| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| The Red Walker |
Posted - 22 Jan 2008 : 18:43:57
If you are excited about the New Realms, tell us why here.
Positives only please, there are several scrolls already dealing with the negatives! |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Talwyn |
Posted - 18 Jul 2008 : 00:34:39
I believe honestly WotC's determination to keep everything at a PG-13 rating is a bad business decision. Of course they can continue to put out material which will appeal to that demigraphic however there are a lot more adults that have been playing D&D over the years and have moved away from D&D simply because they felt it bland and sanitised and have taken up other RPG's that aren't so sanitised. Lost players mean lost business, can't be more plain than that.
I understand that WotC wants to attract new players to the game but how about retaining those young players when they grow up and their tastes change and mature?
It's been a while since I read Elaine Cunninghams drow trilogy but if memory serves, the prose describing Liriels romantic "moments" wasn't simply a "fade to black".
Definately not too steamy or sordid yet it did convey a sense of passion being shared between the two lovers.   
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| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 19:04:00
quote:
Originally posted by Talwyn
[I talked with one of my oldest friends about the changes last night and although he doesn't play D&D anymore, he still is interested to know what is going on. His reaction was, "wow they did that? Well that's extremely brave of WoTC but I can see why". What he meant was that he felt that FR had too many overpowered NPC's [as stated by many others] and groups and perhaps like in DragonLance, the world needed a devastating apocalyptic event that shakes the very foundations of the place and out of the ruins, the surviviors emerge to slowly rebuild a new world out of the ashes of the old.
I've seen it argued before that these changes were needed, but I'm not convinced by any of those arguments.
quote:
The only thing I would ask for though is that WoTC hire better writers for their fiction lines and to drop their bans on graphic violence and adult content or at least let writers write such material and label it as such. This would probably interest a market niche that they haven't really considered much and isn't trying to broaden the appeal of D&D something that WoTC are trying to accomplish? Including material that has adult content may just do that.
I wouldn't expect anything more explicit than "fade to black" scenes, if I'm understanding what you're saying about "adult content". WotC seems pretty determined to keep their content very PG-13, based on everything I've read. I'm sure they want to attract players/fans who haven't reached age 18 yet. |
| Talwyn |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 06:00:08
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Wouldn't diversifying their novel lines be, to use your own words, trying to please all the people all the time?
Touche!
Well yeah it would sorta however by expanding their novel range that included adult content would indeed open up WotC's range to an extent that new readers who weren't familiar with FR might be encouraged to buy a novel, especially if the novel got favourable reviews from non gaming sources.
The way I see it, by restricting graphic violence and adult content from the current range of novels is an attempt to appeal to the broader section of readers, from young to adult yet for my tastes, it means that the fantasy setting comes of feeling bland and sanitised. For my part, I like writers like David Gemmell [may his soul rest easy in the halls of heroes] who's style is in your face in its description of fighting and violence and characters are believable because they have real passions but it doesn't stray into soft porn. Elaine Cunningham came close with her series on Liriel Banrae but I felt it could have been much better.
For my money, a fantasy universe isn't a sanitised place where violence is almost cartoon like in its depiction and sex is something that sorta happens but is never actually talked about openly. A good fantasy milieu is viscreal, palpable and sometimes confronting. With the growing sophistication of gamers these days and the way society is evolving, WotC needs to keep up or miss out on increasing its market share. This doesn't mean it has to go "Heavy Metal" with over the top displays of sex & violence but it could at least ramp up the level from Telly tubbies to perhaps Gladiator in its attitudes.
[strength & honour plus a high body count!]  |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 05:06:02
Wouldn't diversifying their novel lines be, to use your own words, trying to please all the people all the time? |
| Talwyn |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 04:43:02
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Talwyn
The only thing I would ask for though is that WoTC hire better writers for their fiction lines and to drop their bans on graphic violence and adult content or at least let writers write such material and label it as such. This would probably interest a market niche that they haven't really considered much and isn't trying to broaden the appeal of D&D something that WoTC are trying to accomplish? Including material that has adult content may just do that.
WotC prolly fears that such a move would cut them off from the young adult market.
That's the problem. WoTC are trying to please all the people all the time which isn't really an achievable task 
They can still have their young reader line of books as well as having a line of material that caters to adult tatses. Sensible marketing strategy but hey, I work in business so what do I know? |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 04:37:51
quote:
Originally posted by Talwyn
The only thing I would ask for though is that WoTC hire better writers for their fiction lines and to drop their bans on graphic violence and adult content or at least let writers write such material and label it as such. This would probably interest a market niche that they haven't really considered much and isn't trying to broaden the appeal of D&D something that WoTC are trying to accomplish? Including material that has adult content may just do that.
WotC prolly fears that such a move would cut them off from the young adult market. |
| Talwyn |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 04:18:31
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Talwyn
[my god I sound like a promo for Fallout 3 ]
Too bad we won't be able to actually play it. 
yeah that sucks worse than a blackhole however I heard a rumour that they'll change the offending injectable drug from morphine to stims or something crap like that
The fact that the office of classification didn't give Fallout 3 a rating due to the drug refernces is just so ridiculous when compared to other games which did get a MA 15+ rating like GTA or Bioshock, you really have to wonder about the level of sanity of the people who work in that place
- hapless clowns is the term that springs to mind when describing them  |
| The Sage |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 04:05:10
quote:
Originally posted by Talwyn
[my god I sound like a promo for Fallout 3 ]
Too bad we won't be able to actually play it.
|
| Talwyn |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 03:51:38
Despite my misgivings and palpable disappointment in the changes being wrought for 4E FR, there are some things I'm curious about.
Obviously the deity pantheon has been decimated and those gods that remain will no doubt will have subsumed a lot of the other dead gods portfolios thus making them extremely powerful beings indeed.
I was informed that my other favourite deity, Torm the True God, has been elevated to greater god status. Now that is a tale worth hearing as no doubt he was involved in some pretty major events. I've always liked Torm, especially when I first came across him in the avatar series book II, Tantras. Of all the gods of the Faerunian pantheon, he was probably the most god like as he took his power and duties seriously. Almost all the other deities just acted like greek Olympian gods, almost like spoilt children with egg-shell thin egos. Not really the sort of attitude you'd expect from an omnipotent being now is it? Yes after the ToT, Ao gave them all well deserved kick in the ass but it still seemed a bit out of character.
So now we have these points of light and a hell of a lot of dead gods floating around the astral plane or elsewhere which does lend itself to a great potential in adventure. It's a absolute certainty that there will be pockets of cults of these fallen deities who are seeking, one way or another, to revive their patron deity. It's a time honoured plot line which we've seen many times, usually done tvia bad guys seeking to bring back evil deity XYZ and [inserts heroes names here] mananging to stop said event in the nick of time whilst learning valuable life lessons along the way.
Anyway, the point is that as a DM it does give you a great scope and hooks for plots and adventures for your FR campaign.
In regards though to the decimation of the realms, I'm having a slight change of heart here. At first I reacted like many of the community here did with shock, anger and sadness. Our beloved realms was being butchered beyond recognition. I think the level of reaction is a testimont to Ed Greenwood and those other fine people who over the years have created such a brilliant fantasy realm that we feel a deep emotion and perhaps even spititual connection with.
I talked with one of my oldest friends about the changes last night and although he doesn't play D&D anymore, he still is interested to know what is going on. His reaction was, "wow they did that? Well that's extremely brave of WoTC but I can see why". What he meant was that he felt that FR had too many overpowered NPC's [as stated by many others] and groups and perhaps like in DragonLance, the world needed a devastating apocalyptic event that shakes the very foundations of the place and out of the ruins, the surviviors emerge to slowly rebuild a new world out of the ashes of the old.
[my god I sound like a promo for Fallout 3 ]
Although I will not be buying the new system [because I prefer 2nd Ed still - ludite that I am ] I will be interested to follow what Ed and others have planned for FR and what has happenned since the big bang of the spellplague.
The only thing I would ask for though is that WoTC hire better writers for their fiction lines and to drop their bans on graphic violence and adult content or at least let writers write such material and label it as such. This would probably interest a market niche that they haven't really considered much and isn't trying to broaden the appeal of D&D something that WoTC are trying to accomplish? Including material that has adult content may just do that.
And fianlly, there are a whole host of writers out there who I can confidently say can craft a much better novel than many of the current writers who trot out some very mediocre fiction at the moment IMO.
|
| Sanishiver |
Posted - 17 Jul 2008 : 01:56:29
I’m looking forward to being able to fill in the gaps.
100 years of history is a great opportunity for me to flesh out the “what happened in between” part for my dual 3E and 4E campaigns.
I expect my players will be pretty interested in finding out not just what has changed, but also what happened over the century-long jump between campaign setting books.
Looking forward to sitting down and writing lots! |
| Purple Dragon Knight |
Posted - 13 Jul 2008 : 04:47:09
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
There won't be. Having a deity of magic was perceived as being a problem, so they did away with the position. The explanation is that Shar blocked the ascension of a new one. This neatly ignores the fact that Shar is in no position to do this, and does not have the power to do so, either -- if Ao wanted a new deity, he got one, no matter what anyone did or said.
LOL! so true!!!
If Shar could do this on her own, then Chauntea, who has the highest divine ranking in the Realms, could in turn give all Shar-worshipper the Celiac Disease (inability to eat anything with gluten in it; i.e. flour, bread; i.e. wheat-based products; i.e wheat, rye, barley and, to a lesser extent, oats)
LOL!!! |
| MerrikCale |
Posted - 13 Jul 2008 : 03:57:58
No more maztica |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 12 Jul 2008 : 13:19:20
quote:
Originally posted by IngoDjan
I want to see who is the new God of Magic. Anyone knows it?
I think there will be dramatic changes in magic and the realms will be even MORE an MORE fantastic, like MMORPGs.
We´ll see!
There won't be. Having a deity of magic was perceived as being a problem, so they did away with the position. The explanation is that Shar blocked the ascension of a new one. This neatly ignores the fact that Shar is in no position to do this, and does not have the power to do so, either -- if Ao wanted a new deity, he got one, no matter what anyone did or said. |
| IngoDjan |
Posted - 12 Jul 2008 : 12:56:39
I want to see who is the new God of Magic. Anyone knows it?
I think there will be dramatic changes in magic and the realms will be even MORE an MORE fantastic, like MMORPGs.
We´ll see! |
| Nemea of Nowhere |
Posted - 21 Jun 2008 : 08:10:48
As a part time DM, I'm quite interested in the different ways people will shift character themes and bring older characters and archetypes up to date.
Also connected, I wonder often about how my players will think of the time change. In one plot device, you could have the characters frozen or stalled from the changes of the next 100 years. Can make a good introduction to the new realms as well.
The change is good on its own, methinks! |
| scererar |
Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 01:39:12
quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
I am sure that it's positively going to subsidize Brian Goldner's raise. If it doesn't, G.I. Joe and Easy-Bake Ovens are going to become more expensive than gasoline....
In all fairness, the article indicates that the man received a raise do to being promoted. Nice salary though 
I don't begrudge anyone the money they make as long as they work for it. You have to know something to make over 800k a year.
And back on topic, I just finished the novel Sword Mage, and am very exited about how the realms is changing post spellplague. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 19:08:25
Best thing about the 4e Realms (IMO, until it is finally released and I can see the final version): I don't have to buy it. |
| Jamallo Kreen |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 07:41:12
I am sure that it's positively going to subsidize Brian Goldner's raise. If it doesn't, G.I. Joe and Easy-Bake Ovens are going to become more expensive than gasoline....
|
| Stratigo |
Posted - 04 Jun 2008 : 19:47:01
heh I'm looking forward to very much running campaigns set during the spell plagues. After reading undead, the spell plagues seem increaingly interesting.
Nor do they seem as exagerated as the preveiws made them out to be. After reading the preveiw of Thay I expected everything to collapse and random hills and plateus popping up everywhere. In reality it wasn't nearly that bad. A few towns bit it, but most things seemed fairly status quo. |
| Ithil |
Posted - 04 Jun 2008 : 01:21:41
I'm excited about the new Baldur's Gate. I hope, like I've seen alluded, that it's a huge fantasy city but not wholly unrealistic or unbelievable. They kept the Flaming Fist, which is a good thing. ("I SERVE THE FLAMING FIST!")
I'm excited to see changes around the Inner Sea, especially the recently revealed ruins of Jhamdaath.
I'm excited about Thay and its changes.
And like others, I'm excited about:
--the relatively clean slate
--the reduction of long-standing, all-powerful NPCs
--continued support from long-time contributors, especially Ed
--continuation from relative newcomers like Brian
--update to 4th Edition rules, which I'm greatly looking forward to
--new themes in an old world
 |
| TwigB |
Posted - 03 Jun 2008 : 22:26:42
I'm still excited about the new Realms! |
| RodOdom |
Posted - 02 May 2008 : 04:59:23
I look forward to whatever Ed has written for 4e. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 15:00:16
quote:
Originally posted by BARDOBARBAROS
I want the new changes in the Forgotten realms to be carefully and logically stated .I do not want the reason of a change to be :
-Why we make the change??
- Because it's cool!!!
QFT |
| BARDOBARBAROS |
Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 07:39:26
I want the new changes in the Forgotten realms to be carefully and logically stated .I do not want the reason of a change to be :
-Why we make the change??
- Because it's cool!!! |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 27 Mar 2008 : 21:54:54
There is one positive thing about the Realms that I see: I don't have to buy any more source material, I have with a few esceptions everything RPG ever printed, with the sole exception of the jurassic Dragon articles |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 19:58:36
quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by dalor_darden
Heck, I bet all the Purple Dragons aren't even good aligned!
They aren't. Plenty of them are neutral (especially LN), and of course there's the odd one who is secretly evil and/or traitorous. In spite of all the attempts to "winnow out" such individuals, there are always some that manage to slip in (The Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy featured some traitorous War Wizards, for example).
Exactly...so just because the Zhentarim is an "Evil" organization, doesn't mean that every merchant from Zhentil Keep is even a Zhentarim Agent. Lots of Zhents don't want anything to do with the Zhentarim...and most don't have anything to do with them. Only recently, within the last few game years, has the Zhentarim really taken total control of the Zhentilar soldiers.
I had to explain to a particular Zhent hater in my group that if every inhabitant of Zhentil Keep was evil, then Harpers wouldn't be able to operate there...there have to be some good elements for them to be able to work. To prove my point, I had to pull the "little children" card on him; explaining that society in Zhentil Keep turns the majority to evil that go that way...but that the kids sure aren't evil and some grow to adulthood with good hearts. When even that didn't work (and I hated doing it) I had to pull the Drizzt card: "If a dang Drow elf can be good in a city like that...!!!!"
Anyway, I'm looking forward to the different take on "alignment" that I've heard people talking about for 4e. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 18:43:22
quote:
Originally posted by dalor_darden
Heck, I bet all the Purple Dragons aren't even good aligned!
They aren't. Plenty of them are neutral (especially LN), and of course there's the odd one who is secretly evil and/or traitorous. In spite of all the attempts to "winnow out" such individuals, there are always some that manage to slip in (The Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy featured some traitorous War Wizards, for example). |
| ShadezofDis |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 15:50:04
quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
I think that if a writer gives the concept of Alignment too much weight, it nudges him in the direction of treating characters, cultures, organizations, and what have you in simplistic black-and-white terms.
I also think that some of us who are currently writing FR fiction avoid this trap at least part of the time.
I tend to agree Richard. With both parts.
I think the "big problem" that I see with things written for the Realms is that there seems to be some major disconnects in the "undercurrents" of various works. In other words, I think that some of the reasons for the things that happen in some authors stories conflict with the reasons for another authors stories (or game supplements). Or, at least, I think that's part of what I see.
Which isn't to say that everything is terrible and the sky is falling, just in case that's the impression I'm giving. ;) |
| ShadezofDis |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 15:05:19
quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
ShadesofDis, you should read Ed's writings, such as in his Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy (or for that matter, the much older short story "So High A Price"), for portrayals of Zhent traders just trying to get by, Zhentilar warriors ducking when the ambitious young Zhent magelings tangle with each other, and so on. Even with the Keystone Kops elements editing forced onto his early work, thanks to TSR's Code, the Zhentarim are certainly not a "wholly black evil" organization when the creator of the Realms handles them.
love,
THO
P.S. Even more so, if you ever play in a Realms campaign with Ed as DM.
THO, I think it's largely because of Ed's writings (Particularly the story with Manshoon taking control, involved a poisoned warrior lord and lord chess summoning a gold dragon or something like that *g*) that have made me consider the Zhents as more than a bunch of evil mages and priests to throw at a party. :)
I guess what annoys me about the portrayal of Zhents in most supplements is that the merchants disappear and they're the foundation upon what everything else is built (IMO, sort of like taxes funding a government)
Heh, I'd actually love to see a plot arch that involved the Zhents getting pretty crippled and then have the greater Realms take a hit when Zhent goods went off the market for a time. Especially if it centered around some Harpers who, through the plot arch, discovered how spread Zhent goods were (through fronts and the like, since some places don't like those Zhent goods) and what impact disrupting the Zhent trade machine has. |
| Dalor Darden |
Posted - 26 Feb 2008 : 09:29:16
I agree with the Zhentarim not being completely evil...I've even pointed out to my players that even though King Azoun is Lawful Good, well, he has his own take on things and doesn't follow the strict guidelines of alignment!
Heck, I bet all the Purple Dragons aren't even good aligned! I know that my group of players didn't usually feel all that welcome in Cormyr; and they were all good aligned.
I'm really not a fan of alignment. I think a Code could be used for Paladins and other "aligned" classes and then others could be judged by reputation score or something similar. |
