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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 18:08:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Why don't we start a discussion about things that we *want* rather than turn threads like this into a discussion of how we *don't want* what's available?
Cheers
Very well said Erik. I myself am tired of hearing a 4E rant on every other thread. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 18:43:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Why don't we start a discussion about things that we *want* rather than turn threads like this into a discussion of how we *don't want* what's available?
Very well said Erik. I myself am tired of hearing a 4E rant on every other thread.
And on that note: http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13391
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
I think a Realms of the Spellplague anthology could be an excellent read, and I'd be happy to contribute a story.
Ditto!
quote:
But it's not the way to satisfy those who think that existing explanations of the Spellplague are nonsensical, partly by virtue of being inconsistent.{snip}
That is a very good point.
I think it could still be helpful, if it were organized/policed a little through careful editing. Each of us writers picks a city/region, and we got to work with the editor (taking into account what's already print, if anything) to develop what happened to that region. Basically, we'd be developing lore and producing a book that is both lore and good fiction, without violating any limitation on print products.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3243 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 21:43:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Why don't we start a discussion about things that we *want* rather than turn threads like this into a discussion of how we *don't want* what's available?
Cheers
Very well said Erik. I myself am tired of hearing a 4E rant on every other thread.
I think you are seriously over-estimating the amount of 4E rants on the forums. This thread has been the only place I've seen a 4E rant in MONTHS, mostly due to the efforts of the Sage and the Space Hamster. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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WarlockII
Seeker
50 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 22:16:11
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It wasn't so much a rant about 4E (really it wasn't), as it was a rant about the general direction WotC is taking with the concept of detail.
Anyways, Richard if every part of faerun was covered by an author, like you did thay, and the sum of everyones work was compiled in a little book, that would be awesome!.
Sure inconsistent, but I'm sure most wont mind since it's meant to be chaotic. The issue is not so much the inconsistency as the what happened, where and when?
Better yet, a new suggestion. Make an animated clip. Can't be that expensive  . Gives us some idea of what it looked like.
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WarlockII
Seeker
50 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 22:17:57
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I vote The Year of Blue Fire (Spellplague sourcebook)  |
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Jakk
Great Reader
Canada
2165 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 00:39:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Let me start out this thread by saying that WarlockII and Jakk, I'm on your side here. I am one of those people who loves having lore--who loves having the answers spelled out for me so I can work them into my games and play around them. That's how I best engage with the Realms--providing my own innovation on an established and well-loved canon. So yeah, if they could/would explain every nuance of the Spellplague, I would *love* that. (I would also love to contribute to writing it up, if I ever got the chance.)
<chop>
I figured as much from your previous couple of posts. That, more than anything, is my biggest problem with the 4E Realms: the feeling of temporal isolation that I get from the material. You can probably guess how I voted on the poll. The temporal disjunction, as you've already pointed out, creates a problem either way: (a) Those who want the detail (like myself and WarlockII) will complain about the lack of information, and will flip a coin between doing the work required to maintain a sense of continuity and creating a new world from scratch (I took door #3 and chose to remain in the Realms and ignore canon). (b) Those who don't want the detail will complain if the information is provided... which I honestly can't figure out. If you don't want the lore, don't use it; some of us like to have it, and we shouldn't be punished for our preference.
I would actually be very interested in the post-Spellplague Realms if this disconnect were repaired, but I suspect that doing so would only lead to the same "problem" that resulted in the Spellplague in the first place. Whether or not it actually was a problem is moot, because it's been fixed... whether you interpret that last word in the handyman sense or the veterinary sense will depend on how you felt about the old Realms.
I'll let this scroll return to its original topic now; it's a topic that I am ill-equipped to comment on, as I have so completely reinvented the Spellplague for my Realms that I'm far more likely to spout homebrew than canon on this matter.  |
Playing in the Realms since the Old Grey Box (1987)... and *still* having fun with material published before 2008, despite the NDA'd lore.
If it's comparable in power with non-magical abilities, it's not magic. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 01:46:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
I think a Realms of the Spellplague anthology could be an excellent read, and I'd be happy to contribute a story. But it's not the way to satisfy those who think that existing explanations of the Spellplague are nonsensical, partly by virtue of being inconsistent. If you get ten or fifteen fiction writers cranking out short stories about the Spellplague, there are going to be new inconsistencies among their stories, and between the anthology and everything published about the Spellplague previously. From the standpoint of having a single clear, consistent, face-valid explanation and history, you're going to compound the problem instead of fixing it.
I'm not sure I agree... While we did have inconsistencies in 1E and 2E, those were minimized by having a traffic cop to keep everything straight. For a Spellplague anthology, there's a much smaller pool of lore to have to wade thru -- so a dedicated traffic cop should be able to keep everything straight and consistent. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4688 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 02:11:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
I think a Realms of the Spellplague anthology could be an excellent read, and I'd be happy to contribute a story. But it's not the way to satisfy those who think that existing explanations of the Spellplague are nonsensical, partly by virtue of being inconsistent. If you get ten or fifteen fiction writers cranking out short stories about the Spellplague, there are going to be new inconsistencies among their stories, and between the anthology and everything published about the Spellplague previously. From the standpoint of having a single clear, consistent, face-valid explanation and history, you're going to compound the problem instead of fixing it.
I'm not sure I agree... While we did have inconsistencies in 1E and 2E, those were minimized by having a traffic cop to keep everything straight. For a Spellplague anthology, there's a much smaller pool of lore to have to wade thru -- so a dedicated traffic cop should be able to keep everything straight and consistent.
Having a dedicated "traffic cop" did not exist in 3rd Edition, there clearly are signs that there is not one for 4th (Or as WotC declares it, true D&D - with Basic and Advanced merged into one game.) It clearly can be a good idea, however QA/QC (Quality Assurance/Quality Control) has not direct bottom line number. The effects of such a "gate keeper" are indirect. Hard to budget for when administrator is told to cut staff (payroll) costs.
I have seen Editors allow "words" when it appears to me "wards" was intended word, both pass a spell checker - at least mine. I have seen some very respected FR writers failing to refer to the source book when they wrote their novel, short story or a mere article.I have seen, as discussed in other thread, errors not caught by any until after print.
All in all call me frustrated and calling for the "traffic cop" or a gate keeper, it has been missing for years. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
Edited by - Kentinal on 12 Mar 2010 02:14:28 |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 13:40:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Why don't we start a discussion about things that we *want* rather than turn threads like this into a discussion of how we *don't want* what's available?
Cheers
Very well said Erik. I myself am tired of hearing a 4E rant on every other thread.
I think you are seriously over-estimating the amount of 4E rants on the forums. This thread has been the only place I've seen a 4E rant in MONTHS, mostly due to the efforts of the Sage and the Space Hamster.
Ok i'll be clearer then. I hear one on every other thread that I look at and sometimes its not usually a rant, but a side negative comment about 4E that pops in too frequently.
And on topic, I like the idea of a traffic cop to make sure there are no inconsistencies in regards to the stories surrounding the spellplague. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 19:39:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Ashe Ravenheart
quote:
Originally posted by Alisttair
quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
Why don't we start a discussion about things that we *want* rather than turn threads like this into a discussion of how we *don't want* what's available?
Cheers
Very well said Erik. I myself am tired of hearing a 4E rant on every other thread.
I think you are seriously over-estimating the amount of 4E rants on the forums. This thread has been the only place I've seen a 4E rant in MONTHS, mostly due to the efforts of the Sage and the Space Hamster.
Ok i'll be clearer then. I hear one on every other thread that I look at and sometimes its not usually a rant, but a side negative comment about 4E that pops in too frequently.
And on topic, I like the idea of a traffic cop to make sure there are no inconsistencies in regards to the stories surrounding the spellplague.
Much like a negative comment about pre 4e or people who dont agree with 4e pops up in about every thread.
Some time ya just gotta ignore the little stuff. This heavy handed thought policing is in my opinion what is killing this forum. Has anyone noticed how rare it now is to see more than 3 or 4 active members logged in? i have seen so many scribes chastised for one or two negative comments , then about the second time it happens...they are gone.
I am not asking anyone to take abuse...but sometime discretion is the better part of valor and you have to live and let live. If you see comment you think is a bit to far, just dont fan the flames...it usually the reaction to something that blows up into a fireball.
I love this place.....but I fear it cannot take many more hits before it is unrecognizable when compared to just even 2 years ago.
Back on to the topic.....
How does the spellplague work?
it is impossible to debat that fairly without letting some scribe(s) express how it does not work for them. This can be taken negative and blown up...but it is really an invitation to explain how it does work for you.....and above all it is allright if we disagree.
Sorry for rambling.....thanks for reading...I think I am going on hiatus and remeber how good the discourse here used to be when ideas were exchanged and no topic was off limits to our powerful curiousity and love of the realms..... |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 00:28:54
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
How does the spellplague work?
it is impossible to debat that fairly without letting some scribe(s) express how it does not work for them. This can be taken negative and blown up...but it is really an invitation to explain how it does work for you.....and above all it is allright if we disagree.
Sorry for rambling.....thanks for reading...I think I am going on hiatus and remeber how good the discourse here used to be when ideas were exchanged and no topic was off limits to our powerful curiousity and love of the realms.....
It isn't impossible... It's just that the Spellplague is a divisive event, and there are some very strong feelings on each side. We've had some civil and constructive debates, but because of the strong feelings, it's all too easy for people to get overly worked up. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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So how does the spellplague work?
