D&D 4E Chris Perkins on Forgotten Realms 4e

[delericho]

A fresh start 100 years in the future *could* be cool.

Indeed. There are certainly amply creative opportunities either way, although I suspect new Drizzt novels might be a harder sell if he has to introduce a whole new supporting cast (since Bruenor is quite old, is he not, and Regis, Catti-Brie, Wulfgar, Entreri, and the rest are all of short-lived races).

So, it will be interesting to see which way they go. I really do hope they make it work.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

I believe I was quite clear that only a small percentage of the fan base is soiling themselves in anger, while the majority of responders were negatively disposed to the changes.

In fairness, I've never posted and rarely even bother to log in when I read the WotC boards. My numbers could be off; that's common in guesses.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Any discount if I plan to wear it ironically?

That is the discounted price, After the introductory period is over I will raise the price to $29.95.

In early 2008 I will release version 1.5 and you'll have to buy a new one.

 

[Khairn]

As I said over at the WoTC boards, we have so far seen them destroying large sections of the Realms, and not in a believable manner. I have so far seen anything that they have created which gives me any reason to go out and buy a 4th Edition FR product, and if they have been working on it for at least 2 years, then I would have thought they would have something to show us.

When you decide to make a dramatic changes to a well loved and popular setting, and then try to create a magical shoe horn to force it to fit, the results we're seeing from FR fans shouldn't be a surprise to anyone at WotC.

Of course imposing dramatic changes and only afterwards communicating with their customers appears to be the business model WotC has adopted for much of 4E. But as its their company and their product, its their call to make.

 

[Zaukrie]

Huh? They are imposing those change in August of 2008, and you know about them now. How is that afterwards, exactly?

I understand the frustration, but I don't understand the bile and hatred and scorn and ridicule and gnashing of teeth. My oldest son is disappointed so far, but really, we don't KNOW anything. This could be good, it could be bad. I, for one, am at least willing to see the work before I make a definitive conclusion about its merit.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

When you decide to make a dramatic changes to a well loved and popular setting, and then try to create a magical shoe horn to force it to fit, the results we're seeing from FR fans shouldn't be a surprise to anyone at WotC.

But its only a very small few reacting so.

Where you see a "magic shoehorn", I personally see growth and development.

Of course imposing dramatic changes and only afterwards communicating with their customers appears to be the business model WotC has adopted for much of 4E.

Sounds like the "business model" of pretty much . . . everyone who publishes RPGs.

 

[Zaukrie]

That is the discounted price, After the introductory period is over I will raise the price to $29.95.

One of the greatest posts on ENWorld, ever.

 

[catsclaw227]

Hmm, is it perhaps possible to concentrate on Chris Perkins blog, rather then the reaction of one poster on the WoTC boards? And is it additionally possible to not characterise every fan who's responded negatively to these changes as crybabies or soiling themselves.

As I said over at the WoTC boards, we have so far seen them destroying large sections of the Realms, and not in a believable manner. I have so far seen anything that they have created which gives me any reason to go out and buy a 4th Edition FR product, and if they have been working on it for at least 2 years, then I would have thought they would have something to show us.

I don't think anyone has said that all FR fans are upset to the point of soiling themselves. Most are civil, expressing their frustration and concern in a constructive way, but you must admit that there are some that are really going over the top. I have seen quotes, even here on tame EnWorld that says things like :the sky is not falling. It has already fallen:

There is a quote in this thread that says :the designers, have no better idea about how to handle an edition change than to repeat the Avatar Crisis, only bigger:

There are even people that honestly believe that the designers and creators of the Realms, who are BIG fans, are incompetent, or have proven that they have no worthy ability nor the right to update the Realms to fit with the new rules.

These are designers that have been providing us with strong rulesets and (while controversial) some interesting new ideas. They LOVE D&D just like we do, and they LOVE the realms, like the fans do. They aren't out to steal money or to screw with anyone.

I really believe that people should wait and see, and if they don't like it (and I might not like it, either) play 3.x Realms.

 

[humble minion]

If I had to speculate, I'd guess that at the very least, Thay in its current incarnation is going down the tubes. From everything I've read, wizard specialisations are going away in 4e, and that makes a country ruled by Zulkirs who are the masters of individual schools of magic an anachronism. Thay would need major, major rewriting to work under 4e rules.

And since right next door to that is Aglarond, which is ther personal playground-nation of one of the much-despised Chosen, and Mulhorand, which has its own little private pantheon inextricably intertwined with its culture and government (and we know 4e FR plans to do some SERIOUS culling of what the designers see as superfluous gods), i can easily see the whole Uttermost East/Old Empires region get apocalypsed beyond recognition in the transition. In fact, I can't see how it can be avoided, given the attitudes the designers have taken so far. Pity, because this was one of my favourite areas of the Realms, personally.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Am I the only one who sees these two statements as working at cross purposes? The reason the Realms gets the (partially undeserved) reputation for being a setting where the PCs don't matter is because of the FR novels, where "high-level NPCs run around" and do impressive things. Now maybe the 4E era novels will concentrate on "low-level" stories without Realms-wide significance, but I doubt it. Otherwise, I don't see how these two statements can be reconciled.

Not at all.

We can have our cake and eat it too.

Same old coperate speak we've been hearing for a while now but hey, they know better than the customer.

But then again, I am one of those people whose ignored huge swathes of fiction. The problem is that it's cannon and so makes it into the game products regardless of if I'm interested in it or not. Sometimes it does lead to some interesting ideas but hey, with Drizzt and Elminster still around, I'm still wondering HOW the PCs are the stars.