DMG news from Rich Baker blog

[Rechan]

Hey Mike, thanks for stopping by to answer that question.

 

[Fifth Element]

I think they need to rename the location.

Oh good. It's been awhile since we've had a "what should WotC rename <whatever> as?" poll...

Seriously, the point is to have a fairly simple, generic location to start new players and DMs from. I see no issue whatsoever with the town being a generic D&D town.

 

[Doug McCrae]

think about it, all starter towns are described as the edge of something. the threashold, or the crest(edge) of a fall (dungeon time)

Keep on the Borderlands.

 

[TerraDave]

Mearls: thanks for the post!

Generic starting town: as an experienced DM, I would love to have a well made town that I could then reshape as desired, and not have to worry about all the tedious details . I wouldn't mind a little flavour, but if it is to far out there, the chances of me really using it start to fall. Save the big bold flavour for the adventures, where I can pick the few I might like, and the leave most on the shelf.

 

[Aristotle]

a starting town is a welcome addition. I really would have preferred hommlet or something else with similar significance to the brand, but it'll be a solid resource either way.

I appear to be in the minority when I say that I can not stand the idea of an adventure in a core book. I'm carrying how many pages of useless material to every game, every week? Your first published adventure is where you show how adventures are built, or a web enhancement... not valuable page count in a core book.

This is a major strike against the book for me. I'll still buy it for the other goodies, of course. I continue to be a fan of the 4E direction as a whole. I just dislike this decision and hope, if space becomes an issue, the adventure is high on the list of items that can be cut to make room for material that will likely be of more value over the span of a campaign rather than a session or two.

 

[Rechan]

a starting town is a welcome addition. I really would have preferred hommlet or something else with similar significance to the brand, but it'll be a solid resource either way.

I appear to be in the minority when I say that I can not stand the idea of an adventure in a core book. I'm carrying how many pages of useless material to every game, every week? Your first published adventure is where you show how adventures are built, or a web enhancement... not valuable page count in a core book..

Did you buy your 3.5 DMG?

Cause there was an adventure in it. Page 78-85.

 

[Belorin]

I like this, starter towns are the perfect way to introduce new dms & players to the concepts of not only d&d, but d&d 4e in a consistant manner. If memory serves me I believe that magic items have been moved to the PHB with the rest of the equipment, so that frees up some room in the DMG.

Swordmage may be in the FRPG along with the drow as a PC race.

Bel

 

[Mercule]

2. It's a little easier to start with a fresh slate if you want to build a town that shows off the concepts and ideas in the DMG, especially when you have to fit it into the DMG. If we had to cut some stuff from Hommlett to fit it, that defeats the purpose of using Hommlett.

Awesome answer. I'm happy to hear that.

 

[JoeGKushner]

We talked a lot about using an existing town, but a couple of things came up:

1. When we do classic stuff, we want to do it right. It'd be a bit of a bummer if you got the Keep, but none of the Borderlands, so to speak. With space an issue, we didn't want to deliver what felt like only half an experience.

2. It's a little easier to start with a fresh slate if you want to build a town that shows off the concepts and ideas in the DMG, especially when you have to fit it into the DMG. If we had to cut some stuff from Hommlett to fit it, that defeats the purpose of using Hommlett.

Or... you know, you could add that material and make the book larger? Since it is currently much smaller than the PHB, there's room for growth. If the town itself is super awesome now, imagine how much MORE super awesome it can be made.

 

[StarFyre]

wow...

JoeGKushner ...

You may have liked how I started of my players in our campaign about 2.5 years ago now...

they were being inside a laboratory, naked, having their memories/dreams read via some sort of semi mechanical/psion/magical device with types of magical crystals embedded in it...getting power from some sort of mechanism they didn't understand/know of.

It started with them trying to get out, literaly waiting for the right moment, when some strange people came to 'do stuff' to them, after they woke up. they had no memory of prior, and i gave them notes/emails of what they remember, when...and helped nudge characters a bit, along with whatever background they wanted for them; as they began to explore this huge multilevel, underground, totally non-linear/free exploration research complex.

When they got out, about 25 or so sessions later..they were very relieved...

Sanjay