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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alphastream" data-source="post: 6343488" data-attributes="member: 11365">The problem is that some gamers are insatiable - it wasn't hard to find organized play gamers that played more than 5 4-hour Living Forgotten Realms adventures every week! 20 hours of content a week? When you think of how long it takes to create a single 4-hour adventure (write it, develop it, playtest it, edit it)... it is just impossible to supply everyone with their version of "I want everything". Further, some players want very specific experiences: support for stores so they have a local community (and stores want to boost sales), convention play so they can see their friends and stimulate the con scene, special convention events so they have a way to play truly huge and often multi-table events, home play that feels like a campaign, quick one-shots, introductory adventures, etc. The list of "everything" is completely different in size and form depending on who you ask. Importantly, if you offer everything everywhere, you erode the experiences and the reasons why people play in certain locations. We want in-store play, because it creates a strong hobby. Offer too much of the public play for home play and you take away from in-store play.What Wizards is doing for the first time is supplying several different experiences while allowing players to jump across them as they see fit. That's really cool. Before, an Encounters player couldn't bring their character to a convention and then come back to the store with the same character. Before, you couldn't feel that your actions in Encounters would have some connection to what you do in home play or at conventions. Now there is a central theme that unifies those varied ways to play.Is it perfect? It can't be. At least, it can't be everyone's version of perfect because everyone has a different version. Theoretically, the uber-collector can attend a store for Encounters, play the rest of the published modules at home, play Expeditions either at a store of convention, play the Epic at a major convention, play Neverwinter, play whatever else third parties may launch... and get the whole experience. No one is expected to do that (though surely someone will). The alternative to offering so much is to close off or isolate those ways of playing - and that would in turn dissatisfy many. If what you are is a home player, then here's what D&D is offering:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is an overarching exciting theme: The Cult of the Dragon is changing its ways somehow, and dragons are stirring! Regardless of how much you play, others will share in that storyline, which is cool!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You can purchase the two official storyline adventures, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786965649/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0786965649&linkCode=as2&tag=alphastream-20&linkId=J5Q3KZ3CCTVKWMWR" target="_blank">Hoard of the Dragon Queen</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786965657/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0786965657&linkCode=as2&tag=alphastream-20&linkId=FYW66Y3IGEV3TWH5" target="_blank">The Rise of Tiamat</a>. (I've linked to Amazon because you say you can't buy from a local store). People playing in Encounters will also be going through the first part of Hoard, so you will have much to talk about with others online. The two adventures will take you through about 15th level, so it will be a memorable campaign and a full D&D experience.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">While you won't participate in Epic adventures, you can hear about them and perhaps incorporate some elements into home play.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You could run Expeditions in a public place, if you were willing to run at a library, coffee shop, or similar location and make the games open to others. That would extend your experience, though you would likely need different characters (the Gen Con adventures top out at 4th level). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You could also play the Starter Set adventure, which is valid for Adventurer's League. It is a very good adventure. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You could incorporate other previous adventures, such as <a href="http://www.dndclassics.com/product/120762/Vault-of-the-Dracolich-DD-Next&affiliate_id=66355" target="_blank">Vault of the Dracolich</a> or Sundering adventures such as <a href="http://www.dndclassics.com/product/128515/Dreams-of-the-Red-Wizards-Dead-in-Thay-DD-Next&affiliate_id=66355" target="_blank">Dead in Thay</a>, since those touch on similar themes (Cult of the Dragon, Thay, etc.). VoD and DiT both have a very exciting high-stakes feel and the central theme could be taken and the monsters modified to different levels of play... or use them as side stories in your ToD campaign.</li> </ul>All told, that's a ton of possible play. Not ideal for everyone, but nothing is!</blockquote>

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