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T O P I C    R E V I E W
Aldrick Posted - 29 Jun 2017 : 07:35:42
Should some of the fans of the Forgotten Realms come together, organize a group (the precise details yet undetermined), to produce unofficial "canon" material for other fans of the setting?

I thought about bringing this up in the "Some good news, amidst all this bleakness" thread, but then I decided that it would be better on its own as a poll question.

It is unanimously clear to everyone that the Forgotten Realms is no longer moving forward. The novels have either stalled or stopped, there is not going to be a campaign guide for 5th Edition, and as a whole, the setting appears to be on ice. It does not appear that this is going to change in the near future or long-term future. The future looks bleak, and it is likely that the setting will die a slow death. (Some may even argue that it is already dead, or at least on life support.)

With this hanging over us, I think there comes a time when we have to make a choice. If WotC is not going to take actions to preserve the Realms, then it inevitably falls to the fans to sustain the setting. Thus, the poll question above.

We have obviously discussed this in the past. Candlekeep as a website is pretty clear on where it stands on the matter, so to be clear, I want to stipulate two things.

1. No material will be passed off as official Realmslore. It will be made very clear that this is not WotC produced material.

2. There will be no attempt to make a profit from the endeavor. It is simply work done for fans, by other fans, for the pure enjoyment of the setting. It is then published freely online for anyone who wants to use it.

3. The reason to form and organize a group rather than simply have people just post their stuff on the forums is two-fold. First, by organizing the group it highlights the material and lessens the chance that it will go unnoticed here among the other discussions. Second, is quality control. There needs to be a vetting process to ensure what makes it through is worth browsing, using, and enjoying. The exact methods and means would be something that is open for discussion.
30   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
Aldrick Posted - 06 Jul 2017 : 21:32:52
Okay, it has been a week. We've received 40 responses and the results are clear. I posted the next proposal here, which is to begin discussing how we will organize.

If we can get some consensus there then the next step is to discuss how we handle issues around the various editions and bring back together various segments of the community.
Markustay Posted - 06 Jul 2017 : 19:01:35
I think the biggest roadblock to this, as opposed to any such deterrent in times past, is the 'eras' thing. We did not have to contend with that nonsense when the 1st 9 CKC's were produced.

What time period would we want to set the articles in? Also, they would have to contain a certain percentage of 'crunch'... 5e crunch (despite the era in which the majority of the article were to take place).

'Historic' pieces would work best for that. Some history of an item (or several related items), etc., and then some rules tacked on. The other way to go is to write about stuff that hasn't had any lore before - in that way, it would be 'era free' (you decide what time period the 'now' of the article is). Thats a bit trickier, and would also require us to write about areas and such that not many people might care about (*cough* Ormpur *cough*).

And what would be the point of doing articles on places/people/things no-one really cares about?

Which means we have to create new stuff, whole-cloth (which isn't a bad idea, really), or stick with those "history of such-N-such" style articles (like Krash's article on the Impiltur Swords of State).

And unlike past editions of the CKC, we'd not only need a good editor, we'd need someone very familiar with the rules to check the mechanics... which we never needed before.

Oh, and I finally found a copy of the mock-up cover I did for a volume X of the CKC.
Tempted, yet?
CorellonsDevout Posted - 06 Jul 2017 : 18:25:59
For now, I am undecided. On the one hand, I think it's a great idea, but on the other hand, it would be hard to organize, and we have different ideas on what we want the Realms to be. I certainly had an idea concerning some things, and I had been thinking of posting it to the DMsGuild, but it's kind of taken a backseat now.
Imrathil Posted - 03 Jul 2017 : 23:41:31
quote:
Originally posted by Aldrick

quote:
Originally posted by KanzenAU

quote:
Originally posted by Thrasymachus

Is there a reason not to go the route of the DM's Guild?

I believe the only reason would be that content would have to be for 5th edition or be edition-free, which might turn off some people here who still play older editions.



There is also the issue of organization. How people organize, use, and distribute information is constrained by the platform, as well as how participation is solicited.

The DM's Guild is good for one person or small group projects. That is not what I am suggesting here, and it is not what I have in mind. As discussed by Markustay, George Krashos, and others things like this have been attempted in the past and most ended in failure. There needs to be a different way of doing things that are both more open and less reliant on certain key individuals. It also needs to break things down into smaller chunks which make things more achieveable.

Of course, once things work their way through the process they could then be organized in such a way as to be suitable for the DM's Guild. However, as you point out KanzenAU, they would have to use 5th Edition D&D rules.



Voted yes. Its up to the community now as its clear that the Realms are on the highway to Shar's dark embrace of extinction.

Also agree with dazzlerdal on the monstrosity that is DMs Guild.

Aldrick, could Planewalker (http://mimir.planewalker.com/) be something like what you have in mind? Or maybe and to a lesser extent http://www.athas.org/ ?
KoraxtheGhoul Posted - 02 Jul 2017 : 17:07:31
New to the forums, but from what I can tell it would make more sense to publish through the DM's Guild. There is no question of legality at that point. FR is not covered in the OGL.
http://support.dmsguild.com/hc/en-us/articles/217520927-Ownership-and-License-OGL-Questions

That being said as a community, we could work to create content for the DM's Guild. It would have to be 5e though.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 02 Jul 2017 : 15:36:38
quote:
Originally posted by Zeromaru X

Now you got me curious: what happened to the CKC? That was the thing that made me know this forum, and I though it was weird that there was no continuation after the 9th issue.



4E and the draconian GSL happened. No one could get a straight answer out of WotC whether or not fan-produced material was okay, and we were too divided about the changes to the Realms to come to any sort of consensus. I'll call myself out, on that one -- though I eventually relented, I myself was initially unwilling to participate if there was post-Spellplague content included.

The topic of continuing has come up more than once, but it's never gotten past people saying they're interested.
Gary Dallison Posted - 02 Jul 2017 : 14:38:55
Does this wikia make heavy use of ads. Thats one reason why i dont use it that often, the ads tank my machine.
Otherwise a wiki is exactly what i want to do
BadCatMan Posted - 02 Jul 2017 : 13:20:57
If fans want to document and present the actual canon lore of the Forgotten Realms, then don't forget the Forgotten Realms Wiki. Developing wiki articles is a great way to collect and compile lore and bring disconnected tidbits together for a more complete view. Putting information from different books on one page just makes things so much clearer. They're also very useful references for players to present their PC's background or a DM to illustrate a setting or history or just to add flavour, or for lore and setting discussion speculation. By working on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, I've resolved so many previously confusing or contradictory topics and made fragmented areas of the Realms look much more whole and ripe for development.

Or, if you want to create and publish homebrew lore and fanon (stuff that's not canon but widely adopted by fans), then consider creating a homebrew-focused wiki. Wikia will let anyone create a wiki. It would have the benefits of the FRW, but be able to present fans' own creations instead. Wiki pages allow multiple people to work on an article, so users can more easily collaborate and add to or revise other's work. Two people can develop a realm at the same time. Users can get straight to article creation, focusing more on lore development and writing rather than community discussion, and they can work at their own pace on their own interests. Then it's up there for everyone else to look at and use or ignore. People regularly try to put homebrew, fanon, and their own PCs on the FRW, which we can't take for our canon & licensed focus, so I think there's a real need for this. It would need a common community understanding of the scope of the project and a direction to take things in, and might produce conflicts and multiple versions of topics, but these can be resolved with discussion and compromise, based around a set of shared values (for example, the old Greenwood adage of closing one plothook and opening two more).
Clareus the Bard Posted - 02 Jul 2017 : 09:14:22
I would like to participate in creating material fornthe realms, be it for a CKC or for the DMsGuild. I have been toying with the idea of creating one or more regional guides on the realms for the DMsguild set in the 1490s, taking inspiration from the 2nd, 3rd, & 1st ed. d&d without disregarding any established canon. Though I think my time would be better spent helping this project.
I know I don't have any "street cred" on this website but I can assure you that I can be quite helpful on a project like this.

On the "issue" of where a project like this would be published, the biggest issue as I se it is that WotC could potentialy c&d this project if it were published anywhere else than DMsGuild, which is more likely now than before because it would in a small way benin competition with that site.
The plus side of publishing on DMsGuild is that if this project gains enough credibility online then it could reach a larger number of people, so to encourage them (the ones who want to expand the world of their realms, but don't know where to start) to play in a realms we all are so fond of, and not just as a "realms-light backdrop". (And since I'm kind'a repeating Markustay: )

quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

Well, if they were, then MY BAD. I didn't think that was the case, because at this point its not just a 'maybe' Cease & Desist, it would be a DEFINITE one.

Simply because THEY ARE giving us an avenue to create our own material, and publish it, and maybe even make a little something (and them as well). To try and publish your own material any other way would be stepping on this new venture of theirs, and they'd have to nip that right in the bud.

And it would be pointless, as well. We have the DM's Guild now; it really is the best solution - everyone wins. Now, if we could only get everyone behind a new CKC, and that would our 'brand' (I understand other groups are doing similar stuff, creating their own 'label'). Hell, we did it FIRST - it would be a damn shame to just let all that slip away. Plus, we got something the others lack - 'street cred'. Aside from having done NINE of them already, we also have contributors who have been PAID Realms designers & authors. No one can compete with that!



The plus side of publishing here is that this site has a much greater credibility for long-time fans of the realms than DMsGuild. The DMsGuild also in its terms of agreement for publishing material there specifies that any material published there can't be published elsewhere.

Another reason for me wanting to work on a group project rather than solo is that it's nearly impossible to learn all the established lore as one person, so that for me at least it would be superb to have other realms fans looking at my material before any gets published (quality control and all that).
Zeromaru X Posted - 02 Jul 2017 : 07:15:56
Now you got me curious: what happened to the CKC? That was the thing that made me know this forum, and I though it was weird that there was no continuation after the 9th issue.
Aldrick Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 23:36:59
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik

If money remains uninvolved (no one's buying or selling the fan-made stuff) that's a non-issue.


In the case I referenced, no one was buying or selling. The money being requested was purely to pay for hosting the character sheets the dude had created for D&D.



That still involves an exchange of money for something D&D related. WotC is obviously going to clamp down on that. However, what I have in mind will involve zero money exchanged, not even a request for donations. So, the point is moot.

I attempted to head off this line of thinking in my OP in which I pointed out that there will be zero profit (that would include donations) made from the endeavor. Zero money will change hands--not even a penny.

I also attempted to head off the other frequent objection to something like this, which is that the material produced could be misconstrued as WotC material. This will not be the case, either.

In all instances, we will be using WotC's published material as they intended it. Namely, they sold us the materials under the assumption that we will use it with a group of friends to play games in a shared world with common lore. The people involved would constitute a group of friends, using their materials in the way they intended, and posting it online. It would be effectively no different than someone recording a gaming session and posting it online. Other people would be able to view that gaming session, comment on it, and even use ideas from it for their own games. They could even make what happened in that gaming session canon in their home Realms.

The only murky legal water that we might wade into involves using the 5E D&D rules, primarily because this could bump up against what they intend for the DM's Guild. The worst case scenario is that we would receive a C&D, asking us to take down rules related material. We would, of course, comply and then promptly make sure that everything is converted to Pathfinder.

In fact, what I have in mind is entirely rules-neutral. We are focused on Realmslore and not rules. However, I would still encourage people to share and post rules/gaming related material that they created as it relates to the Realms. I would want to see that for multiple systems, not just 5E D&D--which the DM's Guild locks us into if that is used. Our community is fractured enough, without further fracturing it with different rule systems.

I am waiting a few more days before I post further information because I want to give everyone the opportunity to respond to the poll. I want to see if we, as a community, can come to a loose consensus. The more ideas initially presented is more opportunity to fracture into a disagreement. What I want to see right now is whether or not the majority who respond believe that we should have a community-led effort to make new unofficial Realmslore, since WotC is no longer doing so at the same rate and in the same manner as they did in the past.

It seems that we do have a rather broad consensus on that and that the majority (at the moment) agree that the community should move in that direction. The next step is to discuss how we move forward, and will hopefully address some of the issues people are bringing up. If we can get a consensus there the next step is to deal with the edition issue and the existing canon.

Ideally, at each step we attempt to reach a consensus. In the end, people may disagree with various parts of the consensus, but will hopefully respect it and still decide to participate. That is also why I am giving this poll time to breathe, even though it is unlikely we are going to get many more respondents--at least not enough to change the result, since it is so clearly weighted in one direction.
Markustay Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 20:48:25
Well, if they were, then MY BAD. I didn't think that was the case, because at this point its not just a 'maybe' Cease & Desist, it would be a DEFINITE one.

Simply because THEY ARE giving us an avenue to create our own material, and publish it, and maybe even make a little something (and them as well). To try and publish your own material any other way would be stepping on this new venture of theirs, and they'd have to nip that right in the bud.

And it would be pointless, as well. We have the DM's Guild now; it really is the best solution - everyone wins. Now, if we could only get everyone behind a new CKC, and that would our 'brand' (I understand other groups are doing similar stuff, creating their own 'label'). Hell, we did it FIRST - it would be a damn shame to just let all that slip away. Plus, we got something the others lack - 'street cred'. Aside from having done NINE of them already, we also have contributors who have been PAID Realms designers & authors. No one can compete with that!
Wooly Rupert Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 20:36:03
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay

You just put the CKC's on the DM's Guild, and put 'Pay What You Want', and any proceeds would go to the maintenance of this site. How can that be construed as anything but what is already happening with the DM's Guild, by their hand? They'd still be making money, and the CKC's could actually become a decent 'cash-cow' for them, if we maintain the quality they had in the past (and continue to get one or two 'insiders' to contribute every now and again).

I think its more of the folks running this site no longer wanting to bother... and thats okay. I can totally understand that - it was a LOT of work.



Perhaps I was mistaken, but I was thinking that people were discussing something other than the DM's Guild. If not, that was my bad entirely.

Me, I would encourage the use of the DM's Guild for people wanting to do their own Realmslore -- it's got a wider audience and the possibility of getting a little money out of it.
Markustay Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 19:44:24
You just put the CKC's on the DM's Guild, and put 'Pay What You Want', and any proceeds would go to the maintenance of this site. How can that be construed as anything but what is already happening with the DM's Guild, by their hand? They'd still be making money, and the CKC's could actually become a decent 'cash-cow' for them, if we maintain the quality they had in the past (and continue to get one or two 'insiders' to contribute every now and again).

I think its more of the folks running this site no longer wanting to bother... and thats okay. I can totally understand that - it was a LOT of work.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 19:26:29
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik

If money remains uninvolved (no one's buying or selling the fan-made stuff) that's a non-issue.


In the case I referenced, no one was buying or selling. The money being requested was purely to pay for hosting the character sheets the dude had created for D&D.
Ayrik Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 17:01:23
If money remains uninvolved (no one's buying or selling the fan-made stuff) that's a non-issue.

If trespass onto WotC's IP is avoided (no one mentions things WotC put on their "things we own and you don't own" list) that's a non-issue.

If violation of WotC's copyright is avoided (no one Copy&Pastes or plagiarizes WotC's text/passages/artwork) that's a non-issue.

As the famous quote attributed to Ayn Rand asserts, don't avoid doing something you want to do unless somebody else wants you to avoid doing it. If WotC doesn't go out of their way to say it's wrong then it's not wrong, lol.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 13:44:57
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal

The worst they can do is tell you to take your work down and stop distributing it (but once its out there its difficult to stop its spread so its not worth their bother).



If money is changing hands, they will find it worth their bother -- they've done it before. The guy was only asking for money to host these character sheets he'd created, but since money was changing hands, WotC hit him with a Cease & Desist, and he had to take his stuff down.
sleyvas Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 12:45:01
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal

That being said, getting people to cooperate is difficult (people just arent used to it these days). Whats more difficult is finding people with the drive and determination to finish a project. I burned out after 18 months, and im obsessive about the realms. Most fans lose interest after a few weeks, especially when opinion is divided on a way forward.

Oh and DMs Guild is not for realms fans. Its for generic D&D fans (which is what nu-realms is becoming). I still dont trust WoTC not to end support suddenly and close it down, and then all your work is lost because you agreed not to release it anywhere else)



I will say though that DMs Guild has nuggets to mine. I don't normally read Dragon+, but I like that they were reviewing DMs Guild offerings. I think it was the second one that they reviewed called Priestess that basically built out a new divine class similar but different to clerics focused on sacrifice. The rules need work, but the concept is wonderful.

Similarly, there's some guy that was doing a lot of Al-Qadim stuff, and I recommend looking at it. There was another guy that was doing monster compendiums, and I recommend looking at them. There were also some one-offs like myself who posted collections of spells that were good. In fact, simply because I have them listed in my "complete red book of spell strategy" as references, I'm going to paste links to some of them here. Note, I made my own font that consisted of little pictures like genies lamps, fire motifs, skulls, etc... just for notating which spells came from which resources, as I made a comprehensive spell list that basically gave pointers to other resources, but gave credit to the original authors.

BTW, I'm trying to do something similar for my "United Tharchs of Toril Entry" wherein I reference where I got rules for certain creatures, classes, magic items, spells, etc... from. Some of its changing though, because it seems like WotC read some of what I was requesting and put a LOT of the creatures I wanted in the Volo's Guide to Monsters (i.e. an official froghemoth, girallon, vegepygmy, wood woad, Tlincalli, quickling, grung (though I was picturing a taller poison frog folk), firenewts, more dinosaurs, darklings, choldriths, cranium rats, chitines, ... and yes I did just write this list so I could list them in that document).

See the DMSGuild offering of “Bestiary of Faerun” authored by Leonaru which can be bought at www.DMsGuild.com for details of the dread warrior, gemstone golems, and Bheur Hag.

Certain demon summoning spells that start with conjure come from an unearthed arcana article located here: https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/07_UA_That_Old_Black_Magic.pdf

Certain new Elemental Based spells can be found at the following link by WotC
http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/EE_PlayersCompanion.pdf

A S beside a spell indicates it comes from the DM's guild offering by Jeff and Dawn Ibach called Athanae's Divinations located at https://www.dmsguild.com/product/172631/Athanaes-Divinations?term=athanae&filters=45469_0_0_0_0_0


AUbeside a spell indicates it comes from the DM's guild offering by Thomas Schlüter called Elemental Magic of Zakhara located at http://www.dmsguild.com/product/173753/Elemental-Magic-of-Zakhara-AlQadim--Forgotten-Realms

A V beside a spell indicates it comes from the DM's guild offering by Thomas Schlüter called Necromancy After the Time of Troubles located at http://www.dmsguild.com/product/179971/Necromancy-After-the-Time-of-Troubles?filters=45469_0_0_0_0_0_0_0

A O beside a spell indicates it comes from the DM's guild offering by George Krashos called Spells of the Unapproachable East located at http://www.dmsguild.com/product/177091/Pages-From-the-Mages--The-Burning-Tome?filters=45469_0_0_0_0_0_0_0

A N beside a spell indicates it comes from the DM's guild offering by Polaron Posadas called Spells of the Unapproachable East located at http://www.dmsguild.com/product/185957/Spells-of-the-Unapproachable-East?filters=45469_0_0_0_0_0_0_0
Gary Dallison Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 10:44:52
That being said, getting people to cooperate is difficult (people just arent used to it these days). Whats more difficult is finding people with the drive and determination to finish a project. I burned out after 18 months, and im obsessive about the realms. Most fans lose interest after a few weeks, especially when opinion is divided on a way forward.

Oh and DMs Guild is not for realms fans. Its for generic D&D fans (which is what nu-realms is becoming). I still dont trust WoTC not to end support suddenly and close it down, and then all your work is lost because you agreed not to release it anywhere else)
Gary Dallison Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 10:37:35
People worry too much about the legal nonsense.

Yes it is their IP and yes they determine who can make money out of it, but people have been making up their own stuff in that IP for decades and WoTC have often encouraged it (a lot happened on their own boards)

They arent going to sue you or take your house. The worst they can do is tell you to take your work down and stop distributing it (but once its out there its difficult to stop its spread so its not worth their bother).

Do what you want. As long as you dont make money and you arent trying to put them out of business then who cares. If you like doing it then continue to do so. WoTC have never stopped George and his pdfs. Nobody came after me when i did 10 issues of a fanmag. Candlekeep has been going for years.

Just do it if you want. If theres no harm theres no foul.

sleyvas Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 10:17:44
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos

Group stuff is tough. Really tough in an open-ended creative scenario. I've worked on FR stuff over the years with many creatives. The good part was when you "clicked" with someone and it went seamlessly. The bad part was when you didn't. I love seeing what people come up with. In all honesty I can't say that I like what other people come up with every time, but I love the fact that they have made the effort and added something to the FR firmament. Of course, I recognise that my FR stuff isn't to everyone's liking also. Horses for courses. In my time poor state where I don't have the ablity to invest in the dozen skeleton ideas I have languishing on my hard drive, I know that I can't substantially contribute to this initiative, but I do applaud the intent and recognise that there are many talented and driven individuals out there who can do great things. I look forward to seeing what people come up with.

-- George Krashos




Well said. I know I come up with things that make people cringe, and then occasionally I have something really good (its usually something around magic). I know the idea I have for Katashaka being a mostly non-human, and totally non-elven/dwarven/Halfling/gnome/half-orc/dragonborn ....... but instead being filled with bestial humanoids (some of which I'm making up).... isn't going to the cup of tea for many. However, it fits my viewpoint that humanoid races shouldn't control the whole world. I can say the same thing for everyone here that I truly respect.... they all occasionally come up with some ideas that make me want to throttle them, and sometimes like a dog with a bone they won't let go (and yes, I am saying that I sometimes act the same way).
Varl Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 04:43:17
All this talk about DM's Guild made me go look, and I placed 6 more monster volumes in my wishlist for later purchase. Whether articles are placed there or here, and regardless whether they're priced or free, I support anyone's efforts to make the Realms a better place. So yes, I guess.
Aldrick Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 04:00:47
quote:
Originally posted by KanzenAU

quote:
Originally posted by Thrasymachus

Is there a reason not to go the route of the DM's Guild?

I believe the only reason would be that content would have to be for 5th edition or be edition-free, which might turn off some people here who still play older editions.



There is also the issue of organization. How people organize, use, and distribute information is constrained by the platform, as well as how participation is solicited.

The DM's Guild is good for one person or small group projects. That is not what I am suggesting here, and it is not what I have in mind. As discussed by Markustay, George Krashos, and others things like this have been attempted in the past and most ended in failure. There needs to be a different way of doing things that are both more open and less reliant on certain key individuals. It also needs to break things down into smaller chunks which make things more achieveable.

Of course, once things work their way through the process they could then be organized in such a way as to be suitable for the DM's Guild. However, as you point out KanzenAU, they would have to use 5th Edition D&D rules.
Thrasymachus Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 03:52:22
quote:
Originally posted by KanzenAU

quote:
Originally posted by Thrasymachus

Is there a reason not to go the route of the DM's Guild?

I believe the only reason would be that content would have to be for 5th edition or be edition-free, which might turn off some people here who still play older editions.


That settles it for me. There are only 5 people playing first edition, and I am 2 of them.
*votes no*
KanzenAU Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 03:40:44
quote:
Originally posted by Thrasymachus

Is there a reason not to go the route of the DM's Guild?

I believe the only reason would be that content would have to be for 5th edition or be edition-free, which might turn off some people here who still play older editions.
Thrasymachus Posted - 01 Jul 2017 : 03:33:34
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Honestly, given the availability of the DM's Guild and the difficulty getting a Compendium organized, I would suggest that the former is now the better option.


+1
I am going to underline that the DM's Guild has the blessing of WotC. Once non-lawyers start using phrases like "my understanding of... "law", or "copyright", or "infringement" in justifying endeavors outside of what is clearly okay'd by WoTC; you're rolling dice unnecessarily. Dice that have no 20's, but lot's of 1's.

Is there a reason not to go the route of the DM's Guild?

@Ayrik - Anything can be legally challenged. I'll grant that odds of success and failure can be pliable, but legal fees are not.
Markustay Posted - 30 Jun 2017 : 14:05:54
quote:
Originally posted by BadCatMan

I voted "no", I seem to be the onlk one. This is what the fandom does anyway. Coming up with new material is part-and-parcel of being a DM creating a campaign or a player creating a character. The holes and truncations in a campaign setting should be accepted as much as the filled-in detailed bits.

But everyone has their own ideas going in different directions. No two fans ever fully agree on an interpretation or homebrew proposal. Fans certainly don't like things with an official canon stamp. ;) Worse, fans never get anything done. :p I was in Kara-Tur Redux; we had a lot of ideas and interesting discussion, but got nowhere with it.

Something like this requires a lot of leadership, organisation, and structure, with editorial overview, directions, and deadlines, in which case you might as well as be Wizards of the Coast.
On the one hand, I would love to blame the onset of 4e, and the WotC forums turning into a battleground, for all of that. And it may just be responsible for 80-90% of it.

But in the end, I just didn't have what it takes to put all of those ideas together into a cohesive whole, and then actually create a readable book out of it.

Cheers to the editors - the unsung heroes who make the crap the rest of us come up with look good.
Gyor Posted - 30 Jun 2017 : 11:51:39
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan

quote:
Originally posted by Aldrick


It is unanimously clear to everyone that the Forgotten Realms is no longer moving forward


Huh, "Unanimously"? How about no? Actually the Forgotten Realms is currently the ONLY supported setting that D&D has going right now. Every supplement thus far and in the near future has been Realms-based. Every. Single. One. I'm not really sure how more plain it could be?

Also isn't this the basis for the Candlekeep Compendium? Why hasn't that continued?



Volo's guide to monster was barely realms related in practice, so if you mean rubber stamped as realms with the odd mention, then yeah, they all have been, although it, feels with curse of strand FR ate Ravenloft.
BadCatMan Posted - 30 Jun 2017 : 11:20:13
I voted "no", I seem to be the onlk one. This is what the fandom does anyway. Coming up with new material is part-and-parcel of being a DM creating a campaign or a player creating a character. The holes and truncations in a campaign setting should be accepted as much as the filled-in detailed bits.

But everyone has their own ideas going in different directions. No two fans ever fully agree on an interpretation or homebrew proposal. Fans certainly don't like things with an official canon stamp. ;) Worse, fans never get anything done. :p I was in Kara-Tur Redux; we had a lot of ideas and interesting discussion, but got nowhere with it.

Something like this requires a lot of leadership, organisation, and structure, with editorial overview, directions, and deadlines, in which case you might as well as be Wizards of the Coast.
George Krashos Posted - 30 Jun 2017 : 07:48:44
Group stuff is tough. Really tough in an open-ended creative scenario. I've worked on FR stuff over the years with many creatives. The good part was when you "clicked" with someone and it went seamlessly. The bad part was when you didn't. I love seeing what people come up with. In all honesty I can't say that I like what other people come up with every time, but I love the fact that they have made the effort and added something to the FR firmament. Of course, I recognise that my FR stuff isn't to everyone's liking also. Horses for courses. In my time poor state where I don't have the ablity to invest in the dozen skeleton ideas I have languishing on my hard drive, I know that I can't substantially contribute to this initiative, but I do applaud the intent and recognise that there are many talented and driven individuals out there who can do great things. I look forward to seeing what people come up with.

-- George Krashos

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