What WotC does better than other D20 studios. (mild rant)

[Nightfall]

Look, that new WotC setting Eberron is generating longer threads a year before publishing and all we've seen is a few pages of hobbits on dinosaurs and hover trains. Whereas for the Scarred Lands, the only reason it has so much intrest is because Nightfall is such an uber-pimp he could hype Rossanne Barr into the centerfold of a lad magazine.

You're too kind Biggie.

But I'd like to think the other reason we draw people is because of the hard work of dedicated writers like Dave Brohman, Will Timms, Ari Marmell (to name a few) and the great editors/developers like Joseph Carriker and Anthony Pryor.

As for the "supposed" haphard way of doing stuff, while I personally wasn't involved in it, I do know the reason things happen this way is just because of what makes the most sense at the time. Sure MAYBE it would have been easy to do it the other way around. But quite honestly unlike some other campaign settings that have one guy and then get turned over to others, we, the gamers and the people, DECIDE the fate of the Scarred Lands. Take the Slacerians. I'm sure some of you that heard of them thought "Gee what are these guys?!" Or perhaps like the Ratmen "Ooh Skaven!' And only find they aren't quite that. Realistical it's because of open calls that we not only have Ritual magic, Cabalists and even new spells like "Dar'Tan's Shadow Bolt" along with "Affliction" and my own private work "Anteas' Whip of Devastation." This is why I like this place. We affect change. Not change is affected by some one else.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Yes, the non-WotC settings draw interest, but EN World is lucky enough to have the company representatives post here.

You rang?

OK, so I'm a freelancer, not a rep. So What?

 

[Nightfall]

Oh btw, I've used a lot of stuff piecemeal from the Scarred Lands, when I felt it would be for a good effect. As for them having some kind of stragety, I doubt it that much. Ethan Skemp along with the guys at Necromancer (Clark Peterson and Bill Webb) were just eager to get their feet wet and try out new that weren't revolutionary yet in D&D. Plus the fact there's plenty of stuff you can piecemeal out of the Scarred Lands stuff. Believe me. I know five people that want to use Scion Feats from R&R2/PG: Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers (indeed, our very own Piratecat, Kevin Kulp is one of the authors!) Plus the fact with the arcane heat factor in, along with new ideas for making druids LESS like nature clerics, I feel there's plenty to add to one's own campaign. (Ask Psion about the Conundrum Creature template or the Bloodless sorcerer he used. Or my friend Rothy on the WotC boards using both a Dark Womb along with a Deepspawn for a truly harrowing adventure.)

 

[Nightfall]

You rang?

OK, so I'm a freelancer, not a rep. So What?

Well you're a former Rep. Besides I can list your resume right here. After all you did the Death Knight template, wrote some articles for Dragon plus are one of the authors for the Book of Exalted Deeds.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Well you're a former Rep. Besides I can list your resume right here. After all you did the Death Knight template, wrote some articles for Dragon plus are one of the authors for the Book of Exalted Deeds.

Well yes, those are my WotC credits to date (there are more on the way). I was actually referring to my non-WotC credits.

One thing I would like to point out. I have to say that as happy as I am to have had my death knight design picked for MMII, I'm actually more proud of the design work I did on the mass combat system and the Athrigyle (monster) in the upcoming Oathbound Arena (no, that wasn't a tease or a pimp )

 

[Anubis the Doomseer]

If I wanted Mech Warriors, um .. Steam Jacks in my D&D, yes it would. IK is another setting (non White Wolf) I've had a problem with.

And yet you have neglected to realize that Forgotten Realms is another of these "monster book first, campaign second" problems, AND it was produced by your ever-loving Hasbro.

Methinks you are trying to argue just for the sake of arguing.

 

[Nightfall]

Agreed Anbuis. I call Troll.

Btw Darrin, I did want to mention those d20 credits...but I figure a man as equolent as yourself could make such arguments without my "pimpage"

 

[TrubbulTheTroll]

Playing 3e is like furnishing a house.

You buy big pieces that you like from one place or another, little things from another store, more little things from other places, then some more big things and little things from all those stores again. Maybe even something from yet another new store.

In the end, it is all your house. You decorated it. You put it together. It's unique. You love it.

After all, no one wants a house where every single piece of furniture and decoration comes from the same store. Why, you'd be known as that IKEA person for the rest of your life. And who wants that stigma?

 

[Vocenoctum]

And yet you have neglected to realize that Forgotten Realms is another of these "monster book first, campaign second" problems, AND it was produced by your ever-loving Hasbro.

Methinks you are trying to argue just for the sake of arguing.

Actually, I see his point. It depends on what you're trying to sell: a setting, or books.

I think some of it does have to do with "the campaign setting is harder to write then the monsters".

I do think it's more a matter of time span though, how long it takes to get the core stuff out there that give you a setting to play in.

 

[The Blue Elf]

You have all these Setings for D&D Dragonlance,Birthright ,Dark Sun,Greyhawk, Mystara ,Planescape, Ravenloft ,Spelljammer, Forgotten Realms,Tomes, Al-Qaldam,Oriental Adventures,Red Steel,Lankhmar,Odyssey,Mystrata, Monstorus Arcana, Conan,Hollow World,Creature Crucible, and the list keeps going on and on for example. Some of these setings were never sucessful, The only one that seems to rise out of all of them was Forgotten Realms it had more Campaign Accessories released by 2nd edition.