Eberron- And why I cannot jump onboard? A different take

[JeffB]

This quote struck me as interesting

Seems to make sense but FR and GH, both good worlds, seem made up mostly of PHB classed NPCS.

While FR even in it's earliest incarnations definitely abided by this. Gygax Era GH really did not. PHB classed were limited to villians and very important NPCS in the plot of the module or whatever you were running.

Most NPCs in the early GH days were indeed commoners and whatnot. The bloat of classed NPCs is something that crept into the setting (as well as others) in the mid to late 80's.

If Eberron follows the "lots o' PHB classed" NPCs route, that will be another strike against it for me.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

The thing people seem to be looking for when wishing for a low-magic world magic being fantastic and not common-place.

That captures a lot of my "low magic feel" thinking quite nicely (though PCs and NPCs have equal access to magic IMC, just less of it than is standard). But no continual flame torches lighting the streets, and things like that.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Put me in the "love the artwork" camp.

I don't know enough about the setting to pass judgement though. If its completely halflings on flying dinosaurs and hover-trains, then I'm going to be dissapointed. If its completely generic fantasy, then I'm going to be dissapointed.

 

[Kesh]

Personally, I had my interest piqued when the first hints came out. By the first Dragon article and various posts by the author on webboards, I became a little bit of a fan.

Some people are comparing it to Shadowrun (without the cyber). Great! I love Shadowrun. Heck, I might pull some of my adventure ideas from SR into an Eberron campaign.

It could still be an incoherent mess when it comes out, but so far I like what I see. I'm going to give it a chance.

 

[El Ravager]

Feh. Sounds like they're just taking the path of least resistance, providing magical analogues to technological devices, i.e. continual flame streetlights and lightning rail subways. Basically like playing cyberpunk with magic. Spellpunk.

Heh, sounds a lot like the Flinstones cartoon. Ya know, mimicking all sorts of modern conveniences with dinosaurs/prehistoric animals or with amusing stone-age type contraptions. Dinosaurs acting as cranes in construction, a bird using its long beak as a needle for a record player - that sort of thing. Every week ya saw a new gag like that. In that respect, Eberron sounds kinda like the Flinstones.

Corny.

At least that?s what it seems like to me based on what I have seen. As always, YMMV and my MMV once I have seen more or, better yet, the finished product.

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El Rav

 

[Sholari]

All I see is that it will have high magic, lots of steampunk kind of stuff, traditional D&D fantasy, lost world (dinosaurs), yadda, yadda yadda. Is it going to be like going to DisneyWorld? "Hey, we're in Tomorrowland, let's take the train over to Fantasyland" Or will it actually be integrated in an intriguing way that will set it apart?

Yeah, I would have to agree with this. The game world seems like a bunch of cheap and disjointed cliches tossed together so that there is a game world with options not limitations. The only problem is it seems more like Peter Pan make-believe than a game world with substance and a plausible history behind it. Of course, I will look at the finished product before coming to any final conclusions.

 

[Davelozzi]

I wouldn't say I'm excited for it but I'll definately pick up the campaign setting, and likely the first adventure too. I've only skimmed the previews as I'm not chomping at the bit for a new campaign setting (right now I'm enjoying running a homebrew). However, over the years, most of the campaign settings that TSR released were at least worth a look, and as the only major new setting to be released since WotC took over, I'm definately curious to check it out.

The fact that it's the contest winner makes it more intriguing still, although I don't feel the need to support it just so Keith can live the dream. From what I understand, the award money is the payment for this gig anyway, so whether or not I buy this isn't going to make him any more money, at least not directly. Of course, a successful product will likely lead to more future work for him, but again my support will be based on whether or not I like the product, not on any consideration for the designer.

 

[Olive]

However, I would add that it will take an act of the gods to get me to move away from the Realms.

and FR is one campaign setting where that might just happen!

A problem I've noticed is supposedly low-magic settings are still shockful of magic. Sometimes even more so than high-magic ones. The thing people seem to be looking for when wishing for a low-magic world magic being fantastic and not common-place. They wish for magic to be around in the hands of player's and DM's but almost unheard of in the hands of NPCs.

Sure, what's your point?

Eberron is as interesting as any other campaign setting, but I've stopped buying them mostly. I'll check it for substantial crunch, and if it has it I'll consider it. If not, then I won't.

 

[Olive]

Just while I think of it, I am kind of inclined to give WotC the benefit of the doubt. By all accounts DawnForge, one of the other finalists, is amazing. So why should we not expect this to be pretty good as well?

 

[Emirikol]

I still like Hyboria. You can get anythign you want, because it's got so much 'mythology' associated with it.

If you want elves and dwarves, they work great from the Mythology of Asgard and Vanaheim.

If you want High magic, Stygia is there. If you want savage pygmy (halfling), cannibalistic hoards, head to Darfar.

I suppose I'll check it out in the store, but what is there to make me want to switch? Online gaming?

When will they learn from the computer gaming industry that players hate being alone...

jh