Dragonlance Campaign Setting: Missed Opportunity?

[mmadsen]

The Dragonlance Campaign Setting is currently on sale at Amazon for 60% off, and I realized that I'm still not interested -- even though I have fond memories of the original Chronicles. This got me thinking; there appear to be two basic kinds of Dragonlance fans: casual, nostalgic fans, who read the Chronicles years ago, and hardcore fans who've read many of the multiple series, know the various ages and continents of Krynn, etc.

Did they miss their chance at rekindling interest in Dragonlance by catering to the "hardcore" fans? Should they have put out a Chronicles-specific book first?

 

[Valiantheart]

I just think the setting is played out. Too much rapid change in too little time left me cold. The new series of books arent any good either and I get the feeling they are just trying to squeeze more blood from a stone.

 

[Eternalknight]

I would have perferreda Chronicles setting rather than whatever this one is.

 

[Turjan]

I actually took the opportunity to buy the Dragonlance Campaign Setting at 60% off. Anyway, upon reading, I didn't see why I should not take Greyhawk or FR for playing instead. I think, if you are not a die-hard fan of the books, it will leave you mostly cold.

Too much competition, I suppose. The alternatives, whether old or new, are more exciting.

 

[realmprotector]

I'm one of those nostalgic fans and would have picked up a Chronicles setting just for the go back alone, not to mention what I'd pick out of it for my campaign. I flipped through it but it just wasn't there so I left it. It did have some nice art.

 

[talinthas]

the war of the lance setting book is coming this year at gencon, in honor of the 20th anniversary of dragonlance.

 

[johnsemlak]

Just wondering...

How is the DLCS book for using ideas for non-DL campaigns. Is it a total waste if you don't play DL? What are some examples of stuff you can borrow? Does it have full rules on the Black and White (and neutral) wizardry, for example?

 

[mmadsen]

I just think the setting is played out. Too much rapid change in too little time left me cold. The new series of books arent any good either and I get the feeling they are just trying to squeeze more blood from a stone.

Valiantheart, you sound like a disaffected, former-hardcore fan. (Perhaps that puts you in in the casual-fan category?) Would you have preferred a Chronicles-specific Dragonlance book? One that ignores the "new series of books [that] aren't any good"?

 

[Voadam]

Just wondering...

How is the DLCS book for using ideas for non-DL campaigns. Is it a total waste if you don't play DL? What are some examples of stuff you can borrow? Does it have full rules on the Black and White (and neutral) wizardry, for example?

I haven't gone through the Campaign setting in depth but from my glances

Races (minotaurs are one, ogres are another and there are draconians)

Classes (mystic, prestige classes for towers of high sorcery, solamnic knights, evil Knights of Neraka)

Some new spells and magic items.

But mostly the focus is on fleshing out the setting, the history, the nations, the racial histories, the gods, the societies, etc.

Similar to the FRCS there is stuff that can be adapted to other games but it is a setting book with area breakdowns for a lot of pages.

I got the Age of Mortals expansion because I haven't kept up with the series for a while (since tales two and then the summer flames one) so I put it on my wish list as an overview of the setting and series catch up. I got it for christmas but haven't had time to go through it on top of everything else I got then and since then.

 

[Arnwyn]

Did they miss their chance at rekindling interest in Dragonlance by catering to the "hardcore" fans? Should they have put out a Chronicles-specific book first?

I don't think the above statement's two sentences are related in any way.

I think one can be a "hardcore" DL fan and still enjoy (and maybe even prefer) the Chronicles. Maybe.