Are you excited about the Forgotten Realms setting changes?

[Fenes]

You could also see the earlier SWG versions (pre-CU, and CU) as "editions". Semantics, nothing more.

 

[The Little Raven]

You could also see the earlier SWG versions (pre-CU, and CU) as "editions". Semantics, nothing more.

No, because they were still the same product, except altered. You can't go pre-CU, or pre-NGE, but you can play any edition of D&D prior.

The only way it would be applicable is if the release of 4th edition suddenly changes all your 1e/2e/3e books to not work like they used to, and never let you go back to playing them, making the money you have already spent a waste.

 

[rounser]

your "awesome Grey Box Realms" is my "get that crap away from me Realms."

What, exactly, is the part of the Realms you like then Mourn, or are you just taking a rhetorical contrarian angle?

 

[The Little Raven]

What, exactly, is the part of the Realms you like then Mourn, or are you just taking a rhetorical contrarian angle?

What part do I like?

The part that got me interested in the Realms as a setting to run, as opposed to just a novel line to read (which is all it was to me before): the big changes coming from the Spellplague. I intend to run a Realms game for the first time in history.

Do you have a problem with me pointing out that tastes are subjective to someone who is asserting their opinion as if it were fact? Or was it just because you share his opinion?

 

[rounser]

What part do I like?

The part that got me interested in the Realms as a setting to run, as opposed to just a novel line to read (which is all it was to me before): the big changes coming from the Spellplague. I intend to run a Realms game for the first time in history.

Do you have a problem with me pointing out that tastes are subjective to someone who is asserting their opinion as if it were fact? Or was it just because you share his opinion?

No, no problem. You've just confirmed where I suspected you were coming from. I at least suspected you'd be at least a fan of part of the existing Realms before taking the position you have. You've genuinely surprised me there - I assumed you'd say something like "Zakhara" or such. Frankly I'm a little disappointed.

 

[The Little Raven]

No, no problem. You've just confirmed where I suspected you were coming from. I at least suspected you'd be at least a fan of part of the existing Realms before taking the position you have. You've genuinely surprised me there - I assumed you'd say something like "Zakhara" or such. Frankly I'm a little disappointed.

I've been reading FR novels for over 10 years now, but I never had interest in the setting as a place to play. My friend ran a couple "sorta FR" games, but never really got into it (usually just grabbed stuff from FR books to throw into games). It just never interested me as a place to tell my stories until now, to the point where I picked up Grand History of the Realms to have access to historical stuff in my 4e games.

 

[rounser]

I've been reading FR novels for over 10 years now, but I never had interest in the setting as a place to play. My friend ran a couple "sorta FR" games, but never really got into it (usually just grabbed stuff from FR books to throw into games). It just never interested me as a place to tell my stories until now, to the point where I picked up Grand History of the Realms to have access to historical stuff in my 4e games.

You don't see the irony in this? The Grey Box was pre-novels, pre-supplement avalanche, pre-grafted on settings. The novels you're talking about are partially responsible for getting the realms into the mess it currently requires a reset for. And yet you're railing against the Grey Box?

 

[The Little Raven]

You don't see the irony in this?

I do. I live my life with a great deal of irony. Makes it more interesting.

And yet you're railing against the Grey Box?

Railing, no.

Not liking to play in, yes.

I'm strange like that. Sometimes, I desire knowledge about something to the point of becoming encyclopedic about it... but sometimes, when the information is so huge (like the Realms), the scope of trying to absorb it all makes me less interested. I dunno. All I know is that despite owning the 3rd Edition FRCS, I never felt a desire to run a game there, and just by reading some of the changes I've seen for 4th, I'm already thinking about what to do. I've had an opportunity to play Grey Box stuff (my FR lore-nerd friend has everything, including every Dragon article by Greenwood), but it never really appealed to me. Who knows, maybe that'll change after I get my "roleplaying-feet" wet with the new Realms, and I'll be interested in going back and seeing the setting's origin.

 

[Steely Dan]

the Grey Box?

The grey box did rock (I still have an extra sealed one), but by the time the 2nd Ed box hit, it was becoming a bit polluted for my tastes.

I also for the first time since about 1992 I am actually interested in the Realms again.

Though I have my ongoing Realms campaigns that have definitely deviated form some of the tripe theses "authors" have spewed out over the years.

I also feel Dragonlance lost its vibe and became a turd of a setting after the War of the Lance.

 

[Najo]

Try this as a way of looking at the Grand History of the Realms:

- The Arcane Age Setting (all Arcane Age rules in effect) - Covers all the time from -100,000 DR (the end of the Age of Thunder and the Time of the Creator Races) to the Fall of Netheril
- The Fall of Myth Drannor Setting (modified Arcane Age rules in effect) - Covers the time from the Fall of Netheril to the Fall of Myth Drannor, a time in which the use of High Magic was truly deadly
- The 1st Edition Realms (all 1st Edition rules in effect) - Covers the time from the Fall of Myth Drannor to the Time of Troubles.
- The 2nd Edition Realms (all 2nd Edition rules in effect) - Covers the time from the Time of Troubles until the End of the Elven Retreat and the Rise of the Dwarves (the dwarves start becoming wizards.)
- The 3rd Edition Realms (3.0 and 3.5 rules in effect) - Covers the time from the Rise of the Dwarves until sometime during the Spellplague.
- The 4th Edition Realms (all 4th Edition rules in effect) - Covers the Forgotten Realms from sometime during the Spellplague onward.
Edena_of_Neith (who is a longtime Realms Fan)

Those are some good suggestions. I think Forgotten Realms could benefit from Eras to focus on. They would likely need to boil it down (Arcane Age, Fall of the Empires, Time of Troubles, 3.5 era and After the Spellplague). If 4e does well, and there is interest in historical setting supplements, those supplements could be a way to provide 4e game material and Realmslore on those eras and still keep true to the vision and direction of 4e FR. Anyrate, I like your idea.