D&D 4E Do you really want Greyhawk and Dragonlance for 4e

[Scribble]

I want them to come out with something a little more Saturday Morning 80s cartoon like. That way we can mix magic with robots from Gama World.

 

[Baron Von Mandrick]

I did enjoy Greyhawk in the past. Though it was home ruled so much (which was really easy to do with Greyhawk) that it was basically a new world based on Greyhawk.

I liked some of the Dragon Lance Books, and could see the appeal of different groups such as the Knights of Solamnia. But personally I'm not that excited in playing in a world with that many dragons. I like them rare and very dangerous.

I honestly wouldn't mind Greyhawk, but I don't know that I have an enthusiastic want for it.

 

[Talok]

I certainly know both those settings have very big fanbases, especially GH, but in the end, they're both traditional settings like Forgotten Realms. Like many other people say, GH fans nowadays mainly just play the setting for the nostalgia. In my opinion, the two settings are a bit to similar to FR and think it's good to have the more interesting settings like Eberron and Dark Sun being made instead.

Considering how badly they trashed FR when they converted it to 4E, it's probably for the best if they leave those settings alone.

 

[Scribble]

Considering how badly they trashed FR when they converted it to 4E, it's probably for the best if they leave those settings alone.

I think they more then made up for it with Dark Sun.

 

[Big Mac]

I certainly know both those settings have very big fanbases, especially GH, but in the end, they're both traditional settings like Forgotten Realms. Like many other people say, GH fans nowadays mainly just play the setting for the nostalgia. In my opinion, the two settings are a bit to similar to FR and think it's good to have the more interesting settings like Eberron and Dark Sun being made instead.

What is really wrong with this question is the "instead" thing.

Back during 3e I was frustrated by WotC failing to publish more campaign settings than they did. Now they are actually doing what I want, but doing it at a really slow "one setting per year" speed. I'm finding that just as frustrating. Not so much because of the slowness of it, but because it seems to make some fans think that the only way they can get the setting that they love is to somehow convince WotC to avoid publishing any other settings.

Why can't we have Greyhawk and Dragonlance and Eberron and some other new settings too?

 

[Grydan]

What is really wrong with this question is the "instead" thing.

Back during 3e I was frustrated by WotC failing to publish more campaign settings than they did. Now they are actually doing what I want, but doing it at a really slow "one setting per year" speed. I'm finding that just as frustrating. Not so much because of the slowness of it, but because it seems to make some fans think that the only way they can get the setting that they love is to somehow convince WotC to avoid publishing any other settings.

Why can't we have Greyhawk and Dragonlance and Eberron and some other new settings too?

Because, sadly, to a certain extent the settings are competing for resources. The designers only have so much time they can spend on any one thing, the budget for freelancers only goes so far, the publishing schedule only has so many openings. There's also the matter of post-book support in Dragon and Dungeon. How many settings can they actively support with additional material (further using up designer time and freelancer budgets), while still producing stuff that isn't setting-specific?

Setting books also compete with each other for audiences and sales. Sure, lots of DMs and players will collect every setting-book that comes out, but there's also a large chunk of players who will pick one setting, buy that book, and ignore all other settings until they're tired of that one.

I don't know which group is larger, but WotC either has an idea, or at least thinks they do.

By spacing settings out, it (in theory) gives people a chance to have used the last one and grown tired of it.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see more settings get published myself. Old ones brought back, new ones created, all of it. I'm just not sure it's feasible.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

Greyhawk I'm completely neutral and unbiased about as a new setting. It is all a practical reaction. If they can do a good 4E version of it, go for it. Otherwise, why bother?

With Dragonlance, I have major reservations. Now, I don't know how much of my reservations are based on liking the setting more for novels than gaming. But it seems to me that the intersection of people who "like Dragonlance a lot" with those who "like 4E a lot" is awfully tiny, compared to a lot of other things that you can do. My practical side can't believe that there is enough of a market to warrant such a product--even if you can find a way to do a good 4E version of it. Now, maybe a new slant on it, sufficiently inspired, will bring in a bunch of new fans that aren't wedded to what went before. But some of the Dragonlance gamers are already really prickly about canon.

So I'd prefer a new setting specifically geared to 4E over either of the above, as I think it practically has a better shot of being worthwhile.

But if they absolutely must dust off an old setting to do a 4E version, I vote Al-Qadim. Nothing has been done with it since the 2E days, and those 2E setting books are expensive. And like Dark Sun, there are some elements that might be done more naturally with 4E than in the original. I'm not positive how much, because I got into Al-Qadim late the first go around and missed a lot of it. But I certainly remember the tone and setting being something that I can see 4E doing well--at least the Arabian Nights and Sinbad inspired bits.

 

[Scribble]

But if they absolutely must dust off an old setting to do a 4E version, I vote Al-Qadim. Nothing has been done with it since the 2E days, and those 2E setting books are expensive. And like Dark Sun, there are some elements that might be done more naturally with 4E than in the original. I'm not positive how much, because I got into Al-Qadim late the first go around and missed a lot of it. But I certainly remember the tone and setting being something that I can see 4E doing well--at least the Arabian Nights and Sinbad inspired bits.

Ok 2 things first:

1. I agree I'd like to see something new.

2. I agree I'd also love to see some 4e Al-Qadim goodness...


But that said, I think just like any of the other settings that did unusual stuff with the mechanics 4e could have some fun with DL...

Dragonlance had a bunch of stuff that could be played with- the different knightly orders, the wizard color/alignment allegiances, the lack of clerics pre-chronicles, new races, and subraces now that that's a thing again...

I wouldn't count it out as a setting that 4e couldn't do well.

 

[Gronin]

I have to admit that as much as I love Greyhawk I have no interest is seeing WOTC spend time on bringing out a 4E setting and to be perfectly honest I could continue on just fine without seeing Dragonlance.

As far DL being redone as a board game -- that shouldn't be too hard as one of the original modules was a board game (not at home so I can't check which one) so it shouldn't be too hard to rework that into a flashier box etc. and remarket.

Neither do I want to see Al Qadim out again (well that's not entirely true -- but not at the expense of anything else).

I love (or loved) al of these settings but I want something new -- or at the very least something a bit different.

If I had to pick something to be reworked for 4th Edition though I would vote for Birthright -- there is enough different there to be appealing to me.

 

[AlioTheFool]

I have to admit that as much as I love Greyhawk I have no interest is seeing WOTC spend time on bringing out a 4E setting and to be perfectly honest I could continue on just fine without seeing Dragonlance.

As far DL being redone as a board game -- that shouldn't be too hard as one of the original modules was a board game (not at home so I can't check which one) so it shouldn't be too hard to rework that into a flashier box etc. and remarket.

Neither do I want to see Al Qadim out again (well that's not entirely true -- but not at the expense of anything else).

I love (or loved) al of these settings but I want something new -- or at the very least something a bit different.

If I had to pick something to be reworked for 4th Edition though I would vote for Birthright -- there is enough different there to be appealing to me.

I still want a Dragonlance Campaign Setting, no question. That said, the Chronicles era would make an absolutely wonderful addition to the board games. Each adventure in the timeline could be recreated as separate sessions. That would make it a lot easier to justify "forcing" players to take on the role of the Companions.

Even if this board came to exist, I'd still want DL recreated for 4E. Perhaps in the modern (Age of Mortals) era, with information on previous eras if the players choose to explore them.

I don't know that the number of overlappers between those who love Dragonlance and 4E is less than the overlap of those who love 4E and say "Al-Qadim." Every setting has its fans and its detractors. I'd find it hard to believe that Dragonlance doesn't have a lot of fans who'd be happy to play it in 4E though.