Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Adventure Path: How Successful?

[Dice4Hire]

Now as someone who plays a lot of online gaming, mainly via Yahoogroups, what is people's opinion of hte number of Pathfinder games that will be opening up/being run after Gencon? Because for me that is a big deal maker or breaker. I like Deadlands and star wars, but finding games like that is nearly impossible, so I do not play those systems, though I have some rulebooks. I do not want Pathfinder to be a game system I like, but cannot find players for.

I hope hey will be successful, but they need to be successful enough to have a good pool of online players, to attract me.

 

[Mistwell]

I'd be happy to give pointers to anyone doing conversion work, or explain why I made certain design choices during my own conversion process.

Thanks. I am slowly being persuaded that such a project is doable without as much fuss as I previously thought there might be.

 

[SteveC]

Now as someone who plays a lot of online gaming, mainly via Yahoogroups, what is people's opinion of hte number of Pathfinder games that will be opening up/being run after Gencon? Because for me that is a big deal maker or breaker. I like Deadlands and star wars, but finding games like that is nearly impossible, so I do not play those systems, though I have some rulebooks. I do not want Pathfinder to be a game system I like, but cannot find players for.

I hope hey will be successful, but they need to be successful enough to have a good pool of online players, to attract me.

I think this is a very good question. The lion's share of people playing Pathfinder or other 3X based OGL games were playing it when WotC was still putting out product for 3X. As time goes by, those numbers will decrease. Does Paizo have a marketing plan to bring new gamers into the fold with Pathfinder? Without it, I'm wondering at the long term viability of the brand.

They will either have to market to new gamers, or come up with a way to make those gamers who are introduced to D&D through 4E interested in jumping ship over to Pathfinder. I'd be interested to see how that would happen.

--Steve

 

[ShinHakkaider]

I think this is a very good question. The lion's share of people playing Pathfinder or other 3X based OGL games were playing it when WotC was still putting out product for 3X. As time goes by, those numbers will decrease.

Is this a fact? Do you have numbers for this somewhere or is this just hopeful speculation? Do you think the same in terms of 4E as well?

Does Paizo have a marketing plan to bring new gamers into the fold with Pathfinder? Without it, I'm wondering at the long term viability of the brand.
--Steve

I'm guessing the the long term viability of the brand will be the same as GURPS, HERO System, Mutants & Masterminds, Savage Worlds, and many MANY other RPG's that dont have the D&D brand name on them.

 

[SteveC]

Is this a fact? Do you have numbers for this somewhere or is this just hopeful speculation? Do you think the same in terms of 4E as well?

I don't think it's "hopeful" speculation, since I don't want Pathfinder (or any other RPG) to fail, but it's a simple fact: not everyone who starts playing RPGs keep doing so. Over time, some of the people who were playing 3X and who moved to Pathfinder will move on to other things, just as some of the people who play 4E will. A game has to constantly get new players because of this.

I'm guessing the the long term viability of the brand will be the same as GURPS, HERO System, Mutants & Masterminds, Savage Worlds, and many MANY other RPG's that dont have the D&D brand name on them.

You may end up being right. I guess I see Pathfinder in a different light than those other systems. Most people come into the hobby through D&D, and if they stay in it, they decide to try other systems eventually because they discover that this other system is out there that does something different that they want: maybe they want to play super heroes and find M&M or Godlike or HERO or something similar. I guess I'm not seeing the draw for Pathfinder to people who enter the hobby through 4E. I can certainly see how people who want to keep playing 3X and have it be supported will like it, just not how the new blood will come into the game. You may be right, and Pathfinder will just be another system among many, but I wonder if the designers have any thoughts or goals they'd like to share (since some have come by this thread already).

This is a bit of a stretch from the original point of the thread, perhaps we should fork it to continue any discussion (which I'm happy to do).

--Steve

 

[BryonD]

or come up with a way to make those gamers who are introduced to D&D through 4E interested in jumping ship over to Pathfinder. I'd be interested to see how that would happen.

--Steve

Well, setting aside the differences in scale, it seems there are plenty of people who find other games preferable to 4E. 4E will be a natural starting point, but it seems pretty reasonable that a similar fraction of new players will ultimately find they like something else more.

The idea that all future gamers will be 4E-philes and getting some fraction to "jump ship" is some major challenge is rather bizarre.

 

[SteveC]

Well, setting aside the differences in scale, it seems there are plenty of people who find other games preferable to 4E. 4E will be a natural starting point, but it seems pretty reasonable that a similar fraction of new players will ultimately find they like something else more.

The idea that all future gamers will be 4E-philes and getting some fraction to "jump ship" is some major challenge is rather bizarre.

Right. I'm not sure where the confusion comes from: of course people will jump ship. Back when 2E hit, that's exactly what I did: I started playing HERO, Rolemaster and a lot of other games. I'm just wondering what would cause people to jump ship to what is essentially an older version of the same game. Maybe that will happen and that's the plan for bringing in new generations of Pathfinder gamers. I'm just wondering if there's any other plan.

--Steve

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

I'm just wondering what would cause people to jump ship to what is essentially an older version of the same game.

--Steve

see thats the issue 4e and 3e have the same name but really are not the same game. To may changes the system is not the same. Pathfinder is changed some from 3e. Some people may like that system more, find it more to the likeing.

This isn't a bash on 4e , but not everyone likes the same type of game is all

 

[BryonD]

Right. I'm not sure where the confusion comes from: of course people will jump ship. Back when 2E hit, that's exactly what I did: I started playing HERO, Rolemaster and a lot of other games. I'm just wondering what would cause people to jump ship to what is essentially an older version of the same game. Maybe that will happen and that's the plan for bringing in new generations of Pathfinder gamers. I'm just wondering if there's any other plan.

--Steve

The exact same reason a lot of people are choosing it now. I'd say 3E / PF is a very different game from 4E.

As to older version: Well, first and foremost, if they see it as an older, better version then better will win the day.

But also, I think comparing an actively supported PFRPG to out of print games is a deeply flawed position.

 

[SteveC]

The exact same reason a lot of people are choosing it now. I'd say 3E / PF is a very different game from 4E.

As to older version: Well, first and foremost, if they see it as an older, better version then better will win the day.

But also, I think comparing an actively supported PFRPG to out of print games is a deeply flawed position.

Just so you know, both HERO and Rolemaster are still in print and supported. Heck, HERO is on schedule for a new edition this year, and Rolemaster is looking for a new one starting in 2010. But it sounds like your answer is to hope that people naturally find Pathfinder after starting with 4E (in the future that is). That's certainly one answer...I just hope for the future of Paizo that they have some sort of plan to make that transition easier. I want to make something clear: even though Pathfinder is not my game, the folks behind it are some of the nicest folks in the industry, so I wish them well.