Pathfinder 1E You're the CEO of PAIZO. Now What?

[billd91]

Except for those times it is down or slow, I never have any problems with their messageboards. I keep wondering as well what is so bad about them that it drives people to distraction. T

The posting timeout issue is a bit vexing, though one that can be alleviated by copying your text first before hitting submitting the post.

The posting controls don't respond well if you're using a browser with graphics turned off.

Posts around the page breaks have a tendency to become inaccessible. I've heard that's an issue with the way it interacts with browser caching, but I haven't confirmed it.

Can't set people on ignore.

Lots of little stuff that makes the difference between a package like ENWorld uses and a homegrown board. It's the difference between a good board compared to an adequate one.

 

[Wicht]

Ok, I admit the occassional inability to see the latest post in a thread you are following can be a bit offputting. Maybe it doesn't bother me so much anymore as I figured out how to run around it. (When aware of an invisible post, you can still view it in the persons "recent posts" page)

 

[bagger245]

Indeed. One wonders why these same 4e fans don't hound and hound WotC to release 4e under the OGL, which would open up 3pp support? After all, it was initially announced that 4e would be published under an OGL. Or why these same 4e fans don't hound WotC to produce better materials? After all, WotC could certainly change their writers guidelines to do so. Or why these same 4e fans don't simply convert materials to 4e, since it is supposed to be so easy to do?



It is easier to ask someone else to take the risk than to take the risk yourself. Also, perhaps, a bit of envy over the high quality adventure materials fans of some other games get to enjoy.

Although, I am constantly told that 4e encounters are easy to write up, so I have to wonder why the Pathfinder APs cannot be easily converted to 4e by individual DMs.

I mean, I am running a completely different system, yet I have no trouble converting Paizo materials or WotC 4e materials. Can this really be so difficult?



RC

I run Savage Worlds and you can just strip out the Pathfinder stats from the AP and DONE!.

I guess the 4e players want the stats officially printed as a 4e adventure.

WOTC adventures aren't that bad, just that they focus more on combat. To people who love it, it's great. To people who don't, well they want Pathfinder-ish adventures..

 

[Hunter In Darkness]

The posting timeout issue is a bit vexing, though one that can be alleviated by copying your text first before hitting submitting the post.

The posting controls don't respond well if you're using a browser with graphics turned off.

Posts around the page breaks have a tendency to become inaccessible. I've heard that's an issue with the way it interacts with browser caching, but I haven't confirmed it.

Can't set people on ignore.

Lots of little stuff that makes the difference between a package like ENWorld uses and a homegrown board. It's the difference between a good board compared to an adequate one.

I can see an issue with some of this yes, Firefox+Lazarus fixes the"damn lost my post" issue. I have never used a brower with no graphis so don't know

As for the package forums, yes they are nice..however they are well known and easy targets for hackers. Someone who depends heavily upon the website for crash flow and runs a very successful store from said site can not risk paint a huge target on security just to have an ignore function

True is only one website has paizo's software, that be paizo so really I can see just why they do not use common form programs and such.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Lots of little stuff that makes the difference between a package like ENWorld uses and a homegrown board. It's the difference between a good board compared to an adequate one.

Most of the issues you cite don't bother me, however the current layout where it displays posts is not optimal IMO. I would rather have to click on a forum and see all new posts than only see the top couple displayed. If I go away for a week and come back, I tend to gloss over forums with uninteresting (to me) top posts. That said, Paizo does do a couple nifty things like give you the number of new posts since you last read the thread, and I like that.

 

[renau1g]

As much as I'd love Paizo to produce 4e materials that would be a selfish request. From a business model POV I see Paizo sticking to their system and continuing to develop great products. You managed to pry me away from WoTC with your current AP Kingmaker and I've purchased the core rules + AP subscrip + River Kingdoms.

So I guess in other words, keep doing what you're doing, if it ain't broken don't fix it. Oh and please no Pathfinder 1.5 edition or any other nonsense like that within a year

 

[Dannager]

Indeed. One wonders why these same 4e fans don't hound and hound WotC to release 4e under the OGL, which would open up 3pp support? After all, it was initially announced that 4e would be published under an OGL.

Because I don't want to see another OGL.

Or why these same 4e fans don't hound WotC to produce better materials? After all, WotC could certainly change their writers guidelines to do so.

There are tons of people who do that already. The issue isn't just with the way the adventures are made, though. I like that, and I also like the Golarion campaign setting.

Or why these same 4e fans don't simply convert materials to 4e, since it is supposed to be so easy to do?

Perhaps you missed my sig. I don't sit idly by while something I want to see happen isn't happening and is out of my hands. I decided to do it myself, albeit in amateur form, and provide it as a resource to the community.

 

[Wicht]

Because I don't want to see another OGL.

Wow, I really can't relate to that. Personally, I think the OGL was the 2nd best thing that ever happened in the history of roleplaying games (first being the creation of Dungeons and Dragons itself). Paizo's keeping it alive helps keep the creative community bubbling and for that they get much praise from me.

 

[Betote]

Because I don't want to see another OGL.

I'm curious: why? What can you, as a customer, lose from a OGL model for 4e? Taking into account that it's entirely possible to have it while at the same time there's a more restrictive "D&D Logo License" which gave 3pp's the option to also use the fluff and trademarks of D&D?

If the question is: "there would be a lot of crap", well, there IS a lot of crap under the GSL, that's not stopping them. What the GSL is doing is preventing professional publishers from publish their well done products under it for fear of having it rescinded or modified without warning and going out of business.

There are tons of people who do that already. The issue isn't just with the way the adventures are made, though. I like that, and I also like the Golarion campaign setting.

I find it weird: I don't see many people asking Chaosium to publish their adventures under the GUMSHOE system, because they're different companies with different games. People assume they have to make conversions if they want to use Chaosium scenarios with CoC. But they still try to persuade Paizo to publish their books for a different game made by a different company.

[/QUOTE]Perhaps you missed my sig. I don't sit idly by while something I want to see happen isn't happening and is out of my hands. I decided to do it myself, albeit in amateur form, and provide it as a resource to the community.[/QUOTE]

And that's a step in the right direction. They way it has always been, the way it should be. I've heard you do a very good job, so keep on doing it!

 

[Raven Crowking]

Because I don't want to see another OGL.

Like other posters before me, I'm nonplussed by this.

I like that, and I also like the Golarion campaign setting.

Perhaps you missed my sig. I don't sit idly by while something I want to see happen isn't happening and is out of my hands. I decided to do it myself, albeit in amateur form, and provide it as a resource to the community.

True; I didn't look at your sig.....but good on 'ya for posting conversions online!

If you like the material, however, and both can & will convert it yourself, what difference does it make to you if Paizo does it for you or not?

For that matter, why not call Paizo & WotC, and try to get a license to produce "official" conversions from both sides? I mean, if you think there is a point to actually having an "official" conversion.....?

RC