Dragonlance Campaign Setting: Missed Opportunity?

[Kichwas]

Dragonlance was the setting that made me aware of metaplots, and anyone who's followed my posts knows how I feel about those.

So I'm also in that category who, even at 60% off, has been unable to as yet justify the purchase.

They did too much, and changed too much, over and over again. Plus I find several of the races disruptive to serious roleplay (Kender, Gully Dwarves, and Tinker Gnomes are too silly and too typed).

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I'm probably in the minority, but the reason I haven't bought any of the new Dragonlance products is because I have zero interest in Ansalon, regardless of the "age". When there's a Taladas book available I'll take a look, but I'm concerned that there could be some "ansalonifacation" of that setting. That would be understandable, since I'm sure Ansalon is Soverign Press's first priority, but very disappointing.

 

[Klaus]

I think a good way to spark renewed insterst in DL would be to choose an era (Age of Mortals... let's work with what we got) and release sourcebooks detailing the lands of Krynn, focusing on a "Zero Hour" setting.

Books could include:
- Solamnia sourcebook
- Lands of Abanasinia
- Barbarians of Krynn
- Lands of Darkness (focusing on Neraka, on the draconian nation and Nightlund, where Soth used to reign)
- Silvanost sourcebook
- Dragonwinged Ships: A guide to seafaring Krynn (focusing on the islands of Kothas and Mithas and on sailing communities throughout Ansalon)

 

[Guilberwood]

I think a good way to spark renewed insterst in DL would be to choose an era (Age of Mortals... let's work with what we got) and release sourcebooks detailing the lands of Krynn, focusing on a "Zero Hour" setting.

Books could include:
- Solamnia sourcebook
- Lands of Abanasinia
- Barbarians of Krynn
- Lands of Darkness (focusing on Neraka, on the draconian nation and Nightlund, where Soth used to reign)
- Silvanost sourcebook
- Dragonwinged Ships: A guide to seafaring Krynn (focusing on the islands of Kothas and Mithas and on sailing communities throughout Ansalon)

Nice!!!!!
I specially liked the one about seafare

though knowing more about solamnia would be nice too, there's got to be something there beside knights

 

[reiella]

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?

Personally I think that 'catering to the hardcore fans' was a bit inevitable. Or at least, the same practice that resulted in much of the disdain for the DS campaign setting (the novels trivalizing the players, the novels adding new rules) caused the 'empty' feel for the 3e revision. The CS holds a much more active Novel Author (Weis) "Stamp" on it than the older boxed set.

[ Edit / Clarity ]
Hmm I may be wrong on the Weis association with Sovereign Press, and if so I do apologize. That is how I remember it initially being billed, and I didn't really like the DL novels that much so I have no real interest in furthering that line.

 

[talinthas]

fwiw, weis _is_ sovereign press =)

 

[Ranger REG]

This isnt the way to run a campaign setting.

To the DM: Is there only one right [way] to run a Dragonlance campaign setting?

You tell me, guys.

[EDIT]

 

[talinthas]

well, i'm currently running two separate ones, and all i need is a map and a story i want to tell. but i like having fleshed out campaign books so i know whats on my map and whats in my story.

 

[rounser]

To the DM: Is there only one right to run a Dragonlance campaign setting?

You tell me, guys.

Sure there is:

1) Only PC race allowed is Gully Dwarves.
2) PCs must steal underpants from the NPCs.
3) ???
4) Profit!

 

[Kanegrundar]

I read the Chronicles back when they were first packages together into one book. While I liked them I got frustrated when they handwaved bits and pieces that seemed important to the storyline. For instance, when the party travelled to find the Frostreaver (or whatever that ice weapon was called) and told the story in a few paragraphs to get on with the rest of the story. It was a good story, but nowhere as good as other fantasy serieses like the Shadow War series. It did get me to buy the original Dragonlance boxed set, though. Now that the 3rd Edition version has come out, I bought and robbed it for races and various other bits and pieces, but I will never play in the world. It feels so constrained for me to really tell a story that won't play havok with the continuity. Unlike Star Wars, where there is plenty of room for heroic stories not dealing with main plotline, Dragonlance doesn't give me that feel that I can truly do with it what I want. I'll take my bits and put them into my homebrew world and move on. It's doubtful that I'll buy any other releases for Dragonlance, unless they put out a Dragonlance Monster Manual-like book.

Kane