Just curious if anybody knows what is happing with this project. Is it still being worked on? It's been close to a year since it was updated. Thought I'd ask and see if anybody knows.
You might check in with the Yahoo group (do a search for Mystara 3E there); that's where they have their discussions. I haven't subscribed to the group in a while, though, so I couldn't tell you what's currently going on over there.
You might check in with the Yahoo group (do a search for Mystara 3E there); that's where they have their discussions. I haven't subscribed to the group in a while, though, so I couldn't tell you what's currently going on over there.
I posted something in that group over the summer and got frustrated because there was no feedback. Finally, one the members wrote me that she was too busy to be involved at the moment and that most other members probably had the same problem...
:-) Jesper
I posted something in that group over the summer and got frustrated because there was no feedback. Finally, one the members wrote me that she was too busy to be involved at the moment and that most other members probably had the same problem...
I just checked in over there myself, and noticed a distinct lack of updates. I suspect that you're right about what was going on.
This forum seems pretty active, perhaps we could toss some ideas around here. Is there anything in particular you were looking for in a conversion Hugin?
This forum seems pretty active, perhaps we could toss some ideas around here. Is there anything in particular you were looking for in a conversion Hugin?
Actually I wasn't looking for anything other than an updated website! ;)
Good idea though Cthuludrew. Is there anybody on this forum that could see if the 3E team wanted help from here. I mean, one of them could post the current project, those of us interested in it could collectively work on it. Someone(s) from the 3E team could check it out now and then and offer suggestions and comments. That way things could get done and get the website growing. As it is right now, it's a resource with great potential that is becoming stale. If it doesn't grow soon, people will soon stop going to it.
I'm not trying to be harsh or critical towards anyone; if life gets in the way, well, that's life ;) . But, if the team doesn't mind some other fans of mystara helping out, why not get us to do some of the work.
The Mystara 3E site would be our great forge, where together we craft a single, unified work, while the Vaults would be our craft guild's display hall, where each artisan shows their personal skills. (I think that sounds about right. It's an idea to ponder anyhow)
Then 3E was released and the group set about attempting to basically force 3E into the boxed set rules, throwing out ideas like Elvish paladins and dwarven sorcerers. I'm not sure what finally happened to that plan but, as you noticed, the project is pretty dead. I think people got frustrated with the fact that they were basically attempting to convert the boxed set rules directly to 3E, which was a futile endeavor since there were so many possibilities for each decision (ie, to handle Halfling Masters, do we make a prestige class, give Shires halflings regional feats, change the abilities of the halfling race, ignore the concept, make it NPC only, etc?). The list of Mystara feats grew enormous, the list of prestige classes got out of hand, and it became tough to manage.
I heard that a second, closed, group formed, started by some of the members of the Mystara 3E project. I think they are the ones that put up all the information onto the site.
If you want to continue the project or, probably better yet, take what you can from their work and start fresh ... I suggest just joining the group and starting.
The main reason against joining over at their yahoo group is I don't what to extend myself over several forums and disclude others from the discussions at the same time. From the sounds of things, I'd only be talking to myself (and that can get incredibly boring, believe me, I know myself quite good :D ). I shouldn't be so negative; I'll think about it.
After seeing the Mystara sites of some of those that post here I'm contemplating making my own website; I have a friend (a player in my campaign actually) that could help me because I haven't a clue how to do it yet. Some of the sites you guys have out there are very nice!
Btw, Uber, are you one of the 3E team?
Btw, Uber, are you one of the 3E team?
I started the group, but before 3E came out I started my first job out of college and stopped contributing. I was also in favor of using 3E rules the way that they were and not trying to convert the boxed set rules to 3E, whereas others felt that wasn't the best way. Their argument, which is entirely valid, was that Mystara and the original rules are intimately tied together and the spirit of Mystara might be lost with a major rules translation. This is, IMO, what happened when Mystara started being supported by 2nd Edition rules.
Browse through the group's website and their files on yahoo. There was a lot of work already done, much of it was very well thought-out and well done, and it would be a shame for it to just kind of disappear.
I would love to see a new effort to bring Mystara into 3.5 Edition rules. I'd help out however I could, but I'm not running a game at the moment so I can't really playtest too many things. I'm a member of a gaming group, but it looks like I will spend at least a couple months a year in Korea for the forseeable future, so it's tough to justify having me DM.
I did a quick browse of some of the files on yahoo, but to be honest, I didn't find anything useful (perhaps I'll delve a little deeper). I had high hopes for that site, as you said, they did very good quality stuff.
I would love to see a new effort to bring Mystara into 3.5 Edition rules.
We do a fair bit of that here, as well as on the MML. The MML is the only other group I would consider joining, however my email has given me enough grief to abandon it altogether.
I was also in favor of using 3E rules the way that they were and not trying to convert the boxed set rules to 3E, whereas others felt that wasn't the best way.
Most of us here I think also have the same idea as you; keep the basic mechanics as is, with simple alterations to achieve flavour. My Mystara campaigns went from OD&D straight to 3E and frankly, this setting is far more than the sum of it's rules. :D
I joined the 3E conversion yahoo group about 9 months ago but left because I became frustrated that nothing happened and nothing new was uploaded. Then I joined the Almanacs team but left because it is all based on post-WotI and I don't like the major changes that brought about (too bad really, because the Almanacs is really first-rate stuff to use in a campaign).
The MML is the only other group I would consider joining, however my email has given me enough grief to abandon it altogether.
I tried that as well and abandoned it for the same reasons. The discussions here at the forum are much easier to follow and contribute to.
I have been toying with the idea of creating a website with my own 3E conversion of Mystara, based in 1000 AC and then set up an alternate timeline progression to WotI, based on the old B, X, C and M series modules that my group is currently playing in their campaign. But as you all agree, it is just too darn much work for one guy.
Fortunately, I find a lot of help here at the boards. NPC conversions, 3E clerical spell lists, clarifications on some of the less-explained passages of the gazetteers, revised timelines etc.My sentiment is: with all of the work that people contribute with here at the boards, it shouldn't be so hard to complete a Mystara 3E (maybe I'm fooling myself here). But think about it: many spell list and monster descriptions are already done, ideas for conversions of unique Mystara features such at the Darokin Merchant or Halfling Master classes could be resolved by allowing 3-4 versions to exists in an "optional box", conversions of important NPCs could be delegated to individual contributors much in the same manner I believe nations are delegated to the Almanac teams etc. etc.
If anybody else out there are also toying with this idea of starting fresh with 3E conversion, I'm game ! :D
:-) Jesper
The discussions here at the forum are much easier to follow and contribute to.
That's a big lure for me as well.
But as you all agree, it is just too darn much work for one guy.
Agreed! Poeple have posted stuff here (and on the MML) that I never even thought about before, let alone attempted to do anything with. Discussions here have lead me to greatly improving my Mystara campaign; Thanks all-around.
My sentiment is: with all of the work that people contribute with here at the boards, it shouldn't be so hard to complete a Mystara 3E (maybe I'm fooling myself here). But think about it: many spell list and monster descriptions are already done, ideas for conversions of unique Mystara features such at the Darokin Merchant or Halfling Master classes could be resolved by allowing 3-4 versions to exists in an "optional box", conversions of important NPCs could be delegated to individual contributors much in the same manner I believe nations are delegated to the Almanac teams etc. etc.
There's been alot done in 3E for Mystara by many, many, fans; and good, quality stuff at that. So I don't think you're fooling yourself at all. I really like that optional box idea. I don't think anybody would mind their material on someone's else's website as long as proper credit is given.
If anybody else out there are also toying with this idea of starting fresh with 3E conversion, I'm game!
I've been thinking about a similar notion for a week or two now. However, I'd like to try creating my own site first (hopefully). I have no experience in this type of thing but would love to learn, and I'd also like to be able to put stuff from my own group's campaign in there, especially the campaign newsletter "The PC's Hear-Say". But that doesn't mean we still couldn't get things done together on this forum; we've already done stuff like that here and they were put in the Vaults! So if you do your own site, you could either reproduce it giving credit or just link to it on another site.
OTOH, that doesn't rule out your original idea of starting another 3E site for Mystara that gets worked on here. I'm game! Anybody else out there interested in a no-pressure, keep it simple, and have-fun attempt at this?
I belong to that group that is working on bringing Mystara to the d20 system, but things are quite "dead" for some time now, i suppose that available time is not a good friend for the majority of the group members, unfortunately...
OTOH, that doesn't rule out your original idea of starting another 3E site for Mystara ... Anybody else out there interested in a no-pressure, keep it simple, and have-fun attempt at this?
This is something I started a couple years ago - converting things over to 3rd Edition either as I needed them, or as the mood struck me, and then posting it on my own website. Some of it was decent - but most of it is going to be re-worked in the coming months. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to work on my Mystara 3.5 campaign website more frequently. Wish me luck.
This is something I started a couple years ago - converting things over to 3rd Edition either as I needed them, or as the mood struck me, and then posting it on my own website. Some of it was decent - but most of it is going to be re-worked in the coming months. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to work on my Mystara 3.5 campaign website more frequently. Wish me luck.
Really? Can we get the adress for that website, I'd love to see it.
Oh - and good luck by the way :D
:-) Jesper
This is something I started a couple years ago - converting things over to 3rd Edition either as I needed them, or as the mood struck me, and then posting it on my own website.
That is hopefully what I'd like too do as well, if I can get my own website up and going.
I think I've been to your website before but can't remember for sure - please list it for us (I wouldn't mind bookmarking the sites of those on this forum). And good luck from me too!
My final thought is that if we can't have one 3E Mystara site, how about somehow collaborating individual sites so that Mystaraphiles could go to one but be lead to another if it contains what they are exactly looking for. Not exactly sure what I mean myself, but maybe someone could make sense of what I'm trying to say. For instance, have a direct link to another site's conversion of a Rakasta (being sure to indicate what site you'd be lead to, credit, what-have-you). Please tell me if something like this is internet taboo, etc., I'm a super-novice at this stuff. Perhaps there is some better ideas out there by people that know what they're talking about!
My final thought is that if we can't have one 3E Mystara site, how about somehow collaborating individual sites so that Mystaraphiles could go to one but be lead to another if it contains what they are exactly looking for. Not exactly sure what I mean myself, but maybe someone could make sense of what I'm trying to say. For instance, have a direct link to another site's conversion of a Rakasta (being sure to indicate what site you'd be lead to, credit, what-have-you). Please tell me if something like this is internet taboo, etc., I'm a super-novice at this stuff. Perhaps there is some better ideas out there by people that know what they're talking about!
I'd be happy to have such a portal available in the Vaults, but yeah I don't really know whether setting such a thing up without people's permission is taboo or not either.
I'd be happy to have such a portal available in the Vaults, but yeah I don't really know whether setting such a thing up without people's permission is taboo or not either.
Well, most sites have some way of contacting a webmaster or such, so it shouldn't be that hard to ask permission to put up a link to someone's website?
Wasn't there something called the "Mystara Web Ring" a few years back? A loose association of Mystara-related websites all web-linked to one another but created by individual fans?
:-) Jesper
Really? Can we get the adress for that website, I'd love to see it.
Oh - and good luck by the way :D
:-) Jesper
I'm pretty sure I've posted my URL on this forum before, but it has been a while. My most recent conversion is a re-do of the rakasta, inspired by the Lupin and Diaboli articles in Dragon.
http://www.angelfire.com/games4/mystara
Sorry for the banner ads - I cannot control them on Angelfire. I will be moving this site to a new host very soon, however.
I hereby grant permission to freely link to my conversions (with proper credit, of course!).
What I think would be good would be a central community of Mystara D20 stuff, sort of like the the Vaults but more user drive. The Vault is an excellent repository, but there's a lot of stuff to go through, and what gets posted is dependant on what Shawn has time to put up. If we set up a community portal site, using something like PostNuke which allows members to post their own material, then a lot of the maintenance work could be avoided. Also, once word of the site gets out, creators can come and post their own material if they so desire, saving us the trouble of tracking them down and asking permission for each little thing.
Essentially, there wouldn't be any "official" conversions at all, and that's the way I like things. People just post the versions they've worked out for whatever, and if it means we have four different Rakasta conversions, that that's the way it goes. DMs can just pick and choose what they need. After all the years I've been gaming, I think that each game is pretty much unique, and a 3.5 1st-level campaign set in Karameikos is still going to be radically different in feel and content from one group to the next. Thus, the whole idea of maintaining a single "canon" or "flavor" has never made much sense to me, and I think it'd be best to just post as much stuff as possible and let people take what works best for them.
I've got webspace that I can offer, if people would be interested. And I've worked with setting up community sites before, so this really wouldn't be too difficult. So I can get something set up if that sounds good. I'd like to be involved, but I don't usually do much with mechanics or conversions, I just sort of do things as I need them for my game (which I'm not even running right now).
I've got webspace that I can offer, if people would be interested. And I've worked with setting up community sites before, so this really wouldn't be too difficult. So I can get something set up if that sounds good.
That would be great! I'd love to post my conversions if such a site was made available.
Never used PostNuke or anything like that. Is it technically difficult?
:-) Jesper
I am glad the discussions about 3E conversions for Mystara are picking up again. I am a long-time lurker on the yahoo group, but as others have pointed out there isn't anything going on there these days.
One of the problems IMHO with the current 3E site (and perhaps the yahoo group aswell) is that it doesnt allow much for different versions and visions of what Mystara 3E should be, and is rather too much concerned with finding concensus sollutions. I would have liked to see a site, series of sites, or a section on the Vaults offering many different people's attempt to convert Mystara to 3.5. If my version of the Rakasta is different from Katana_One's conversion, why not upload both to the site so that each fan browsing the sites can make compare and pick the one that is best suited for his campaign?
I dont want to turn this into a lashing out at Jenni (the 3E site manager) or the people at the yahoo group though. They have done alot of great things for Mystara and there is some really good stuff over at the 3E site. If they have the time, we definately want them with us, not against us.
The main problem now is that the 3E site hasnt been updated in a long time, and people thinking about using Mystara for their 3E game may be turned off to the setting by seeing that the "official" 3E site doesnt have what they need to get a campaign started.
Whatever technical sollution we find to this question, we should probably contact both Jenni and the people at the yahoo group and ask what they think and hopefully find a sollution that will make everyone happy. A compromise then, but hopefully one that allows for diversity.
Some thoughts on 3E conversions:
(Note: These are my personal thoughts on conversions. Feel free to disagree with them!
)- OD&D Feel vs. Mystara Feel:
Some people have expressed the idea that Mystara 3E should feel like playing OD&D. Into this comes questions like whether elves should be able to cast spells in 1st level regardless of class, whether Wizards should be allowed to wield swords, whether Sorcerers should be allowed in Mystara, whether Dwarven Wizards should be allowed etc. IMO, the main reason to chose 3E over OD&D (Mentzer or previous) is the flexibility of the rules. If you dont want that flexibility, you're probably better off playing OD&D. Nothing wrong with that. But trying to make 3E like OD&D will just fall short anyway. IMO when making conversions it is better to try and capture the feel of the Mystara setting, independent of the rules. Sure, the setting and the OD&D rules were fairly heavily integrated. But with the options 3E offers, why not take advantage of them? The question becomes what elements are essential to make Mystara feel like Mystara? The answer to this will vary, so that is another good reason to include different people's adaptions. - Campaign Specific Needs
Not all conversions are good for all campaigns. If your campaign is centered around Alfheim, you're gonna want alot of details on each elven clan, perhaps each clan detailed as a subrace. However, if the campaign spans the entire Known World, it might be better just to have an Alfheim Elf race. - Simple VS. Complex
Some people like to have 300 pages of add-on rules to learn before they can play Mystara with 3E. Others like to have just the basics, keeping it as close to 3E Core as possible with a few extra races, classes, monsters and feats, but without modifications to every single little detail.
Okay, a few thoughts there. Writing them down helped me think these things through. Feel free to throw in a few comments
Håvard
PS: Happy New Year!
I'd be happy to have such a portal available in the Vaults
Thanks, Shawn. It's good to know that the Vaults wants to be involved in stuff like this. Afterall, NOTHING could replace the Vaults.
I'm pretty sure I've posted my URL on this forum before
Me too, but thanks for re-posting it so I can bookmark it.
If we set up a community portal site, using something like PostNuke which allows members to post their own material, then a lot of the maintenance work could be avoided. Also, once word of the site gets out, creators can come and post their own material if they so desire, saving us the trouble of tracking them down and asking permission for each little thing.
Sounds cool! Like Spellweaver said, could you explain this a little more? Do you mean it's kind of like a site that multiple people can make together?
And Havard, I'm definately on the same page! And I think so are the others from the sounds of it. Let's see the three points you made are: Mystara is not the sum of the rules used to run it, not every eye sees the world from the same perspective, and although it has its own flavour, tastes may vary. ;)
Whatever technical sollution we find to this question, we should probably contact both Jenni and the people at the yahoo group and ask what they think and hopefully find a sollution that will make everyone happy. A compromise then, but hopefully one that allows for diversity.
I'll second that motion, all in favour? Good ( ;) ) can someone here do that? They deserve this at least (They did do some very good stuff putting in their time and energy! To them I say thank you very much.)
I also like the unoffical and multiple variants sentiments. Really, there is not true right or wrong conversion, but what works best for your game. I've got to get some rest, but you guys have got me anticipating the things that could happen in the not-so-distant future.
One of the problems IMHO with the current 3E site (and perhaps the yahoo group aswell) is that it doesnt allow much for different versions and visions of what Mystara 3E should be, and is rather too much concerned with finding concensus sollutions. I would have liked to see a site, series of sites, or a section on the Vaults offering many different people's attempt to convert Mystara to 3.5. If my version of the Rakasta is different from Katana_One's conversion, why not upload both to the site so that each fan browsing the sites can make compare and pick the one that is best suited for his campaign?
well I do have a 3E section of the Vaults but it's never proved too popular and has fallen into disrepair. And according to the policy that I run the Vaults under at the moment if people post stuff to the public forums or to me directly then it will be hosted.
Well, most sites have some way of contacting a webmaster or such, so it shouldn't be that hard to ask permission to put up a link to someone's website?
Wasn't there something called the "Mystara Web Ring" a few years back? A loose association of Mystara-related websites all web-linked to one another but created by individual fans?
:-) Jesper
yeah but properly maintaining such a portal is probably more time-consuming then I have the time for at the moment. If someone wanted to handle sucha thing though then I would still humbly suggest that the Vaults would be the best place for it.
well I do have a 3E section of the Vaults but it's never proved too popular and has fallen into disrepair. And according to the policy that I run the Vaults under at the moment if people post stuff to the public forums or to me directly then it will be hosted.
You have?
I'm sorry, but I never happened to find it. I just had another look, under which header is it located?:-) Jesper
You have?
:-) Jesper
I thought it was all just mixed in... but there is this page
http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/html/myst_3e.html
Regards,
Gary
I thought it was all just mixed in... but there is this page
http://www.mystaranet.jamm.com/vaults/html/myst_3e.html
Regards,
Gary
yep, there you go. It links from the D20 icon on the frontpage. I'm sure that I mentioned that on the update page when I did it.
yep, there you go. It links from the D20 icon on the frontpage. I'm sure that I mentioned that on the update page when I did it.
Either way, we know now! I'll have to go check that out, thanks.
Sounds cool! Like Spellweaver said, could you explain this a little more? Do you mean it's kind of like a site that multiple people can make together?
Basically, these packages work like Slashdot, in which registered users can submit articles or news items directly instead of having to either make the pages themselves or send the items to someone else to make. The software takes the article and wraps it in the site template to make it fit. This also makes it possible the for the article to be indexed and searchable, and there's usually a few other things as well. Anytime you see a site with a lot of side boxes and menus and central news items, such as www.enworld.org or www.yog-sothoth.com, this is the sort of thing that they're doing.
One hitch is that the software requires certain packages installed on the backed, such as PHP and SQL. The instillation of these packages is usually subject to the ISP's regs, and different providers have different rules about what they do and don't want (though PHP and SQL are pretty commonly accepted). So, if we were to host this someplace like the Vaults (and it does make sense to keep everything in the same domain, as stated above), then Shawn would have to check with his host and/or ISP to see what he can do.
So, if we were to host this someplace like the Vaults (and it does make sense to keep everything in the same domain, as stated above), then Shawn would have to check with his host and/or ISP to see what he can do.
The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to keep everything on the vaults as well. I checked out the 3E section of the vaults and saw what Shawn was talking about. Maybe if there was a little blurb with the D20 logo indicating 3E Mystara section or something, it might be hit a few more times (I honestly never thought to try clicking on it!
).One of the best things about the Vaults is Shawn's vigilance in keeping it updated frequently (excluding, of course, that 3E section ;) ). My two cent opinion is to just have things posted/worked on here on the forums as well as the MML and have them placed in Pandius. It would also be nice to have everybody's 3E Mystara website linked from there as well (I sure hope I'll get one going that could be included!).
The more I think about it, the more it makes sense to keep everything on the vaults as well. I checked out the 3E section of the vaults and saw what Shawn was talking about. Maybe if there was a little blurb with the D20 logo indicating 3E Mystara section or something, it might be hit a few more times (I honestly never thought to try clicking on it!
yeah something like that would probably help a lot hey
as for other fancy stuff as part of the webpage yeah I'd have to check with Jenni on that but at the moment I'm just battling to get my current update loaded, I've been trying since the end of last year with no luck.
as for other fancy stuff as part of the webpage...
I didn't mean to imply new stuff and more work for you. I was actually just thinking about the existing 3E section.
I didn't mean to imply new stuff and more work for you. I was actually just thinking about the existing 3E section.
well yeah then if you're just talking about maintaining that existing page then that shouldn't be too much trouble.