Kalamar losing popularity?

[Elf Witch]

Yea, Im one of those Hackmaster and Hero system ones. Heh.

Im tired of this "my setting is better" bullsh-t. Every setting has its ups and downs. EVERY. ONE. Every setting has its fans, and who cares what yours is? I like Kalamar. Some of you like Realms. Others AU. Others, whichever... I coulda swore we were all gamers, and thus one crowd, but I guess gamers are too petty for my tastes and like to whine to each other about nothing...

-=Grim=-

Amen!!!! I too get sick of hearing how bad fill in the blank setting is. I don't mind reading why you like a setting or why you don't but a lot of these discussions are more about why the "setting" sucks and the veiled insults at the people who play it.

I play in both a Kalamar and a Dragonlance and a Stragate game and have played Shadowrun and Forgotten Realms and I think the game is only as good as the DM and the players regardless of the setting.

Different settings have things that appeal to different people. I like Kalamar because it is more realistic less uber fantasy in its feel than some other settings. The alternate language rules and the fact that clerics have to be the same alignment as their god is something I really like.

 

[ExDis]

Kalamar - I like it!

Different settings have things that appeal to different people. I like Kalamar because it is more realistic less uber fantasy in its feel than some other settings. The alternate language rules and the fact that clerics have to be the same alignment as their god is something I really like.

I like the Kingdoms of Kalamar setting. Its got a great feel. I like other settings too, for different reasons, but this setting feels like its waiting for me. It seems very open and new.

There is a lot going for it, but you may not hear too much about it. Most of the fans post on the Kenzer & Co forums, which makes sence. Kenzer is starting to put out more products for Kalamar, and the quality has always been very good.

Just something to consider.

 

[Numion]

Amen!!!! I too get sick of hearing how bad fill in the blank setting is. I don't mind reading why you like a setting or why you don't but a lot of these discussions are more about why the "setting" sucks and the veiled insults at the people who play it.

You're into something here. That's where most of my dislike for Kalamar really stems from: it's fans. It's almost every time they tell about Kalamar there has to be a deregatory remark about FR in there. Maybe I'm just thin-skinned, but that's how I perceive it.

It's like Kalamar was more defined by "It's NOT FR" than by its own merits. Thats my gripe with the setting, really.

 

[Pseudonym]

It's like Kalamar was more defined by "It's NOT FR" than by its own merits. Thats my gripe with the setting, really.

When I first started reading the Kenzer boards back in 2002 there was a definite "Forgotten Realms is for munchkins and we're so damn superior because we play Kalamar" vibe. That seems to have gone from a roar to a murmer, and only around certain subjects.

Then again, when Scarred Lands first came out, many of the overly vocal and newly converted had the same attitude. That too seems to have died down.

 

[der_kluge]

Nightfall, I'm specifically *not* going to buy any Scarred Lands stuff - ever, because you pimp it all the time.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I personally don't know much about the selling aspect of the game but product wise, they seem pretty strong.

They were one of the first if not the first with 3.5 material including an adventure and a monster manual style book.

They are revising their older material. I'm curious to see what the VIllian Design Handbook 3.5 looks like since it's actually less expensive than the old version. Their GM screen will continue to rock on toast and be the best.

They've also continued to support the setting via sourcebooks like Loona, a recent release, and the not so recent release of Stealth and Style. Now that book is important to note for me because it takes two alternative classes and fleshes them out with options, PrCs, feats and other good stuff. Something that a lot of settings with alternative core classes, don't bother with.

 

[Kichwas]

Nightfall, I'm specifically *not* going to buy any Scarred Lands stuff - ever, because you pimp it all the time.

To be fair Nightfall is (as far as I know) a fan and not an employee of Necromancer/SSS/WW.

If it was an employee doing it, it'd probably be time to get them banned from the forums for improper spamming, but gaming boards have always been full of rabid fans and anti-fans of this or that.

As for people who put down FR, consider that FR is in essense the lead setting for the DnD world - any other setting exists in direct competition to it. Comparrisions are natural, and well, fans of FR are not going to like what people who are not fans have to say - because even if polite it's going to be negative as a reflection of the above facts.

 

[Treebore]

Nightfall, I'm specifically *not* going to buy any Scarred Lands stuff - ever, because you pimp it all the time.

Too bad, there is some very good stuff to use from that setting. I am pretty sure that he isn't an employee of theirs, either.

For the record, i do not work for Necromancer, never have, and probably never will.

Bottom line, Necromancer is darn good stuff. Pimping over.

 

[jkasonII]

When I first started reading the Kenzer boards back in 2002 there was a definite "Forgotten Realms is for munchkins and we're so damn superior because we play Kalamar" vibe. That seems to have gone from a roar to a murmer, and only around certain subjects.

Then again, when Scarred Lands first came out, many of the overly vocal and newly converted had the same attitude. That too seems to have died down.

Yeah...New converts are especially susceptible to preaching. How else to spread the word?
While not bad in and of itself, we ALL (myself included) need to avoid bashing anyone's own personal, pleasurable game.

Now I myself am a FR convert. Not that FR is bad....I just outgrew it when you had players that knew entire storylines and always wanted to have Elminster help them out. I have no problems saying that I've invested several hundred dollars in books, modules, and paperbacks (not to mention two settings, pre- and post-avatar walking) in this setting and have no intention of giving it away or selling it. Just because it's old don't mean it's bad. Still a lot of nuggets to mine and refine/convert.

Prior to that, it was Greyhawk all the way baby. With more money sunk into that setting too. I think the only thing I don't own for Greyhawk are all of the gazzeteers, although I do have some.

Now of the new settings (here's the preachin'), I've blown my whole load on Kalamar and will ride the wave till it washes on the beach, completely spent. I'm currently 5 products behind, and spending valuable gaming dollars for my wife's christmas gifts doesn't make it any easier.

I've seen some Iron Kingdoms stuff in my FLGS, and the stuff I've seen is good, but I dont intend on working any 'steam & sorcery' stuff until my players are higher level.

That's about all I can spout on about intelligently. I may not be well-rounded, but I'm loyal.

Thanks all.

 

[Cbas10]

My local game store refuses to order in any new Kalamar products (except as special orders) and has marked down their remaining inventory by 30%. They cite that Kalamar sells poorly compared to other d20 settings they stock and that while they think it is well-written, customers tell them it is just another Forgotten Realms clone and they want settings with a twist, or else they say "why pay for Kalamar if I already own FR?"

I can certainly understand how this sort of thing happens. There are different trends in sales in different regions. The gamestore near me, for example, sells a moderate amount of Kalamar, a little more Scarred Lands, and a lot of Forgotten Realms. Arcana Unearthed has literally moved off the shelf once since it came out. We have a betting pool based on when the next copy is to be sold .

Similarly, the local gamestore cannot even manage to sell any of my favorite game, Mage:the Ascension at half price, even though the game is strong and very popular in nearby Nashville.

I would guess that there are few people out there that can give any definitive trend of a game's performance overall, but their performances almost certainly vary from one store to the next.