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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Wayward Kickstarter - Codename: Morningstar - "not pledging is telling the industry that you are happy with the status quo."

Copper plated? I mean, not even solid copper?
If you are going to plate, as least go silver...

I'm really not in a good mood tonight, so the quote in the post title generates one response from me:

Trapdoor Technologies - Fuck you!

Who the bloody fuck are you to guilt anyone into backing your failure of a product? I call it a failure, with all due respect, as WotC apparently preferred to lose the money already invested in Codename: Morningstar rather than put even more good money after bad.

Not pledging says a lot of things. Let me count the ways:

1 - I don't play Pathfinder, so this shit is worthless.

2 - We apparently have different definitions of "grognard."

3 - Maybe I don't have a use for a tablet at my gametable.

4 - Maybe I don't have a regular gametable, but use a VTT.

5 - Maybe I've never spent a fucking hour looking up rules - before, during or after games.

- let me insert the following thanks to Midwest_Gamer: "Tenkar's Corollary:"

"Wrong ruling plus pacing plus immersion plus fun, is infinitely better than right ruling minus pacing minus immersion plus frustration."

6 - $1.2 million already spent. Looking to raise $425k from the Kickstarter -

7 - A staff of 16 - Does Paizo even employ that many?

8 - Maybe I don't have the 50 bucks to spend, or would rather spend it some other way.

9 - Arrogance is priceless. It's also a turnoff.

10 - The less referencing rules at the table, the better. This looks like more rules, all the time.

11 - From what I've read, the Beta was abysmal. Not a selling point.

12 - Ever hear of "stretch goals?"

13 - Doesn't Pathfinder have other computer aids that do much of the same?

ENWorld has an active thread on the subject

21 comments:

  1. To be fair, I AM happy with the status quo. I prefer not to play Pathfinder, but if I do play it, I use Hero Lab.

    And yeah, the beta did suck.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Quite frankly I like the basic idea behind this. Having smart devices synced around the table can make for some interesting ideas, especially in case of showing battlefields or artwork. Would I use it? probably not, I might play with it for for a while, but that's it...

    As for the codename:morningstar - I do not look up rules around the table, or even play D20 based system, so - I will pass... but, I can see how some other gaming groups could benefit from this. Good for them and for the guy who creates this software. I am not in any position to tell people how or how not they are supposed to play. It's your game, do what you want.

    I only skimmed the kickstarter page and one thing grinds my gears really badly: "The technology to build Morningstar didn't exist two years ago.". What? What technology is this? All this sounds like buzzwords to me. Are they using NFC(near field communication) on the devices? This existed for ages! I think are they just syncing to some server online... you know... the internet. You probably never heard about it, because it didn't exist two years ago, apparently.

    One thing that I really hate in kickstarters are buzzwords, If I see them, you can be 99% sure that I will not back your project.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It had to be said, and you were the one to say it. Trapdoor stinks of desperation and chicanery.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lighten up, man. We live in a magical age. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. An hour looking up rules?! Jeez, I always thought I get hung up on the rules more than others, but I've never put my friends through anything like that. Check something real quick or let the ref make a call, but keep the game moving. A rule can easily be looked up after the session's over

    All the references to story is a real turn off

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As a referee, I just pull something out of my ass and move on.

      Delete
    2. Yes, sometimes it can take an hour, sometimes more. Sometimes you NEVER find the answer. We had to make a Table Rule that rules discussions are only for between sessions. I had high hopes that PF really would be better than 3.x, and I guess it is, but not by much, and it's losing ground. All bloating the rules does is make more opportunity for arguments.

      Delete
    3. I play ALOT of Pathfinder and I will admit.. its crunchy as hell and getting worse..

      Delete
  6. I saw this and Bill Hicks popped up in my head (you know the skit where he's describing his reaction to Basic Instinct).

    No more internal discussion needed :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Damn. When you can't get Pathfinder fans to throw money at something, you know it's wanting.

    ReplyDelete
  8. If the "status quo" is I'm not spending money on useless RPG products I don't want, then I am quite happy with the status quo. If they want to blow over a million on something nobody wants and they fall flat on their faces for it....that's the free market at work folks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. By not pledging you are telling the industry you are happy with the status quo... wow. They might as well have said that if you don't pledge, the terrorists win.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'd like to order a dozen Status Quo Supporter badges with the all-copper upgrade, please.

    ReplyDelete
  11. There's an interview with Matney at the Tome Show from yesterday where he is asked to answer legitimate feedback from a previous Tome Show discussion and he just repeatedly dodges the questions. Give it a listen if you want to get your bile up. Fishes and bicycles, man, fishes and bicycles.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yeah, but not worth it. 5e didn't need it, as it is a lot more streamlined, and unlike 3e/PF, you don't need a MBA (and much less a program) to make a character for it. My game of choice is DCCRPG anyway, and the app for it is FREE. And even when it was in beta, it was already really solid. The best die roller of any app I've used, and one developer (1, uno)... and did I mention it's free?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This, you beat me to it. The Crawler is free except for fan love and packs a lot of punch. I can't imagine what they are building for 1.2 mil.....no wait 1.625 million dollars. The Crawler is actually all the app you need to play 5th, to be honest or just you know play DCC instead.

      Delete
  13. This is one of those projects I really don't see the need for. I write for and play mostly Pathfinder, and I've got a folder on the computer with the corebooks in PDF form and as well as saved copies of the things I most commonly reference from the PFSRD. I keep those open when I'm doing anything Pathfinder related and can find any rule or stat-block I need with about 30 seconds of searching.

    Hell, for my own personal reference when writing, I cut and pasted all the monster creation charts and rules from the Bestiary into a new document. Now i just keep that open along side my working file when I'm creating new critters.


    How is this in any way an improvement?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and if you have an internet connection.. D20PFSRD.com is even faster than having all the books..

      Delete
  14. Does the fact that I asked Santa for some used B/X and BECMI materials versus their app help clarify my stance on the status quo I wonder?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Bloatware for a bloatgame? Sounds like a perfect match! And with a steaming pile of smugly attempted guilt pooped on top of the pitch!

    Are these guys for real? *shakes head*

    ReplyDelete

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