Campaign Setting Pros & Cons

Kichwas

Half-breed, still living despite WotC racism
Re: Re: Re: Pros, Cons & Miscellaneous

Talath said:
Plus, George Lucas is directing Episode 2 ... and let's face it, when it comes to destroying a franchise, he is one of the best. :D
He's also the best at building one.

The whole idea of making a movie for a toy line is largely his. Or rather he's the first person to make it into a successful business strategy.

Some years back in a show about him it was said that he got Star Wars funded by asking for little more than to have freedom with the rights to all licencing and toys from it. Something they thought at the time was a foolish mistake on his part.

Ed Greenwood coming to Kalamar to me is worrysome in the quality department but good for the sales. FR has no internal logic to it. It's a home grown world that got funded. In the years it's been around Greenwood has done nothing to change that. It's gained a very developed cast and a lot of details. But the core nature of it is that of the 'start here an expand out as they explore' style of world generation.

Kalamar by contrast is a designed world. Intentionally built from the ground up to hold together on all levels. It has a very different angle to it than the kind of work Greenwood is (loved : despised) for.



On Scarred Lands: I have trouble seeing this setting as anything but an ultra high magic world. More so than even FR. Not in terms of power level. But in terms of presense. There are magical things around every corner. Even the physical land is magical. The DM can set the presense of magic items to desire, and can cap the powerful wizards at level 20; but you can't deny the magic all over the place.

When I think low magic I think Harn; where magical elements are rare.

Scarred Lands has more magic in it than any published setting I've seen. Of the top of my head I can't think of a more magical setting; even when including non gaming fiction. That's what sets it apart. Every last thing in the 'present time' of the setting is the result of magic - divine or arcane.

How magical a setting is != how powerful it is.
 
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kenjib

First Post
Re: Re: Re: Re: Pros, Cons & Miscellaneous

arcady said:
He's also the best at building one.

The whole idea of making a movie for a toy line is largely his. Or rather he's the first person to make it into a successful business strategy.

Didn't that really start with Planet of the Apes? I could be wrong but I remember seeing a documentary that credited this phenomenon to that movie, not Star Wars. I do know that Star Wars took it to another level though, so I imagine it's just a judgement call.
 

Mark Plemmons

Explorer
Re: Re: Re: Re: Pros, Cons & Miscellaneous

arcady said:
Ed Greenwood coming to Kalamar to me is worrysome in the quality department but good for the sales. FR has no internal logic to it. It's a home grown world that got funded. In the years it's been around Greenwood has done nothing to change that. It's gained a very developed cast and a lot of details. But the core nature of it is that of the 'start here an expand out as they explore' style of world generation.

Kalamar by contrast is a designed world. Intentionally built from the ground up to hold together on all levels. It has a very different angle to it than the kind of work Greenwood is (loved : despised) for.

Arcady,

No worries there! While Ed's done a great job with the city of Geanavue, we've done our best to make sure that everything does "hold together on all levels" and fits perfectly in the world of Tellene. I think that, when you see it, you'll agree that Geanavue is the most incredible city supplement out there.

It's got 208 pages of useful background, NPC profiles and statistics, maps, rumors, a full glossary, artwork and campaign details; packed with well over 100,000 words detailing hundreds of noble houses, guilds, inns, taverns, NPCs, spells and other crunchy bits as well as a beautiful 2-sided poster-sized map of Geanavue (all buildings and other structures are labeled with their names or a two-letter code, as well as being color-coded) and its under-city. Geanavue also highlights our latest innovation: the RumourQUEST Encounter System. All I can tell you now is that DM's will LOVE it.... :)

It's at the printers now, so it should be out in a week or two, depending on print lag and distribution time - keep asking your store (or checking at our website).

Mark Plemmons
Kenzer & Company
www.kenzerco.com
 

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