Søren Keis Thustrup (Part 3)

Welcome to the 3rd and final part of the interview with Søren Keis Thustrup. Siobharek on the AE forums, author of the Circle of Rites adventure. You can find part 1 here or part 2 here

23. Could you tell us a little about the difference between professional game design and designing for play?
For a home game, you mean? Obviously, you can tailor an adventure much more if you're whipping it up for your own group. That's why most of the hooks in published adventures are so generic. If you read Monte's Night of Dissolution, you can see how much more focused it is because it's written for a specific setting. Imagine how much more relevant it was to the group it was written for (although, according to a note in the adventure, the group wandered off the storyline, but that's players for you, I believe)


24. Why do you think the "Obvious Books" (racial and class books) for AE have never been done by the non-malhavoc publishers?
Because AE is only a small part of the overall d20 experience. I don't know how many copies of AE are out there, but compared to standard D&D it's a drop in the ocean. It's a cost-benefit thing.

25. What is your feeling about Lands of the Jade Oath?
I am extremely excited about it. I got a copy of a Wayne Reynolds painting from the author in 2006, and while I doubt I'd set adventures there, I will most certainly read and pillage as much as I can from the book.

26. What is the AE product you want to buy?
Adventures, adventures, adventures. Show me how to give my starving players a good time, and you have a friend in me.

27. Can you name for us a totem type, champion type and a witch type that would be cool but you have never seen from the fans?
I haven't really kept up with the different new champions, totem warriors, and witches out there. I'd love to see the Champion of War - I can't believe it wasn't statted up when Return of the Dragons was published. I would also like to see a great cat totem warrior, but I would like it to surprise me and show an interesting way it interacted with litorians. And a witch of darkness or shadow would be cool

28. What kind of player experience did you hope to create with your game? Did your goals change during the design process? Do you feel that you met them?
I specifically tried not to think of a specific play situation, because I didn't want to subconsciously steer the adventure towards one style of play - the railroading afforded by the clues was enough, I think!

29. What does AE need more of?
Publications. Publishers. It's strictly a fan-driven product line now, I think, and the more attention we can get - even if it means micro-selling Word files with scanned, badly-drawn maps - the better. I'd really love for AE to become the Greyhawk of d20 systems. A small setting with a strong fan base. Thankfully, with www.diamondthrone.com and The Infinite Library (the AE Wiki at diamondthrone.com), it is SO easy getting your stuff out. At IL, you can even collaborate with others about it.


30. What advice would you give to fans of AE?
Don't see the lack of new material as limiting. There are tons of good adventures out there, and they aren't that hard to convert. In the AE Conversion Document for Ptolus, I even make a few remarks about how to go about it.

31. What do you think the Future is for AE?
I have hopes, but I think that the future for AE lies with the fans. Get involved, post to Monte's message boards, write stuff for www.diamondthrone.com and The Infinite Library, and most of all - play the damn game. Then we'll be fine. And once it cleans out at the ENnies, Lands of the Jade Oath will introduce so many new players to AE that I'm sure Green Ronin or Paizo will beg for more. As I said, I can always hope, right?

32. Is there anything else the world should know about you?
Hah! Between my blog (siobharek.livejournal.com) and my incessant posting at Monte's I think the world would mostly like me to stop sharing. If only for 24 hours. In fact, I'm sure there's an online petition somewhere about it ;-).

33. Is there anything else the world should know about AE?
Other than the following? No.

With Arcana Evolved, you do not have a choice in your regular game - you have several. From how your akashic will access the powers of the akashic memory over what kind of Champion you will be to how your character will act, react, and develop - it's all in your hands with none of the hindrances found in the world's most popular role-playing game. No alignments, no multi-class restrictions, no limits. That's AE.