D&D 4E A Change I'd Like to see in 4E Campaign Guides

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The Campaign Setting book should cover as much as possible, and give a general overview of the setting. One should be able to play a game that covers the entire setting with that one book. Frankly, that should be the only book needed by a DM to run a game covering the entire setting.

Most people don't use a whole planet in their gaming. In fact, since most people have historically tended to play low level games, a smaller scale setting is more useful than "here's what the planet looks like. We will give you several whole sentences on each nation, enjoy!"

Whole worlds in a campaign guide are mostly good for readers. Localized settings are better for gamers.

Game books should be designed for gamers first, not casual readers.

 

[Corinth]

Planets are wasted on players. Planets are wasted on GMs. Planets are just plain wasted; their best use is as a design bible, referenced when making setting materials for players and GMs that are actually useful to them. The majority of campaigns are set in a small area, at most a region, and stay within them for most of the time; significant travel is a big deal, and often waits until PCs can fly or teleport before it become more than just the effect of a MacGuffin element.