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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
 Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 07:14:21
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Back in 2006 or so, if I had seen something like the Dungeon Master's Guild coming out, I would have been thrilled. I was still young and enthusiastic enough to not realize how bad I really was a writing, and still had enough good ideas here and there that I could almost be excused for my poor execution.
These days, I'm too conscious of gravity to keep running (to use the Looney Tunes analogy), but I really, really hope to see people with less of a sense of gravity keep running because they don't know they should fall.
When I talk about how bad I was, I'm not insinuating that others aren't going to have good work in their soul to put out there. I'm just saying that at a certain point in your life, you have enough fire that if you do something bad, you learn from it, and get better.
The DM's Guild, depending on how it shakes out, could be the fulfillment of a lot of the potential of Candlekeep and the creative energies contained within it.
If you want adventures not set in the Sword Coast, write that Vilhon Reach epic you always wanted to write.
If you want a massive "event" adventure path, but want something more traditional, like an army of orcs threatening the North, instead of demons or gods, write that AP.
If you want those more introspective tales of adventurers and mercenaries falling in love with the little towns between Suzail and Waterdeep, and the personalities that live there, make it happen.
I'm pointing this out now, because I'm already seeing the negativity of people claiming that the DM's Guild is going to produce substandard material. I'm already seeing people complaining about the Realms getting fan made material, as if Realms fans can only produce laughable content.
Live the dream. Prove them wrong. Carry the standard. Love the world that you love, and let that love show. And if you can't get it together enough to write something you think is professional, than at least be the shoulders that other scribes can stand on to reach the brass ring.
Encourage them. Let them bounce ideas off of you. Help them hone their swords. Be constructive. Help them, but don't tear them down.
We may not see one perfect version of the Realms, but we may see with greater clarity the Realms that the fans of the setting have seen for years, between all of the things that got between them and their love of the setting.
This is a new program. There may be pitfalls between here and there. But if this has the potential that it looks like it might have, this could be great.
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 09:30:39
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I got really excited last night by the announcement and this morning I immediately found my notes and am preparing my first module. However, upon inspecting the whole thing a little closer, it looks like there is only a very limited pool of art I can use freely (I can't, for example, use maps from existing sourcebooks to accompany the adventure; I guess I can recreate them in Campaign Cartographer 3, perhaps) - unless there's something I missed, of course.
I'm also not entirely sure how much setting fluff I can borrow from existing Realms sourcebooks. |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 13:33:17
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| Interesting. I was under the impression that anything that has been published in the Realms is free game to work with and add upon. Is that not the case? |
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ZeshinX
Learned Scribe
Canada
210 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 14:00:07
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| Hmm...I wonder if this means Kara Tur could receive some 5e attention....interesting. |
"...because despite the best advice of those who know what they are talking about, other people insist on doing the most massively stupid things."
-Galen, technomage |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 14:03:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
Interesting. I was under the impression that anything that has been published in the Realms is free game to work with and add upon. Is that not the case?
I'm not sure anymore. I have recreated covers (I've been working on these modules for a while, the plan was to share them here) that mimick the look and feel of the AD&D modules, complete with similar frames, colors and style, and the <3 old logo <3 and with maps from sourcebooks etc.
But at the guild site, they have asset downloads, zipped packs with (very little, by the way) art that is free to use - the images are divided by creature type - and a pack with ten or so maps that are, well, not what I need. |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3823 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 14:03:38
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quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
I got really excited last night by the announcement and this morning I immediately found my notes and am preparing my first module. However, upon inspecting the whole thing a little closer, it looks like there is only a very limited pool of art I can use freely (I can't, for example, use maps from existing sourcebooks to accompany the adventure; I guess I can recreate them in Campaign Cartographer 3, perhaps) - unless there's something I missed, of course.
I'm also not entirely sure how much setting fluff I can borrow from existing Realms sourcebooks.
The art, maps and so on are provided in those free resource pdfs at their site. However, it seems that the full FR IP is open for use. They also said, in one of their FB posts, that content set in the older eras will also be accepted. The published setting is the basis, so all the fluff regarding, say, Suzail, could be used as the premise for writing an adventure, or organizations, NPCs and so on. That's how I read it, at least, but the AMA should clarify. |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
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Caladan Brood
Senior Scribe
Norway
410 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 14:09:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by Caladan Brood
I got really excited last night by the announcement and this morning I immediately found my notes and am preparing my first module. However, upon inspecting the whole thing a little closer, it looks like there is only a very limited pool of art I can use freely (I can't, for example, use maps from existing sourcebooks to accompany the adventure; I guess I can recreate them in Campaign Cartographer 3, perhaps) - unless there's something I missed, of course.
I'm also not entirely sure how much setting fluff I can borrow from existing Realms sourcebooks.
The art, maps and so on are provided in those free resource pdfs at their site. However, it seems that the full FR IP is open for use. They also said, in one of their FB posts, that content set in the older eras will also be accepted. The published setting is the basis, so all the fluff regarding, say, Suzail, could be used as the premise for writing an adventure, or organizations, NPCs and so on. That's how I read it, at least, but the AMA should clarify.
This just sounds too good to be true, actually. If it's so, well, wowzers. |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6453 Posts |
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hashimashadoo
Master of Realmslore
United Kingdom
1159 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 14:44:14
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quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
Well the big question is if we can do fluff only without crunch. If so then huzzah for the realms. It means Ed Eric George and all the other FR greats can release their own works and expand the realms in exciting new ways without being constrained by rules.
I'm also wondering about the longevity of this project. WoTC has a history of suddenly cancelling projects and products without prior announcement and massive loss of information.
If there were something to prevent this from happening I would feel better. Can the SRD/OGL agreement for 5e be withdrawn at any point in time (like 4e I believe) or is it permanent and therefore we have free reign to make our own stuff for forever more (like 3e) providing we share 50% of the profit with WoTC (which I'm happy to do as long as they are open and honest).
^
This, right here. |
When life turns it's back on you...sneak attack for extra damage.
Head admin of the FR wiki:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/ |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
37002 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 16:22:53
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quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
Interesting. I was under the impression that anything that has been published in the Realms is free game to work with and add upon. Is that not the case?
Until now, this was not the case. You could do any amount of fan stuff, but money absolutely could not change hands, for any reason. Once money changed hands -- even if it was just paying for storage, and not the content -- WotC would get involved and send a Cease & Desist. (They did it before)
And actually, they left the free fan stuff alone, but they could have gone after that, if they wanted to. IP owners other than them have done so, in the past. |
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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Delwa
Master of Realmslore
USA
1272 Posts |
Posted - 13 Jan 2016 : 19:08:31
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
I'm pointing this out now, because I'm already seeing the negativity of people claiming that the DM's Guild is going to produce substandard material. I'm already seeing people complaining about the Realms getting fan made material, as if Realms fans can only produce laughable content.
Live the dream. Prove them wrong. Carry the standard. Love the world that you love, and let that love show. And if you can't get it together enough to write something you think is professional, than at least be the shoulders that other scribes can stand on to reach the brass ring.
Hear, hear.  I've never understood that complaint. And it's never stopped me from using my own discernment and using what I liked and discarding the stuff I don't like. It's a game, the purpose is to have fun, my way (or me and my player's ways, if you'd rather,) and this license allows me to do that, share it, and maybe make a little money off of it, too. |
- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!
"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus |
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D&D DM's Guild: Model the Behavior, Set the Tone
