Aetherology & London Calling Options

[Prime Mover]

Been waiting along time for
http://www.shadowruntabletop.com/2014/12/t...-sick-and-junk/

[Jaid]

interesting that they're releasing material to be compatible with both 5th and 4th edition. looks like it might not just be a few grognards on the dumpshock forums who aren't sold on 5th edition. (either that, or they're catering to those few grognards).

[Prime Mover]

I thinks its as simple as all the projects released dual stated were started or created for 4th ed and just now seeing light of day.

[Jaid]

SR5 was released over a year ago now. i'm rather doubtful that they had all the crunch done a year ago and somehow finished the rest of the adventure (which should have finished with the crunchy bits, not started with it) while leaving the crunchy bits relevant.

[Prime Mover]

London calling was 4th ed convention missions and Aetherology was mentioned before 5th Ed's release.

[Prime Mover]

Found what think was first mention of Aetherology, way of samurai Jan 2013. But Iirc it was teased online somewere in 2012.

[Sengir]

interesting that they're releasing material to be compatible with both 5th and 4th edition. looks like it might not just be a few grognards on the dumpshock forums who aren't sold on 5th edition. (either that, or they're catering to those few grognards).

Well, 5th is the official grognard edition...which makes everybody still using 4th an anti-grognard (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

[Mantis]

Well, 5th is the official grognard edition...which makes everybody still using 4th an anti-grognard (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

Yay! We're anti-grognards. Either way, so long as they keep releasing 4th compatible stuff, I'm happy enough. Now if the editing involved in that stuff would improve...

[Sengir]

Now if the editing involved in that stuff would improve...

That's part of the compatibility to late 4th products (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Mantis]

That's part of the compatibility to late 4th products (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Riiiiight. Cuz if the editing improved I might think it wasn't 4th compatible? So why are the 5th ed only books just as bad then? Oh wait, I know! It's so I will feel right at home trying to decipher just what the hell was meant. Guess you're right after all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Sengir]

Riiiiight. Cuz if the editing improved I might think it wasn't 4th compatible? So why are the 5th ed only books just as bad then? Oh wait, I know! It's so I will feel right at home trying to decipher just what the hell was meant. Guess you're right after all. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Consistent user experience across versions, Catalyst know their business (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Sendaz]

Plus it would ruin the SR Drinking Game (take a shot for every mistake/missing piece/unclear rule) if they fixed it all.

And to be fair the D&D Drinking Game still puts everyone under the table far faster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Sengir]

And to be fair the D&D Drinking Game still puts everyone under the table far faster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

But D&D cheats by having far more rulebooks...the again, finding the correct one gives plenty of time to sober up again.

[Mantis]

Plus it would ruin the SR Drinking Game (take a shot for every mistake/missing piece/unclear rule) if they fixed it all.

Yeah but if they fixed half of them I would still be in a state to play as opposed to being a drooling drunk unsure of just where I left my pants. Be cheaper on the booze budget too.

[Ixal]

And to be fair the D&D Drinking Game still puts everyone under the table far faster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Maybe Catalyst should try the same thing they did with the newest D&D edition and convince the customers that all the mistakes are just in there to let them customize the game with their own rulings.

[SpellBinder]

I thinks its as simple as all the projects released dual stated were started or created for 4th ed and just now seeing light of day.

SR5 was released over a year ago now. i'm rather doubtful that they had all the crunch done a year ago and somehow finished the rest of the adventure (which should have finished with the crunchy bits, not started with it) while leaving the crunchy bits relevant.

Funny you should say that, as that is what Critias replied to me after I commented on the SR4/SR5 dual stated material almost six months ago:

Trying to stay out of the argument/whatever for a minute, but just FYI, the material that's been released lately (that's compatible with both editions) is stuff that was in the pipeline for SR4A, and was at/near completion, and then they took the time to make it compatible with SR5 to make sure folks could still get some use out of once the new edition hit. No one wants to write a "lame duck" sourcebook. What it certainly isn't is CGL somehow backpedaling and pretending the new edition was never released, or something.

Personally I'd rather CGL spend more time trying to clean up the game for SR5, but... Well, I think I'd better not say (even here) the allusion that came to my mind.

[binarywraith]

It occasionally makes me wonder if they -have- anyone working on the line anymore, beyond sprucing up old products in the queue and shoving them out.

[Backgammon]

SR5 was released over a year ago now. i'm rather doubtful that they had all the crunch done a year ago and somehow finished the rest of the adventure (which should have finished with the crunchy bits, not started with it) while leaving the crunchy bits relevant.

It is. After submitting an ebook to our editor, we can expect that product to emerge the editing queue between 8 and 16 months later. This is for ebooks only, mind you. Not the main line. There is basically 1 guy working part time to edit the ebook queue, and TONS of material coming in. I heard there was a desire to bring in more editors, but this is easier said than done considering this industry (no real pay but actual work and expertise are required)

I actually brought it up during review that 4th Ed rules should be axed, not cause I don't like 4th Ed, but because it would create confusion as to the message being sent in terms of what is supported. The decision was to leave the material in, but this is the last book ever that will have 4th ed crunch.

There are a ton of really great ebooks lined up, don't worry. They just take a while to come out due to present circumstances.

[DeathStrobe]

I wonder why CGL can't afford more editors. Despite the hyperbole of Dumpshock, Shadowrun books are selling, and selling really well. A lot of SR books are bestsellers on RPGdrivethru. You'd think that they'd be making a healthy profit.

[Jaid]

I wonder why CGL can't afford more editors. Despite the hyperbole of Dumpshock, Shadowrun books are selling, and selling really well. A lot of SR books are bestsellers on RPGdrivethru. You'd think that they'd be making a healthy profit.

probably because a lot of that money has to go elsewhere.

[hermit]

interesting that they're releasing material to be compatible with both 5th and 4th edition. looks like it might not just be a few grognards on the dumpshock forums who aren't sold on 5th edition.

Yeah right? I've been wondering about that. The German editions discard the SR4 stat blocks, though. From Backgammon's comment, CGL seems to have adopted that stance too. Well, downconverting is relatively easy.

Despite the hyperbole of Dumpshock, Shadowrun books are selling, and selling really well.

They are? They sell well in Germany, where they're offered at prices between $12 and $35. I have no numbers or even vague statements for American sales, do you?

A lot of SR books are bestsellers on RPGdrivethru. You'd think that they'd be making a healthy profit.

Uhm, the profit margins or eBooks are not what you think they are.

But hey, let's say something on topic!

Review - Aetherology
Okay, I rather like this book. It has warts, flaws, and artwork that is a symbol of much that is wrong with Hardy's style of line developing (not to mention in at least one instance a blatant IP rights violation), but let's save that for another thread.

The book offers an account of metaplanes and a bit of information on how they relate to each other, including why there are so many weird variations of metaplanes (bubble planes, hyperplanes ect). It also provides something of an update on the Enemy, and some nice astral locations. I'm not sure if I like the way the Un/Seelie Courts have been written up as the eternal concepts of good and evil (which are eternal only if you happen to be a Christian American), but the Shadows and Deep Metaplanes are nice and stuff I can really use for a current campaign.

With Aetherology, Shadowrun opens up to CthulhuPunk, which I absolutely support. Let's move away from A Mage Did It-D&D and towards a darker, more threatening and much less cheery and stupid rendition of magic! All things considered, this is the second plot book of SR5 that I liked, after the Sybil storyline. With SR4 stats given or the monsters and spirits, this book us usable for me immediately, which is also nice. Generally, the book is rules light, which in these days probeably is a good idea. I'd have liked some rules on dream travelling, though.

All in all, 7 out of 10.

[Sengir]

A lot of SR books are bestsellers on RPGdrivethru.

Question is, what does being a bestseller at DTRPG mean in numbers? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Method]

I can also confirm from my limited experience that products with dual statting were started during SR4A and "retrofitted" for SR5 during the production process. The ebook process is surprisingly long, and the dual statting actually adds some delay.

Regarding Top Sellers on DTRPG: Sengir is right. Most new releases for a major RPG (including anything for SR) will quickly move to the top spot, but this is really a function of the sites overall daily sales. The "silver, gold, platinum" seller scheme is maybe more helpful, but as far as I can tell they don't delineate what those levels actually mean. If you want raw numbers, I'm afraid only DTRPG and Catalyst actually have them.

[Bull]

From my somewhat limited understanding of the process:

Top Sellers is based on # of products sold vs # of days it's been available. Being in the top 10 is nice, as it shows a solid initial sale of the product. Staying the top 10 for any length of time is the true test though.

The sales level indicates overall # of products sold, but it's not a flat rate, as I understand it. instead it's a scaling number based on percentages of some kind.