[Rant] What Paizo got right (and I got wrong)

It's not often that I admit that I was wrong. But the more I work at writing and expanding my own game settings, the more I have to give it to the people at Paizo. Now, don't get all excited (Chad). I have not played Pathfinder in years and just have no intention of doing so - mostly because I don't want to put the effort into organizing it.

I got into Pathfinder when it first came out, in 2009 and really liked what I saw of the rules. The game is solid and well-tested. I played it with great enthusiasm until 2017 or 2018.

I remember looking at the Golarion Setting Book. Multiple times. And every time, I kept getting the impression of something missing, like I was drinking a Kool-Aid drink into which there was too much water. Sure it TASTES like something, but the full flavor is not there. Like everything was in there, but that it lacked some meat.

For years, I kept that impression.

Then earlier this year, I decided to give a new look. And won't you be surprised, I found the book to be extremely well written with just enough material to make it viable. And therein lay its genius: the razor's edge upon which it thread. Just enough.

Could it use more? Yes! For most of the nations in the book I find myself wanting to learn more about them. There is just enough to tease my taste buds. Just enough for me to create an adventure there. Having since written multiple settings (Akhamet, Olympia, co-wrote Rhym, and soon Ozaka), I found myself in awe of the Golarion setting book for its simplicity.

So what did I get wrong back in the day? How did I come to this impression of incompleteness? Of water-down Kool-Aid? I mean the book is the same. How could I have changed so much?

On the one hand, clearly experience. With more writing, I could appreciate it more.

On the other hand, I guess the issue was that I could not find good hooks for the stories *I* wanted to tell. That while good, nothing reached out to me. The light flavor of historical elements with fantasy elements just did not feel like it went deep enough. While this latest impression remains, I have to review my thoughts on the rest of it.

This is a solid product that deserves the praise it earned in the past and the accolades it garnered.

Stuffed Full of Pathfinder and playing turkey ???

Okay so Pathfinder v2 is now out and the universe has not ended. Neither has it taken aflame. I have NOT bought the book and as of yet do not plan on doing it. That is until I get to play a game or two and can have a good idea of how the game plays.

With that in mind, I have been looking for events here in the Nashville area and was not able to find anything.

Edit: As I write this, there is the first event for PF2 setup. I cannot attend that event so that will not be it.

I was speaking to my good friend Florent who will be coming to see us for Thanksgiving this year. While they are here, he offered to run something for us. I guess I will play something with ActionMan at that time.

I must say that I find myself excited at the prospect. See whether the things I heard are true: both the good and the bad - as there seems to be three tiers of people: those who like, those who hate, and those who just don't care (typically because they are playing something else).

So stuff me full of turkey before putting dice in my hands! That is a positive game experience.

[Predictions of Doom] Goblinworks is dead

I want to thank Tori-B from Realms of Chirak for drawing my attention to this. I thought the project was trudging along "well enough". Pathfinder Online (PFO) wasn't taking the world by storm, but neither was it being bashed to death - though I will admit to having heard more naysayers than people who loved it. Most of the negatives are things I would pass on as growing pains, and with the software not yet fully released all within the realm of the fixable: didn't like the presentation, didn't like the long walks, etc. Things that can be addressed.

I just read of the fate of Goblinworks and PFO: low money, layoffs, skeletal crew remaining, and the lead leaving. In the software industry, that's when you know it's time to bug out and that a project is dead. Right now, users are promised the servers will be up through the end of the month, that's not a very bright future for what seemed like a slam-dunk just a year or so ago. I've been on a few of those in the past and most company tend to pull the plug really quick on those projects.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this. I really wanted the game to be success. I never expected it to be on par with World of Warcraft in size, like a few of the more optimistic of my friends boasted but I expected it to have a decent success and be a product that would keep it going like a number of games out there that I enjoy: Dungeons and Dragons Online, DC Universe, Guild Wars, and Star Wars The Old Republic. As a cheapie, I would wait for it to go full free then play it, buying only DLCs and a few added bits and bobs like I've done for other games.

What can we learn from Goblinworks' experience? The short answer: stick with what you know best and license the rest. Seriously, TSR and WotC have done it with varying degree of success. When a partnership works, they continue (such as DDO) and the parent company keep raking in free cash and let others take the risk. When it is not doing so great, they stop (like that Daggerdale game). Another thing that really divided people was the "everything is PVP" that stance turned a number of people off (including myself), I suck at all PVP and generally stay away from those games - heck I don't do it in the games I play regularly!

However, we cannot write off Paizo and Goblinworks in one go. I think Paizo is still doing well enough to keep going, that the end of Goblinworks will not see it end (I sure hope not!!!) Creating software is not like writing books, you can't just throw more people at it and expect it to be done at the target date. It just doesn't work that way. In fact, the more people you throw at it, the more likely you end up with issues.

I really hope Goblinworks gets bought out by another gaming studio that we can get to see Golarion come to life.

I am seriously bummed about this news. Much more than I thought I would be , even if I don't have any money invested in it. Why? My home computer still runs XP, so I am below specs to run the game. Plus, I did not support those Kickstarters because of a number of reasons, one of them because I saw this coming.

Since this post is a prediction of doom, I have to make a dated prediction. With a sad and heavy heart, by Thanksgiving (end of November), Goblinworks will be gone and Pathfinder Online a thing of the past. The writing is on the wall: PFO is dying a quick death, how quick is the question. It was a nice dream but one that will never come to fruition.

Sad.

JP

[Rant?] Pathfinder MMO: Do I like it? Is this really a rant?

I have been thinking about this post for about a week. Trying to be sure that my mind was made up correctly. But also because I felt like I was going to crap all over a friend's valiant effort. This post is not that. It's just me trying to understand the whole affair.

I mean to talk about the Pathfinder MMO Kickstarter. Last summer, they put together a Kickstarter for their demo to pitch to investors. They gathered about 300k$. Significantly more than I thought. It showed the devotion and love the community has for the game and the setting, something I never doubted.

Personally, I only play MMOs once they go free to play, for budget reason (I've played a lot of Guild Wars I, D&D Online, Star Trek Online, Conan online and more recently, DC Universe Online). I simply cannot commit family resources to something I can't predict how much I'll play. I debated with myself for a long time about whether or not I should chip in - if only for the special adventure they offered. In the end, I chose not to (for personal reasons that had little with the project itself). I did re-tweet and talk about the project to people.

I look at the Paizo Con stills in awe. The goblins Paizo showed were looking great. Seoni looked... Well she had generous tracts of land and a "High Charisma". The look was impressive and I did admit to have second thoughts. Then again... the kickstarter offered little-to-nothing about the game itself: no guarantee to get in on the Beta, no play-time, just an adventure... Granted the names writing that adventure: Erik Mona, Jason Buhlman, Ed Greenwood!

So I take it the people at Goblinworks did their tech demo, created Sandpoint and parts of Varisia, met with some investors...

This new kickstarter brings up many questions.

Where are investors?

Seeing that in November/December they come back with ANOTHER Kickstarter?

Did they already blow the 300k$?

Are they just trying to get some extra cash?

This whole thing leaves me... Filled with questions and without a satisfactory answer for them. I had the chance of being somewhat on the inside at Paizo and the easy answers of "they're looking for a quick buck" just... just doesn't makes sense.

Then I saw that others were sharing my views and not being on-board as much. It made me re-think about it. I really liked Ironwolf's blog post. His post was spot-on and mirrored my reasoning perfectly. Some people I follow on the twitterverse echoed similar thoughts.

I wasn't alone.

So I've been thinking: is the community love affair with Paizo ending? Did they jump the shark on this? Does the community really want this MMO?

Looking at the first day and the numbers climbed quickly up to 100k$ (as of this writing, it has gone up to 172k$), I'll wait and see if the community really want it. But 1 million is a lot.

Then thinking back to the 300k$ they got in June... That was five times more than they asked for. What happened to that money? I don't think Paizo needs to tell the community anything. But it just seems... So quick. Like they're looking for a quick buck, garner their bank account before they start the full implementation.

That impression of the quick buck is... Well I can't get that out of my head. I don't like it. But it seems is the only answer I can get from what I've read.

On the other hand, I like the idea of the product and the look of what I see thus far. But I can't help but feel like something is... Something is... Weird.

I hope they do well and that they reach their goal.

But I don't feel right in participating in that Kickstarter. I'd love to. This one was the one I was waiting for when the first one was announced. The timing is just weird. Just so quick. How did they spend the 250k$ they got in extra money five months ago? Why are there no investors interested in the product?

This had to be the weirdest, weakest rant EVER. The worse thing about it all is that I don't feel any different... I still feel confused about the whole situation... Normally writing provides some form of relief, some form of clarity, but not this time.

I'm stuck with the same questions as I was... And that's something I can rant about! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

JP

More December Commissions [Pathfinder, Malifaux, Cygnar]

I've not been idle in spite of being on vacation all week! Can't believe it's already been five days. Been doing a lot of writing, playing some Warmachine, and painting. Which is why you are here... Pictures of minis!

Pathfinder Society Characters

This first mini was requested by my good buddy Brad one game night up at Enchanted Grounds. He has a human magus with severe scars on his body. The problem I had with that is that one of the character's coolest aspect (the scars), was almost impossible to do because the mini had very little exposed skin. Still the face came out very nice. I had to do it through a three-step process. First paint it "skin-colored", then I used a watered-down black paint to make the black less opaque and more organic. Then bright red for the scars in a lightning pattern.

This is another Pathfinder Miniature by Reaper. It's another one of those minis that paint up very easily and very well. I give a big kudos to the folks at Reaper for bring to life the art of Wayne Reynolds.

The next miniature was done for Eric from the Springs. He has a female Tian witch (a character I really hate BTW, stupid re-rolling of good rolls). This one is a Larry Elmore miniature, the first one I got my hands on. Very minimalist in terms of equipment (a belt with a few pouched hanging from it). I really like the art and the mini itself. To make this mini work, I would have to do something to really draw the eye. I used this flower pattern than I like (green/silver/red) for the dress. That plus a nice face (which I paid special attention to) makes for a nice, simple mini.

Malifaux

This one is a little special I did for Stephen. I am a big fan of objective markers as they really make it interesting to play for rather than a dice or a chess piece. I chose "Perdicíon" on it as it captures the impression I have of the dark gothic nature and feel of Malifaux.

Warmachine: Cygnar

Okay, this one is not a commission. It's the caster Nemo for my Cygnar army. It's for me, (though I have been debating about selling these on Ebay). If you are interested in a painted Cygnar army, let me know.

Merry Christmas, I doubt I'll post again until AFTER the Doctor Who Christmas special... I'm already missing the Doctor...

JP

Commissions October 2011

It has been a while since I posted an update on painted minis I have done. Mostly because I forgot to put up the pics...

The first mini was commissioned by my friend Steve (for whom I painted an Amiri the Pathfinder barbarian some time ago). He liked what I did for him (and I'm not shy to admit that I like it too). So he commissioned me for three more pieces. Here are the first two.

The Human Assassin

The first one he commissioned for his brother. It is an rogue/assassin characters who skulks around a lot. So dark, green-based colors. However, when he moves in for the kill, he flicks his cloak open revealing a much more visible color on the inside. He asked if it would be possible to model a rapier in place of one of the knives. Piece of cake (to do), trick (to do right).

I found this an interesting challenge to paint up a "drab" character. If you follow my blog and painting works, you know that I like to use strong accent colors. But I could not here. I really like the final result. It's drab, but in a colorful way. The greens and the brown play well together. The inside of the cloak, I did a much lighter shade of green, this serves as an accent for the mini without looking out of place.

The Dwarf with bad teeth

The second mini would challenge my sculpting skills and one I didn't tell him but I was a tad apprehensive. The original is a orc archer. A nice Reaper mini. Steve wants to use it as a dwarf. "I have a 5 Charisma, so an orc mini is perfect! All he needs is a beard". You can't beat that kind of logic. He wanted a nature-type, so again, muted, earthy colors: browns and greens

So I took the mini, brought out the green stuff, and began sculpting. I did the lower beard first then added a thick mustache. The skull cap I turned into hair. The result is a nasty, dirty dwarf with VERY bad teeth and a big beard. I did some extra detail on the tunic with two-tone red lines that give it the appearance of a near-plaid. Interesting piece. I look forward to playing with Steve's character again...

The Third Mini...

I did mention a 3rd mini... that one will have to wait for another day... I did not like how the shield came out. So I will have to re-detail it.

I was asked about commission work: I take them. Contact me directly JP at Chapleau.us and we'll talk.

JP

Commissions for August 2011

Been a while since I've posted anything... I've been busy doing a number of painting projects. Here are my latest work.

JP

Commissions for July 2011

Been a while since I posted here but I've been a busy bee. I have a done a number of paint jobs for my good friend Jeff Kokx of Enchanted Grounds. Jeff wanted to surprise his wife with a couple of nice paint jobs.

The pictures aren't great (the plaid are hard to see), but they should give you a good idea of the minis.

This character is called Luna, gnomish bard in the Pathfinder Society campaign. She is inspired by the purple-haired girl in Kick-Ass. I'll admit I haven't seen the movie, but Google Images gave me the look. I added the Rune of the Open Road on her shield.

This character is called Selah, a Varisian oracle of life in his Kingmaker campaign.

This character is called Nocci, a monk on his Rise of the Runelords campaign. This one has a lot of color layers, mostly subdued but the finish is very nice. The white hair - something I rarely like to do because white hair is hard to nail - turned out very nice... Very layered: light gray, then magic dip, then a series of dry-brushing with various thickness of white. Came out real nice.

Finally, the weasel... Well... It was simple and looks pretty good.

Thanks to Jeff and Heather for the pictures.

JP

Old Commission

This is a mini I did for my friend Homer sometime in 2009. This is his Pathfinder society character, the pawnbroker (and capitalist venture specialist and cleric of Abadar) Zebulon Byalot. As an added bit of fun, I made a banner for him too!

JP

Happy day in Taldor

A few weeks ago, the Theocrat my fellow Venture Captain from Las Vegas - whose soul belongs to Taldor - painted some very nice miniatures. Looking at his work, an idea formed in my mind about a great moment in Golarion's history.

So I set off first composing the vignette then painting it. And thus I present to you the most interesting moment in Taldor's long and rich history, "Happy Day in Taldor" shows the surrender of Taldor to the Satrap of Qadira.

Commissions done: Pathfinder Characters

In spite being doped out of my mind (with gout in my right foot), I managed through coffee and a few of a prayer to complete a number of painting projects that had been laying on my painting table. Most had been "nearly done" for a few weeks now, missing either flocking or a few final touches. So... without further ado, pics of my latest commission work.

You can see more pictures of those minis (and those) on my Wonderpage

Tomorrow, I should have a few more ready to go!

JP

Pathfinder Goblins Painted!

Okay so it’s been quite some time since I posted some pictures. But the long wait has ended. I finally not only put the last touches on the goblins, but I managed to take pictures too!

Akos: The Pre-gens

So finally, Neoncon is coming and it will be my first chance to publicly display my work on the Organized Play campaign set in the world of Akos. There is so much work to be done. Today, I am tackling one of the most complex aspects of starting a campaign like this: Pre-generated characters.

Why is it complex, you ask? First off, the characters must showcase and give some of the flavor of the world and its particularities. Second when presented with a character, everyone has their own view on how such a class should be put together. Third, you want to create characters that are relevant to the adventure but not necessarily focused to it. That last point is, I think the trickiest of all. If my adventures are all about traps, and half the party are designed to blow through them, then the challenge in the adventure become insignificant, similar if none of the pre-gens can deal with traps, then I simply cheat the players.

This is not the same as creating one-shot characters where I can think up of a scene or encounter where each of the PCs can shine or has the potential of shining. Those pre-gens will be thrown at any one of the many adventures currently in development. So my thought process is different. I can’t design a character just for one adventure, knowing he’ll be completely useless in the next.

Okay, okay, I’m exaggerating a bit. The Pathfinder rule set has come a long way from having those adventures that completely negated a character’s usefulness (such as the all-undead adventure vs. the rogue heavy party, or the elemental adventure vs. high-crit party).

I wanted to add a little meat to those characters, so someone sitting at the table is immediately gets some element of flavor with the character: where they come from, who their deity is, do they have any special contacts of ability. I like it when I play one-shot adventures that I receive some piece of information that is unique to me, something that sets me apart from the rest of the group OR that justifies my ties to it.

So what I did was to create characters that had flavor and uniqueness. So far, I have built five, but am trying to come up with a total of pre-gens. Each of them has a unique class, a unique feat, or a unique ability to found in our Player’s Guide. The goal is to present the new material we have while keeping the characters someone familiar to the players.

Now that I established what I wanted to accomplish, “what classes to do?” was my next question. In D&D, I always think there are four basic roles that need to be filled: the melee guy, the healer, the arcanist and the skill monkey (roughly, the fighter, the cleric, the wizard and the rogue). Looking at my list of races, classes and abilities, I came up with the following combination:

An Amazon Cleric

A barbaric Holy Warrior

A Greater Halfling Rogue

A human sorcerer

A human noble

On the sixth, I still waffle and am open to suggestions..

Thought creating pre-generated characters was easy? Trust, it’s a lot more complex that it seems at first glance!

JP