Do you think Eberron will go the way of Ghostwalk?

[Kesh]

The problem is, things aren't 'obvious' to everyone. Making a statement that things are this way is a statement of fact, not opinion. Likewise, "everyone" implies more than just your immediate gaming group.

Just clarifying.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Oh, for crying out loud. I'm with Bendris: ROFLMAO!

Actually, I don't think you are; I'm laughing because (IMNSHOGTE) he's right.

While that side-topic itself seems to have tapered off (thankfully), there is one more point I'd like to touch on:

I too get tired of being forced to state that something is my opinion when it should be obvious. People seem to be just waiting for someone to make a blanket statement so they can jump all over the principle of it as a blanket statement and not stop and consider the content of the statement. I especially hate when people harp on a post using the word "Everyone". I don't pretend to know even a fraction of what all of the gamers in the world think and I'm not saying that I do. When I use the word "Everyone" I am implying people who I have gamed with and people who I currently game with. I get sick of all the extra wording required to make it politically correct.

Fundamentally, I agree with you. Unfortunately, however, I've seen instances where wording such as "it is unavoidably inevitable" later being attempted to be smoothed-over as a statement of opinion when it is, indeed, a blanket statement being presented as fact. So while I think that some degree of "extra wording" may help to eliminate any hurt feelings or bruised egos, I also think it's necessary to be able to take someone's post to mean exactly what that person wrote else the entire medium of message boards becomes a big guessing game of "Did he mean [X] or did he mean [Y]?"

It's hard to take someone's post seriously if you are attempting to assertain if the post can be taken at face value or if there's a veiled insult tucked within it (and, unfortunatly, the later occurs far too frequently).

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Ok. Let me put it this way. I do not have the authority to make a statement such as the one as a fact. I assumed this was obvious. Just because I say the default Forgotten Realms material makes it near impossible to rise above the NPCs doesn't make it a fact. I assumed this was obvious, but I guess it's time to add some sort of disclaimer to my sig or something.

Regardless, my opinion still stands. I think Forgotten Realm's biggest weakness is the fact that the NPC overshadow the PCs. It's not a bad setting, far from it, but it is certainly a problem that I'd like to see eliminated.

FACT: According to the designers, Eberron is being designed with this weakness in mind. Powerful NPCs will be VERY rare.

Factual Disclaimer: The above statement may, or may not be true, but has been put forth by the original poster based on the statements of various designers working on the Eberron setting. Any falsehoods or deviations from the information present in the above statement should be addressed to the designers themselves and not the original poster, Ashrem Bayle.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Regardless, my opinion still stands. I think Forgotten Realm's biggest weakness is the fact that the NPC overshadow the PCs. It's not a bad setting, far from it, but it is certainly a problem that I'd like to see eliminated.

Factual Disclaimer: The above statement may, or may not be true, but has been put forth by the original poster based on the statements of various designers working on the Eberron setting. Any falsehoods or deviations from the information present in the above statement should be addressed to the designers themselves and not the original poster, Ashrem Bayle.

Greyhawk has the same problem though not quite so bad. Instead of Elminster you've got Mordenkainen who is supposed to be the end-all-be-all Wizard in that setting. Not quite as benevolent but he is always there in case the going gets too bad.

Love your disclaimer by the way!

 

[Ember_Ion]

Sigh.

http://www.thegamemechanics.com/opinion/rich-007.asp

Cheers!

My point was NOT that I don't think anyone(in the whole world) will buy it (as I know they will, millions and millions). My point was that no one I know will buy it, hense, no reason for me to buy it. For example, if I had a DM who wanted to run Eberron, then even though I was not really interested in it then I might buy it to help me out. But, alas, no one I know is remotely interested...and me neither, which makes me even less interested. Poor wording perhaps, and I appologize if it sounded egotistical.

Anyway ...PEACE! (or else )

Ember

 

[~Johnny~]

The definition of "pulp" is basically "the kind of trashy, action-oriented story that appeared as serialized short stories, films, and straight-to-paperback novels during the first half of the 20th century." It's a style of storytelling rather than a genre, and Rounser described it wel when comparing it to epic fantasy like Tolkein. I agree with him that D&D has always had pulp fantasy at its heart, though epic fantasy and high fantasy are just as integral. I think Eberron is simply striving for the same balance of "pulp" and "epic" style that D&D has supported since first edition.

I'd argue that if you're looking for pulp fantasy in the Conan sense rather than pulp in the Indiana Jones sense, Eberron is looking so far like the wrong place.

Well, the first stop for Conan lovers has to be Mongoose's excellent Conan RPG, but Robert E. Howard is one of the stated influences on Eberron:

Conan and Kull are pulp heroes in many ways, and a lot of the Conan stories are actually very dark in tone. A great hero who uncovers bizarre civilizations, battles sinister cults and conspiracies, and obtains fantastic treasures -- sure, I could see Conan in Eberron, especially on the continent of Xen'drik.

Rounser mentioned some hallmarks of pulp fantasy, and they're represent some of the core elements of Eberron: "theives and the concept of theives guilds, barbarians, evil high priests, cthulhoid horrors like mind flayers." A few other pulp fantasy archetypes you'll find in Eberron are decaying ruins, foul cults (with names like "the Order of the Emerald Claw") and mysterious gods.

If you enjoy steampunk, though, then you will probably enjoy Eberron and more power to you.

Oh goodness, I didn't realize there were still people around who thought Eberron was steampunk.

People are saying "It's Shadowrun!" It's not. "It's steampunk!" It's not.

..."Pulp and noir" is easier to say than "swashbuckling adventure and intrigue" -- but in this case, both mean the same thing. The pulp element is about action and adventure. Noir adds uncertainty and intrigue to that mix - not gloom and despair. It's not Arcanum, and it's not Castle Falkenstein. It's Dungeons & Dragons, meaning that - surprise - both dungeons and dragons are the focus, not tommyguns and nazis.

 

[buzz]

Okay, I'm grokking the pulp thing now.

:checks watch to see if Eberron is out yet:

Dag.

 

[Desdichado]

The problem is, things aren't 'obvious' to everyone. Making a statement that things are this way is a statement of fact, not opinion. Likewise, "everyone" implies more than just your immediate gaming group.

Just clarifying.

Exactly. Everyone knows that.

 

[rounser]

"Pulp fantasy", to me, implies a certain mood and feel that I don't get from straight-up D&D. But that could just be me.

I suggest trying the Wilderlands campaign setting - one of it's design goals is an attempt to emphasise these bits, and further, politically incorrect ones like dancing girls and amazons that don't make the cut into WotC product as a general rule.

 

[Roman]

Oh goodness, I didn't realize there were still people around who thought Eberron was steampunk.

Well, that is what I read about it and have not been interested further so I did not pursue any more information about it... if you do not think it is steampunk than what genre or mixture of genres would you describe it as?