Goodman Games

Hi,

I’m not exactly sure where this belongs in the forums, but I need some help or a statement about the 3.0e/3.5e Dungeon Crawl Classics modules missing on SJ Games’ online store—e23.

I’ve always been interested in running these modules ever since I first discovered them, long before the release of 4.0e, but I never found an interested playgroup until recently. Because I was busy playing other games, I didn’t keep up with the news from WotC about the 3.0/3.5 retraction, and so when I went to buy DCC #35: Gazetteer of the Known Realms from e23 I got—and still now get—a surprising message that says,


This is by no means an extensive list, but here are some other modules I found that are missing on e23:

• DCC #13: Crypt of the Devil Lich
• DCC #15: Lost Tomb of the Sphinx Queen
• DCC #17: Legacy of the Savage Kings
• DCC #21: Assault on Stormbringer Castle

This was very strange to me, because I’d also just bought DCC #0: Legends are Made, not Born on e23 without any problems. So, I went hunting for more information, and found this:


I’m sad I missed such an awesome sale, and it partly explained the message on e23, but it still didn’t answer my question about why I could still buy something that was apparently ‘gone forever’. So, again, I went hunting for more information, and found this:


I didn’t see any mention of e23, but for the moment I was a happy camper: I could get these modules again, they weren’t actually ‘gone forever’! I signed up for an account on Paizo to try to get the missing PDFs from there, but unfortunately they don’t allow you to pay unless you’re doing it through a credit card.

I’m willing to try RPGNow next, but I thought I’d ask here first if there are any plans to update the missing modules on e23. I really would prefer to have all my PDFs from the same source.

All the 3E modules are currently available for sale in PDF format. I have not checked lately to see which resellers have which modules, but based on your comments it looks like E23 does not have them available while Paizo and RPGnow do.

Your post brought back some pleasant memories of days gone by. Ah, the halcyon era of the 4E GSL and all it meant for the 3E d20 license! Well, not-so-pleasant memories, actually. The short version is that WotC revoked the d20 license when 4E came out. There were actually two licenses that allowed publication of 3.5 products, the OGL license and d20 license. The OGL could not be revoked but the d20 license could be (and was). That meant I could not sell any product featuring the d20 logo. I had taken the d20 logo off the DCC modules starting around #40 or so, but all the modules before then had it. That license revocation is what led to running the end-of-life sale and removing all the modules from sale. Then we started the process of slowly removing the d20 logos and making the modules compatible with OGL without referencing the d20 license. Once that was done the revised modules were re-uploaded for sale. It was a big project and took a while but was eventually done.

So that is the history. Looks like E23 doesn't have the non-d20 versions for sale. See if RPGnow or Paizo can help you out.

Dear goodmangames,

Thank you for taking the time to reply. From your comments it sounds like you think e23 is not offering any of the modules at all, but that’s certainly not the case. e23 still does have a lot of the modules in their catalogue; I’ve currently gone through and bought #0–#20 on their list, and the only ones that are missing between those numbers are the ones I listed—#13, #15, #17, #21, and #35.

Looking at #20–#40, they also seem available to buy, except for #30, #32, #35, and #39. #40–#50 doesn’t have #44, #48, #50, and #51. Which is strange, especially if you consider the fact you say,


Is this some sort of miscommunication or oversight? I guess I should have been clearer with my question: the fact that a lot of the modules are available and supported by e23—as well as the complete PDF line being available for sale, as you say—makes me wonder if or when the unavailable modules on e23 will become available again.

All of the modules I bought on e23 so far are the non–d20 versions. All of the missing ones do seem to have the d20 logo on their preview picture, but as the publisher of the modules couldn’t you give them the updated versions for the ones they don’t have in their catalogue?

For example, e23 still has the old 3.0e version of DCC #2: The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho listed on their catalogue as unavailable, but at some point you guys worked on it and gave them a 3.5e updated version and removed the d20 logo.

Couldn’t something similar be done here for the other unavailable modules? And, if there is no plan to give e23 these updated modules to fill the blank spots in their catalogue I’ll turn to RPGNow for the rest.

Have you asked e23 about the situation? They may be unaware of what's happening in their catalog...

I'm glad you are interested in buying the modules!

I don't run E23 and I can't answer why they have some adventures available, but not others. Like any of the many retailers who carry our products (both digital and physical), that is their discretion. Over the years we have provided all the files, so it's quite possible this is an oversight.

My recommendation is to contact their customer service folks and ask for the modules you'd like to buy. If they have the files, they will hopefully make them available. If they don't have the files, my guess is that they will contact us and ask for them. Either way, you'll probably be able to buy the adventures from them soon enough.

Hope that helps -- let me know if you need anything else.

I posted on their forums and got a reply from the e23 Manager, Steven Marsh, but am currently awaiting their official response. The suspense is killing me!