To Publishers: Adventure Paths?

[Treebore]

Man! Between what you guys at TLG and at Necro are doing this year! Can i set up a payment plan?

 

[Black Knight]

This is from the Mongoose's forum:

ULTIMATE CAMPAIGN TRILOGY
Okay, so that is just a working title However, we are planning to release the campaign to end all campaigns towards the end of the year - three 256 page hardbacks will combine into one massive trilogy, charting the progress of a party of adventurers and their fight against an insidious evil beneath their feet. Combined, this campaign will take characters from 1st to 30th Epic level, on a rollercoaster ride of adventure, excitement and tragedy. Story telling in roleplaying will reach a new high point with these books.

If you'd like to read more (and there is certainly a ton of it), go on over to this thread at the Mongoose forums.

 

[cleaverthepit]

We are hoping to bring the Cult of Yex in at 24.95 but it may go as high as 29.95. We shall see. Again, it comes down to Steve's numbers and my intransigence. If only printers would print for free!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[vrykyl]

I was wondering why no one else has picked up on the idea of doing a series of connected adventure like the Adventure Path series and the Dungeon Adventure Path material. They seem to be very popular and with the right support could be very successful.

I know some of you have made series of modules like the Witchfire series or Rappan AThuk, but what about an epic story that spans more than the traditional trilogy? Why hasn't anyone done a GDQ or T1-4 type series?

Jason

Our ESCAPE INTO DARKNESS and SANCTUARY adventures for Sovereign Stone followed a linked storyline, and now for Dragonlance we are about to publish KEY OF DESTINY next month, the first of three "mega-adventures" that will form an entire campaign.

I think publishers are afraid of products that give your customers reasons to say no. Having "Volume II" on a book that they might not have seen part one for could be one reason. Still, I've seen plenty of publishers plunge ahead and do big storyline campaigns--or bundle them together in one huge product.

Jamie Chambers
Sovereign Press, Inc.

 

[d20Dwarf]

If I'm not mistake, Dire Kobolds adventures are setup to be "adventure paths."

Only mine are. The 7th in the series is in production, and the 8th (and final!) should be out by Gencon I reckon.

 

[SoulsFury]

How easy will it be to fit the Cult of Yex in any campaign world?

Nik

 

[mroberon1972]

Ancient Awakenings Publications is working on 'drop in settings' that can be placed in any standard fantasy world. The first setting is Valley of Frozen Tears, and will be supported by three modules that cover a major even in the valley.

If the setting and modules sell well, we'll make more. If not... Then the people have spoken, and no more 'drop in settings with modules' will be created.

It's already a risky venture, considering the poor sale of standard modules... I guess that is what is causing your problem finding them in the first place...

 

[Black Knight]

Originally posted by mroberon1972
poor sale of standard modules

Not to change up the subject too far, but I have read many times on the ENWorld boards that modules don't sell. I don't agree with that at all. I think it's the fact that sub-standard modules aren't selling. Let's face it, there are quite a few of them out there.

Back on topic: I think a drop-in setting with some module support would be pretty cool. Especially if there is enough information to grow off the drop-in into a continuing plot in my own world.

 

[mroberon1972]

THe problem is in the definition of 'sub-standard'. Everyone seems to define it differantly.

A point in example, I was showing off some maps I made to get some feedback. I got about 70% rating it as good or better, about 20% saying it was up to industry standards, and about 20% saying they were substandard.

Of the 20% that said it was substandard, they gave me directions to an online map they said was better designed. I did not think it was that good myself, and just looked like 'another map'.

Much of this just comes with a person's worldview, and is impossible to quantify. That's why it's called 'personal taste'. The problem is many people tell others what is good based on only this, and not what is in the book.

Or perhaps I'm just rambling?

 

[Buzzardo]

How easy will it be to fit the Cult of Yex in any campaign world?

Nik

Our hope is very easy. Other messages on this thread use the phrase "drop in setting" and that, I think, is a great descriptor. The Cult of Yex campaign occurs in a geograhically tight desert area. Any place in your campaign world where you have a desert fairly close to a southern coast would allow a complete drop in with little or no trouble. We provide town names and details, but these could easily be modified to fit with existing towns in your world, or could be dropped in as new towns in an area previously unexplored by your party.

The only unalterable geography in the campaign is the town of Demon's Bluff, which has peculiar geography totally integral to the story. Demon's Bluff (a smallish town) would need to be a drop in town, all the rest are totally alterable by you with a minimum of trouble to fit your world.

Let me know if you have any other questions,

Parker