General setting question - Metaplot or not?

[Terradyne]

Have you tried Kalamar?

Here I go hijacking my own thread...

You know, I wanted to like both Harn and Kalamar. I'll preface this by saying that I know this will probably seem strange and shallow to many but I just chalk it up to a personal quirk.

One of the main reasons that I never bought into Kalamar and I can't warm up to Harn as much as I'd like is the silly names on the maps. I mean when I look at both worlds most of the names, especially for towns and such look like a bad name generator was allowed to run amok. I mean I just don't get a vibe for running the game when the villages, keeps, and races have unpronouncible names like Svimohzish, Drhokker, and Ahznomahn or random-looking, lifeless names like Ohetis, Tonot, Huvos, and Gosus.

I don't mean to disparage either setting. I like several parts of Harn quite a bit and even own several books for it but, as mentioned in an earlier post by someone, I think I just have never figured out what to do with all that detail. I also passed on Kalamar once I looked around at the map and some online info and saw those kind of names.

I told you that you would think it was shallow and strange!!!

-Terradyne

 

[Nightfall]

So how do you feel about names like Hollowfaust or Calastia?
Corean and Madriel strike you as odd?

 

[Terradyne]

So how do you feel about names like Hollowfaust or Calastia?
Corean and Madriel strike you as odd?

Actually no. I really like most of the Scarred Lands names! Especially the Gods names - very nice overall.

-Terradyne

 

[Nightfall]

Probably more pronounceable than say Kira..kirk. Oh what ever that drow cow's name is!

 

[Winterthorn]

I'm a Kalamarite!

I got hooked into Kalamar shortly after 3E came out, and I was looking for a fresh setting for my game. I really appreciated the lack of metaplot to Kingdoms of Kalamar. The pronounciation of the names are a wee "issue" for me still--and I speak 3 languages (English, French, Dutch)!

One tactic no publisher seems to have used yet is a "reversed" metaplot: going back in time detailing the history of setting such that a GM could start their campaign at an earlier time. Or, with several histories laid out leading to the present, the DM can make concrete connections to the past with overlapping clues (and a few red herrings) that contribute to the current unfolding adventure. A rich history can fuel ooddles of adventures--and thus you might then find an on-going metaplot is pointless!

Ultimately, I think setting publishers should avoid metaplots and focus more upon developing a rich tapestry of historical events, peoples and tall tales.

-W.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Let me preface this by saying that, to date, the vast majority of my published work has been for Vampire, a very metaplot heavy game, so take what follows with however many grains of salt you feel appropriate...

I think that it's vital for gamelines that plan to run more than a year or two to have something in the way of a metaplot. After a time, there's only so much you can do, publication-wise, with a static setting. Yes, you can expand "horizontally," yes, you can keep adding more detail, but eventually things get--well, static. And static books often (not always, but often) lead to static campaigns.

Now, all that said, I think it's important that metaplot not become the lead factor of a setting. It's okay to change the setting somewhat due to plot events, but not drastically. (Unless, of course, you were planning to do a drastic revamp anyway, and are simply using the metaplot as an excuse.)

Let's take Vampire for a moment. A few years ago, they did a very metaplot-heavy year of products. Some people objected, and that's understandable. I, personally, think they came pretty close to going too far.

But you know what? In the year or two since, they've cut back a great deal. The core book can still be run as-is, without acknowledging the metaplot at all. And while some of the "chronicles" (read: modules) and related products were impacted by the metaplot, most of the books to come out since then are equally useful whether your follow the metaplot or not.

My point, assuming I have one? Settings have to move forward, but they don't have to move forward drastically at any given time. I don't want a static setting, but I don't want one that dictates my game to me either. When you can find a path somewhere in the middle, that's where you're nigh-perfect game setting lies.

 

[Mouseferatu]

One tactic no publisher seems to have used yet is a "reversed" metaplot: going back in time detailing the history of setting such that a GM could start their campaign at an earlier time.

It's funny you should mention that, since that's one of the things I sort of have floating around in the back of my brain for the upcoming Shadow Branch campaign setting. Nothing's set in stone--heck, I haven't even officially pitched the notion yet--but if Shadow Branch is successful enough, you may well see a historical supplement or two at some point in the future...

 

[Staffan]

I kind of like the way they've said they are going to do it with Exalted. All the sourcebooks will use the same point as a baseline, and will have self-contained metaplots. For example, the adventure book "Time of Tumult" describes a sixth kind of Exalted that have been hiding in another world for a long time, and are now entering Creation to invade and gather supplies. The book has a timeline for what happens when they do this (assuming no PC intervention), but apparently future material will not assume that this has happened. It is one possible future, but it isn't the TRVTH.

 

[Fenes 2]

I prefer micro-metaplots - nothing world altering, but regionally based metaplots I can ignore if needed, or build from. Or world-reaching metaplots that get wrapped up and leave the world not much changed - a war without major territorial comsequences, f.e. Again, I want to have the possibility to ignore the whole Metaplot without getting cut off from the next metaplot.

 

[Avatar]

Here's my take:

I'm the DM, it's my world. If I like the direction the meta-plot is heading, I'll use it. If not, I ignore it. just tell your players that's what you're doing, so they don't go "but, that's not what's happening anymore...."

So if I want the Red Wizards of Thay to be overthrown, fine, it's MY world, even if WotC published it.



Alan