete set at least one of each mini, going all the way back to Harbinger. Can you guys - WotC - get out of your own way and release the minis in accordance with upcoming modules? I had to wait 6 months or more to get all the correct minis for Red Hand of Doom in 3.5. And I'm a huge collector! I can't imagine how daunted a newbie DM would feel, given all the minis needed (and the lack of many basic ones from KotS in the new DoD 2.0 set) just to run the encounters presented in KotS. You are not making the game any easier to break into, especially for new DMs.
I know this post may sound rather negative. Hmm, it's just because I am comparing KotS to Rahasia again... (j/k). Actually I am impressed with the adventure design for the most part, it looks quite entertaining. I am less taken with WotC's lack of an integrated overall strategy for product deployment that favors DMs looking to play with the "correct" minis for the encounters. The (not new or fresh, but really how could it be?) advice to new DMs is helpful, but if this product is really intended to seduce new customers and bring new blood to the game, it could have been better on many counts.
Mmmmm... Rahasia. Obscure codes on wine labels and teleporter-arena puzzles FTW!
Wolfspider
Explorer
I had a bad experience with a Chessex battle mat. I bought one and the pens that go along with it, and the ink did not come off the first time I used it. That was a waste of a lot of money.
These days I much prefer the Flip-mats that Paizo (www.paizo.com) sells. I've bought several of them, and they work marvelously.
These days I much prefer the Flip-mats that Paizo (www.paizo.com) sells. I've bought several of them, and they work marvelously.
We used to use battle mats and they weren't bad, but Tact-Tiles are WAY better. Dry erase markers ftw. Also when dealing with zones bigger than the table you can 'scroll' the map by taking tiles off one side, and not having to redraw a bunch of other stuff.
I've kept the old battle mats thinking they might be useful on occasion to have a particular area predrawn and ready. In several years that has never happened. The tiles are just too much better.
I've kept the old battle mats thinking they might be useful on occasion to have a particular area predrawn and ready. In several years that has never happened. The tiles are just too much better.
Wolfspider
Explorer
pinbot said:
Are Tact-tiles available again? Last time I checked, they were on back-order....years long back-order....
Nebulous
Legend
Heselbine said:
Yeah, do what he said. If you just want a quick and dirty map, this is by far the cheapest and versatile option, and has been used since the 70's.
Edit: If you're worried about ink on the mat, put a thin plastic sheet over it. I bought one at Home Dept for $10. Additionally, you can now slide paper maps under the sheet and write on top of THOSE. Just measure it out first.
Last edited:
ForbidenMaster
Explorer
Mustrum_Ridcully said:Another interesting trivia: I think it would cost me ~50-60 € (78+ $) to fill up my parents car...
Books are cheap...
Yeah, that quote (not yours, the one you quoted) isnt true. $30 US will get you about 9 gallons in the US, and thats going by the national average. Here in California the average is $3.985 a gallon which will get you about 7.5 gallons of gas. I dont know of any car that has such small of a gas tank.
Wolfspider said:
I've read so many people talk about how good these things are... I tried to find a set, but it's impossible. Then I took advice from some folks and tried to make my own (or something similar). I just purchased several 11"x17" sheets of acrylic plastic at Home Depot. These cost about $2.50 each. I bought a roll of white contact paper, enough to make a near-infinite supply of tiles, for $6.00. I stuck the contact paper to one side of the tiles, trimmed the edges neatly with an X-acto, then very faintly scored a 1" grid on the other side (again, using the X-acto). Dry erase ink quickly collects in the grid, making nice faint lines.
People with more time/skill than myself have used jigsaws to cut interlocking patterns in these kind of tiles, but I'm happy with my rectangles. Incredibly light, durable, and easy to transport. Dry erase markers wipe off VERY cleanly. If you wanted to, you could omit the white backing, and place them over any other printed material (maps, etc...). For less than $20 in materials, I've got the equivalent of a very large battlemat, and it's far more durable (when I accidentally use the wrong type of marker, etc...)
Nine Hands
Explorer
prismra said:
Yeah I love my MEGAMAT, its gotta be 9 feet long
