D&D 4E 4E Forgotten Realms Hopes/Fears ?

[MyISPHatesENWorld]

Hopes:

We get a space in the world set aside for individual DM use that will be off limits for WotC development and stories (and they stick to it this time).

Salvatore writes an action-packed, Drizzt novel in the new setting that introduces his new Scoobies.

Fears:

Novels and modules run roughshod over the sourcebooks.

Salvatore writes a Drizzt novel that is filled with pages of rambling Drivvel about Drizzt's feelings about the Spellplague, his place in the world, what he had for lunch, etc.

 

[Shazman]

But if you can't get along with its fans, that's really your problem.

Without fans, the setting wouldn't do so well. Casual people may buy something, but fans keep it alive. They are the center of the core. If there weren't people with that knowledge the whole thing would fall apart.

That's what I fear about reboots. Reboots are usually done by authors who are egotistical, who think "I know better", many times without thinking about what made the properties great in the first place. Sometimes all they care about is "milking the trademark". I see nothing "broken" about the FR. A long-existing property will have a lot more detail than a new property.

My fear with FR is linked to my fear about the new D&D. A lot of it seems change for change sake, and threatens to alienate the die-hards, and sometimes I think people are listening to the non-fans complaints too much--I see many criticism about too many high level NPCs, for instance, but even when they said they de-emphasize it, they're mad that Drizzt and Elminster are not dead. I worry they might try to change too much of the setting without thinking of the consequences.

These are good points. They are alienating loyal fans who made the success of the setting a reality in the slight hope that some of the people that hate the setting will magically start buying everything with the FR logo on it. They are catering to the people that don't like it in the first place. What makes you think they will like it now! If you think about it, this is actually what they are doing to D&D as a whole with 4th edition. I hope it flops, and some egos at WotC get a much needed trimming. Also note that these changes were not Ed's idea. He is being diplomatic because he is still getting paid by Wizards, but the interviews with him I've seen make it clear that he does not like what they are doing to the Realms.

 

[Mostlyjoe]

There's a slim chance to get me back I suppose, but with only three books being planned (and with me having little to no intention of paying for DDI access), it's a pretty damn slim chance. Paizo, Catalyst, and White Wolf are likely to get the vast majority of my RPG money this year.

But there is the wonder of just waiting till Planescape (among other settings) though. Oh, I'll happily embrace the new FR. I look forward to a much slimmed down world, especially if I'm brining in new players. But, I'm setting Agnostic most the time. I have a few favorites (All hail Dark Sun), but we'll see. And if your not happy, Eberron next year. It's going to be like setting Christmas for the next few years.

 

[SSquirrel]

Funny D&D 4E is making a lot of changes that are, at least in essence, the kind of things I thought needed changed in D&D. I've bought FR books for years, but agreed something needed to be done to make the backstory more manageable.

This is not change for change sake. The New World of Darkness from White Wolf was change for change sake. When you have vampire clans of the same name, but completely different natures, claim that there are only really 5 groups, but then you add in bloodlines and such and waddya know, you're back up to the insane counts of possibilities again. The core system didn't change that much, they just spelled out all the +/- of the system now. Mage was horribly castrated and taken from a freeform magic system to something even more detailed than the 3E spell system and giant lists of spells are strongly encouraged, which really kills the feel of Mage for me. (Changeling however was a successful change as they solved the "gnome problem" D&D has always faced)

No, the changes happening are happening for the good of the Realms. They can't preview anywhere near the way things will actually be in the final product either, give it time.

 

[Hussar]

Re: Fans of the Realms

Sorry, but, hard core fans are NOT good for business plans. There simply aren't enough of them. And, because they are hard core fans, ANYTHING you do will be wrong. Whether you make large changes or small or no changes at all, hard core fans will bitch, whine and complain the loudest.

But, at the end of the day, it's the casual consumer, the guy who doesn't buy every Realms book, but buys a couple once in a while, who vastly outnumber the hard core fans, that drive your product line.

FR has painted itself into a corner. When Realmslore articles on the WOTC site start detailing the shape of windows, you know it's gotta be time for a change.