Every week, Now You Know recaps the Know Direction content of the past week, previews the Know Direction content of the week to come, as the director of operations, Ryan Costello, shares his thoughts on the state of the network.
Last week was a big week for Know Direction Network Starfinder content. Intrepid Heroes gave us three hours of The Tip of the Spear. Nate shot Medusa into space, Know Direction: Beyond returned with a look at the Starfinder 2e Field Test. And Digital Divination made the argument that those interested in Starfinder don’t need to wait for the new edition.
One theme connected these four releases: a love of Starfinder 1e.
This was most blatant in the latter two releases, of course. Alex and James looked at the announcement and mission statement of the Starfinder 2e through 1e fan eyes, with interesting results. Alex’s first reaction to the Field Test was that it was written as an invitation to Pathfinder 2e players to give Starfinder 2e a try. If you listen to the episode, you can feel this sentiment through James’ reactions. James, who has virtually no Pathfinder 2e experience, was confused by a lot of the Field Test. He needed Alex, who has more Pathfinder 2e experience although he’s not a big fan of the system, to translate the document.
Along similar lines, John and Jason laid out the Starfinder 2e timeline—a year until the playtest officially starts meaning Starfinder 2e is at least two years away. They pointed out that at this point in Pathfinder 1e’s lifespan, a lot of interesting lore developments took place in the adventure paths to setup the Pathfinder 2e campaign setting status quo.
Then we have Intrepid Heroes and Eldritch Excursion. While neither mentioned Starfinder 2e, both featured 1e players having fun with the system they love and sharing it with our audience.
I’ve appreciated the coverage. While I stay on top of Pathfinder news via press releases, podcasts, and social media, I get the majority of my Starfinder news from my own network. I rarely play more than one RPG system at a time, and Starfinder came out at a bad time for me to make an exception to that rule. However, since the beginning, it’s been clear that Starfinder has a passionate fanbase. The game feels like more than just Pathfinder In Space, being both its own setting and system, and an extension of Pathfinder.
That said, I suspect the Know Direction Network might be one of the reddest areas on a mostly yellow to green heat map of Starfinder activity. We host one of Starfinder’s longest running actual plays, some of Starfinder’s most prolific writers are on our staff, and we’ve been around since before the game was announced. Looking at the ICv2’s lists Top Five RPGs (compiled by ENWorld), Starfinder was consistently on the list, often in the #2 spot, in the first few years after its release. It’s basically dropped off since the release of Pathfinder 2e.
Basically, I think it makes a lot of sense for Paizo to release a Starfinder second edition that fills the same niche in relation to Pathfinder as the first editions. But, for Starfinder 1e fans who want to bask in the system for as long as it’s still supported, and the Starfinder 2e curious who want to get in on the system early, the Know Direction Network has you covered.
Speaking of network coverage, here are the articles and podcasts that released last week:
Recap of September 4th to September 8th
What happened last week on knowdirectionpodcast.com and twitch.tv/knowdirection?
Monday, September 4th
Podcast
Intrepid Heroes 115 – The Tip of the Spear
Fair warning, this is one long starship combat. It advances the plot, but it has all of the trappings common to Starfinder’s starship combat system.
Tuesday, September 5th
Podcast
Game Design Unboxed 71: Not So Neighborly
Sister designers Alice and Jessica Hong take being a passive aggressive neighbour to new heights, designing a card game about destroying your neighbourhood to get back at the people you have to live beside.
Wednesday, September 6th
Podcast
Know Direction Beyond 76: Starfinder 2e Field Test Review
Alex and James go into the Starfinder 2e Field Test as huge fans of 1e. Although James suggests some of their takes are “old man yells at cloud”-ish, most of what they say is informed opinions from an experienced perspective.
Article
Eldritch Excursion – Snakes on a Starship
By Nate Wright
I’ve included unexpected medusas in a couple of my Pathfinder writing credits, but it was Nate who surprised me with the realization that this classic creature never made it into an official Starfinder product.
Thursday, September 7th
Podcast
Digital Divination 091 – Why Play Starfinder?
As I discussed in my editorial, John and Jason make a strong argument for players interested in Starfinder 2e to get into Starfinder now. Its setting has evolved since launch, and will continue to do so. Trying a little Starfinder 1e means that Starfinder 2e’s lore will be your personal history, not something you only read about in books.
Friday, September 8th
Article
Essential Builds – Monster Force Dracula
By Ryan Costello
I sat down to build Mega Man, but some part of my brain was hyperfocused on Operation: Monster Force. So I started writing down my Operation: Monster Force thoughts for a future Essential Builds. Ends up, the future was last Friday!
Preview of September 11th to September 15th
This is Block 2 of our 2-block schedule.
Monday, September 11th
Article
Now You Know – Starswan Songfinder
By Ryan Costello
Have I mentioned that I love my weirder Now You Know titles and I don’t care who doesn’t?
Tuesday, September 12th
Podcast
Tavern Rats 6
The continuing adventures of the Tavern Rats, as they play through the Pathfinder 2e Quest for the Frozen Flame adventure path.
Thursday, September 14th
Podcast
Legend Lore 63 – Loren and jess Build The Muppets
Well that episode title caught me off guard. I wonder if they set out to build The Muppets, or they got sidetracked along the way to somewhere else and just went with it.
Article
Investing In
By Rob Pontious
Rob shares what he loves about the RPGs he’s been playing lately, and why you should check them out.
Friday, September 15th
Podcast
Upshift 024
Jason and I talk Essence20.
Now you know,
Ryan Costello
