There are a couple BIs released for home play in the first arc. I'd suggest taking a look at those for an idea, although frequently with everything required for a convention, the actual BI materials are somewhat rough when they are run.

It is important to note that the work required to publically release BIs is not the only reason they stopped being released. PCI wants con-goers to have an incentive to keep attending conventions.

Actually, I was thinking the module would have nothing to do with the BI. It could be happening all the way across the continent. But at the same time, so there would be a limitation on who could play it. That way, it is really just another module for the year. Heck, it could even be one of the soft points released at the same convention (though that would be confusing for new players attending the convention - since they would need to characters to play everything running, so I wouldn't recommend it). So hypothetically, it wouldn't increase their work load at all - it would just reduce the amount of their work load that you could apply to your main character, which has a similar effect.

Lots of good discussion going on here...my views are probably different from others...

First, I'm okay with there being discrepancies between what con-goers get and what those who can't/don't attend cons get access to. I understanding not everyone lives in the midwest of the US and can go to every convention. I also understand that this is a hobby for many people, and everyone has their own priorities about where gaming/convention going fits into those. All that said, going to a convention is a big investment for everyone involved, those playing, those organizing, and those GMing. The convention costs money to attend, costs money to stay, and there are a lot of activities to do at the convention. Devoting an entire day or multiple days to Arcanis (or any other game) has not only a 'direct cost' but also an 'opportunity cost' (What games are you NOT playing so that you can GM or play Arcanis?)

Does that mean I feel BI's and other con specials should get boatloads of XP and GP? No. Honestly I wouldn't mind a bit less XP overall in every adventure as I feel that the campaign is progressing rather quickly. However, I do think it means that people who make the investment to go, risk their characters in many cases, and prioritize the event high, should get tangible, meaningful, and useful. I like some of the ideas of special favors, special abilities, unique items. I would continue to have more unique and tailored rewards rather than just more GP and XP. Sometimes a special ability or a special way to use an existing ability (Like the special use of Fate from ArcaniCon) are also good abilities. Situational bonuses are also a nice reward that doesn't overpower.

I say all this knowing that I generally can attend a lot of the conventions in the midwest, but I have missed ArcaniCon this last year and while I was sad and disappointed, I certainly don't begrudge anyone who was able to go their rewards and shinies. For others who are at least within flying distance of Origins in Ohio, I would say if you are thinking of doing one con a year, this is probably your best bet for Arcanis/Witch Hunter. There are lots of people looking to share costs of driving, rooms, etc. and several local folks (including myself) who might be able to put people up as well. Save early for the next year as well. It won't help everyone or every situation and things happen suddenly at times, but it's a yearly event and everyone I think knows it's PCI's big con for new adventures.

John

I'll note that I've made most Origins and the last two Arcaniscons ... I've missed the Delve and the first 2 Arcaniscons. So I'm essentially in the same boat. And I also don't begrudge anyone who has gotten interesting rewards, or is ahead of me in xp.

But I don't think that this is (entirely?) what we're talking about.

I know local players who have expressed concerns directly or indirectly and I don't think their points of view are invalid. Mostly what I've heard is grumpiness that Tultipet didn't get released for home play especially since there is a module that leads up to it, (and now the aftermath of it). For them that bit of plot thread is dropped. Sometimes also I hear an observation that Tukufu is higher tier than they are...which is somewhat true.

I think there are three interlocking issues/questions:
(1) Will the divergence in xp/levels cause future problems for forming tables or writing modules?
(2) Are there members of the campaign that don't make it to the relevant cons who feel they are missing part of the story (because they don't have access to any of the special events)?
(3) Is it a potential disincentive to new players who can't won't make it to the relevant cons?

1 does not yet turns up locally but someday it could. 2 turns up locally. 3 I have no idea about... But I do worry a little bit about it.

At the very least a summary of the events is useful for the characters who would love to attend and would have if they could. Put it in the download section as the BI event summary. It means the players still get the lore of the world: it's why my group kept playing arcanis and I suspect why people are interested in it overall rather than xp or gold.

I think all points of view are valid and need to be heard. However, for Situation #2 above, why are these members of the campaign unable or unwilling to attend cons? That is really a big factor in how to solve the issue...

If the issue is that there are folks who just cannot afford (or never have the time) to attend any cons, I sympathize. I don't know how many of these folks there are. However, I'm guessing those folks are probably not playing with a big contingent of campaign players who DO attend all the cons (Due to being in another country, etc.) Therefore, the #1 or #3 above probably aren't going to be a concern of those players.

If the issue is that some folks *could* go to conventions but choose not to for whatever reason, then that is a choice and I don't feel there needs to be any big sweeping changes to accommodate those folks specifically around changing the way Con modules work. Could there be other changes to have more unique events offered as home play? Sure.

John

As a player I do not mind other players being at different levels so long as we are still all able to participate on a broadly equal footing. I also do not mind there being special rewards and modules for the people who are able to and make the effort to go to cons. What I dislike though is the idea that plot-centric events may occur at a con and I'll be missing them. So...Some Val has lost his favourite puppy and wants to give a favour to the players who return him? Sure do it at a con. Have the final epic battle or a important point of lore revealed then sure, do it at the con if we can also partake somehow. Cons, imho, should be bonuses for the players or else run the risk of side lining chunks of the player base.

Nice to see a good dialog here in terms of different points of view while still remaining civil.

At the height of the old 3.5 campaign we were regularly seeing 100+ players at the BIs. I don't recall what the highest number ever seated was. My recollection was ~200, but it's been a while. For various reasons, interest has waned. There needs to be an invigorated and engaged player base to support continued development both in terms of releases and the living campaign itself.

For the first time in many years I spent a day at Gencon as well as going to Origins. I ran 3 slots on Saturday and of the 17 players I ran, 14 had never played Arcanis before that Gencon. No idea how many picked up books or will come back, but it was good to see new blood. Origins and Arcanicon seem to be primarily established players.

I mention the above to help put the cons I've seen in some perspective as that in part informs my suggestions as to rewards.

1. Arcanis is a story driven game. That has been it's strength and appeal for many if not most of the players across both living incarnations. Because of that, all players should have access to major story points. The question is how.

In any case other than the full BI being available, a summary published to the forums, available for download, etc. would be good to have available. This helps address the story concerns.

In an ideal world, here's how I would probably like to see the special events play out. The key central story for the BI is covered in a single slot worth of time. That contains the key rewards, and is published for home play and integrated into the con experience. The other slot worth of time for the BI represents special missions that wrap up or open up side plots, adjust the difficulty of future BI rounds, even helping finalize the overall difficulty for home play. I remember special missions seeking out and dealing with Morshun val'Ishi, with the opposing enemy general whose name escapes me at the moment or rescuing characters captured by the harvesters.

The special mission portion could grant awards that have meaning without being over powered. They could build on options available to players of the base BI. For example, if the BI granted access to a choice of Tier I Runes from a limited list, a special mission might open up an additional option.

In terms of con rewards, the extra Fate Point for use in a BI earned from being the Veteran of a BI is both tangible and limited at the same time. The temporary blessing granting bonus stamina falls into the same camp.

Another idea might be being able to name one of the character's exceptional weapons or armor as Heirloom after one or more special events. The item in question would already have to meet the requirements mechanically (Exceptional quality). What would be gained would be the reputation bonus - and penalties if ever lost or sold. A character could say "THIS was the sword I used to strike a telling blow against Uxbraxtixt!" (sorry about the misspelling)

Titles I think were mentioned and could be interesting. Medals recognizing service provide an RP hook. A minor social bonus with appropriate audiences could be included.

If something like the above won't work, I like the idea of an exclusive event not available for con play taking place at the same time. Now, what would be REALLY cool, though perhaps a pain to organize would be to set up in advance time for people to home play the exclusive mod that has an impact on the specials at the con. In a perfect world, you'd have them run the same weekend (up through noon Saturday to submit results) and have those factored into the difficulty of the BI or special event.

Also, for events at the cons make it clear that all of the critical events impact and results are pulled from those attending even if the mod's accessible to homeplay. Influencing the story for good or ill is something the con events have always done to my knowledge. Having some tangible sign of how as a reminder to players may help as well.

I agree with the person who said there isn't a clear win for the staff on this issue. Making everyone happy isn't possible.

Hopefully ideas from this thread will be useful to the staff as they decide what to do with future special events.

With a sweep of his hat,

Paul

Well locally in Oregon there are two of us who make it to Origins and Acaniscon most years (myself and Stephen Raymond). There are maybe 20 people in the Arcanis community here (though probably only half that play as regularly as mods allow). Either way most of the people I play with don't get to the Big Cons but interact with players/characters who do. My guess is this is "normal" outside the midwest, but I don't really know how other regions shake out.

I know for people locally its primarily cost that's a barrier to attending. Going to Origins alone for me is close to a $1000 proposition. Flight usually runs at or above $500 from Portland. Hotels run $250ish with a roommate for 4 nights. Add in food and a little madness money in the dealer room ... its not cheap. Every year without fail I hear someone in the Registration line grumbling about the cost for the Origins Badge and I find myself a little jealous...that's the smallest part of my cost to attend.

If I had kids or a non-gaming spouse I probably wouldn't be able to make it. And of course Oregon is cheap compared to those people who come from down under or across the pond.

1. When I transition over from the 3.5 system and I started reading the rule set of this Arcanis. I saw something that I thought was obvious but may be wrong about. The game went from a max level of 20 to a max level of 5. Arcanis took the grittiness of playing the game at lower levels where a character survives less on super powers, and magic items and more on their own merit, and the player's ability to role play.
I took this to mean that PCI really hoped to move away from modules that have 10 different bundles of monster stats (as some of the later hard points have to go from APL 2 to APL 21.) They didn't want to exclude new player, so the monster stat writers were burdened with the work. This new system of a 5 level system would mean by the end of the campaign there would only be a need for 5 sets of monster stats, one for each Tier. Instead we are seeing half Tier stat blocks (1.5-1.10, 2.1-2.5, etc)
I am personally fine with there being a difference between those who go to cons, those who don't, and new players. In fact I would prefer if the 1.5 cert was removed, and modules had stat blocks, for each Tier (1.1-1.10, 2.1-2.10) rather then the half Tier stat blocks that have been released for some soft points.
In 3.5 you got more XP for playing a higher APL, because you needed more XP to level up. But that's not the case in Arcanis. A Hard Point can give 350XP to a 2.9 character and a 1.3 character. this is because they are dealing with battles, and traps, that are an equally amount of challenge to one of their Tier.
One thing that would occur, is that people of different Tiers would not be able to play at the same table. But this is something that the PCI has dealt with before under a more divisive rule set.

2. Yes this is a huge issue to me, and I hope others.

This has being going on since the 3.5 system. Hard Points and some Soft Points have stories that lead towards BIs. But the BIs were never released for home play. Arcanis is story driven, how would anyone like to read a book, and then have a whole chapter missing, or worse the end of the story.
I get that it is balance between keeping business up, and making the player base happy. But honestly there are better solutions then not releasing a module. Releasing it with reduced rewards, without rewards, without certs. You want the good stuff come to the Con. But at least release the module.

3. Again Arcanis is story driven it has a compelling world, unique races, cultures, and political situations, and it has some great writers working on it. If a new player joins in the next story arc when the majority of people of people are 3.1 they will stay with it for the awesome story. What would their starting level be? Start at 1.1 or a 2.5 leveling cert, without the ability to play Arc 1 or Arc 2? Tier 2.5 characters have a larger tool box of skills and talents, it's hard to create a character a higher levels, let alone understand everything you have access to at the level. I think having modules that support Tier 1 to Tier 3 PCs is a better idea, and it seemed like it was the original idea with this 5 Tier system.

Allow there to be the level gaps between players. Convention rewards can be normal, home play rewards for BIs reduced or removed. That's my ideas on the subject as some who hasn't been to a Con before.