Do we need new Gazetteers?

[MarauderX]

Following a few threads that have expressed a desire for lots of details, color and flavor to a setting, do we need a new versions of the old Gazetteers to emerge? It would give us instant setting info about cultures that could save us time writing down cultural specifics and descriptions. Add plenty of details on some cities for each culture and it could be instantly transplanted into any homebrew, saving valuable time when the PCs decide to cross into your uncharted territory.

Would it be worth it to you?

 

[Davelozzi]

I didn't vote in your poll as I don't really fit into any of your options too well, but here's my opinion...

While I enjoyed the old Gazetteer series, I can't say how excited I'd be about a new one without knowing which setting they'd be for. I don't think totally generic gazeteers would really do it for me but on the other hand, right now I'm running a homebrew so I probably wouldn't pick up any that were specific to any published campaign.

 

[Arnwyn]

I'm not sure what this poll is asking for.

There are enough campaign settings already - so my answer is "nah, there is enough already".

If you're talking about wanting geographical supplements for existing campaign settings - then my answer is "yes, of course". (One reason why I stick with FR, and have done so for more than a decade - there are geographical supplements coming out for that setting.)

 

[Harlock]

I voted yes. I buy all of the Scarred Lands specific fluff/location/setting books I can. I want a campaign world that is rich and very detailed. I like to able to answer a player when they ask, "X-town? Where is that and what do they do there?" Add to that I'm very busy these days with family and work, so it's sort of necessary for me to run published for a while as I continue to work on my homebrew on the side.

 

[Treebore]

I voted yes. I buy all of the Scarred Lands specific fluff/location/setting books I can. I want a campaign world that is rich and very detailed. I like to able to answer a player when they ask, "X-town? Where is that and what do they do there?" Add to that I'm very busy these days with family and work, so it's sort of necessary for me to run published for a while as I continue to work on my homebrew on the side.

Ditto for me. I am very excited about the Judges Guild/Necromancer work on the Wilderlands setting and the Players book that just came out has seriously wetted my appetite for what is coming. I also liked all of the support product that came out for FR. Most of that material is still easily useable for the 3.5 version. Same with Ravenloft. Same with Greyhawk. The Volo's Guidebooks are still my favorite manner in which to present this kind of info. Unfortunately for me they covered areas I rarely took my gaming groups into.

 

[MarauderX]

I'm not sure what this poll is asking for.

Well, back in the day, there were the old Gazetteers that would describe a lot about a given geographical location as well as it's definitive culture. Often it was based on something historical, like Mongol nomads, desert sultans, pirate islands, whatever. But it gave enough to fill out a substantial background for a game setting, and the DM (or PCs) could have the game travel there for a bit. It was great fun, as usually each detailed a capital city (if there was one) as well as many important figures the PCs should be aware of during an adventure or two. Included were intricate layouts along with a page or two for adventure ideas to throw into your campaign, and the rest of the info just made it that much spicier.

IMO, FR is a bland attempt at a comparison and instead relies on subraces for the spice. Pa-tooey!

 

[Treebore]

IMO, FR is a bland attempt at a comparison and instead relies on subraces for the spice. Pa-tooey!

OK, i'll bite, what do you consider a good example?

 

[Mangrum]

Ravenloft's Gazetteer series recently published volume IV.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

One of the latest versions of Talislanta did a series of "Gazetteers" about 12 years back (3rd edition Tal I think) Anyway they were wonderful source books and added a lot to the world setting by going into details about the various areas and cultures. I have seen the Grayhawk Gazetteer and think it's very nice but a bit too bulky and does not give enough detail for my tastes. If they had made smaller books that spotlighted partucular regions of the Flaness I think I would be more inclined to buy.

IMHO... The gazetteers should be region based and actualy have information about the capitol of that region. maybe an adventure for the area or at least adventure hooks. Personalities of note (Just where does that old wizard live?)
Maybe an area specific wandering monster table... Things like that.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

The only Gazateer I owned was the Orcs of Thar, which had a very good mini-game inside for playing various humanoid races. I had been hoping to see more of that in Savage Species, so I'd definitely love to see something along the lines of a hardcover or a series of splats handling various humanoid cultures.

I still base a lot of my Orcish roleplaying on that Gazateer, even though I haven't actually seen my copy in several years. (I think it's been destroyed.)