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<blockquote data-quote="Ultrazen" data-source="post: 2319184" data-attributes="member: 29649">Overall feel sometimes seems heavily marketing driven, especially things related to the novels. I realize that businesses must make a profit, but when it feels like the campaign setting is more a marketing tool than a place in which to adventure, something isn't quite right.&nbsp;Logic and continuity problems.&nbsp;More high-level NPCs than you can shake a scimitar at. Why bother adventuring when there are so many more people who are better at it than you? How many caverns, ruins, and dungeons stocked with loot must there be to support that many adventurers? Where does all the gold come from? Why hasn't it run out yet?&nbsp;Too many competing power groups competing in the same geographical areas.&nbsp;Too many deities.&nbsp;Good/Evil often oversimplified, especially in religion. For example, there really isn't a clear counterpart for Wee Jas, possibly my favorite core deity. Not quite evil, but definitely not good, with some followers who could be allys for a party and others who could be adversaries for the same party.&nbsp;Over-developed north, under-developed south.&nbsp;A rich and mysterious history that seems to be mostly ignored. For example, the Realms is riddled with portals whose origins are largely unknown, and there are two entirely unnatural deserts with whatever lies within them. However, the novel-driven metaplot just keeps advancing with yet another new crisis threatening the Realms that some powerful NPCs resolve. Basically it's too easy to lose a campaign in the metaplot if you try to use a lot of published material.&nbsp;A little too much magic and divine intervention.&nbsp;The Time of Troubles: Worst Metaplot Ever....&nbsp;&nbsp;That's about it.&nbsp;&nbsp;All that said, the current campaign is set in the Realms with significant amounts of the metaplot being blissfully ignored and somewhat fewer NPCs running around. The Realms are where the players decided they wanted to campaign, and I happen to like many of the places, names, and geographical features. But I needed to reduce and simplify as much as expand and detail before I could really call it my own.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ultrazen, post: 2319184, member: 29649"] Overall feel sometimes seems heavily marketing driven, especially things related to the novels. I realize that businesses must make a profit, but when it feels like the campaign setting is more a marketing tool than a place in which to adventure, something isn't quite right. Logic and continuity problems. More high-level NPCs than you can shake a scimitar at. Why bother adventuring when there are so many more people who are better at it than you? How many caverns, ruins, and dungeons stocked with loot must there be to support that many adventurers? Where does all the gold come from? Why hasn't it run out yet? Too many competing power groups competing in the same geographical areas. Too many deities. Good/Evil often oversimplified, especially in religion. For example, there really isn't a clear counterpart for Wee Jas, possibly my favorite core deity. Not quite evil, but definitely not good, with some followers who could be allys for a party and others who could be adversaries for the same party. Over-developed north, under-developed south. A rich and mysterious history that seems to be mostly ignored. For example, the Realms is riddled with portals whose origins are largely unknown, and there are two entirely unnatural deserts with whatever lies within them. However, the novel-driven metaplot just keeps advancing with yet another new crisis threatening the Realms that some powerful NPCs resolve. Basically it's too easy to lose a campaign in the metaplot if you try to use a lot of published material. A little too much magic and divine intervention. The Time of Troubles: Worst Metaplot Ever.... That's about it. All that said, the current campaign is set in the Realms with significant amounts of the metaplot being blissfully ignored and somewhat fewer NPCs running around. The Realms are where the players decided they wanted to campaign, and I happen to like many of the places, names, and geographical features. But I needed to reduce and simplify as much as expand and detail before I could really call it my own. [/QUOTE]

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