Varsuuk
July 22nd, 2016, 19:01
I "purchased" (via donation) the only 2 previously available Adventurer's League modules on Smiteworks.
I know some of the AL PDFs now have FG modules with them. I am EXTREMELY happy about that, however, not owning any of the ones that have had FG modules attached, I don't know about the quality of the conversion nor of the ancillary artwork/maps included.
Has anyone bought them to see how they look vs SW-converted AL modules?
I never bought the digital map packs in the past in preparation to convert one of the adventures only because I was not really happy with the original map. While fine for my old style of play where I'd keep notes on my own map and players would basically transform my words only a piece of graph paper that they used as a way of simulating in game mapping (+ my creation on our Chessex wipeboards the tactical scene for either imagination or miniature aid) -- I did not want to use such simplistic maps with FG once I got used to seeing what maps CAN look like.
I wish I had the skill and time to make my own.
So, I opened up Harried in Hillsfar (haven't played or DMed it yet) and scanned the internals for Maps/Images section and was like "WOW" major improvements to the originals (also included) so much so that I fear what we will get if the content on DMGuild is put up there by "regular" fans and would-be creators vs the more polished products we come to expect from the likes of Zac and others who add maps to SW products. They also include tokens for mobs which I would not expect in fan made ones since not all writers are artists as well and you can't include other's works without licensing which would likely make the end result price prohibitive when created by a non professional.
Eventually, I will be buying the DMGuild AL products all at once, if only for reference/ideas. I particularly am excited if being non content vault, I can use them and pick through them copying whole swaths of text or xml to use in my own bastardized modules. (My old DMing style in 1E/2E days was to buy lots of modules and basically modify the stories for my players or combine parts of modules / maps etc to make a hopefully fun custom game. Not so much to "improve on it" but to make it "our" campaign knowing our prior adventure histories and players...but I digress into my sadness of vault inexcessability (while understanding why they feel they have to do it))
I'd soooo much prefer to buy SW-produced AL products or at least ones produced by "professionals" like SW who can give us the whole package.
I have no problem buying things on DMGuild by "regular" folks but they AL modules are so semi-pro in their connection to WotC that I expect them to look more like other WotC modules in their maps/tokens than if it were a module >I< created (/shudder)
You may not believe me, but if anyone reading this actually worked on the conversions on DMGuild, let me say that I do NOT intend on insulting you - I am just leery that I would be disappointed vs the SW created AL modules. Now, if someone tells me that the ones added to DMGuild had folks go as far as SW does to make a "professional" products, I'll be in heaven. If not for the standard of the 2 AL modules to compare it to, I would be happy with ANY conversion that saved me typing, especially if it allowed for cut-n-pasting out of it.
Maybe if in the end none of these include such additions, it is possible once all are updated to FG inclusion, that some of the more prolific SW-associated folks create a "Enhancement Module" pack for each Season that is basically just a collection of their alternate maps and tokens :) ... ? ... This would allow for a price point per season more in line with the Token Packs already put out by SW from WotC to compensate for the time to develop the alternate maps and optionally creature tokens where MM doesn't supply or they wanted to make a special version etc?
I know some of the AL PDFs now have FG modules with them. I am EXTREMELY happy about that, however, not owning any of the ones that have had FG modules attached, I don't know about the quality of the conversion nor of the ancillary artwork/maps included.
Has anyone bought them to see how they look vs SW-converted AL modules?
I never bought the digital map packs in the past in preparation to convert one of the adventures only because I was not really happy with the original map. While fine for my old style of play where I'd keep notes on my own map and players would basically transform my words only a piece of graph paper that they used as a way of simulating in game mapping (+ my creation on our Chessex wipeboards the tactical scene for either imagination or miniature aid) -- I did not want to use such simplistic maps with FG once I got used to seeing what maps CAN look like.
I wish I had the skill and time to make my own.
So, I opened up Harried in Hillsfar (haven't played or DMed it yet) and scanned the internals for Maps/Images section and was like "WOW" major improvements to the originals (also included) so much so that I fear what we will get if the content on DMGuild is put up there by "regular" fans and would-be creators vs the more polished products we come to expect from the likes of Zac and others who add maps to SW products. They also include tokens for mobs which I would not expect in fan made ones since not all writers are artists as well and you can't include other's works without licensing which would likely make the end result price prohibitive when created by a non professional.
Eventually, I will be buying the DMGuild AL products all at once, if only for reference/ideas. I particularly am excited if being non content vault, I can use them and pick through them copying whole swaths of text or xml to use in my own bastardized modules. (My old DMing style in 1E/2E days was to buy lots of modules and basically modify the stories for my players or combine parts of modules / maps etc to make a hopefully fun custom game. Not so much to "improve on it" but to make it "our" campaign knowing our prior adventure histories and players...but I digress into my sadness of vault inexcessability (while understanding why they feel they have to do it))
I'd soooo much prefer to buy SW-produced AL products or at least ones produced by "professionals" like SW who can give us the whole package.
I have no problem buying things on DMGuild by "regular" folks but they AL modules are so semi-pro in their connection to WotC that I expect them to look more like other WotC modules in their maps/tokens than if it were a module >I< created (/shudder)
You may not believe me, but if anyone reading this actually worked on the conversions on DMGuild, let me say that I do NOT intend on insulting you - I am just leery that I would be disappointed vs the SW created AL modules. Now, if someone tells me that the ones added to DMGuild had folks go as far as SW does to make a "professional" products, I'll be in heaven. If not for the standard of the 2 AL modules to compare it to, I would be happy with ANY conversion that saved me typing, especially if it allowed for cut-n-pasting out of it.
Maybe if in the end none of these include such additions, it is possible once all are updated to FG inclusion, that some of the more prolific SW-associated folks create a "Enhancement Module" pack for each Season that is basically just a collection of their alternate maps and tokens :) ... ? ... This would allow for a price point per season more in line with the Token Packs already put out by SW from WotC to compensate for the time to develop the alternate maps and optionally creature tokens where MM doesn't supply or they wanted to make a special version etc?