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| Pathfinder Society.... http://worldworksgames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=12378 |
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| Author: | TheAuldGrump [ 09-21-2013, 06:40 PM ] |
| Post subject: | Pathfinder Society.... |
Holy carp! This year the Pathfinder Society is passing the RPGA's peak membership?! That actually surprises me - I thought that it would have maybe a quarter of the membership, but instead it is in parity. I gather that in part it is because the Pathfinder Society has been more successful at penetrating foreign markets than the RPGA - which was pretty much the USA and the UK for most of its existence. But the Society is alive and kicking in places like Finland and Croatia as well as the US. (Still busiest in the US though.) And the Pathfinder Society is opening a Maine chapter - currently in the Lewiston/Auburn area. (How I found out about the size of membership - I was looking for a local chapter.) Part of me is tempted to spearhead a Portland chapter. But... time.... The Auld Grump |
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| Author: | Ninevah [ 09-23-2013, 10:29 PM ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pathfinder Society.... |
I play/GM a good amount of Pathfinder Society (a.k.a. PFS) around here in Minneapolis/St. Paul. I can tell you that it's grown amazingly fast over the last 2 years. When I signed up 2 years ago, my membership number was in the 35,000s. A friend of mine registered 6 months ago and his number was 86,000. We went locally from having maybe 3-4 events per month with 1-2 tables per event to having 25 events this month with 2-6 tables per event. Heck, last week there were 7 different events plus a "GM's Happy Hour" to discuss common GMing problems. Last year, the local gaming convention, Con of the North, had 7 tables of the PFS "Special" scenario. This year, they're planning for at least 12. Our local Venture Captain GMs at least 4 scenarios per week. I don't know how he manages to maintain a relationship and do all that. I didn't think it was so big that it surpassed RPGA, though. Where'd you find those numbers, Grump? I'd like to see that myself. I _DO_ know that the rumor of late among PFS officers is that the head of PFS, Mike Brock, has been getting the heat from Paizo mgmt because the boom in PFS membership and participation hasn't corresponded to a similar, measurable increase in sales. That's why he's lately been stressing that GMs have to check over everyone's characters and make sure they show proof of ownership for any books that they're using material from. |
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| Author: | TheAuldGrump [ 09-23-2013, 11:09 PM ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pathfinder Society.... |
It was in this year's Story Hour With Auntie Lisa at the end of Paizo Con. She sounded pretty darned surprised as well. The Auld Grump |
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| Author: | TheAuldGrump [ 09-23-2013, 11:17 PM ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pathfinder Society.... |
| Author: | Ninevah [ 09-26-2013, 11:31 AM ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pathfinder Society.... |
| Author: | TheAuldGrump [ 09-26-2013, 04:06 PM ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Pathfinder Society.... |
The thing to bear in mind is that WotC had been claiming that the RPGA was at its heighest membership after they took it over.... And then they killed it because it did not bring in money. It is possible that WotC was lying, and that the RPGA was higher under TSR. I don't think that is all that likely - RPGA membership was actually dropping for a few years before WotC bought out TSR, and for a while WotC was giving away RPGA memberships with a subscription to either Dragon or Dungeon Magazine. (Which I consider a good move - so that is not something that I am complaining about.) And what she said was that the PFS was approaching and would soon pass the RPGA. And would likely do so this year - which, if you read my post, you will find is what I said - not that it has already passed, but ' This year the Pathfinder Society is passing the RPGA's peak membership?! ' Which I had not realized was the case - I thought that if the Pathfinder Society had a quarter to a half of WotC's run with the RPGA then it was doing better than I expected. That it is catching them up, let alone passing the RPGA, is something that I had not thought possible. On the other hand... the Pathfinder Society is doing a very good job of penetrating foreign markets (Croatia?!), and rewards its members better than either TSR or WotC did at the ends of their support. (Just at the ends - both did a good job of supporting the RPGA at first.) And... it is likely that the PFS costs Paizo less than the RPGA cost either TSR or WotC - more fan driven, which cuts down costs and increases fan participation. The scenarios... are limited, but seem well written - and like the best of TSRs tournament dungeons they have threads that pass through the entire arc. (Against the Slavers was the best of the TSR tornament cycles - and still runs well today - I ran it last year with Pathfinder for the Kids' game. (And I really have to stop calling it 'the kids' game' - next year the oldest members will be able to buy a drink in a bar....)) The Auld Grump - off to karaoke, may the gods have mercy upon my soul.... |
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