| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 03:33:44
Wizards of the Coast has a nice introduction trailer for The Sundering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W__zxJroio
Everyone who frequents these boards has probably seen but I didn't see a thread about it. I liked it enough to think it deserves it's own thread.
Tthe use of stained glass to hint at things to come was a eye-catching and intriguing choice. I watched the trailer several times just to see the hints in the stained glass. The trailer also provided glimpses of Sundering novel art and some of the characters from the Sundering/Baldur's Gate modules. Again this is of the good quality of the Sundering novel covers (some are the same, some I don't recall from the line-up poster).
It's done in full CG of good A-level video game quality with solid narration. It's great to see WotC not go cheap on marketing, they seem really invested in this. They have a very strong branding with The Sundering logo and the art & multimedia (we're starting to hear about games and apps for collecting adventure data, more to come from Gen Con to be sure). Who knows, maybe this is part of a video game project. (If this is the intro to BGIII, I'm pre-ordering the Collector's Edition now.)
What struck me was the atmosphere of this trailer and the Baldur's Gate setting. It really invokes the intros to Baldur's Gate I & II. If this is the direction they want to head into, I think that's a powerful message on what's to come. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 12 Aug 2013 : 08:14:22
From what ive fiddled with, you don't get to decided who the ruler faction of a city is, but rather who the ruler is among a faction. |
| Old Man Harpell |
Posted - 12 Aug 2013 : 00:06:45
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
I believe -- and I won't swear to it, because I wasn't paying attention to anything non-D&D at the time -- that there were mail-in cards to send back to them, with each adventure.
When you bought the original TORG game, they had a mail-in form, along with a list of the invading realms/cosms (Living Land, Nile Empire, Space Gods, Cyberpapacy, Nippon Tech, Aysle, Orrorsh, and Tharkold), included in their subscription to their Infiniverse newsletter. Each subscription was given a campaign number, and you got a one-page insert in each issue with four or five paragraphs, each one an 'adventure hook' for one of the invading realms, based on the choices you made when you subscribed.
Thus, Issue 1, Volume 22's insert had 5 ideas from the realms I had indicated I was running my players through. Example of one of them (and I'll do just one, they're not just quick one-line ideas):
THARKOLD
"A small faction of Tharkoldu techno-demons, unhappy with the rule of Jezrael (and those who would bow to a monkey), have made an offer to certain Storm Knights (those who have shown a marked ability to survive in their realm): aid the techno-demons in overturning Jezrael in whatever way possible, and they will provide the Knights with occultech cyberware and weaponry. They have also pledged to shift the emphasis of their war to attacking the other High Lords rather than exterminating the forces of Core Earth (on this last point, however, their pledges are probably not worth the pain sculpture presented as a show of "good faith")."
The subscriber (who was presumably the Game Master) would run the suggested adventure hook, and then mail in the Response Form (usually a photocopy of same) on the back of the newsletter, letting them know what had happened. West End would then take the largest amounts of responses (those campaigns that had swung a certain way), and include them as official idea in both the Infiniverse and (presumably) official game products.
Yeah...I'd like to see something like this for the Sundering-Era Realms.
- OMH |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 11 Aug 2013 : 23:39:35
quote:
Originally posted by Thauranil
Great trailer! But...
Sigh, if only they would make a Baldurs gate 3.
If only.
Could be my own biased view of things, but it seems 5E thus far is launching with a more serious-minded, epic tone (such as this trailer) than the jokey cartoons at the 4E transition with the interviewer encountering the various D&D monsters and situations. Also a lot less of the kill the sacred cows and taking their stuff sentiment, but again, potential bias observation. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 10 Aug 2013 : 13:03:42
Great trailer! But...
Sigh, if only they would make a Baldurs gate 3. |
| Dennis |
Posted - 09 Aug 2013 : 12:31:53
Nice trailer. Props for the effort. The CG’d Ysval (sp?) looks better than the haggard-looking one in the poster.
Red Dragon: Tchazzar reborn or just a generic dragon to symbolize the brand (D&D).
Lady with the Bow and Arrow: Mystra in another form? Perhaps she absorbed or was given part of nature’s portfolio? After all, she and Chauntea are allies.
Floating and Falling Enclaves: Obviously Netheril. Which might be alluding to Shade falling down during the Sundering or, at the very least, being rid some of their power and influence. Or perhaps the emergence of a few fallen enclaves that were unaccounted for these past few years.
Ancient Evil: Given the horned demon, it’s probably one of the archdevils, most likely Asmodeus. |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 18:24:43
4e Campaign guide, at work so can't crack it open, but look in the index for the name so you can look it up, this is ripped from the DC rolls for knowledge checks.
I just thought of something fun, what if during when we had all those dragons come back and such, that we were thrown into the middle of another dragon rage? |
| Mournblade |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 18:16:20
quote:
Originally posted by silverwolfer
Yes I just fear that it is a bit obscure... I had to umm ..do stuff to find that info. We need more info on the primodials I think for the 4e gap that a bunch of folks fully ignored.
Ok if you have no reference can you give me a starting point?
|
| Mournblade |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 18:13:36
quote:
Originally posted by silverwolfer
Kicks a lil info under the rug
Blazing Rorn the Fury was one of the
most notorious Dawn Titans. Rorn was known for
his rages, during which he slew gods, exarchs, and
fellow primordials with unmatched ferocity. Before
Ao twinned the world, Rorn was among the primordials
that the gods most hated and feared. For his
part, Rorn returned violence with violence, anger
with rage, and insult with atrocity, a slave to his
inner fury.
When his primordial nature was not
inflamed to starlike fury, Rorn knew prudence, tolerance,
and compromise. In such moments of clarity,
Rorn declared his desire for peace with primordials
and gods alike. However, the Dawn Titan had killed
too many divine beings for the Estelar (gods) to forget
him. Rorn grew to hate the gods, whether he was
raging or resting.
After Abeir was split off from Toril, Rorn
thought his rages were concluded. Then the dragons
rose up, claiming Abeir for their own. Rather than
wake his fury anew over the dragons’ betrayal, Rorn
chose to sequester himself and his servants, awaiting
a changed world. He and the creatures of his court
slept away the ages, hidden in the very roots of Fimbrul,
in a deep stasis in which they neither aged nor
deteriorated.
Rorn stirred in the tumult of the Blue
Breath of Change, when Abeir and Toril violently
reshaped each other in a chaos that killed many
primordials and countless lesser beings. For decades
he has reached toward mobility and consciousness,
his dreams growing more troubled with each
Can you provide a source for this please? It is not that I don't beleive you (Thank you for the above) it is just I would like to read something this important at its source material. I have access to DDI and many 4e books.
Many thanks for your time.
|
| Markustay |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 14:14:02
Have you seen the movie Independence Day?
One of my favorite scenes is when you see the Arab and Israelis working together...
If a big enough threat arrives, old enemies - even die-hard ones - WILL work together for mutual survival. If a force shows up that wants ALL elves dead, then they may have to do the unthinkable.
EDIT:
Also not saying it is something that they would want, or continue after the neccesity of it ended - in fact, I could see Lolth planning a betrayal at some point, and Corellon fully expecting it. That means by the time we get 5eFR, things could have shaken-out already, and everything could be 'back to normal' (for the Seldarine and Dark Elf gods, at any rate). |
| Lord Bane |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 14:11:16
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Which, of course, would be an unforeseen (and interesting) way to bring the wayward Ilythiir Elves back into the fold. Lolth might have to work with Corellon just to take care of 'old business'.
Lolth and Corellon working together? No chance ever happening. You get more chance with Tymora and Beshaba merging back to Tyche before you see Lolth and Corellon team up.  |
| Markustay |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 13:45:20
LOVING it! 
To me, that first stained glass piece looks like 'dragons vs eladrins', so this could harken back to one of the earliest conflicts in FR history. Don't forget the Fey did send the elves to Faerûn originally to do something about the dragons, and the Sundering is all about ancient threats rising again.
Tie that into the whole 'merging of worlds' theme (and tearing them back apart), and the fact that Abeir is rife with 'dragon empires'.... seems to me that bringing those to The Realms would stir up quite a ruckus with the Elves, who seem to have drifted from their original purpose (on Toril). Perhaps the Seldarine are going to call a 'crusade' of sorts.
Which, of course, would be an unforeseen (and interesting) way to bring the wayward Ilythiir Elves back into the fold. Lolth might have to work with Corellon just to take care of 'old business'.
EDIT:
...And of course, all of this could tie directly into the primordials, who are also on Abeir (and are probably somehow linked to those dragons, one way or the other). Seems to me dragons would make great warriors/minions for a primal power. Those Elves sent to Toril may have just been a 'clean-up crew', taking care of any stragglers left behind from the Sundering/war. |
| ksu_bond |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 13:20:20
Not really obscure, nor ignored...but no possible plot connections were ever directly made to the existing lore when this lore was presented.
That being said, if your hypothesis is correct this would definitely create a much needed bridge between the two and help to provide much needed interaction between them.
And in doing my own... stuff, it is also possible that the devilish guy in the stained glass with the "blue lady" could be the demon lord Cormanda. |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 08:13:14
Yes I just fear that it is a bit obscure... I had to umm ..do stuff to find that info. We need more info on the primodials I think for the 4e gap that a bunch of folks fully ignored. |
| ksu_bond |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 06:57:28
With a back story like that and the age of Selune's involvement with Abeir-Toril, it is definitely a possible for these two to have an ancient grudge :)
Which if true, then my deity of choice should get a bit more involvement ***crosses fingers*** |
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 05:55:13
Kicks a lil info under the rug
Blazing Rorn the Fury was one of the
most notorious Dawn Titans. Rorn was known for
his rages, during which he slew gods, exarchs, and
fellow primordials with unmatched ferocity. Before
Ao twinned the world, Rorn was among the primordials
that the gods most hated and feared. For his
part, Rorn returned violence with violence, anger
with rage, and insult with atrocity, a slave to his
inner fury.
When his primordial nature was not
inflamed to starlike fury, Rorn knew prudence, tolerance,
and compromise. In such moments of clarity,
Rorn declared his desire for peace with primordials
and gods alike. However, the Dawn Titan had killed
too many divine beings for the Estelar (gods) to forget
him. Rorn grew to hate the gods, whether he was
raging or resting.
After Abeir was split off from Toril, Rorn
thought his rages were concluded. Then the dragons
rose up, claiming Abeir for their own. Rather than
wake his fury anew over the dragons’ betrayal, Rorn
chose to sequester himself and his servants, awaiting
a changed world. He and the creatures of his court
slept away the ages, hidden in the very roots of Fimbrul,
in a deep stasis in which they neither aged nor
deteriorated.
Rorn stirred in the tumult of the Blue
Breath of Change, when Abeir and Toril violently
reshaped each other in a chaos that killed many
primordials and countless lesser beings. For decades
he has reached toward mobility and consciousness,
his dreams growing more troubled with each |
| The Sage |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 03:05:28
quote:
Originally posted by Gyor
The Dragonish Figure maybe the Primordial The Blazing Rorn who was in the 4e FR.
That's an interesting call.
Not a connection I would have made, but I do like the possibility regardless. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 00:32:33
The blue chick with the bow may be intended to be a culmination of both Selune and her aspect as Sehanine Moonbow. It definitely looks like something to do with the sundering what with the two intertwined circles separating at the point where her arrow is striking the dragonish being. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 08 Aug 2013 : 00:07:51
I believe -- and I won't swear to it, because I wasn't paying attention to anything non-D&D at the time -- that there were mail-in cards to send back to them, with each adventure. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 23:55:34
Was that through an old PbM (Play by Mail) system? I've read mention of that in reviews of TORG.
This is not a new idea, others were innovators, but before our current proliferation of digital communication, it wasn't as accessible or economically feasible. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 21:45:06
I believe that TORG used the same approach for the Possibility Wars. "Here's a module/scenario/adventure. Run it and tell us what happens, and the majority results will be official." |
| Irennan |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 20:34:13
quote:
Originally posted by Mournblade
quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
Okay, I will post this question in a new thread if it's considered off topic but...
This notion of WE THE PLAYERS having a hand in shaping the fate of the Realms (through the mobile app and hobby store gaming) has me a bit puzzled. Presumably, our majority decisions (mentioned at the end of the trailer) will impact some of the decisions made by WotC for the Realms. Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. I can see MINOR decisions being made (the location of this treasure here, the life or death of this minor NPC there) but not the BIG stuff (the life of say the king of Cormyr, the return of a given Chosen of Mystra, the fate of a specific deity such as Asmo, etc).
I'm not saying it's a bad idea, in fact, I quite like it. But does anyone think these games will truly shape the FATE of the Realms?
I don't, and -personally- I wouldn't like to see it implemented.
What happens if you get 49/51 ratios for the destruction/death of places or characters (or even 30-70)? I can picture many people (myself included) getting pissed if stuff is removed in this way.
Letting players' campaigns decide over things like that doesn't sound probable to me.
George bush won the presidency with that Ratio in 2000, and the US is still here.
So what. Completely different sitautions. If you delete a city that 49% of your customers wanted to see more lore about, while 51% decided to obliterate it in their campaign, you will get a lot of people pissed. And this would happen even with 70/30 ratios: 30% of your customer base is nothing to laugh at.
Something akin to what Dark Wizard proposes would be far more reasonable. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 20:29:41
The L5R (Legend of the Five Rings) setting uses the CCG tournaments to determine some of their outcomes. From what I've been able to decipher from that closest comparable program to WotC's plan for the Realms, the broad strokes of major events are pre-painted, but the "winners and losers" are not set. Applied to the Realms it would be something like in a skirmish conflict between Cormyr and Shade/Netheril/Sembia, the status quo might not change that much, but perhaps depending on the actions of the Encounters.
Cormyr might lose some territory, while a major Shade plot to gain ultimate power was thwarted (players chose to stop the elite darksword contingent rather than the mundane army invading Cormyr's border). Meanwhile, the Harpers took severe loses but secretly disrupted major components the Shades needed to set their plan in motion (players accomplished the adventure goals, but with many PC casualties and failure to save Harper agent NPCs). All the while, the Zhentarim moved in and picked up some minor victory at the periphery (more players choose to stop the Shades rather than the Zhents).
The reverse of this might be the Shades achieved their goals, but Cormyr maintained its border integrity, maybe even launched a counter attack into Sembia. Now the Shades have their artifact and Cormyr's hands are stuck in the cookie jar. |
| Mirtek |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 20:24:18
quote:
Originally posted by Therise
Additionally, many tournament players -aren't- specifically fans of the Realms or even know all that much about Realms history. They show up for the competitive nature of tournament play, and are there for the loot. Not all of them, but many of them.
Which might be a good thing, since they are trying to win and if they fail it's because they really failed.
Not a bunch of hardcore Bhaal-fans killing their own parties and then have their character fall on his own sword in the very first fight of the new encounters sessions, because they want as many tables as possible failing to stop the return of Bhaal
Anyway, I am also in the "only minor details will depend on our feedback camp", solely because of the timeframe. Evem the last sundering novel needs to be already in the writing and that can't be done with major details not decided until in a few month |
| Jeremy Grenemyer |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 20:17:11
quote:
Originally posted by silverwolfer
Okay then I want your thoughts on the person that looks like the first layer ruler of hell, and whoever that female is.
Where's Robert Langdon when you need him?
Anyway, my first thought was the female was Mystra and the devil-like creature was Asmodeus.
My second thought was Selûne and some as yet unknown Primordial. |
| Therise |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 19:20:21
quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
Okay, I will post this question in a new thread if it's considered off topic but...
This notion of WE THE PLAYERS having a hand in shaping the fate of the Realms (through the mobile app and hobby store gaming) has me a bit puzzled. Presumably, our majority decisions (mentioned at the end of the trailer) will impact some of the decisions made by WotC for the Realms. Honestly, I'm a bit skeptical. I can see MINOR decisions being made (the location of this treasure here, the life or death of this minor NPC there) but not the BIG stuff (the life of say the king of Cormyr, the return of a given Chosen of Mystra, the fate of a specific deity such as Asmo, etc).
I'm not saying it's a bad idea, in fact, I quite like it. But does anyone think these games will truly shape the FATE of the Realms?
While generally it's never a great idea to let the mob decide what happens to anything, much less an intellectual property, I have to say that it's still pretty uncertain how WotC plans to implement this "help us choose the course" idea.
Or, at least, I'm still not sure what they have in mind.
If it involves Yes/No voting on allowing gods like Bhaal to return, and they restrict it to only people who are playing at gaming stores, then they're going to be ignoring ALL the potential input of people who only read novels or play at home.
Going back, I -really- disliked it when LFR folks determined the history/canon for the Realms. I've never liked the idea that tournament play, which is often extremely different than home-game D&D play, should "mean more" than the home-game play of everyday Realms fans. Additionally, many tournament players -aren't- specifically fans of the Realms or even know all that much about Realms history. They show up for the competitive nature of tournament play, and are there for the loot. Not all of them, but many of them.
So for the Sundering, if game-store players are allowed to influence Realms history but other fans are not, that doesn't seem like a good idea. Personally, I don't have the time or desire to go to a gaming store to play D&D in the Realms, any more than I wanted to be involved in RPGA/LFR. It's just a very different style of play with different goals. I prefer my home games with my family and friends.
As to the specifics of changes that will be "voted" on by players, this could really be a giant can of worms. I can't see WotC putting up really big things (or outcomes) for a vote. If they do, it could be extremely bad for the Realms. Why let such a small sample make such decisions? Why not open it up to novel readers and people who buy their products generally, rather than the small number of people who have the time and interest in going to game stores? Why not open up voting to the general home-game players in the Realms?
On the other hand, they may be limiting the "voting" to smaller issues, or things that don't matter in the grand scheme of things. But if that's the case, why do it at all? If this is the plan, then they'll just be accused of putting players/PCs back into the "second fiddle" category to NPCs like the Chosen and the gods.
|
| silverwolfer |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 19:05:28
What I see in a player decided moment, is not if Lloth lives or dies, but rather smaller details, MAJOR plot points have been written in and taken care of, right now what we are handling are the little things that are small enough to be fun playing, but not large enough that the writers need to take huge account of.
|
| Gyor |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 19:05:18
The Dragonish Figure maybe the Primordial The Blazing Rorn who was in the 4e FR. |
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 19:02:01
A picture of Isteval (from the Ghost of Dragonspear Castle preorder site): http://www.flamesofwar.com/Portals/0/all_images/GF9/Miniatures/GoDsC-3.jpg
As for players having a say in the course of the Realms. It will likely be choosing from a set of pre-determined choices. Even if the margin is narrow, that is still more say than players had before.
Aside from that, I've heard that WotC's MtG events are very successful, but those have major tournaments and a steady stream of new cards to keep up the momentum and buzz.
D&D Encounters had limited connections beyond individual games, but now I'm guessing WotC is hoping that by having player decisions reflected in the progress of the setting, it offers an additional incentive to become active in their gaming program. Making this survey system a part of the Encounters and official WotC gaming program makes it more of an interactive event. |
| Mournblade |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 18:48:35
quote:
Originally posted by Dark Wizard
I little satire never hurt anyone. This is all fun and games any way, if we can't laugh at each other once in a while this would be a dour place.
I think LS missed a final truncated scene in that extended work print where many additional scribes in the background uttered "You Maniacs! You blew it up!" And far be it from simply pouring over older tomes in silence, they were actively discussing them over the last 4-5 years in forums where such talk is oft to occur. Then the High Scribes and their incorporated patron nodded in understanding, perhaps they had gone a tad too far, they acknowledged this and said they would try to bring all to the Realms once again. As you see, the story didn't quite end there and it is ongoing.
I think the satire might have been funnier, if bitterness was not demonstrated in the other 25 troll posts LS made.
It seems more like a lashing out satirical though it may be.
|
| Dark Wizard |
Posted - 07 Aug 2013 : 18:45:11
I little satire never hurt anyone. This is all fun and games any way, if we can't laugh at each other once in a while this would be a dour place.
I think LS missed a final truncated scene in that extended work print where many additional scribes in the background uttered "You Maniacs! You blew it up!" And far be it from simply pouring over older tomes in silence, they were actively discussing them over the last 4-5 years in forums where such talk is oft to occur. Then the High Scribes and their incorporated patron nodded in understanding, perhaps they had gone a tad too far, they acknowledged this and said they would try to bring all to the Realms once again. As you see, the story didn't quite end there and it is ongoing. |
|
|
