D&D 4E Do you think WotC rebooting Forgotten Realms for 4e would be a good idea?

[Samuel Leming]

It would seem that WotC is planning to reboot the Forgotten Realms setting and fast forward 100 years, at least according to the rumors posted here and here. Some think this is a good idea and others venomously hate the possibility. I think it would be fun to have a rough idea of how many there are in each camp, so please vote.

Sam

 

[Neil Bishop]

I agree with the concept of a reboot but I think any reboot has to be in the context of an overall consideration of what strategy to apply to developing the setting.

The fundamental problem is that as soon as you think you have a decent handle on the setting as a DM, along comes a novel or novels that "wrecks" a plot point or idea that you have developed. How do you attract new DMs and players to a setting that is basically unplayable if you want to stick to canon?

I like the 3E reboot as detailed in the FRCS, however, I think we're hitting the point known as "jumping the shark" with a huge glut of RSEs affecting the setting once again. The hints that have been posted on these boards seem to indicate that the 4E reboot will be the jumping of a dire shark with a kaiju template: it's simply too much.

Sure, restart the game world 100 years in the future but stick to novels detailing the backstory of the revamped game world rather than driving the future.

 

[Uzzy]

Not a chance. There is still a ton of stuff that can be explored in the 3rd Edition Realms (I.e. 1372 - 1375) Cormyr and the Dalelands haven't had a proper update. The Lands of Intrigue, Damara, Impiltur. Western Heartlands. The list goes on.

I do not see the logic in changing a setting so radically that it antagonises a lot of the fans, in order to bring in people who disliked the Realms in the past. Are those people likely to stick with it?

It's a real shame, really. There's a saying 'If you want to hurt someone, take something they love and give it back to them broken'. That's what this feels like. If WoTC needed a Post Apocalypse Points of Light setting, they could have made a new one, rather then destroying a well loved and very popular setting.

 

[FungiMuncher]

As a likely migrant from Living Greyhawk to Living Forgotten Realms, I like the reboot ideas I've seen so far.

... 'If you want to hurt someone, take something they love and give it back to them broken'. That's what this feels like...

Hmm, let's see... Killing Greyhawk, Plagueing FR - What'll happen to Eberron?!?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Hmm, let's see... Killing Greyhawk, Plagueing FR - What'll happen to Eberron?!?

Nothing bad, I hope. I don't play in Eberron, but I hope at least those guys will be spared.

It seems that they are tired of their old fans and want new ones. It's as if Metallica stopped making proper Heavy Metal and started making what sounds like Country Music. Wait a minute....

 

[Samuel Leming]

All three options are making a strong showing, even the fast flying flumphs*.

*Fast flying flumphs sounds like a good name for a monster. I'll have to stat them up when I finally run 4e.

I like the 3E reboot as detailed in the FRCS, however, I think we're hitting the point known as "jumping the shark" with a huge glut of RSEs affecting the setting once again. The hints that have been posted on these boards seem to indicate that the 4E reboot will be the jumping of a dire shark with a kaiju template: it's simply too much.

IMO that shark was jumped when they made Elminster a wild talent psionic/fighter/thief/cleric/magic-user with chosen powers and spellfire. :\
[edit] and is Elminster really the Don Giovanni of the Realms now?

Anyway, the Realms are often perceived as being crufty and the lame NPCs are only part of that. You can agree or disagree with that, but the perception is still common. That's what WotC is going to have to find someway to counteract if they want this Living Forgotten Realms to be successful and sell a bunch more books.

Sam

 

[Sun Knight]

They should reboot it from the beginning, at the time of Netheril's start.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Anyway, the Realms are often perceived as being crufty and the lame NPCs are only part of that. You can agree or disagree with that, but the perception is still common. That's what WotC is going to have to find someway to counteract if they want this Living Forgotten Realms to be successful and sell a bunch more books.

Just go ahead and disconinue the setting, making something new.

Sure, that's what they're doing, but they're calling the new setting "Forgotten Realms", which is confusing.

 

[Fobok]

There's no option for what I think. I like what they're doing, (which is definitely no reboot). If it was a reboot, they'd be going back to the beginning and starting over, as they did with Battlestar Galactica, or they're doing with the upcoming Star Trek movie.

What they're doing is advancing the timeline forward, and having events happen. Much like the Time of Troubles. That wasn't a reboot, was it? Lots of people and gods died, pantheons changed, political situations changed, just like this.

 

[Sun Knight]

I think it would be optimal that if you make a new edition of the game, have a fresh and new campaign setting or settings for it. Retire greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, and Eberron. They are all designed and balanced for earlier editions. Keep them there.