What if the 2012 Setting was Fan Created?

[Scribble]

What would everyone think if the "twist" was that it was a setting created by fans for the fans so to speak?

And I don't mean in the "Best design contest" sort of way Ebberon was done. I mean in a collaborative anyone can get involved (or maybe anyone with a DDI account) sort of way.

 

[Riastlin]

It would be pretty sweet in my opinion. I'm guessing though that it would still have to be along the lines of "Design nation A" with the fans then voting on the best submissions, etc. Otherwise, you'll just end up with too many cooks in the kitchen.

The only problem I see with this though is that they likely would have had to already started if it was going to be entirely fan driven since they want to have it out by next August. That would be a pretty fast turn around if they haven't started it yet (plus they could have announced that at GenCon). I could see them taking stuff they already have developed internally and putting it up for a vote though.

 

[Scribble]

It would be pretty sweet in my opinion. I'm guessing though that it would still have to be along the lines of "Design nation A" with the fans then voting on the best submissions, etc. Otherwise, you'll just end up with too many cooks in the kitchen.

The only problem I see with this though is that they likely would have had to already started if it was going to be entirely fan driven since they want to have it out by next August. That would be a pretty fast turn around if they haven't started it yet (plus they could have announced that at GenCon). I could see them taking stuff they already have developed internally and putting it up for a vote though.

Yeah I agree on all your points actually.

Although- if they set it up Wiki Style and just let the "vote" happen organically... I kind of wonder how chaotic it would be, or if people would just kind of naturally find a "groove?"

You're right that it would probably be too fast a TAT...

But then again I wonder- if instead of releasing a finished product, they just released the project. It would be usable as it went along.


All in all I don't think this would be the way they went, but it would be a cool thing if they ever did it...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Although- if they set it up Wiki Style and just let the "vote" happen organically... I kind of wonder how chaotic it would be, or if people would just kind of naturally find a "groove?"

Wikipedia edit wars suggest it's a bad idea.

 

[Scribble]

Wikipedia edit wars suggest it's a bad idea.

True... Gamers do tend to be somewhat "protective" of their personal opinions...

 

[Windjammer]

Har har har!

Ah, sorry, you were actually serious.

'What if the twist was that Hasbro fires everyone at WotC R&D, and makes 5E a print on demand based on a fan administrated wiki?'

Golden recipe to ensure the fans are pleased with the end product - bring it on!

 

[generalchaos34]

screw that, ive got an awesome setting i want to submit to them, i just need to actually sit down and put all my notes together, which will easily fill a 300+ page book i think.

 

[VGmaster9]

Well if that were the case than it would have to be very original looking, not like another Greyhawk or Forgotten Realms. I'm hopeful that it's an entirely new setting, either that or it could be Spelljammer, Ravenloft, or Planescape.

 

[Pour]

That would be so ridiculously epic. I actually emailed them a couple of months ago about this, albeit on a smaller scale, a community-led designing of a Dungeon or Dragon article each other month led by a couple of alternating designers. This... is a much more ambitious and exciting idea, like WotC Open Design.

 

[wlmartin]

What would everyone think if the "twist" was that it was a setting created by fans for the fans so to speak?

And I don't mean in the "Best design contest" sort of way Ebberon was done. I mean in a collaborative anyone can get involved (or maybe anyone with a DDI account) sort of way.

Unless they did it as a best design contest it wouldn't work IMO.
Don't forget, Ebberon was picked out of around 11,000 entries or so... Imagine the nightmare of collating 11,000 different bits and bobs from different entries to make one world.

Not to mention the copyright issues involved. If one person creates the world and signs a piece of paper saying they sign over intellectual rights over to WotC (in return for some kind of payoff) then its nice and neat... but if 1000s of people are chipping in ideas it would be intollerable.

The line from Men In Black sticks with me... A person is smart, People are stupid.

I do want to see something innovative but encouraging players to come up with a new campaign setting shows a lack of imagination on the part of the designers or that they feel so out of touch with what people want that they have to let them do the work for them.

However I don't think they will do another Fan Made Setting... just wouldn't stick. They are still having issues with Dark Sun (not enough companion material, no minatures for the new monsters and races) so bringing out a new setting that doesn't fit nice and neatly will cause disarray