The 4th edition FoS manifesto

[Lord Soth]

Did anyone check out the Pathfinder RPG from the good people at PAIZO? While it's still in the making, it might be an interesting middle ground between 3.5 and 4E.

The final book doesn't come out til August 2009, so it'd probably be a lot simpler to just do 4E conversions at first. Then once that's about to come out, decide if it'd be worthwhile to make conversions for that system as well, or not.

[Mortavius]

I'd just like to throw my hat in if you're looking for people to help with the conversions to 4E. I have a long history of doing that sort of stuff, and love it. Anyways, just thought I'd offer if you're looking for outside help.

[Isabella]

Why not make a thread and get started? After all, no offense to the Fraternity, but we hardly need their permission to update stats, nor need we labor on in secret without community input that could help catch major issues with our heroes and monsters.

After all, any 4e monsters we make can hardly be worse than the Denizens of Dread entries they were based upon.

[Jester of the FoS]

In part, we're waiting for the SRD to be released, which should have product creation tools. We're also waiting for the new WotC fansite policy before we get too excited or solidify our plans too much.

[alhoon]

In part, we're waiting for the SRD to be released, which should have product creation tools. We're also waiting for the new WotC fansite policy before we get too excited or solidify our plans too much.

OK, so the SRD is out if anyone could call it that. Now what?

[Joël of the FoS]

In part, we're waiting for the SRD to be released, which should have product creation tools. We're also waiting for the new WotC fansite policy before we get too excited or solidify our plans too much.

Also, I'd like to wait until we (us and the audience here) is fully knowledgeable and proficient with 4e before starting this conversion project. Starting it now after a few days since it's out would be foolishly quick, IMHO, and would surely ask for revisions/corrections in a few months.

Why not make a thread and get started? After all, no offense to the Fraternity, but we hardly need their permission to update stats, nor need we labor on in secret without community input that could help catch major issues with our heroes and monsters.

Sure, and we're watching that as a lab experiment. As David said, we'll surely use some of it in our things.

After all, any 4e monsters we make can hardly be worse than the Denizens of Dread entries they were based upon.

*lol*. You here can all do better

Joël

[Jester of the FoS]

In part, we're waiting for the SRD to be released, which should have product creation tools. We're also waiting for the new WotC fansite policy before we get too excited or solidify our plans too much.

OK, so the SRD is out if anyone could call it that. Now what?

The fan site policy since the SRD explicitly does not apply to websites. We're not going to publish conversions until we know if we're breaking the law or nor.

[tec-goblin]

The fan site policy since the SRD explicitly does not apply to websites. We're not going to publish conversions until we know if we're breaking the law or nor.

I think you are overeacting. People are doing it everywhere in the forums. There are some explanations here: http://www.enworld.org/

"You don't need the GSL to have a website - people have been managing that for years! "
"Incidentally, remember that WotC will be issuing a "fan site policy" at some point, in which they'll specifically say what they're comfortable with people doing on the web; but, again, remember it's not a declaration of law, just a policy. "

[Jester of the FoS]

The fan site policy since the SRD explicitly does not apply to websites. We're not going to publish conversions until we know if we're breaking the law or nor.

I think you are overeacting. People are doing it everywhere in the forums. There are some explanations here: http://www.enworld.org/

"You don't need the GSL to have a website - people have been managing that for years! "
"Incidentally, remember that WotC will be issuing a "fan site policy" at some point, in which they'll specifically say what they're comfortable with people doing on the web; but, again, remember it's not a declaration of law, just a policy. "

Yeah, exactly. But the second paragrap was the important one:

Incidentally, remember that WotC will be issuing a "fan site policy" at some point, in which they'll specifically say what they're comfortable with people doing on the web; but, again, remember it's not a declaration of law, just a policy. The policy may have a logo and license, etc., attached, but that's unlikely; it's more likely to be a statement of intent from WotC and, just like every other of the 20 million fansites for every other game, movie, TV show, novel series, sport, etc., on the web, is governed by standard copyright laws.

I don't want to shock anyone but we are violating copyrights.We throw around Trademarked and Copyright names and terms like they were candy in almost every netbook and MB convo.
Without a fansite policy, WotC could shut us down at any time. Heck, we spent much of 3e violating their fansite policy (no updating 2e NPCs).

[DeepShadow of FoS]

I agree that it's better to wait. I mean, it's not like the Frat has nothing to do while they wait. There are plenty of good projects to work on.

[tec-goblin]

I don't want to shock anyone but we are violating copyrights.We throw around Trademarked and Copyright names and terms like they were candy in almost every netbook and MB convo.
Without a fansite policy, WotC could shut us down at any time. Heck, we spent much of 3e violating their fansite policy (no updating 2e NPCs).

I know, but I see no reason they would bash at us before their fansite policy is out. They have no history for such behaviour.

[HuManBing]

I'm puzzling over your signature, tec-goblin, and I'm wondering: is the word "Multiverse" missing a "u"?

[Jester of the FoS]

I don't want to shock anyone but we are violating copyrights.We throw around Trademarked and Copyright names and terms like they were candy in almost every netbook and MB convo.
Without a fansite policy, WotC could shut us down at any time. Heck, we spent much of 3e violating their fansite policy (no updating 2e NPCs).

I know, but I see no reason they would bash at us before their fansite policy is out. They have no history for such behaviour.

We are violating international copyright laws producing derivative works of copyrighted material and using WotC's intellectual property without permission.

TSR had a short history of shutting down websites, and other companies still do, albeit rarely. But we don't know how they plan to react to setting fan sites with the edition change. They might decided that, with future publication of new worlds, they don't want fan sites updating NPCs, rules, or monsters which could be handled by source books or Dragon magazine.

They likely wouldn't target us until after the policy came out, but we also don't want to negatively influence the policy so they can shut us down days after its released.

[The Giamarga]

I'm puzzling over your signature, tec-goblin, and I'm wondering: is the word "Multiverse" missing a "u"?

It looks like a Xaositect haiku to me.

[Gnarfflinger]

With the tools listed in the DMG (chapter 10), it should be easier to use second edition Ravenloft books (like the Van Richten's Guides for example) in 4th edition than it was in third edition.

Much of the Role play is left in the hands of the DM and their players. I think much of the advice in the previous edition books would still apply for setting the tone.

I've always believed that Ravenloft was about pushing characters to their limit and scaring the hell out of them. That shouldn't change in the era of 4th edition...