D&D 5E Justin Alexander's review of Shattered Obelisk is pretty scathing

[robertsconley]

When I designed the most recent version of my setting, I used Robert Conley's Blackmarsh & Points of Light from Goodman Games, New Big Dragon's d30 Sandbox Companion, and ACKS's Capitol of the Borderlands as primary sources (other than my own imagination of course). All great products for making and enhancing sandbox campaigns.

Thanks for the compliment and glad that you found both books useful.

And for folks who don't know both are very lite on the stats due to both book's focus on detailing a region. This makes it easy to use either with other editions and other fantasy RPGs. For the past few months I have been running a 5e campaign in Blackmarsh, the party is currently at 3rd level about to hit 4th.

 

[Shardstone]

Must each new edition of a game carry with it an essay explaining their philosophy for every change from the previous edition? Or just D&D?

Actually yes, each new edition of a game should do this. I'm confused why you're against it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Actually yes, each new edition of a game should do this. I'm confused why you're against it.

The change is so people go out and buy new rule books. Don't need an essay to explain that.

 

[Shardstone]

The change is so people go out and buy new rule books. Don't need an essay to explain that.

I'm unimpressed with the cynicism.

 

[Willie the Duck]

Actually yes, each new edition of a game should do this. I'm confused why you're against it.

Did they say they were against it, or just unconvinced of the necessity/mandate?

 

[Micah Sweet]

Thanks for the compliment and glad that you found both books useful.

And for folks who don't know both are very lite on the stats due to both book's focus on detailing a region. This makes it easy to use either with other editions and other fantasy RPGs. For the past few months I have been running a 5e campaign in Blackmarsh, the party is currently at 3rd level about to hit 4th.

Thank you! Both books are amazing resources.

 

[tomBitonti]

Topologically, there is no difference between a line(/ray/segment) and a spiral. Topology has a tendency to classify rather distinct looking things as technically identical, e.g. the rather tired joke of the mathematician who can't tell the difference between her coffee mug and her doughnut because each one is a torus, the mug just has a really big dimple on one side of its otherwise very thin torus.

Exactly this.

I think I expressed my self poorly: “Looking like a spiral” was meant to express that the design looks interesting and possibly multiple connected, but it isn’t. It really just a line which has been bent twice.

I consider this to be a problem because it is un-interesting, and because it provides no alternatives to players. The major nodes along the path must be visited one after another. In particular, the hydra encounter is unavoidable. I don’t need a maze, just a few options.

(Not only is the hydra location unavoidable, but the text doesn’t provide support for encountering the hydra without fighting it.)

TomB

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I consider this to be a problem because it is un-interesting, and because it provides no alternatives to players. The major nodes along the path must be visited one after another. In particular, the hydra encounter is unavoidable. I don’t need a maze, just a few options.

I really don't see the issue. Was Raiders of the Lost Arc a terrible movie because there was only one path through to the gold idol?

Sometimes it makes no sense to have a complex dungeon map.

And it's a hydra! You expect to have a chat with it?!

 

[tomBitonti]

I really don't see the issue. Was Raiders of the Lost Arc a terrible movie because there was only one path through to the gold idol?

Sometimes it makes no sense to have a complex dungeon map.

And it's a hydra! You expect to have a chat with it?!

Well, you might have a chat with the water weird (or maybe not). Or drag a cow down into the dungeon. Or try to sneak by. Or wait for the hydra to sleep, or for it to be away.

The golden idol was protected by a gauntlet, which is usually linear. Sometimes, linear makes sense. Proving a careful party a way to explore around a dangerous encounter seems also to make sense.

TomB

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Well, you might have a chat with the nixie. Or drag a cow down into the dungeon. Or try to sneak by. Or wait for the hydra to sleep, or for it to be away.

The golden idol was protected by a gauntlet, which is usually linear. Sometimes, linear makes sense. Proving a careful party a way to explore around a dangerous encounter seems also to make sense.

TomB

So were does it say the party can't try to sneak past the hydra?