How many books should a game setting require?

[Nightfall]

I know few will believe me, but you only need ONE book to play in the Scarred Lands. Or at least run it. Anything is really optional. That said, I'm out to prove you can do it, and I'll be happy to add more WITHOUT you paying for the other stuff. By add more I'll send along anything you need to play in the Scarred Lands, that is still optional but you might want. Just get the SLCS:Ghelspad and I can prove it.

 

[Humanophile]

Depends on the game, but usually one or two. If it's a free-standing game, you could either put out one big book that gives the general rules, flavor, and setting, letting the DM fill in any smaller scale details, (White Wolf has been quite successful doing just that,) or else two books, one of classes, basic powers, common rules, general setting, etc. for the players, while the DM's book would go more in-depth with maybe a default play location, monsters, gear-making tips, and the like that the players wouldn't have much reason to look up often. (Keep in mind that the Deep Secrets of the campaign world should not go into that book; players will buy and read it, it's just stuff that doesn't apply to the characters and their sheets directly.) Of course, suppliments may well Rifts the game out, but so long as the company keeps most of its metaplot from being obvious to the newbies on the surface of the world, saving massive changes for revised versions of the core book, things should go fine.

If it's a D20 product, one. Or four, if you count the PHB, DMG, and MM. The basic book should be there to whet the appetite, giving general information on the area, generic setting-specific monsters, spells, feats, items, prestige classes, and so on, all in one big book. If people want more information, suppliments should be the way to do it, but again, no game should make buying suppliments a requirement to either keep up with the power curve or the metaplot. I know it's my game world and all, but it's still disheartening to find out that the Smurfworld book I didn't think I'd have any need for had Venger oust Gargamel as the main setting baddie.

 

[Cedric]

Maybe it's a character flaw, but I just don't use other peoples settings. I prefer to make stuff up on my own ... and I can't stand having someone else in my game telling "how it is" cause they might have read more of the novels then I did (not that I play with the kind of people who'd do that).

I do however purchase some of the setting main books as a reference. FRCS, Kingdoms of Kalamar...etc.

Cedric

 

[Tonguez]

Now the Important question

When is the SMURFWORLD GUIDE released to the shops?

 

[Knightcrawler]

Whats Too Many Books

Everybody's going to have their own view as to what is too many books. THere are going to be people who are not that good at coming up with all the background stuff but are great at telling a story. Those people are going to want a lot of detail.

Also for a campaign world to appeal to a large segment of the population there need to be different areas with different feels. Both Greyhawk and Forgotten realms have greatly expanded over the past 20+ years.

Certain people are going to want books from area A while another wants it from area B. Thus all the different books.

One of my FR campaigns was based out of Baldur's Gate (LOng Before The Game). I did this on purpose because it was an area that had not been highly detailed and I could mold it to my desires. I had gotten sick and tired of starting out in Waterdeep or Shadowdale. I was rather ticked off when the compter game came out.

It boils down to personal opinion. I think the more history, background, characters, and crunchy bits that a gaming company can give me the better. Even though I enjoy working on background materials it can be extremely time consuming. The more I can concentrate on the story the better the story will be.

 

[Zappo]

IMO a setting should ideally have:

1. A fairly big book containing everything the DM needs to start a campaign. That is, a map, historical, geographical and political information (with particular detail on the area where the campaign is supposed to start), important NPCs, all the most common monsters and the most famous uncommon ones, and the most important new PrCs, feats, spells etcetera. All the information that pertains to the whole world.
2. A slim book containing information for the players. That is, an underdetailed map, simplified history, short geopolitical info, and rumors, common knowledge, legends, or outright lies about notable NPCs, creatures and organizations.
3. A number of relatively slim books, around 100-120 pages, each detailing a geographical area. They should include detailed history and geopolitical info on that area, all the factions, all the relevant NPCs, everything. Including PrCs, feats, or whatever else is needed to represent those things. Oh, and also all monsters native to that area. The exact number of such books depends of course on the level of detail the authors desire. If they want a lot of details, they will need to make books about relatively small areas, and thus a lot of them. If they want less detail, they will make books about larger areas, reducing their number.

That's handy for players and DMs alike. It's easy to find references, you don't need to lug around more books than what you are going to need, and player info can be given easily in the form of the small booklet.