Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Genkitty 05-28-07, 08:27 PM	I just got back from KublaCon and I'm wondering where the proper place is to chatter about played modules/gripe about poorly designed modules. :P
Samwise 05-28-07, 08:49 PM	Write the Triad POC and Circle member for regionals, or the Circle member for meta-region or core. You can also try contacting the author. Remember, that useful feedback is always better received than generic complaints that something is no good or breaks rules.
CdrcJsn 05-29-07, 12:19 AM	Also, try to get a copy of the mod to read over to see if your problem really was with the mod or with how the judge presented it. I also had a problem with a core mod recently and thought it was poorly written. After reading the mod and judging it however, I realized that most of the problems I had with the mod originated with the previous judge. Cedric
Suvarov454 05-29-07, 07:42 AM	Do only certified DMs (i.e. those who pass the Herald test) get to see the mods? Do DMs need to demonstrate intent to run a mod to get to see them?
_metz_ 05-29-07, 08:15 AM	Do only certified DMs (i.e. those who pass the Herald test) get to see the mods? Do DMs need to demonstrate intent to run a mod to get to see them? To get a module one must either be GMing the module itself, or order it online for play. This system can be abused but is generally one of good faith. Only Herald level GMs can GM or order modules. If you read a module you violate your chances of playing it, and you shouldn't be able to get access to one without nicking one off someone who has passed the herald level test. If someone is supplying modules to players before they have played em, they are in SERIOUS trouble :)
The_Jester 05-29-07, 08:41 AM	Well, technically other GMs can see and read mods without being Heralds, they just need to be appointed as judges at a Game Day.
pedr 05-29-07, 10:32 AM	Except that in Living Greyhawk, the LGCS requires that all Living Greyhawk GMs be Herald Level RPGA GMs. This doesn't apply in other campaigns or for home games or the play of Dungeon Magazine adventures for points, though.
Timlagor 05-29-07, 12:45 PM	Most GMs will let you look at a module after you have played it if you ask and there is time. This might be technically against the rules (the only rule I know of says you can't play one you've read -not about who can read one) but it's not going to hurt anything once you've played it. Getting hold of one officially generally does require you to be scheduled to run it.
Suvarov454 05-30-07, 07:34 AM	I only wanted to read adventures after I played them (or after they expired). I'm interested in the shared storytelling aspect of the game.
gomeztoo 05-30-07, 08:07 AM	I only wanted to read adventures after I played them (or after they expired). I'm interested in the shared storytelling aspect of the game. The simplest way is to ask your DM. Gomez
Dr.Cornelius 06-01-07, 03:05 AM	I just got back from KublaCon and I'm wondering where the proper place is to chatter about played modules/gripe about poorly designed modules. :PTake it up with the author. If it was a Pale mod the author can be contacted through the local yahoo group. Also, feel free to post general, non-spoiler comments here. What was the issue?
Genkitty 06-01-07, 10:44 PM	Take it up with the author. If it was a Pale mod the author can be contacted through the local yahoo group. Also, feel free to post general, non-spoiler comments here. What was the issue? Gift of the Tempest, NMR6-05, (played at APL 2) did not strike me as terribly balanced. I would terribly love to get my hands on the module now that I've played it. I want to verify that certain encounters were specifically crafted to render a certain class's signature ability utterly useless, as the GM afterwards stated they had been. I enjoy challenges, but this was... not fun. Cry Havoc, a semi-old Pale introductory module, has a blurb that indicates it's a good module for animal lovers. I strenuously disagree with that assessment and was rather horrified as the plot unfolded. Too Many 'Nomicons, another Pale introductory, was great. Fantastic, even. My favorite module of the 5 I played during the convention. :)
frupton 06-02-07, 02:41 AM	Gift of the Tempest, NMR6-05, (played at APL 2) did not strike me as terribly balanced. I would terribly love to get my hands on the module now that I've played it. I want to verify that certain encounters were specifically crafted to render a certain class's signature ability utterly useless, as the GM afterwards stated they had been. I enjoy challenges, but this was... not fun. I played this recently at APL 4. It was a tough challenge but did not strike me as brutally unbalanced. And I would never dream of saying otherwise in public, as the GM who ran my table posts here frequently. :D Seriously, I could see the wrong party mix having a very tough time of it, but that's true of a number of mods.
_metz_ 06-02-07, 02:47 AM	I am looking forward to Gift of the Tempest, I have a Pirate. btw: Saying that much already implies which class will be screwed over, as I know a few players giving spoilers out like that. If I were you, just say it was unbalanced, and post the rest in a spoiler button thing. (how do you guys do that! forgive me, I am a business student, computers are good for telling me who fell for my nefarious schemes, but I don't understand them..)
Lupo 06-02-07, 07:41 AM	Gift of the Tempest, NMR6-05, (played at APL 2) did not strike me as terribly balanced. I would terribly love to get my hands on the module now that I've played it. I want to verify that certain encounters were specifically crafted to render a certain class's signature ability utterly useless, as the GM afterwards stated they had been. I enjoy challenges, but this was... not fun.<snip> i have played and DMed the splintered sun version of Gift of the Tempest, while i had some issues with the way the DM handled certain encounters when i played it, i found the adventure in total one of the good ones :D. some parts of the module need good preparation by the DM, but this goes for most modules :). ciao martin m.
Madfox11 06-04-07, 03:58 AM	As the author of Gift of the Tempest I would advice you to read the adventure. From past discussions about the adventure I know there are a couple of places where a DM could come to the wrong conclusions - partially becomes of the DMs and partially because I could have made a couple of things clearer. Since I love challenging environments minor mistakes can lead to seemingly unfair situations - e.g. I forgot to remind the DMs about the normal core rules about surprise in one encounter and some DMs read this is auto-surprise which is weird since an author also does not have to repeat the rules for Tumble or attack rolls :rolleyes: In any event, feel free to PM me with any specific complaints. I certainly did my utmost best to make sure every type of character class had some moments to shine. It is a Stormwrack adventure and very difficult to play with centaurs, but the blurb does warn about that.
TWG_Prometheus 06-06-07, 05:12 PM	I have some questions about COR6-14 Cloud of Darkness before I run it for a table of players this Saturday. (9 June 2007) If anyone that knows the module well or especially if anyone that could provide answers with some degree of official backing could email netherpongo@hotmail.com or suggest another venue where I can ask questions in detail, it'd be appreciated. If you do respond, please post something here so I don't get too swamped. Thanks.
solbergb 06-08-07, 02:11 PM	Gift of the Tempest, NMR6-05, (played at APL 2) did not strike me as terribly balanced. At APL2 some of the environmental challenges are a bigger part of the total module ELs than at higher levels. OTOH, the combat encounters tend to be easier. This is a module that's easy to do wrong with a judge running cold (for one thing, some of the environmental stuff varies a bit across APL's - doing the APL8 environment at APL2 makes it a lot worse). Without knowing the details of your exact situation, I can't say how bad it was. The blurb does have warnings that certain char types will be less happy. The mod has unusual structure. When an author does this, he's taking a chance - it is more likely to hose certain party constructions (or be too easy to others), or be vulnerable to GM variation. I'd rather authors take that chance than stick to the "3 combats and you're out" generic style. My GM made a rules error when running it that put my char in significantly more danger too, but then our table was almost a playtest - it was a slotzero of a draft copy or just-post-draft and we as convention judges felt it was more important to play it with a GM running fairly "cold" than to try to judge it without playing it at all. We still had fun with it. For this module, it's the metaregional coordinator and the author to give feedback to.
solbergb 06-08-07, 02:15 PM	- e.g. I forgot to remind the DMs about the normal core rules about surprise in one encounter and some DMs read this is auto-surprise which is weird since an author also does not have to repeat the rules for Tumble or attack rolls :rolleyes: Yeah, that was the mistake our GM made. My >DC30 at APL4 spot check with sufficient light didn't spot the bad guys with negative hide modifiers in their statblocks, so I walked right into the middle of them. Our GM assumed from the wording that the monsters were highly capable of hiding, even though they were not - he guessed wrong because he prepped in a hurry. In my experience the "myth of autosurprise in LG" is mostly from some GM's not being well enough prepared to use the encounter rules when the author doesn't remind them, or the related thing, assuming that the boxtext has to go exactly as it is worded (as opposed to read or paraphrase), especially boxtext that includes actions. Some GM's disallow anything while boxtext is going on, including stuff where long dialogs and battles between NPC's happen while PC's are frozen in space. Mostly this is the fault of boxtext that does anything but describe the situation or provide dialog, that contains "active' elements or "you feel XXX" elements. But it's also the fault of GM's who aren't comfortable adapting the suggested setting/dialog to what the PC's actually do and are. I've even seen an all female party addressed over and over with male pronouns.... In our region, you don't see a lot of autosurprise because we encourage our judges to do better when we catch them out at it. But it still happens from time to time, usually by those who were rushed in preparation. (you'll see me also encouraging judges to refuse to run if not prepared, bullying convention organizers to get module copies out early, organizing extra slot zeros, etc)
TWG_Prometheus 06-08-07, 04:27 PM	Got what I needed. Thanks.
gomeztoo 06-09-07, 05:29 AM	For this module, it's the metaregional coordinator and the author to give feedback to. Note that this is across-metaregional scenario. feedback could be useful for both coordinators and Circle members.