Gencon 2011... aggghrrr information overload

[VGmaster9]

New campaign setting for 2012, huh? It could either be Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Planescape, or something entirely new and innovative. Sorry Greyhawk and Dragonlance fans, but we already have a traditional fantasy setting for 4e, and that's Forgotten Realms.

 

[occam]

6) Kara-Tur in DDi 4Q 2011.

WOOOO HOOOO!!!!!

This has been my biggest wish since the arrival of 4e. Heck, since the arrival of 3e!

How much treatment are they giving it? A couple of update articles (as in the 3e Dungeon mags)? Or a reintroduction to the setting?

 

[Riastlin]

New campaign setting for 2012, huh? It could either be Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Planescape, or something entirely new and innovative. Sorry Greyhawk and Dragonlance fans, but we already have a traditional fantasy setting for 4e, and that's Forgotten Realms.

Since they said "something different from anything they'd done before" I'd guess none of the above. Of course, this is just my speculation and they could be re-releasing one of those with a twist.

If WotC made these changes because they heard the complaining from players that the Mini packaging concept was working against the idea of D&D and more to the idea of a TCG game then well done. If they just decided to come up with this on their own and stumbled into a solution to one of the biggest bugbears of the game, still well done but only 3 stars not 4!

I believe they said something to the effect of "Gamers don't like randomized miniatures". In other words, acknowledging that random packs wasn't working for most of us. It still remains to be seen how well the non-randomized packs will work. Themes will certainly help, but at the end of the day, while I could certainly use 5 ogres, I'm not sure I need more than that (I suppose perhaps 8 if I use minions) so I'm still only likely to buy one of each pack unless its something like 3 goblins, 3 hobgoblins, 2 kobolds, 2 troglodytes, and 2 orcs with the theme being "low level monstrous humanoids". In that case, I might still need three packs to get everything I need -- which depending on cost could mean I buy 0.

 

[Chris Knapp]

Of course Campaign Settings are often for those DMs who score a 0-10 on the Imagination Scale since you can create your own Campaign Setting from thin air that can be as fun, exciting and beliveable as anything WotC can come up with!

Nice generalization there. Maybe some people like campaign settings because they have a limited amount of time and would rather dedicate that time to playing than world-building? Or maybe they just like those settings and they hold a lot of history for them? Nah, they are just unimaginative. . .

 

[Umbran]

Of course Campaign Settings are often for those DMs who score a 0-10 on the Imagination Scale...

Your expression there is not as clear as it might be.

If your intent was instead to say that published settings are for people without imagination, then I'd have to remind you that we don't allow insults around here, and that asserting that someone else has no imagination just because they like to use a published setting is certainly an insult.

 

[Dedekind]

None of this gets me too excited except for the Plane Below and the (potentially) new setting. I wish they had followed prior years and announced the setting at GenCon, but I also understand the 6 month schedule policy.

Really, the "6 month out" announcements may be the most interesting thing out of the list. People can't complain about the addition/removal of items and also it means announced products will be very close to being finished.

However, I like the quality/quantity ratio they are going for.