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Lord Rad
Great Reader

United Kingdom
2080 Posts

Posted - 16 Nov 2002 :  18:02:36  Show Profile  Visit Lord Rad's Homepage Send Lord Rad a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Take a look at this years FR releases! Not much at all! Next year theres only mention of "Races of Faerun" so far (novels aside!). How do you feel about this? Personally im not happy about it at all, this is the way that Dragonlance, in TSR's reign, ended up.... products got fewer and fewer and in the end it was purely a novel line. Im not saying that will happen to FR but id like to see a lot more products being releasd.

Take Ravenloft for example. Recently relaunched by White Wolf, they have had more product releases this year than we will get for FR in two years! The line-up of Ravenloft products for next year (up to June) is, IIRC, 4 products! I used to love Ravenloft and its rebirth came as a great joy to me (FR is still number one though!) and the products are of pretty good quality. I wish WotC would produce more FR thoughout the year and promote it more


Lord Rad

"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"

Edited by - Lord Rad on 16 Nov 2002 18:04:04

Drummer Boy
Senior Scribe

USA
395 Posts

Posted - 17 Nov 2002 :  05:17:04  Show Profile  Visit Drummer Boy's Homepage Send Drummer Boy a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I haven't really noticed that there has been a lack of Forgotten Realms products, but that's because I already have enough with what there already is. (I'm reading and collecting the novels, and there are like one hundred sixty something) However, I'm still concerned with what you said due to the fact that it would be a pity if all of the products dried up.(IMO, I don't think that's likely to happen though.)

After hearing the opinions of others on the forum, it's starting to sound like WoTC is not as good at promoting the Forgotten Realms as it could be.

Edited by - Drummer Boy on 17 Nov 2002 05:18:40
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Captain Louis
Acolyte

USA
26 Posts

Posted - 01 Dec 2002 :  03:37:18  Show Profile  Visit Captain Louis's Homepage Send Captain Louis a Private Message  Reply with Quote
This isn't an insult, but I don't think us FR players should complain. Look at some settings: Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Planescape. They get almost no support at all (actually, Planescape is no longer made). Beside, if there isn't anymore source material, we can just come up with stuff on our own (and I know I can be more creative than WotC). And while FR is not promoted the way it could be, I don't think info to write up will ever dry up (hey, I'm a poet!). Think of all the places that haven't been talked about: Chult, Zakhara, Kara-Tur, the Hordelands, Achromeage (mispelled, sorry) and many others. These great areas have barely been touched on.

Ow, I cut my lip!
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zemd
Master of Realmslore

France
1103 Posts

Posted - 14 Dec 2002 :  00:40:08  Show Profile Send zemd a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think they planned a lot of things but they act in commercial way. Look: if they release only a product every two or three months, we'll all buy it! But if, on the contrary, they release a lot in few time, we'll have to make a choice... that's what happened with TSR!
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kellinjar
Acolyte

Canada
23 Posts

Posted - 14 Dec 2002 :  04:39:38  Show Profile  Visit kellinjar's Homepage Send kellinjar a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think they should release a major sourcebook every 2-3 months costing $30-$35, and a minor book every month (say perhaps on the cult of the dragon, or about a specific minor town/area/monster society, etc..) costing around $20. With a steady job I'd have no problems dropping that kind of cash for constant realms products, especially if I was a major realms players, of course those who only want certain things are still going to pick or choose what they want regardless how often they release things. If you want a product they release regardless of when they do, you're giong to get it at some point. Even a kid in school with a parttime job can swing that kinda cash for sourcebooks if he really needeed to buy them all (they should also sprinkle in adventure modules in there now and then on top of regular sourcebook releases)
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zemd
Master of Realmslore

France
1103 Posts

Posted - 14 Dec 2002 :  11:48:27  Show Profile Send zemd a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I prefer them to be a little slow at releasing new books if they keep the good quality!
I don't the third edition to be be "everything and nothing" as the second edition.
But it could be great if they could release more!
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Malice
Seeker

USA
83 Posts

Posted - 10 Apr 2003 :  00:33:48  Show Profile  Visit Malice's Homepage Send Malice a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I haven't really broken in my collection yet (16, total) but with this new knowledge, I'm worried that, if things are really as bad as they sound, if I should keep collectig. I don't think that it's this bad yet, but do you think that (in the far, far, far distant future) they may just stop publishing them altogether?
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Yasraena
Senior Scribe

USA
388 Posts

Posted - 10 Apr 2003 :  09:37:01  Show Profile  Visit Yasraena's Homepage Send Yasraena a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well, considering that I don't have but a passing interest in 3E stuff, I haven't given it much thought really. But I agree, Rad. I would like to see them publish more. Even though I hate the mechanics of 3E, the new knowledge of the Realms and ideas that you get from the official canon material is definitely worth picking them up.

"Nindyn vel'uss malar verin z'klaen tlu kyone ulu naut doera nindel vel'bolen nind malar."
Yasraena T'Sarran
Harper of Silverymoon
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branmakmuffin
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 10 Apr 2003 :  17:59:29  Show Profile  Visit branmakmuffin's Homepage Send branmakmuffin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I know it's not 3e, but between the free downloads at WotC and the pay-for downloads from SVGames, you can get almost every FR RPG product ever made.

I have been doing that recently and I must have 30 FR products now.

If anyone tells me they've exhausted all that material, I'll them they are gaming a tad too much.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 22 May 2003 :  08:03:15  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
branmakmuffin said -
quote:
I know it's not 3e, but between the free downloads at WotC and the pay-for downloads from SVGames, you can get almost every FR RPG product ever made.

I have been doing that recently and I must have 30 FR products now.

If anyone tells me they've exhausted all that material, I'll them they are gaming a tad too much.
Well, I know I have every product published officially on FR, and I also know that during my 12 years of gaming I have made use of every single game accessory, campaign expansion, adventure, hardback adventure book, monsterous compendium, player's guide (that was difficult), and every other item of gaming published for FR. I have used up alot of that material, to the point that I now have nearly as much fan-created (my own design) material as I do official material. It's spread through an assortment of folders and notebooks, scraps of paper, computer electronic copies, printouts, photocopies, and reworkings of old modules.

What does that say about me then, according to your definition?



May your learning be free and unfettered


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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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branmakmuffin
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 05 Jun 2003 :  22:49:40  Show Profile  Visit branmakmuffin's Homepage Send branmakmuffin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Sage of Perth:
quote:
Well, I know I have every product published officially on FR, and I also know that during my 12 years of gaming I have made use of every single game accessory, campaign expansion, adventure, hardback adventure book, monsterous compendium, player's guide (that was difficult), and every other item of gaming published for FR. I have used up alot of that material, to the point that I now have nearly as much fan-created (my own design) material as I do official material. It's spread through an assortment of folders and notebooks, scraps of paper, computer electronic copies, printouts, photocopies, and reworkings of old modules.
What does that say about me then, according to your definition?


You've "made use of them", but have you exhausted their usefulness? I guess you can say "yes" but I'd still be dubious. Have your players explored the Anauroch in its entirety? Have they been embroiled in 100s of Amnish merchant wars? Have they mapped the Underdark? Have they eaten dinner in all of the Ten Towns? Have they battled Szass Tam to a standoff?
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore

USA
1287 Posts

Posted - 06 Jun 2003 :  00:50:18  Show Profile Send Mournblade a Private Message  Reply with Quote
HAH HAH!!! I have battled Szass Tam to a standoff!!!!! And Nevron died in the process!!!!

New Conjuration Zulkir!!! YUMMY!


A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to...
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 06 Jun 2003 :  10:41:09  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Szass Tam was actually destroyed in my FR campaign about two years ago. The current Zulkir of Necromancy for my FR campaign is a Lich/Necromancer, of my own creation named Ereckon Kar. He is also the Chosen of Kossuth.



May your learning be free and unfettered


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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

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Edain Shadowstar
Senior Scribe

USA
455 Posts

Posted - 06 Jun 2003 :  23:11:02  Show Profile  Visit Edain Shadowstar's Homepage Send Edain Shadowstar a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hmmm...interesting...in my campaign Tam is currently imprisoned somewhere...we're not quite sure where...well, I know where his is. Tam is currently being held captive by one of his 'shades' in Kara-Tur. Now, you might be asking yourself, "Tam's 'shade'? What does that mean?" Well, I will try to be clear. During my current groups last foray through the dangerous lands of Thay their ran afoul Szass Tam. The long and short of it is that a battle ensued which culminated with the shattering of Tam life force into about seven or eight (the party was not quite sure how many) shards. These shards formed into exact (well, near-exact) copies of Tam, each one just as powerful as the original and each one with all his knowledge. The real Tam (who survived the incident) ended up fighting furiously with the 'shades', not an easy matter. You see each shade thinks that he is the real Tam, so they think they're trying to kill the copies. It all gets really cofusing since there is only one way to tell the copies from the original, which is to kill them (when they die they disapate into green energy). In any case, Tam, the copies, and adventurers managed to kill three of the fake Tams, however one of the copies managed to capture the real Tam and dragged him to Kara-Tur, imprisoned inside a gem. The copy hopes to use to real Tam to destroy the other copies, which is crazy, except the copy think the real Tam is a copy. Confused yet?

Edain Shadowstar
Archwizard of Rel Astra and Waterdeep


"Mmm…pie…"
- Gaius Solarian, Captain General
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branmakmuffin
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 06 Jun 2003 :  23:21:11  Show Profile  Visit branmakmuffin's Homepage Send branmakmuffin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Look what you did, Mournblade, you turned this into a Szass Tam thread.

I was totally out of AD&D during the 2e years, so I have no idea how rapidly they cranked out FR stuff. To those who played in the 2e years, does it seem to you they are publishing less now than then?

It does seem that all the things published now are hardback books, no boxed sets.
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Edain Shadowstar
Senior Scribe

USA
455 Posts

Posted - 06 Jun 2003 :  23:24:38  Show Profile  Visit Edain Shadowstar's Homepage Send Edain Shadowstar a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Hey, if you think that is bad, you should hear my Laroch story (Liches that say "Ni!"). Hehehehe...I slay myself...

Edain Shadowstar
Archwizard of Rel Astra and Waterdeep


"Mmm…pie…"
- Gaius Solarian, Captain General
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branmakmuffin
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 06 Jun 2003 :  23:30:04  Show Profile  Visit branmakmuffin's Homepage Send branmakmuffin a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Edain Shadowstar:
quote:
Hey, if you think that is bad, you should hear my Laroch story (Liches that say "Ni!"). Hehehehe...I slay myself...

OK, I'll join the Lich Parade.

I played in a very Monty Haul game once where my and another player's character had a "lich head hunting" contest.

We were quite bored, we both had vorpal swords, nuff said!

Edited by - branmakmuffin on 06 Jun 2003 23:30:48
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 07 Jun 2003 :  07:56:44  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
During 2e days, a lot of FR material was printed and sold, a lot of it very quickly as well, especially after the revised FR campaign setting was released. They did publish a lot more than they do now. However the amount of work and detail going into each new release now in 3e FR makes it worth the wait.



May your learning be free and unfettered


Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage
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Lord Rad
Great Reader

United Kingdom
2080 Posts

Posted - 07 Jun 2003 :  11:06:03  Show Profile  Visit Lord Rad's Homepage Send Lord Rad a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Just a short note to inform you all that a Forgotten Realms adventure is in this months Dungeon Magazine. Its for mid-level characters and set in Mistledale. Maybe its worth starting a "sticky" topic to record all sources of adventures for the Realms such as this, now that the end of official FR Adventure modules has been clarified

Lord Rad

"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 07 Jun 2003 :  11:16:39  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Rad, you may want to stop past this scroll. I have started a project to help fill the gap for that loss. We would appreciate any thoughts or comments you may have.



May your learning be free and unfettered



Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage
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Lord Rad
Great Reader

United Kingdom
2080 Posts

Posted - 07 Jun 2003 :  11:39:23  Show Profile  Visit Lord Rad's Homepage Send Lord Rad a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Sage of Perth

Rad, you may want to stop past this scroll. I have started a project to help fill the gap for that loss. We would appreciate any thoughts or comments you may have.



May your learning be free and unfettered



Thanks Sage, ive certainly had my eye on this scroll since it started Id love to help and ill gladly throw in any ideas I have for this, but unfortunately id be unable to dedicate a lot of time to the project due to other irritating time-consuming tasks

Lord Rad

"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"

Edited by - Lord Rad on 07 Jun 2003 17:09:27
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6666 Posts

Posted - 08 Jun 2003 :  02:13:13  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I've got the new Dungeon with the FR adventure (I have a subscription - a leftover from my RPGA membership and Polyhedron subscription which I got only to get Ed's Poly articles. I don't intend to renew it ...). I suppose the adventure is okay and if I gamed in the Realms I'd most likely use it but other than being set in Mistledale and referring to a few places/people it's hasn't got much FR content or flavour at all. I reckon if I changed a dozen names I could set it anywhere between Krynn, Greyhawk or Athas with barely a ripple. After the fisrt page or so I skim read it and was left disappointed ...

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader

USA
4740 Posts

Posted - 08 Jun 2003 :  02:42:27  Show Profile  Visit Bookwyrm's Homepage Send Bookwyrm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Bookwyrm, frowning, casts a scry spell, with the offices of the Wizards as the target. Through his mirror, he witnesses an orc-like figure smashing furniture, chanting "Me like KRUNCH! Me love to KRUNCH! Garrrr! No fluff! KRUNCHY ONLY!! GARRRRR!!!!"

Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.

Download the brickfilm masterpiece by Leftfield Studios! See this page for more.
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Faraer
Great Reader

3308 Posts

Posted - 08 Jun 2003 :  03:00:32  Show Profile  Visit Faraer's Homepage Send Faraer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
As I've said on the wizards.com boards, I found Skip Williams's previous Dungeon adventure, "The Raiders of Galath's Roost" in #87, pretty useless Realmswise, contradicting other sources on the Riders of Mistledale and the Roost such as All Shadows Fled and FRE2, and overall much as George describes the new one. Failing to get the feel and dynamics of the Realms right is just as much bad and unprofessional writing as getting discrete facts wrong.

I think adventures that are Realms-set only in name do more harm than good: they give the wrong impression of the setting, so that authentic materials seem different; they needlessly put off some non-Realms DMs; often they're no more Realms-useable than a non-Realms adventure. Jeff Grubb's "Playing with Fire" in #82 is more Realmsian than "Raiders".

So we have "Prison of the Firebringer" to look forward to in #101. And another by Eric Boyd, or did he contribute to "Firebringer"?

Edited by - Faraer on 08 Jun 2003 03:02:21
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6666 Posts

Posted - 08 Jun 2003 :  03:53:10  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Eric looked over the background history for the Flamebringer adventure as I got an e-query about it. But as to whether the body of the adventure is going to have any FR tidbits, I very much doubt it ... takes too much time and space to make odd mentions of people, places, currency, etc. We'll all have to wait and see.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 13 Jun 2003 :  14:11:57  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
That's really a shame to hear George, considering the poor nature of this latest FR Dungeon adventure. I hope they make more of an effort in the future. This attention to more crunch-less fluff method is starting to become annoying.



May all your learning be free and unfettered


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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

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Edited by - The Sage on 13 Jun 2003 14:12:25
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6666 Posts

Posted - 14 Jun 2003 :  05:41:38  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It is interesting isn't it, the way 3E products are evolving. The 'return' of Greyhawk, making it the default world, etc. looks to be dead and buried. Dragon magazine gives lip service to this with a few generic articles having a Greyhawk reference or two, but there aren't any Greyhawk products hitting the shelves at all.

FR releases have been cut down and would appear to have a more crunch focus. Of course this can put off long time fans who buy FR products for FR content not more prestige classes, races and rules. I think that in terms of the regional accessories, they are yet to reach the right balance.

More general accessories such as Magic of Faerun and Lords of Darkness have been interesting. I thought Magic of Faerun was lacking in FR flavour to some extent but the information was quite useful in terms of updating 2E material to 3E. Lords of Darkness has received rave reviews from the genral fan base but again, I thought that it didn't hold a candle to Cloak & Dagger. Anyone who's been gaming in the Realms for longer than the last 2 or so years wouldn't have got much out of Lords. I thought Faiths & Pantheons was a weak product. Faiths & Avatars was much, much stronger both FR content wise and in terms of enhancing a game. But then again, Eric deserves all the WotC pay cheques he can muster!

Races of Faerun impressed me, although again, you could see the difference between Eric's Human section and the other "non-FR" writers efforts. I thought they missed the boat on gnomes despite the fact they are crying out for more attention (and Ed continues to provide FR tidbits on these guys - I think he's a closet fan. Everytime I've ever asked him for general realmslore on a topic, ranging from the North to Impiltur, gnomes always make an appearance ... ). Eric's human work was great however (if a tad mangled in editing ... but that always happens), and more importantly, some of my Old Impiltur material can now be considered 'canon' ....

To be honest, I think FR is at something off a crossroads. It is clearly a cash cow for the Novels Dept. but the gaming line is not as strong seemingly. That said, I know that there are plans for a series of products stretching over the next 3 or so years (and no, I'm not at liberty to say what may be on the horizon ...), so it would appear that FR gaming products still have the green light.

Which brings us to the fluff/crunch debate. My whole FR world is fluff. Descriptions of Ed's home gaming campaign seem to show that in many, many sessions no-one picked up dice at all. I know Ed loves the fluff aspect because it is what his players wanted and demanded. They wanted to visit all the inns in the Sea Ward of Waterdeep. They wanted to know who was the previous owner/inhabitant of the ruined tower they were exploring. They asked questions that were about the setting, not about the game - and Ed obliged.

Do we buy FR products for the setting or the game? If you game in the Realms do you do it because the detail makes it easy or because the setting enhances the game? When you buy an FR product, do you do it for realmslore or for new feats, skills and prestige classes? If you buy an FR product, do you feel ripped off if you don't get spells, magic items, feats and new prestige classes?

My belief would be that WotC's answers to those questions do not necessarily correspond with the responses of those people who actually buy the products and have done so over an extended period. A newbie to the Realms may want new crunchy bits - but is that going to tie him to the Realms? After all he can get Kalamar crunch, or Greyhawk crunch, or Krynn crunch. My view is that it is the fluff that captures the imagination and makes you a fan - and more importantly, a repeat buyer. I think that WotC may be catering to the younger, new market in the hope that they'll turn out to be crusted, jaded, buy all the products despite how awful they may be- types. I doubt that'll happen without the razzle dazzle of the fluff to rope 'em in. I guess we'll all see.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31774 Posts

Posted - 14 Jun 2003 :  07:15:38  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message  Reply with Quote
George, that was amazing. This perspective you stated in your last post is pretty much the way I have been feeling for a long time with regards to FR products. My main motivation for purchasing sourcebooks and/or accessories are all fluff based. The amount of fluff in an FR product is the main focus when I pick up a FR sourcebook at my game shop. The crunchy bits, are normally read later in favor of the fluff material, besides, with the PHB and DMG, you can pretty much create you own stats for the fluff you read about. I also see that I am not the only one whose FR campaign is fluff first-crunch last based.

I am not going to say too much since you have already stated alot about what I have been thinking about since CotSQ's release in 2002. But what I will say is that, since the infant days of FR, never have I been more disappointed in the general lack of real-imaginative content, than I have been with these last few FR core releases.

A lot of my campaigns can sometimes go hours without more than one or two die being rolled, in fact one six hour Saturday session in November 2001 was played without one single dice roll at all. My gaming group loves detail, they love history and they love Realmslore. I try my very best to flesh out each and every adventure, and campaign series that I run. It is an exhausting process, but it is well worth the rewards.

And this may sound a little strange to say, but I sometimes find myself referring more to 2e FR material, than I do 3e material. In fact with regards to Realms flavor 2e comes in on top every time, I believe. And then of course, there is all my own created material, which sizes up pretty much with the amount of 2e FR material that I have. Like you George, I can only hope that somewhere the tide will turn, and the WotC marketing department will actually start giving long time fans what they really want.

All this talk about lack of focus on fluff material can only make me hope that the new revision of Dragonlance 3e Campaign Setting will not suffer from the some problems...



May all your learning be free and unfettered


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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore

USA
1287 Posts

Posted - 14 Jun 2003 :  18:26:35  Show Profile Send Mournblade a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I vaguely hate to say this.. but I feel I must. I LOVED UNAPPROACHABLE EAST. But some ofd the other supplemets were lagging. My feeling is, that if Forgotten realms goes down the marketers crunch road, and loses its magic, I would ALMOST wish it stopped being published. WHY? BEcause I like my realms to follow the canon material. And so far I STILL like the realms enough to keep it following through. BUt if the monsters at Hasbro killed the realms, that would just give me free reign to make the future develop HOWEVER I wanted it with no worries about interfering with canon. I DO NOT want this to happen, but if it did stop selling I could still keep the realms alive in my imagination.


A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to...
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Faraer
Great Reader

3308 Posts

Posted - 14 Jun 2003 :  18:53:18  Show Profile  Visit Faraer's Homepage Send Faraer a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Damn, you got me going.

Let's not be shy. Since the gaming industry realized you could sell books to players and not just DMs, it's tended to pander to players' powergaming fantasies and, yes, munchkinism. That's the basis of the d20 industry. This is good because

-- it keeps the industry going

The stream of value-denuded 'tools' is bad because

-- it makes life harder for DMs
-- it reifies and commoditizes wonder
-- it encourages the geeky number-crunchy power-fantasy aspect of RPGs which is a major part of what stops the industry expanding in the longer term
-- it makes Forgotten Realms readers buy books partly written for non-Realms readers if they want sourcebooks at all.

'Fluff' is CONTENT. Creative, emotional, satisfying. The only people who 'crunch' actually benefits are down-the-line gameists who enjoy manipulating numbers and building characters as an extra game on top of playing a roleplaying game.

Anyone can sell feats and prestige classes, only Wizards of the Coast can sell the Realms. They had a chance to give the Realms line a different emphasis from the core books, to play to its strengths and appeal to a slightly different audience. They didn't take that risk, and -- all commercial considerations aside -- are directly responsible for the mistreatment of a wonderful secondary world to the exact extent that they don't treat it as it deserves.

There's no debate -- the Realms IS story and world and PCs. It's not extra roolz. You (general 'you') want the mechanics, fine, but it's nothing to do with the Realms.

People buy books to continue a feeling they have, to find out more about something that interests and excites them, something that has mana. I entirely agree with George that the more the essence of the Realms is swamped in materials that show it only lip service, the less reason any new player has to care.

Edited by - Faraer on 14 Jun 2003 19:02:53
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader

USA
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Posted - 14 Jun 2003 :  19:28:55  Show Profile  Visit Bookwyrm's Homepage Send Bookwyrm a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Wow. Three great posts on this subject, practically essays, that show the reasons why we want -- nay, need fluff.

Anyone want to use that link up at the top (defining 'friend' loosely, of course) and send this out to kruchy_is_cool@wizards.com?

Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.

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