| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 02:57:28
The WotC posted several of their Gen Con 2012 seminars on their YouTube account, DNDWizards.
I found The Future Look of D&D Part 1 and Part 2 of particular interest concerning the Realms' art direction.
There are also video recordings of D&D Digital for those interested in more information on WotC's digital plans for D&D Next. There also seminars on the rules design and development. |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Faraer |
Posted - 23 Aug 2012 : 23:54:15
D&D Next Live with Chris Perkins
in which six gamers under the influence of a corruption field audition D&D for the 2016 Olympic Games, we learn how to cast cast magic missile, and whether drow can be trusted |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 22 Aug 2012 : 17:22:10
From what I took away from historical exposition told by James Wyatt in the beginning of the What is the Sundering seminar, they are putting actual significance into the Tablets of Fate and the whole Era of Upheaval (ToT, Blue Fire, Spellplague) is one big connected series of events.
There are three Sunderings in the history of the Realms. The first was the Tearfall, when an ice moon fell on the four inner seas to form the Sea of Falling Stars due to the war between the gods and the titans. At this point AO cloned the world to give Toril to the gods (Estelar) and Abeir to the Dawn Titans. The Tablets of Fate serve as the infrastructure dividing these two worlds. So, it appears they're not actually two worlds, but two inter-dimensional versions of the same world.
The next sundering is the Sundering we commonly know of, that of the elves when they formed Evermeet. The high mages used a high magic ritual that mimicked the action of AO splitting Abeir and Toril. Except they didn't have a major artifact like the Tablets of Fate to act as a focus. Things when horribly wrong, kingdoms were swept away, thousands laid dead (or drowned), but the elves had their secluded homeland. Oops.
The third Sundering is the upcoming 5E Next Realms Sundering. Eventually, the gods became complacent. Deities like Bane and Myrkul are actually 'new school' gods ascended not too long ago in the grand scale of things. They heard of the Tablets of Fate and desired the supposed power they would grant. They stole them and when AO asked for them back, no one said a word. Then the Time of Trouble ensued. That resolved itself and AO made a few declarations but was otherwise of the mindset to let the gods make their mistakes. He either wants to teach the gods a lesson (which began with the ToT and thought complete, but is still ongoing) or he doesn't care.
The whole Avatar crisis weakened the gods and the dimensional stability once reinforced by the Tablets of Fate. When Mystra died, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. The worlds collided briefly and shenanigans were wrought upon the world. Now a century later, AO decides to Sunder away that mishap. Perhaps the gods have learned their lesson or AO just felt bored (overgods are weird and arbitrary that way). The Sundering is happening and the novels series will relay to us the focused perspective of their characters. The authors said each novel was about more than just the title characters.
I recommend watching the What is the Sundering seminiar. Aside from informative, it's also loads of fun to see the authors interact and joke with each other and the audience.
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| Eilserus |
Posted - 22 Aug 2012 : 16:25:19
I don't think AO is gonna fix anything for the people on the planet. I do think he's going to put the proverbial boot up the god's arses though. If you haven't watched the What is the Sundering vids, check them out, they explain a bit what AO's intentions are and what happens. |
| Quale |
Posted - 22 Aug 2012 : 16:21:10
Happy to hear that Malik is back. Not so thrilled about Ao, I hope Ao sacrifices like those elven high magi. Otherwise it seems cheap, literally ''God'' appears to fix the problems. Maybe cause I played a different story about the Sundering. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 21 Aug 2012 : 21:42:20
quote:
Originally posted by Elsenrail
New videos were uploaded - What is the Sundering! Must watch! :)
What is the Sundering? - Part 1 & Part 2. |
| Elsenrail |
Posted - 21 Aug 2012 : 21:35:23
New videos were uploaded - What is the Sundering! Must watch! :) |
| Quale |
Posted - 21 Aug 2012 : 10:23:07
I didn't have the time to see it all. The part where he talks about different styles for human ethnic groups, e.g. the Rashemi, is amazing. I wanted that for a long time. On the other side remember what they said for 4e FR art, turned out not what I expected, only the first Moonshaes article had something different. |
| Bladewind |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 16:40:27
A big fat Visual World Bible for the Realms is finally being realised and I think it's just what the Realms need. It'll fire up our collective imaginations, and can really form a anchor point for creating even more lore. Best idea coming from WotC since the Grand History of the Realms.
Schindehette talked about architecture, a personal favorite topic of mine, being realistically tied to the environmental conditions, available materials and pervasive culture in the area. Eagerly awaiting the results of these ideas. The same they'll do for weapons, armor, clothing, ornaments and mundane tools. He also talked about the mixing of two cultures in border zones, and gave an example of how you could find half-elven inspired clothingstyles of Aglarond worn by people of mulan descent in a border village near Thay. Good stuff.
I hope they don't hold back on resources spend in this project as I think it will singlehandedly change the way we look at the Realms for the better. |
| Darkmeer |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 16:13:00
quote:
Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer
I'm at 37:27 into the video now and I like that Jon Schindehette (the Senior Creative Director for Dungeons & Dragons) said he wants a specific artist to use and by identified with specific settings. He noted that this isn't practical vis-a-vis deadlines, so it's more likely a specific group of artists will be identified with a given line.
Boy I hope they pick good people.
This particular bit hits home for me, being a fan of multiple settings. Remember the look & feel of Planescape? Dragonlance? Dark Sun? 2e Realms? They each had something different in feel, and I really liked that they were each of the same vein (fantasy), but approached the setting and art radically differently.
I really liked hearing this. |
| Faraer |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 16:05:35
quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
In fact, this whole seminar is reminding me a lot of some of the behind the scenes features from the LotR DVD's, the ones dealing with the art department. Which is seriously cool; you expect that sort of thing from a major movie event. You don't necessarily anticipate it from a roleplaying game.
It's one of the advantages of going through a big publisher with money, now being taken advantage of! Having the art direction being part of world-building and integrated with the lore, rather than a heap of pretty but disposable illustrations, is a great step up. Rooting the style more in reality, with attention to backgrounds and less uniform body-idealization, are also good fits for the Realms. The more 'realistic' look means to me that it won't be so instantly dated as much D&D art has lately been.
Giving each setting its own look again has been something I've wished for for a while, too. That in itself is a big turn-around from the adjunct-to-D&D approach, almost regardless of who the regular Realms artists will be.
I did notice that the question and answer about avoiding constant airbrushed-looking digital colouring didn't mention black-and-white art at all. It'd be cool to see some of that again.
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I find it interesting that at the 'look of D&D' seminar the focus was on 'the look of FR', as if they were one and the same.
The gist (for those not watching the whole seminar) is that Jon Schindehette started working on this Realms art bible before he got involved in D&D Next, he can't do more than one such big project at a time, and that if the production of D&D Next books started tomorrow he'd use the Realms art/style for it, though this doesn't mean the Realms would be built into the game in any other way.
Anyone want to point themselves out in the audience? |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 06:29:15
Good stuff right to the end of Part 1: at 57:28 Schindehette talks about wanting to know as much as possible about which faiths are going to be included in the Realms post-Sundering, so he can go into detail on how paladins of different faiths (for example) will look. He wants to be able to show why they look different, via their holy symbols and how they're worn, the weapons they wield, the colors they wear and so on.
He talks about different cultures that share the same faith (Helm, in this, ahem, hypothetical) and wanting to know how those two cultures express their faith similarly and differently.
That's quite a lot of detail, just to get the art right in the world bible. I think that's something we can appreciate. Good stuff. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 05:40:09
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I find it interesting that at the 'look of D&D' seminar the focus was on 'the look of FR', as if they were one and the same. Not sure if that was the intent, but thats the impression they are giving.
I wouldn't care either way (I have mixed feelings on the point of FR being D&D), but they specifically said that that would not be the case.
The art director Jon Schindehette addresses exactly this question/point from an audience member in the Part 2 video. He said the only setting art bible he is working on and concerned with currently is for the Forgotten Realms. The project began solely for the Realms before D&D Next was really a set direction for Wizards. This is not for D&D Next. Portions may eventually be used for Next because of the overlap in basic theme and imagery, but it is not the purpose of the setting art bible project. There is some overlap obviously. He elaborates more on this distinction, the genesis of the project, the purpose, and the potential use of the project in the video.
He said he may be asked to put something together for Next specifically, or for a Core world, but he'll face that project when/if it comes.
He also hopes to do the same for any setting WotC decides to support in the future (meaning on the scale of the Next Realms), but there are no plans for other settings at this time. This does not mean there will not be other settings, just that the Realms is the focus for now. There is a learning curve in producing a setting art bible because WotC hasn't produced one before. He hopes to give every setting its own unique look and visual atmosphere reflective of the setting's cultures and themes through art direction.
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
I only watched half the first one - will watch the rest when I get home. Thanks for posting these DW, I missed the artwork seminar.
No problem. I find the seminars far more informative than the keynote, but that's how they're designed. The keynote is the overview and a giant advertisement and hype generator.
The individual seminars are more in-depth, even as Jon Schindehette (and no doubt other WotC personnel in other seminars) are careful to point out they are very early in the process and nothing is set. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 04:52:23
I'm really enjoying the talk about the iterations of halflings, and trying to figure out what they are and make them not be little humans. And the bit with Ed walking up to a drawing and knowing exactly where the person is from, and the artists saying that's where they were drawing it to be from, was great.
I also like how the artist (forget his name, unfortunately) isn't afraid to bring Tolkien into it, and talk a bit about the halfling's hobbit origins. In fact, this whole seminar is reminding me a lot of some of the behind the scenes features from the LotR DVD's, the ones dealing with the art department. Which is seriously cool; you expect that sort of thing from a major movie event. You don't necessarily anticipate it from a roleplaying game. Good for them for going this in depth. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 03:58:09
I'm at 37:27 into the video now and I like that Jon Schindehette (the Senior Creative Director for Dungeons & Dragons) said he wants a specific artist to use and by identified with specific settings. He noted that this isn't practical vis-a-vis deadlines, so it's more likely a specific group of artists will be identified with a given line.
Boy I hope they pick good people. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 03:53:18
I find it interesting that at the 'look of D&D' seminar the focus was on 'the look of FR', as if they were one and the same. Not sure if that was the intent, but thats the impression they are giving.
I wouldn't care either way (I have mixed feelings on the point of FR being D&D), but they specifically said that that would not be the case.
I only watched half the first one - will watch the rest when I get home. Thanks for posting these DW, I missed the artwork seminar. |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 03:07:20
Thank you Dark Wizard. 
EDIT: Loving the work being shown at 12:31 (in the Future Look of D&D Part 1 video) for the Forgotten Realms world bible.
Kick ass. |
| Hoondatha |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 03:02:16
Nice find! Good to see some of the seminars online. |
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