General setting question - Metaplot or not?

[Terradyne]

A general setting question here.

Which do you prefer, a setting that sets everything up in detail - we're talking factions, nations, classes, backstory, the whole works - then becomes static after release allowing the individual GM to take it from there without the possibility that future metaplots will alter things. An example would be Harnworld where they have a set timeframe for the official game and won't ever create new products that would infringe past that date and thereby possibly cause changes to a GMs campaign.

Or, a setting that sets everything up and then plans to introduce metaplot that will greatly impact the setting as a whole, probably causing several "canon" additions and/or changes. Examples are Forgotten Realms, Vampire, 7th Sea, etc. This one seems to be the most prevelent now.

Discuss...

 

[Wicht]

I much prefer static. Which is half the reason I use Kalamar.

 

[Terradyne]

I personally have to agree. I like static myself. I don't like the threat of that the official metaplot will diverge so seriously far from my campaign that it will make future supplements less valuable.

I think there should be a happy medium, where metaplot-style changes are presented as options, but not taken for granted in future products.

Just my thoughts...

 

[Nightfall]

I like the scarred Lands. Sure we have metaplot, but so far it's like having a blind and deaf halfing trying to find an invisible stalker.

 

[coyote6]

Well, not quite either.

I don't mind a little metaplot, as long as it's done well. Part of being "done well" for me is (a) the authors are up front with GMs -- very few (asymptotically approaching zero, for the math fans) unavoidable, out of left field, turn-it-all-upside-down changes to the setting; (b) gives the GM plenty of options for adapting it to his use; (c) isn't parcelled out over an endless supply of sourcebooks; (d) (closely related) isn't detailed mainly in books about other things (e.g., PC splat books, books about particular areas, etc.); and (e) I can ignore it if I don't want to use it, or outright hate it (this goes back to points (a) & (b), really).

My favorite metaplot-using setting/game is Shadowrun, especially in later years. The metaplots were in books dedicated to them! They'd release a few adventures using the metaplots, then wrap 'em up. They also usually gave multiple options for the GM about plot elements (e.g., What Killed Dunkelzahn? The novels give one answer, but the game books *didn't*. The ultimate truth was up to the GM).

The setting mentioned in your other option, Harn*, actually has too much detail for me. For me, it feels more restrictive than FR (and 2e FR was probably too detailed for me, too). I like to have room to run with whatever crazy ideas I get. (Note, however, that I've only read Harn*world, and bits of a couple of other supplements, so my opinion is definitely more gut reaction than carefully considered conclusion.)

It's a problem -- to make money on the setting, a company wants to release more than one sourcebook; sans advancing timeline, that can lead to ever more microscopic levels of detail.

OTOH, I've decided that SJG's Yrth doesn't have quite enough detail for me. Of course, with no advancing timeline, few sourcebooks, and one relatively thin (144 pages, some of which is non-Yrth specific) core book, "detail" is a bit hard for ol' Yrth. (Alas, Abydos.)

*Hârn, Hàrn, Hárn, Hãrn, Härn, Hærn, Hµrn, whatever.

 

[Wicht]

I like the scarred Lands. Sure we have metaplot, but so far it's like having a blind and deaf halfing trying to find an invisible stalker.

There are no scarred lands novels either are there yet? I can actually take a little meta-plot, as long as its not too weird. But Novels tend to completely ruin a game setting for me. (unless they are very non-world changing stories)

I can't play in FR because of the novels. I never cared too much for the World of Darkness meta-plots as it was, but when they started combining story ideas with module ideas, I quit the setting and plugged were-wolf and vampire into my own world.

I actually like scarred lands (it was a toss up last year between SL and KoK), but if they ever start pushing world changing events in novels or stories, I will never use the world as published.

 

[rounser]

Static, but there's a catch 22. If the timeline never changes, the world will garner less interest from new gamers because there's "less going on" and "nothing changes" compared to a metaplotted world.

Spreading horizontally (think Mystara's Gazetteers) is possible, but you run into the "why should we buy that, we don't play in that part of the world" problem, to an extent.

It's like game lines with nothing coming out for them - they're considered dead.

Overly opinionated rant follows...

You also have to consider designer psychology - like most gamers, they like to dictate macro metaplot stuff because it's fun - thus we see a lot of products of this type. I think they should do more low level stuff and actually save DMs some work instead of hogging all the fun stuff and leaving us the chore of filling in the detail work.

No wonder DMs love to make homebrews! Most of the fun design in published settings is hogged by designers who don't know what role they should be fulfilling for us.

In short - I think that setting material should be really low level, and leave the high level stuff a blank canvas, and they'd never run out of material to cover. But that's not the norm.

 

[Wicht]

In short - I think that setting material should be really low level, and leave the high level stuff a blank canvas, and they'd never run out of material to cover. But that's not the norm.

Have you tried Kalamar?

 

[Terradyne]

You also have to consider designer psychology - like most gamers, they like to dictate macro metaplot stuff because it's fun - thus we see a lot of products of this type. I think they should do more low level stuff and actually save DMs some work instead of hogging all the fun stuff and leaving us the chore of filling in the detail work.

Wow! Rounser, those were great points, especially the above one. I never really thought about this aspect, but it sure seems to ring true to me.

-Terradyne

 

[Nightfall]

There are no scarred lands novels either are there yet? I can actually take a little meta-plot, as long as its not too weird. But Novels tend to completely ruin a game setting for me. (unless they are very non-world changing stories)

Uhm yeah there are novels. The first was the Anthology which did a little world altering but nothing significant. (Just gave us a Titanslayer). Trum and Wexland went to war briefly but that ended really quick. There's the possibility that the dead of the Forsaken elves comes back...but then again it might still fail. Something with the name "That Which Abides" hardly can be called something worthy to be followed.

I actually like scarred lands (it was a toss up last year between SL and KoK), but if they ever start pushing world changing events in novels or stories, I will never use the world as published.

So far not to my knowledge. I mean no Titans have gotten loose nor have the Slacerians returned. Calastian Hegemony may be advancing but did you REALLY expect them to just sit there with Chardun running things?