| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Faraer |
Posted - 02 Jul 2004 : 18:19:32
quote:
Originally posted by Elf_Friend
This brings to mind a question. What has given the Realms so much staying power over the years? It's 2004, this setting came out when I graduated from high school. That was a long time ago (mixed emotion now) for one setting to be around and continue to get published support, with no end in sight.
My quick first-draft answer:
-- It wasn't designed all at once to fit a specification, but evolved and accreted over twenty years before truly seeing print. In that time its detail accumulated to serve first Ed's need to write fantasy stories, and then to please his demanding players in two long campaigns.
-- It was created by someone more imaginative than most people can imagine being, as well as unusually well read. It's a legitimate continuation of the sword and sorcery tradition. It has Ed's love.
-- It was meant from the first for the slow burn: no overriding set of conflicts that once resolved rendered the world inert, but many strands giving rise to new ones.
-- At the same time, it drew 'Let's see what happens next' novel and RSE fans. This coexists awkwardly with the open-ended as-if-real something-round-the-next-corner approach, but never so awkwardly as to fall apart.
-- Similarly, it has both appeal-to-everyone superficial aspects and deeper aspects that reward continued attention.
-- It was supported by the phenomenal sales of Bob Salvatore's novels, which drew many to the setting proper.
-- It was given a good amount of promotion by TSR, and continued support, while support for all TSR's other worlds came and went.
-- Through such things as 'iconic characters' and licensed computer games it came to exist as a brand and a perceptual entity to some extent independent from its existence as a secondary world. That got it exposure, and gravity (people see something big, they see what the fuss is about).
-- It has many sourcebooks of extremely high quality of writing, worldbuilding, and inspiration. |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Karesch |
Posted - 06 Jul 2004 : 09:17:02
I agree. The main things that have kept it alive continually over the decades is A) Ed's wonderful dedication to it, and his supreme intelligence in laying it out in such a generally detailed manner as to make it real while still open to any players imaginative possibilities.
B) The novel's that have been published based on the world that draw in a fanbase of readers if not players, helps contribute to it's life
C) The computer gaming coverage that has made the CS a fortune in non pen and paper players
D) The fact that players never really have to mature out of it. Because as you get older, your campaign just grows and matures with you, where we all first started playing by slashing or blasting our way through a simple dungeon, now we build intricate stories and plots full of sub-plots to play out, which as we get older, wilyer, and craftier, the campaign does as well, thus keeping it from being "the same old stuff" over and over. |
| Reefy |
Posted - 05 Jul 2004 : 01:50:55
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
-- It was created by someone more imaginative than most people can imagine being, as well as unusually well read. It's a legitimate continuation of the sword and sorcery tradition. It has Ed's love.
That's probably one of the most simple, yet highly accurate interpretations that I have yet read about the Realms in general.
Well put Faraer  .
I completely agree. The short version is that the Realms has depth, it's a real, living, breathing world. |
| Windshear |
Posted - 03 Jul 2004 : 05:45:30
What draws me to it, is the literal world of possibilities that exist out there. And the fact that it feels like a world that could exist, unlike some novels particularly which would seem to end if you lifted up the corner of that carpet over there. :P The fact that things are happening all over the world at any given time is a very important element in effective world-building in my opinion.
I've only recently come to the realms, but I think that the fact that it has reached almost iconic status, it is like an everpresent world waiting to be explored for so many people.
Well, that was a long-winded way of saying things. Hehe. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 03 Jul 2004 : 05:16:02
quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
-- It was created by someone more imaginative than most people can imagine being, as well as unusually well read. It's a legitimate continuation of the sword and sorcery tradition. It has Ed's love.
That's probably one of the most simple, yet highly accurate interpretations that I have yet read about the Realms in general.
Well put Faraer .
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| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 03 Jul 2004 : 04:43:21
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
There are many, many people all over the world who have fallen in love with the place.
-- George Krashos
Indeed and I hope there are many more to come. Very well put GK.  |
| George Krashos |
Posted - 03 Jul 2004 : 03:53:44
There are many, many people all over the world who have fallen in love with the place.
-- George Krashos
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