In what format do you want your fantasy city presented?

[Thornir Alekeg]

I voted separate products. One thing I was thinking if you were going to create the product as a PDF, is making a single product, the player's information all together and hyperlinked to the relevant DM info. You can print the player's info and hand it out to them without revealing the DM info. I know it is less than ideal for people who do not like using PDFs off the computer, but I would like it.

 

[ViVaLaFrance]

With Web Support

I like the books that are coming out now for the most part. I would just like to see online support for such products kicked up a bit. Longer and richer NPC details online, evolving plot threads and how it changes the published product. Details that would cost to much to put into print and etc...

 

[Gez]

A single product that describes the city, with a DM-only appendix with the NPCs' stats and alignment, and the secrets that are only for a DM's eyes.

 

[painandgreed]

I want one product. Everything is DM information and the DM decides what is player knowledge. I see no reason why any PC should know where the theives guild is located or anything about it normally. City books are like modules. It would be nice for a player's map, one page handout of what everybody knows, and another longer handout including laws, customs, and desriptions of public stores and major officials that locals would know or that PCs would find out over time.

 

[Turjan]

I voted for a combined book, because I cannot imagine any of my players buying another book besides the PHB . They have to be hand-fed all information, anyway. This gives me enough control about what they are supposed to know.

I very much like the idea for players' handouts in electronic form, though .

 

[Cergorach]

I want one product. Everything is DM information and the DM decides what is player knowledge. I see no reason why any PC should know where the theives guild is located or anything about it normally. City books are like modules. It would be nice for a player's map, one page handout of what everybody knows, and another longer handout including laws, customs, and desriptions of public stores and major officials that locals would know or that PCs would find out over time.

Hmm... Following that train of thought, would it be usefull to you to have a document for players new to the city, one for players that have lived in the city for some time, but do not have any knowledge (local) skill points, and others for players that have knowledge (local) X skill points (so the more skill points they have invested in the skill the more they know of the city)? Maybe not very economical, but would it be usefull and/or appreciated?

 

[Lyriel Aelorothi]

Lyriel preferred the combined approach...

 

[Nifft]

I voted for "combined", but it seems that what I meant was "one book, plus a free teaser / player's guide / web enhancement"... so, er, one vote less for Combined, one more for Separate.

-- N

 

[Nifft]

... and one more thing: PDF is good if you allow it to be edited, but some other format -- HTML, RTF or even just plain-ol'-text -- would be great for stuff that DMs are supposed to be able to edit, like:

- A list of rumors
- A list of possible contacts
- Tavern menus

-- N, lazy DM in all possible ways

 

[Fieari]

I voted before I really read the text. When I think "A combined product for both player and DM", I think something more along the lines of the ParanoiaXP rulebook, in which the first few sections are for the player, and then the rest, seperately but bound in the same book, is all the DM stuff. I thought that worked out well. Just tell the players they can only read this far, and you're set.

But the way the text of the post following the poll makes it out, what I'm describing would have better been placed as "A seperate product for players and DM".