WotBS 4E compiled WotBS

[Morrus]

IF we do this (and it is by no means certain that we will, because it's a herculean effort), I'd like to get some opinions.

1) First, most importantly, is it something you'd buy?

2) For various reasons, the page count will be too large for a single book. So we'll need to split it up (or really cram stuff with a tiny font, which won't look good). I'm thinking of a couple of options:

---a) Two books, one being the adventure text and one being the encounters. For my own game, I'd prefer this, as it saves page-flipping. Essentially, it'd be a "virtual boxed set" in that both books would be required to play.

---b) Split it linearly - 6 adventures in each book.

---c) Split it into Heroic/Paragon/Epic. This wouldn't evenly distribute the adventures, though (the first 3 would be Heroic, the next 4 Paragon, and the last 5 Epic). Alternatively we could split it into Heroic-Paragon and Epic (7 adventures and 5 adventures respectively).

Anyway, please feel free to express your preferences. But remember, we haven't decided to do this, and may well not do so.

[PS - Before you ask, there won't be any bonus content - sorry.]

 

[Talysian]

Dependent on Price... though to be honest.. probably not as I have the pdfs and tend to use a tablet to GM.
However if I would.
Personally I like the Option A.

 

[OnlineDM]

Hmm. I'm a big fan of the campaign so far (just getting started on the third adventure), and I have disposable income to spend on things like this, but I have to admit that I probably wouldn't buy the books. I run the game in an online campaign, so electronic format is preferable for me. I've been printing out the individual adventure PDFs as I go, just so I can read them on an airplane for instance, but I wouldn't want a massive tome.

If you did do this, I would go with option B. The current layout of having all of the tactical encounters in the back of the adventure is actually a pet peeve of mine. I hate having to flip back and forth - I wish the encounters were presented in line with the adventure text. Putting them in an entirely separate book would probably drive me nuts.

I think your logic here is that the DM could have both books open, one with the tactical encounter and one with the adventure text. But we're talking about hefty tomes here - having one on the table would be hard enough. Having two out might be nigh impossible.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

This is a little late in the game for me personally, altho having a compendium tome would be cool.

For my money, it would have to:

- have updates, possibly some new/revised content. At least corrections/updates based on lessons learned and changes to monster builds.
{some of the modules were written in the early days of 4e conversions and it shows}

- Be split into three {option C above} with the campaign guide in with the Heroic tier.. which makes them about even. Each book could have a 'it could end here' chapter.

- Be a cool collectable. I own Expidition to Castle Ravenloft and haven't run it yet... but it is worth my shelf space because its a cool module with a great story.


That being said, I have personally spent more than my allowance on this campaign already.. and haven't ordered my hard-copies of the 4e modules 8 through 12 yet!

PS. I agree that flipping back and forth from story to encounter is a pain, and its harder to make sure you have all the information to run the encounter as well as harder for proof-readers to make sure they hit everything.

 

[Truename]

Love the campaign, but probably wouldn't buy the book(s). I'm getting lots of value out of the PDFs and the books wouldn't have enough value on their own, particularly assuming a price point like the 3.5e version. I'd be more likely to spend my money on Zeitgeist.

I'd suggest splitting into books corresponding to the various entry/exit points into the campaign, and selling them separately as well as a boxed set or bundle.

Also, there are enough design problems (old monster math, poor encounter design, old skill DCs) in the early adventures that I have to caveat my WotBS recommendations. Unless you update that material, it would affect my recommendation for the books, too.

 

[Morrus]

Sounds like we can comfortably put the idea aside! Thanks, guys.

 

[Gort]

Just to drop my oar in here - there's a real shortage of good 4e modules out there (the official ones tend to be fight-fight-fight-fight x20 then a tiny bit of plot) and it'd be a shame for you guys not to make another.

I find making encounters in 4e a breeze as well, so you've probably done most of the hard work in writing your story already.

 

[Dragonhelm]

IF we do this (and it is by no means certain that we will, because it's a herculean effort), I'd like to get some opinions.

1) First, most importantly, is it something you'd buy?

2) For various reasons, the page count will be too large for a single book. So we'll need to split it up (or really cram stuff with a tiny font, which won't look good). I'm thinking of a couple of options:

---a) Two books, one being the adventure text and one being the encounters. For my own game, I'd prefer this, as it saves page-flipping. Essentially, it'd be a "virtual boxed set" in that both books would be required to play.

---b) Split it linearly - 6 adventures in each book.

---c) Split it into Heroic/Paragon/Epic. This wouldn't evenly distribute the adventures, though (the first 3 would be Heroic, the next 4 Paragon, and the last 5 Epic). Alternatively we could split it into Heroic-Paragon and Epic (7 adventures and 5 adventures respectively).

I would buy a book, but I'd rather stay away from the $150 mega-book. I bought the 3.5 version, and I'd hate to do it again with 4e. I think splitting it linearly would probably work best. I would hate to have the encounters in a different book than the adventures that house them.

This may be out of your capability, but could you do a boxed set?

Just to drop my oar in here - there's a real shortage of good 4e modules out there (the official ones tend to be fight-fight-fight-fight x20 then a tiny bit of plot) and it'd be a shame for you guys not to make another.

Yeah, I agree. I'm looking for an alternative to the types of adventures that WotC puts out. I want something with more story.

 

[Morrus]

it'd be a shame for you guys not to make another.

I think you've misunderstood the thread. The thread's about a compiled version of WotBS, not a new adventure path.

That said, talking about another AP (and not to derail the thread) but remember the word "ZEITGEIST". It will become important next year!

I would buy a book, but I'd rather stay away from the $150 mega-book. I bought the 3.5 version, and I'd hate to do it again with 4e.

It's print-on-demand (Lulu) and almost at cost price. It's utterly beyond our ability to make it cheaper, I'm afraid. Lulu charges a set price per page for a colour hardback, and that's the price it charges.

This may be out of your capability, but could you do a boxed set?

I'm afraid not. And even if we could, it would be even more expensive! The print-on-demand costs of such a thing (if such a thing existed) would be astronomical.

 

[Dragonhelm]

It's print-on-demand (Lulu) and almost at cost price. It's utterly beyond our ability to make it cheaper, I'm afraid. Lulu charges a set price per page for a colour hardback, and that's the price it charges.

Ah, gotcha.

Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed the book. Lots of content there. It's just hard to afford such a big one at once. If you do a 4e version, though, I'd like to get it.

I'm afraid not. And even if we could, it would be even more expensive! The print-on-demand costs of such a thing (if such a thing existed) would be astronomical.

I bet.

Hey, thanks for your prompt and forthright answers on this. I hope you find a solution that works out well for you.