this post was submitted on 12 Sep 2024
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No I cannot afford it, I had surprise financial emergency this month.

But seriously, either make the whole thing free or paid, don't get my hopes up only to dash them like that.

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[–] [email protected] 103 points 2 months ago (2 children)

The rules are free. The stories are paid. I think that is more than fair.

[–] [email protected] 32 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Also, if it's anything like Pathfinder there is a vast resource of free monsters and rules that allow anyone to quickly assemble campaign materials themselves. Alternately there are third party adventures as well, though many are also behind paywalls on Patreon and other funding sites to, you know, compensate creators for doing the work.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago

Pre built campaigns are important too though because GMs need to know what they're supposed to look like before they can make their own.

This is more of a dig at FATE because I couldn't find any starter adventures for it lmao.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (3 children)

I don't think I've ever played an official story from any system? Why would I want to do that when I can make my own? I'm not going to look down on those that choose to run official stories, but I absolutely am going to look down on those who think the games are unplayable without them.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago

I haven't run one of their stories, but I've bought a few to get the structure for my own down. Making sure I have things like levels, traps, challenges, and rewards lined up with time spent in the adventure. But as far as storylines go, I love writing my own too much.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

For someone who hasn't DMd before, a premade adventure makes it a hell of a lot easier to learn how to structure it. For someone who has DMd before, a premade adventure makes running the game a lot easier

I compare it to using MechJeb in KSP. If you can't do without it, use it. If you can do without it but you want to save the time and energy, use it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I do like to have an adventure that shows me how basic beats of the game are supposed to sync up and how its suppsoed to be balanced, instead of having to guess based on the theory. Do you also look down on people who say your kid's first bike should have training wheels?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

No. But I would look down on people that say that any bike that doesn't have training wheels is unrideable.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

If we're specifically talking about kid's first bike, which the starter set or quickstart is an equivalent to, then looking down to people who want training wheels sounds like an asshole move.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Paizo ain't wizards, they give you lots of information about how to run a game, even down to the general amount of money they should have or the amount of events they should fight in a day.

The experience can be useful for a type of campaign you haven't run before i suppose, I'm doing sevenfold conspiracy and it has lots advice on running an investigatory whodunit. Although i wouldn't look to the paths for hard balancing advice, the wrath game I'm in is exceptionally easy (until it suddenly isn't) and the game I'm running is pretty easy too (but it's not based around combat).

[–] [email protected] 40 points 2 months ago (1 children)

FWIW, it's not a starter set, it's a playtest. It's stress testing things, and leaning on Pathfinder assets. You're not missing out on the full meal deal right now.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I feel like that actually makes it worse. Making people pay to be playtesters? Last I knew playtesting was a job.

I haven't really looked into it at all because I'm not interested, but do they at least state that you'll get the updated material that you paid for when it releases?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

You're misreading. The starter set (aka the free bit) is part of the playtest

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Right, but the OP says the starter adventure is behind a paywall.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Adventures aren't that tied to the exact rules. You'll still be able to use it with the final system when it comes out.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 months ago

BYOA - Bring your own Adventure

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 months ago

This is completely standard, Paizo have always given the rules for free and made you pay for the stories and lore.
It's not even a starter set, it's the playtest, so you already need to be familiar with Pathfinder 2e in order to use the rules. Definitely not a place for a group to test the waters, they're looking for serious dweebs to obsess over the maths and mechanics so they can refine it - the playtest adventure(s) are just playgrounds for them to do that it.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I know some of the union leaders at UPW, including one of the Paizo writers that may have worked on the starter adventure (I don't know for certain). They're incredibly passionate about their work, and honestly would understand your frustrations about capitalism. They likely pushed to make as much as possible free, so folks in your position would still be able to share the joy of their work even if they can't afford the starter adventure.

I know none of this will make your frustration go away, but I hope you know that they didn't do it out of malice.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Thait is reassuring, thank you

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Yeah, I guess they should have just locked all of it behind a paywall so entitled people don't get worked up over not getting everything for free.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

back in MY DAY gamers used to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and get a second job if they wanted to game!

(in case you need it /s, this casual ableism is gross. if you wanna push that the artists deserve to be paid for their work that's one thing, attacking OP for being frustrated that they can't afford it is another one entirely. do better.)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I think if it was all behind the paywall I would just shrug and move on, ironically. If it was free I would be setting up a one-shot with my players. This way I got excited only to be reminded I'm poor and every nerdy interest purchase is a decision I have to seriously weight and first thing to give up if anything happens. Guess it made me overreact a bit.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Are there no free adventures for it online? Surely someone has released something in the system for free?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

someone posted links to official free adventures, so yes, there are

edit: nevermind, its for pathfinder and op is talking about starfinder

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Happy to gift you the society moduls, DM me

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

You are a real one.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago

Sent the DM

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

I don't see the issue. Just make your own, it's way more fun.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

There are free adventures, though.

https://paizo.com/store/pathfinder/society/resources

https://paizo.com/store/pathfinder/adventures/standalone/freeRPGDay

Also, there are often handfuls of sets available on humble bundle for dirt cheap.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago (1 children)

op is talking about starfinder though

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Oh, wow. My brain totally read it as pathfinder. Thanks.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

yeah mine too, i only realised it wasnt pathfinder after i saw another comment talking like it was a different system and i double checked

edit: and also the post is talking about a starter set for starfinder, which doesnt exist (they were probably talking about the playtest but said starter set for some reason)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Can probably just pirate it.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

This is a wild take.