Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tsuul Jan 21, 2010 13:40:12	Ok, so how do we get this gem from the convention without driving to Indiana?? www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/d... Anyone able to grab me a copy, send me a PM =) Dark Sun: Death in the Arena Get the first look at the return to Athas as you play through an exciting preview adventure! Each pregenerated character comes loaded with Dark Sun preview material – new races, builds, and other exciting rules options come alive as you battle for glory and your lives in the Stadium of Tyr. The future of the Golden City has been thrown into chaos and doubt, and you must negotiate its dangers to survive! 1st-level pre-generated characters are provided. Games run every day from Thursday through Sunday.
#2 sir_sparhawk Jan 22, 2010 12:08:34	That's what I'm wondering.  I could use that info.
#3 whiteflame74 Feb 03, 2010 10:18:19	It's starting to look like they won't release it.    I don't know why I mean it's a preview you'd think they'd want more people to play it, you know as a preview.
#4 Pennarin Feb 03, 2010 11:45:51	We only need one person to scan it and private person-to-person emailing to move it along, which as far as I know is legal if the material was free to begin with. (Leaving a hundred printed copies at your local store would not be legal, though.)
#5 Alphastream Feb 03, 2010 12:23:05	The judges shared that the adventure was top-secret and not for distribution. You have probably seen the pdf character sheets here, but the adventure itself was actually changed slightly to 'watermark' each judge - if one version gets out, they know who did it. (We joked that a judge should make a custom version and send it out...) The adventure will be at several conventions (sounds like both PAX and Comic-Cons, plus Gen Con and Origins), so you have chances to check it out. I can share that the adventure was very good both on its own and at capturing the DS feel. It starts in the arena of Tyr, on a parallel track (concurrent but separate) to what Rikus and team are going through in the first novel. You get a nice feel for the culture of templars, the arenas, the strange creatures that inhabit Athas, and the way the society works. The rules-side (breaking weapons, psionics, etc.) reinforce all of that.
#6 Pennarin Feb 03, 2010 14:48:04	Watermarking only matters if the person receiving the document shows it to people. I don't game, so that's not an issue.
#7 Alphastream Feb 03, 2010 15:14:39	Watermarking only matters if the person receiving the document shows it to people. I don't game, so that's not an issue. Technical arguments aside, it was also a social contract between Dave Christ, the organizer (and behind him, WotC) and the DM. It would be pretty wrong and folly for a DM to share the adventure. I don't think they would judge a big con for a long time.
#8 Pennarin Feb 03, 2010 16:45:05	Mmm, let's see: they create an excellent adventure, as per you report, that only a few people get to own, and several hundred others experienced through gaming. Are they serious? They released the World Gaming Day adventures before... When the document for Secrets of the Dead Lands was released as a few printed prizes at a convention way back when, they also set down a social contract, as you call it, and only a half dozen people got to legally experience the unpublished document and were forbidden to make copies. It was a super crapy decision on TSR's part then, and WotC's current decision to not release Death in the Arena to the public at large is just as bad. /rant
#9 Shroomy Feb 03, 2010 17:06:12	Who says they won't eventually release it, like at a time closer to the DSCS release (or maybe sooner, who knows).  Currently, WotC is using it as a marketing tool to generate interest in 4e Dark Sun at gaming conventions; not widely distributing it gives the con events a "special event" type vibe. BTW, just because the adventure is "free" doesn't mean its not copyrighted.  Making copies and/or distributing them would still not be kosher.
#10 xlorep_darkhelm Feb 03, 2010 17:35:54	Ahh, but withholding details builds hype. And hype builds potential sales. So, basically, it is a marketing strategy, and typically a very effective one.
#11 sir_sparhawk Feb 03, 2010 17:40:51	I'd have to say I don't mind them holding it for now.  I hope they eventually do release it, maybe as a Dungeon Magazine release to be downloaded because I'd love to incorporate it in to my campaign should it fit.  Plus I just believe the more Dark Sun content that's produced, the better.  Right now they're saying most material that's going to be released for DS is going to be through Dungeon Mag and DDi.  I certainly hope that's not the case because the more actual printed material you have, the longer the buzz and support will be for a particular setting.  I'm running a Forgotten Realms campaign right now and there's nothing extra printed beyond the Campaign Guide, Player's Guide and Adventure.  I know there's content on DDi and Dungeon but the fact that I'm not grasping it in my hands makes me feel like the setting is not being supported.  Makes me want to jump ship from the setting (which I'm doing anyways to run Dark Sun when it's released but that's besides the point.). If they don't do more than just a few minis in a box, or produce more supplements and adventures for me to hold for Dark Sun I can see myself feeling quite jaded about my favorite setting.  Not sure if it would make me stop playing the setting (I doubt it), but if it makes a die-hard fan of the setting feel that way, what could it do to the fans that just have a casual interest?  I'm old school and want to hold it in my hands and I believe most gamers are the same way.  Here's to hoping.
#12 fey_feline Mar 12, 2010 21:34:52	If this ever shows up online, please PM me!