FR Update at WotC-Year of the Ageless One

[Arnwyn]

This whole attitude of "Gee they're changing crap that I never actually used" seems pervasive. Whether it's stuff like dumping bards and gnomes or now FR baggage, why do people get so protective of stuff that isn't actually seeing play?

Because there's no evidence that it isn't "actually seeing play". Of course, your mistake of equating "interest" and "time" speaks for itself.

I see nothing "pervasive". That word doesn't mean what you think it means.

That article was interesting - it certainly was a butchering of a game world that made the much-maligned Time of Troubles seem like a great idea. I'm sure this "new FR" will be great for a subset of newcomers. Whether more newcomers will make up for the droves of already-purchasing FR consumers leaving is something we'll have to wait to see. Coming from the world of business, my guess is "not bloody likely".

 

[Voss]

Is there any better way? Sorry, but, if a given region isn't getting a whole lot of loving, and not much interest, then, why not trash it and get something different?

This whole attitude of "Gee they're changing crap that I never actually used" seems pervasive. Whether it's stuff like dumping bards and gnomes or now FR baggage, why do people get so protective of stuff that isn't actually seeing play?

First, it isn't about stuff that people don't actually use. People do, in fact, play bards, and gnomes and use Unther for something. The better way would be to do something interesting with the material that exists, not summarily delete it because the writing team, from all appearances, lacks a single creative bone.

Second, its a matter of self-interest. Even if some people don't care about what is getting obliterated today, they might care about whats on the chopping block tomorrow. Accepting the crappy changes without a peep means taking any influence the audience might have and flushing it down the toliet. If they had a solid, well-written design, I might worry about public influence making it crappy. But they don't, so they might as well accept public influence to make at least some of their existing audience *happy*.

Third, I don't think they actually have meaningful statistics. They might think no one uses Unther (or whatever), but I want to see them prove it in some meaningful fashion.

 

[Minicol]

Second, its a matter of self-interest. Even if some people don't care about what is getting obliterated today, they might care about whats on the chopping block tomorrow. Accepting the crappy changes without a peep means taking any influence the audience might have and flushing it down the toliet. If they had a solid, well-written design, I might worry about public influence making it crappy. But they don't, so they might as well accept public influence to make at least some of their existing audience *happy*.

.

There is another angle : the Times of Trouble had plenty of design problems, but you could *PLAY* through it, and in a home game, you could potentially take your world to an interesting new direction. Even outside the canon.

The 4e direction seems like "our way or no way". now be a good sheep and pay.

Of course, this is entirely subjective, and my viewpoint IS biaised.

 

[MisterWhodat]

One of the first things myself and my fellow DM do when deciding where and what for a new campaign, we are prepping for our 4E FR campaign now, is find an area that has not been detailed too much. This gives us carte blanch to make up NPC's and towns and whatever the hell we need to get done what we want to get done. Now if we start a campaign and then a novel comes out that totally goes against everything we have done, we ignore the novel. If you are running YOUR game then once you get started YOU control what is canon and what is not.

I like the little press release from Rich, gives you just enough info to have us filling up five pages on here asking about everything else.

As an aside, why do people who have no interest, as they themselves state, in the Realms feel the need to post in a Realms specific topic about how they don't play they Realms?

 

[Benben]

As an aside, why do people who have no interest, as they themselves state, in the Realms feel the need to post in a Realms specific topic about how they don't play they Realms?

Welcome to the internet!

Seriously though,

I'm in the camp of long time Realms fan who likes most if not all of the changes.

I'm especially happy that Thay and Halarua being toned (beaten) down. I always wonder why these countries weren't more dominating in a setting that previously handed out so much power to arcane spell users.

 

[kennew142]

I'm sure this "new FR" will be great for a subset of newcomers. Whether more newcomers will make up for the droves of already-purchasing FR consumers leaving is something we'll have to wait to see. Coming from the world of business, my guess is "not bloody likely".

Again with this attitude. I have yet to see that FR consumers will be leaving in droves. I have seen people complaining in the forums and promising to do just that. We have no idea how representative that sample is. Most of the hard core FR fans I know are happy with the changes and plan to get the new FR books asap. I would never claim that this group is representative however. We don't know.

I do take umbrage with so many posters implying that only newcomers to the Realms will like the new edition. There are lots of us who've been fans from the beginning who are happy with the ideas presented thus far.

 

[The Ubbergeek]

Being someone who learned of FR with the first novels when they came out in french and who ended up taking it as the prefered world by the Dragons of Summer Flammes event, I say that while I am not agreeing with every changes, I will at the very least give it a chance and read the book(s).

 

[Ruin Explorer]

That article was interesting - it certainly was a butchering of a game world that made the much-maligned Time of Troubles seem like a great idea. I'm sure this "new FR" will be great for a subset of newcomers. Whether more newcomers will make up for the droves of already-purchasing FR consumers leaving is something we'll have to wait to see. Coming from the world of business, my guess is "not bloody likely".

This is such amazing nonsense. I used to be a big FR fan before 3E continued down the road that 2E had put it on, and really continued to boring-up the Realms. I bought virtually every 1E and 2E area supplement, and sadly, a lot of of the novels, as well as every FR-themed computer game post-1990. I really like the sound of what I'm hearing about 4E, and I will be purchasing the 4E FRCS.

I'm not a "newcomer". A "returner", maybe, but perhaps that's beyond you seemingly weak comprehension.

There's no evidence that anyone is "leaving in droves", either. Based on this and other forums, it seems like most of the OMG I WONT RUN THE 4E FR 4 SURE! types also, in other threads, admit that they're pretty anti-4E per se, and thus were hardly going to buy any 4E products anyway, and the "leavers" seem far from numerous. "I'll wait and see" and "I don't like the sound of it but we'll see" are really the reasonable responses at this stage - claiming they've ruined everything is drama-club nonsense.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

That article was interesting - it certainly was a butchering of a game world that made the much-maligned Time of Troubles seem like a great idea. I'm sure this "new FR" will be great for a subset of newcomers. Whether more newcomers will make up for the droves of already-purchasing FR consumers leaving is something we'll have to wait to see. Coming from the world of business, my guess is "not bloody likely".

This is such amazing nonsense. I used to be a big FR fan before 3E continued down the road that 2E had put it on, and really continued to boring-up the Realms. I bought virtually every 1E and 2E area supplement, and sadly, a lot of of the novels, as well as every FR-themed computer game post-1990. I really like the sound of what I'm hearing about 4E, and I will be purchasing the 4E FRCS.

I'm not a "newcomer". A "returner", maybe, but perhaps that's beyond you seemingly weak comprehension.

There's no evidence that anyone is "leaving in droves", either. Based on this and other forums, it seems like most of the OMG I WONT RUN THE 4E FR 4 SURE! types also, in other threads, admit that they're pretty anti-4E per se, and thus were hardly going to buy any 4E products anyway, and the "leavers" seem far from numerous.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Sounds like the Realms might be interesting again.
Now, if they'd just kill of about hundred or so gods...