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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore
USA
1105 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 16:17:26
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Poll Question:
Hi, folks!
I'm conducting an informal survey to find out how many people here are current Dungeons & Dragons Insider subscribers, how many used to subscribe but stopped, and how many haven't. If you might consider (re-)subscribing, what would it take?
Bear in mind, I'm not a WotC employee. I am a freelancer, though, and I can try and tailor my pitches to DDI based on what folks here at the 'keep want to see... if you folks tell me.
Please, let's try and keep the discussion here civil. I'm not looking for edition debates or what's "better." Just an honest discussion on what material might impel you to take a look at DDI--or take a second look, if something you didn't like seems to be changing.
Brian/Garen
p.s. I know there are some people that won't ever take another look at DDI at the WotC-published unless there's a complete rollback to pre-Spellplague Faerûn (however colossally unlikely that may be). If you're of that opinion, please share it--gently. If you're not of that opinion, please respect the rights of others to share their own, and speak your mind. I don't intend this as a debate: just say what you like, or don't, about the current status of the online support for the Realms, and what changes would potentially make you a happier scribe. -BC
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 16:31:28
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Hiya Garen 
It's always a good idea to ask for input, whether the input is listened to by the bigwigs is an entirely different matter 
I have never subscribed, but might consider it if...
...the Spellplague had never happened...
...there weren't quite so many RSE's...
That's a couple just off the top of my head.
I don't have any experience of DDI if i'm honest, I personally felt somewhat betrayed when the Spellplague was introduced and stopped buying new FR material.
There, that was gentle |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 16:36:00
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I have never subscribed, but might if...
My own opposition to both the 4E ruleset and the post-Sellplague Realms is well-known. Because of this, much of what is available in the DDI is entirely useless to me. With WotC's all-or-nothing approach, I do not have the option of only paying for what I want, and not having to pay for things I don't access.
If I could only have access to what I wanted, I would subscribe. Alternatively, if they had a per-article price, where you could pay for individual articles, I would be interested in that and would likely give them money. I'd have no issue spending $2 per article, so long as I could pick and choose what I got.
I will not, however, pay them for material I do not want and have no use for. I prefer not to spend money rather than spend more than I want for one or two interesting articles a month.
I am also unhappy about the fact that so much stuff is now behind the DDI. We used to get at least one Realms-related article every week, for free, and some of it was really good stuff. This was in addition to the almost daily offerings of free stuff that wasn't tied to any one setting, but could be adapted to the Realms if we wanted. We went from two magazines and plenty of free stuff to no magazines and being asked to pay for less than what we got for free. I find this most objectionable. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 16:39:07
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| Oh, and as a moderator, I shall echo Garen's call for civility. We can express negative opinions without being disrespectful, and we can be constructive in our comments. If you can't be courteous, or feel obligated to toss out random negative commentary that has little or no bearing on the topic, please keep it to yourself. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 12 Oct 2011 16:39:33 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 16:45:43
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I currently subscribe but would like to see changes . . .
I'm a regular subscriber and contributor, and I would like to see more Realms articles (I happen to know for a fact that there will be some!), edition-neutral content (emphasis on the lore), and less mechanics/more flavor. While I certainly enjoy designing 4e mechanics, I don't think we're at a point where we need more feats and powers and the like--what we need are creative stories to use what we already have. I'd prefer to see more emphasis on adventure/site design, monsters/NPCs, and items.
I would also love to see a pay-per-article scheme, such as Wooly is suggesting. I don't know the computing mechanics of setting something like that up, but I can't imagine it's prohibitively difficult.
As a contributor who regularly crafts mostly-Realms-specific pitches, I also plan to watch this thread carefully.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Therise
Master of Realmslore
1272 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 17:26:07
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Garen,
I'm one of the "never subscribed to DDI and never will" people. The spellplagued Realms just don't have anything to offer me, so I'm voting with my wallet, as it were.
That said, the new edition, the new rules, don't bother me at all. I just can't support 4E Realms.
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Female, 40-year DM of a homebrew-evolved 1E Realms, including a few added tidbits of 2E and 3E lore; played originally in AD&D, then in Rolemaster. Be a DM for your kids and grandkids, gaming is excellent for families! |
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Nilus Reynard
Learned Scribe
Canada
137 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 17:37:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Therise
I'm one of the "never subscribed to DDI and never will" people.
Same here.
I am not impressed with 4E and the whole Spellplague thing. If things remained as they were before, I would definitely consider subscribing. |
Nilus Reynard
Doom Master of Beshaba, Hand of Despair.
P24 Hm CN
(2nd Edition AD&D) |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4429 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 18:14:26
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I currently subscribe, but would like to see changes too. As with Erik I pay pretty good attention to DDI articles being released and really, the last several months have been lacking for my tastes. I'm a crunchy sort of fellow but I've found that a lot of the articles are geard more towards DM ideas, setting (non-FR setting) information that I might use but I feel it's better left in the Dungeon side.
Of course I'd love to see more Realms content and we're getting a pretty good dose this month with two or three(?) articles on Kara-Tur/Asian-themed material, namely the Samurai and Ninjas fluff and such. Hopefully it'll contain a lot of Kara-Tur info too, but we'll see.
As for the Realms articles alrady published, they've been pretty fantastic. Ed's monthly article works great with any edition and can be used for anyone's campaign. So I can't say they're been lacking on the Dungeon side of things.
Something I worked on pretty heavily on the WotC boards HERE was a conversion of magical, Realms-specific items from the Magic of Faeûn supplement and it was pretty interesting to say the least. So I think it'd be fun to see a lot of Realms items enter the DDI arena too.
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Thelonius
Senior Scribe
Spain
730 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 19:20:03
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| I will have to sum myself to the "not like 4e" reasons for not suscribing to it |
"If you are to truly understand, then you will need the contrast, not adherence to a single ideal." - Kreia
"I THINK I JUST HAD ANOTHER NEAR-RINCEWIND EXPERIENCE"- Discworld's Death frustrated after Rincewind scapes his grasp... again.
"I am death, come for thee" - Nimbul, from Baldur's Gate I just before being badly spanked
Sapientia sola libertas est |
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BARDOBARBAROS
Senior Scribe
Greece
581 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 19:36:26
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| I have never subscribed, and never will. |
BARDOBARBAROS DOES NOT KILL.
HE DECAPITATES!!!
"The city changes, but the fools within it remain always the same" (Edwin Odesseiron- Baldur's gate 2) |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 20:58:12
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| I wouldn't subscribe long-term unless there was voluminuous material I read/used most months, and that's unlikely with Wizards not currently publishing a game or setting I'm interested in except to the extent that there's Realmslore relevant to or directly useable in the 14th-century Realms. (I don't believe a partial or complete return to that Realms is colossally unlikely -- there's ample precedent in Dragonlance, Star Wars and the Marvel and DC universes -- unless someone in charge is dogmatically against it.) When asked earlier what I'd like to see in DDI Realms coverage I suggested material useable in both settings; I don't actually know the extent to which that's being done. As things stand, I haven't been impelled to even dip in for one month to catch up on Ed Greenwood's Realms-2008 material -- I will likely do that in the future if modest but high-quality content appears that appeals to me, but not sign up for $71.40 year. I'd also buy individual Realmslore articles if that was an option. Current-edition rules material (4E or Pathfinder for that matter) isn't something I'm presently interested in. |
Edited by - Faraer on 12 Oct 2011 22:51:31 |
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Shemmy
Senior Scribe
USA
492 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 22:50:09
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I don't subscribe, but might potentially for FR lore if they retconned the entire Spellplague/4e FR timeshift.
But it would have to be a substantial amount of material offered, because otherwise it would be far more expensive than even buying a single book a year, since the bulk of DDI material is pretty much useless to me otherwise (uninterested in 4e crunch since I don't use that system, and zero interest in PoL fluff, little interest in the smattering of other material that shows up).
Rolling back on the Spellplague and offering FR lore as pay-by-article though would happily snag my money. But as time goes on, I'm more heavily involved and invested in other worlds (Golarion now being on top kinda for keeps), so WotC's window of opportunity to regain my $ -and if I'm any measure of the wider audience- possibly regain the Realms' popularity and status as the cash cow it once was is diminished. |
Shemeska the Marauder, King of the Crosstrade; voted #1 best Arcanaloth in Sigil two hundred years running by the people who know what's best for them; chant broker; prospective Sigil council member next election; and official travel agent for Chamada Holiday specials LLC.
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Edited by - Shemmy on 12 Oct 2011 22:58:22 |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3286 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 23:02:26
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I used to subscribe, and would come back if...
They put out more articles like these:
The Wailing Dwarf
The Tribes of Thar
The Cavern of Death
Ironfang Keep
The Purple Halls
Tomb of the Astronomer
One page, Lore Heavy, pretty much edition neutral. Maybe some backdrop articles of Waterdeep. One for each Ward. Maybe the samething on the Dales.
I really don't mind the 4E Realms. I could careless if it was re-booted or not. I support the Realms. |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
Edited by - Brimstone on 12 Oct 2011 23:06:05 |
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Hawkins
Great Reader
USA
2131 Posts |
Posted - 12 Oct 2011 : 23:14:56
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| I voted for. "I might subscribe, if there were less mechanics and more edition-free Realms material." That being said, it is also a bit of "I have never subscribed, because I can''t afford it." I also would not mind seeing single article purchases made available. |
Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)
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He left it dead, and with its head
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* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7969 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 02:25:52
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I bought a three month subscription, compelled to obtain Dungeon #170: Monument of the Ancients, and having the general intent of just being one of those bastards who downloads everything in sight before skulking away. Well, I did download a copy of Dungeon #170, and perhaps about a dozen other things. But little of the content actually interested me since I have no interest in 4E rules or post-Spellplague (or timejumped) Realms settings, the few items I grabbed were or will be converted to pre-4E rulesets anyhow, I had no appetite for raping and pillaging irrelevant content which will do little more than fill (waste) my drive space. I ended up "giving" the remaining 9 weeks on that DDI account to one of my players, and from what I've heard she downloaded just three items (including Dungeon #170, grrr) and otherwise left the DDI to expire unused. She did half-jokingly suggest we attempt once again to play 4E, but this was quickly and mercilessly vetoed by the other players.
It surprised me, or more accurately it was unsurprising yet disappointed me, that DDI doesn't allow access to older-edition content which has been "culled" offline.
I'm really of the opinion that WotC might make more money selling Dungeon and Dragon magazines in print. Mind ye, that's just my own preference and I have no numbers from print or DDI sales to support the claim. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 13 Oct 2011 02:38:44 |
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Tyranthraxus
Senior Scribe
Netherlands
423 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 13:03:40
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I voted "I used to subscribe, but am not interested in coming back". There's no point for me to get a long term DDI subscription when I don't have a steady D&D group. I do get a 1 month subscription once every 6 months or so just to download all the Realms articles.
Another reason why I'm not interested in a DDI subscription is because I'm losing interest in 4E. I've played it since 2008 and I liked it but now I'm thinking of going back to previous editions or even write homebrew rules. |
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Richard Lee Byers
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
1814 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 14:24:05
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| Are there any FR short stories in DDI? If not, would anyone like it if there were? |
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Artemas Entreri
Great Reader
USA
3131 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 14:44:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Are there any FR short stories in DDI? If not, would anyone like it if there were?
Not sure if there are currently, but I would love it if there were |
Some people have a way with words, and other people...oh, uh, not have way. -Steve Martin
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Marc
Senior Scribe
657 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2011 : 20:53:12
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Used to subscribe at the beginning and would renew if there are at least two articles per month by Brian James, or done by another author in that style. Eye on the Realms articles are too short. I don't mind 4E rules as long there is a lot of lore around. For example I recently converted Midgard's 4E adventure Courts of the Shadow Fey to my rules. Most post spellplague articles are adaptable to an earlier century, even spellplague effects could be attributed to the Time of Troubles. Only Abeir and dragonborn articles are worthless.
For the rest of the magazine, Wizards should stop with the gamer girl and designer's decisions articles, and improve the artwork and that boring layout. Look at the last dozen issues of the printed magazine for inspiration. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7969 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 02:12:42
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Actually, I implore you all to please forgive me for daring to utter this despicably foul blasphemy ...
I kinda think there's already way more Realmslore than anyone could possibly ever use. Need more Planescape-styled lore, yeah. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 02:13:30
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I currently subscribe, but would like to see changes:
Why are some Dragon and Dungeon articles inaccesible??? Like, come on!! Why??
Other than that, I enjoy it. |
Karsite Arcanar (Most Holy Servant of Karsus)
Anauria - Survivor State of Netheril as penned by me:
http://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/172023 |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4685 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 02:38:37
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| never subscribed, because not interested in it. Slightly different then the option offered of never will. Who knows what the future holds, one of these days might even subscribe, just currently no interest in doing so. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
Edited by - Kentinal on 14 Oct 2011 02:56:48 |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31701 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 02:38:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Richard Lee Byers
Are there any FR short stories in DDI? If not, would anyone like it if there were?
I recall several instances of short stories in the DDI [and one Realms example, if I'm remembering effectively enough], but there hasn't been much offering in that regard for some time. Aside, that is, from Erik's intriguing Shadowbane novella and extras.
...
As per the query of this scroll, I've addressed this through other venues with Brian, so I'll simply leave it at that. [And, besides, I'm limited for time on the local internet cafe].
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Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)
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Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage |
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Dark Wizard
Senior Scribe
USA
830 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 04:34:28
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I'm not subscribed and never have been. I might consider it if they offered what I want.
What do I want? (Aside from Old Realms material or generic Realms material that's easily transferable.) I'm not sure exactly. I'll know when I see it, but nothing so far has urged me to slap down money.
Unless Wizards has changed their procedures in the last few months, one thing I know they're missing out on entirely is the versatility of ePublishing.
You see this with small press game companies. They might put out a series of PDFs around a theme, say "Fighter Goodies", "Rogue Goodies", etc. They're cheap. If I'm playing a rogue at this moment I have no hesitation to throw down the 2-3 dollars on it immediately.
After the series is done, some companies wait a bit and create a compilation "Core Classes MegaPak!" which is all of these in the series for a bulk compilation price (All 10 Class Goodies for $10, etc.). So a fellow player has a Wizard and he goes for broke and gets the whole thing, maybe he wants to play a Cleric next time. And so on and so forth.
Since Wizards is not putting out a print magazine anymore, there is little reason for the Dragon and Dungeon issues other than for marketing and continuity. They can split parts of the magazine up individually with little overhead.
If they offered annual compilations of article series or compilations after a themed line of articles is concluded, they would create a very impressive backlist of offerings. |
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Mantis
Acolyte
USA
25 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2011 : 10:44:46
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| I have never subscribed and never will, I dont think it would be worth it for me. Most of the gaming my group and I did was homebrew stuff so I really wouldnt have had a use for all those articles. Id rather just sit around a table with my friends and come up with things that work for us and the adventure we are going on. |
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GRYPHON
Senior Scribe
USA
527 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2011 : 14:44:45
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| Never subscribed and never will... |
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MalariaMoon
Learned Scribe
324 Posts |
Posted - 22 Oct 2011 : 14:28:09
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I probably won't ever subscribe. Although I've nothing against 4E D&D or even the post-spellplague Realms per se, I'm concur with Ayrik - so much fascinating lore already exists that I haven't read yet, so why invest in a service which by all accounts is fairly light on lore! Crunch has its place, but it won't lure me in.
I probably own about twenty FR books from all editions that I've yet to read properly... when I'm through with them (in three or four years say), I might be tempted by DDI Insider, but only if its consistently producing in-depth, at-length and exciting lore (for any of its campaign settings).
However, as other scribes have already observed, if the option existed for paying a small amount for specific articles, Wizards of the Coast might have a chance of getting something from my purse. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2011 : 16:47:45
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quote:
Originally posted by MalariaMoon
Although I've nothing against 4E D&D or even the post-spellplague Realms per se, I'm concur with Ayrik - so much fascinating lore already exists that I haven't read yet, so why invest in a service which by all accounts is fairly light on lore! Crunch has its place, but it won't lure me in.
Not by ALL accounts. I've been writing more and more lore for DDI and print products, and I only see that trend continuing. The DDI articles that show up now are heavy on the lore, light on the mechanics--I recently pitched a series of FR-specific articles with center around ONE feat each.
So if it's lore you're looking for, I can assure you that it seems to be coming. The main value here is for WotC to know if that is indeed what the people want.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 24 Oct 2011 : 16:59:38
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Hi Erik
Just a quick question please... will it be edition neutral?
I've nothing against 4E but I do detest the Post-Spellplague realms and wouldn't want to waste money on something that was of no use or interest.
Thanks. |
Edited by - Farrel on 24 Oct 2011 17:48:19 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2011 : 14:45:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Farrel
Hi Erik
Just a quick question please... will it be edition neutral?
That's one of the strengths of lore-heavy, that you can transplant the lore anywhere you want. Ignore the 4e crunch, build your own crunch (or apply something that's already there) and you can apply the lore to whatever timeline/edition you want.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2011 : 15:05:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
quote:
Originally posted by Farrel
Hi Erik
Just a quick question please... will it be edition neutral?
That's one of the strengths of lore-heavy, that you can transplant the lore anywhere you want. Ignore the 4e crunch, build your own crunch (or apply something that's already there) and you can apply the lore to whatever timeline/edition you want.
Cheers
Many thanks Erik, that's exactly what I was hoping for! |
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Candlekeep and DDI?
