grodog
Hero
Here are my first impressions of the archive:
The DVD Archive contains 284 lines in the Table of Contents, but several of those are not content-related (legal, using the archive, credits, etc.), and there are several layers in the menu for navigation (some of which have introductory text associated with them, others of which don't). So, there are ~260 distinct pieces of content (that’s an estimate, I haven’t counted the individual content titles).
The Archive content is navigated through an .html interface with a cascading menu, or through the TOC which displays all of the menu levels (as if the cascading menus were all open). When a piece of content includes multiple pages of scans, the content is navigated through using small thumbnail images broken into paging groups (page 1 of thumbnails displays 4 thumbnail images, pag2 includes next 4, etc.). All of the pieces of content have at least a minimal text description, and some are quite substantive (8+ paragraphs long). Most are shorter, with 2-3 short paragraphs of descriptive text about the content. When a thumbnail is clicked on, the content’s scanned image opens below the thumbnails and content introductory text. You can click on the image to see it full-size as well. All of the content presented is in scanned form, whether it was originally a map, a handwritten key or notes page, or a typed or printed document. The Archive does not include any transcripts or OCR’d text. The content scans are quite good quality, and the .html interface itself is quick and easy to use (unlike the old Dragon Archive CD Archive).
The content itself includes a broad selection of content drawn primarily from Kuntz’s Greyhawk and Kalibruhn works, with a few pieces of content from the pre-D&D era (including Kuntz’s original write-up of his “City of the Gods” adventure summary from Oerth Journal #7). Much of the Greyhawk and Kalibruhn content includes maps (sometimes with keys, but more often without especially for the levels of Castle Greyhawk and El Raja Key). Most map/key content items are 2-4 pages long, but some are substantially longer: the Lost City of the Elders includes 68 content thumbnails for huge maps, handwritten manuscript keys/notes, typescript pages, and original artwork; the Kalibruhn Blackstar novel draft/notes are 17 pages long; the Greyhawk Pit of Geburah adventure (referenced in the original folio and boxed sets as an evil sleeping beneath the depths of the Drachensgrab Mountains) contains 41 pages of maps, manuscript and types keys/notes, pregen PCs, sketches, etc., in addition to its 2 page historical commentary introduction.
The K1 Sunken City adventure included with the Standard+ DVD Archive purchases is a short 4.5”x7.5” booklet. I’ve flipped through it, but not read it yet. It has a detached cover, is staple-bound, and is 40 pages long (the Deluxe and Collector printings of the Sunken City include an additional 1000 words or so). You need to use the maps from the Archive to run the adventure.
A word of warning/caveat to my impressions above: I've had access to most of the files and information in the DVD Archive for several years (and in some cases, decades), and I certainly think it's a great trove of information about Greyhawk, Kalibruhn, and Rob's many works over the years, but I don't know that I can really view it through "fresh" eyes. For example, among the 24 distinct levels/keys of Castle Greyhawk and El Raja Key presented in the archive, the only one that’s new to me is Castle Greyhawk’s Level 5 Sealed Tomb Level map, along with the CG-ERK levels’ mapping relationships (that Castle Greyhawk Core Level 03 Gem Room & Crypts was originally El Raja Key level 4, for example).
The Archive is indeed a treasure trove of gaming material and lore from the Greyhawk and Kalibruhn campaigns. There’s plenty of material in the Archive that a DM can pick up and run with, and plenty to inspire a DM in his own campaign building efforts (whether using Kalibruhn, Greyhawk, or his own homebrew setting). There’s also great historical context here for someone wanting to read the Archive alongside a book like Jon Peterson’s Playing at the World, as well as deep insight into the creative mind of Rob Kuntz, and his lasting (and continuing!) impact on the development of Dungeons & Dragons.
I hope that helps provide some additional context for folks who are interested in the Archive and my thoughts on it. I’ll likely write some more about the Sunken City adventure soon!
The DVD Archive contains 284 lines in the Table of Contents, but several of those are not content-related (legal, using the archive, credits, etc.), and there are several layers in the menu for navigation (some of which have introductory text associated with them, others of which don't). So, there are ~260 distinct pieces of content (that’s an estimate, I haven’t counted the individual content titles).
The Archive content is navigated through an .html interface with a cascading menu, or through the TOC which displays all of the menu levels (as if the cascading menus were all open). When a piece of content includes multiple pages of scans, the content is navigated through using small thumbnail images broken into paging groups (page 1 of thumbnails displays 4 thumbnail images, pag2 includes next 4, etc.). All of the pieces of content have at least a minimal text description, and some are quite substantive (8+ paragraphs long). Most are shorter, with 2-3 short paragraphs of descriptive text about the content. When a thumbnail is clicked on, the content’s scanned image opens below the thumbnails and content introductory text. You can click on the image to see it full-size as well. All of the content presented is in scanned form, whether it was originally a map, a handwritten key or notes page, or a typed or printed document. The Archive does not include any transcripts or OCR’d text. The content scans are quite good quality, and the .html interface itself is quick and easy to use (unlike the old Dragon Archive CD Archive).
The content itself includes a broad selection of content drawn primarily from Kuntz’s Greyhawk and Kalibruhn works, with a few pieces of content from the pre-D&D era (including Kuntz’s original write-up of his “City of the Gods” adventure summary from Oerth Journal #7). Much of the Greyhawk and Kalibruhn content includes maps (sometimes with keys, but more often without especially for the levels of Castle Greyhawk and El Raja Key). Most map/key content items are 2-4 pages long, but some are substantially longer: the Lost City of the Elders includes 68 content thumbnails for huge maps, handwritten manuscript keys/notes, typescript pages, and original artwork; the Kalibruhn Blackstar novel draft/notes are 17 pages long; the Greyhawk Pit of Geburah adventure (referenced in the original folio and boxed sets as an evil sleeping beneath the depths of the Drachensgrab Mountains) contains 41 pages of maps, manuscript and types keys/notes, pregen PCs, sketches, etc., in addition to its 2 page historical commentary introduction.
The K1 Sunken City adventure included with the Standard+ DVD Archive purchases is a short 4.5”x7.5” booklet. I’ve flipped through it, but not read it yet. It has a detached cover, is staple-bound, and is 40 pages long (the Deluxe and Collector printings of the Sunken City include an additional 1000 words or so). You need to use the maps from the Archive to run the adventure.
A word of warning/caveat to my impressions above: I've had access to most of the files and information in the DVD Archive for several years (and in some cases, decades), and I certainly think it's a great trove of information about Greyhawk, Kalibruhn, and Rob's many works over the years, but I don't know that I can really view it through "fresh" eyes. For example, among the 24 distinct levels/keys of Castle Greyhawk and El Raja Key presented in the archive, the only one that’s new to me is Castle Greyhawk’s Level 5 Sealed Tomb Level map, along with the CG-ERK levels’ mapping relationships (that Castle Greyhawk Core Level 03 Gem Room & Crypts was originally El Raja Key level 4, for example).
The Archive is indeed a treasure trove of gaming material and lore from the Greyhawk and Kalibruhn campaigns. There’s plenty of material in the Archive that a DM can pick up and run with, and plenty to inspire a DM in his own campaign building efforts (whether using Kalibruhn, Greyhawk, or his own homebrew setting). There’s also great historical context here for someone wanting to read the Archive alongside a book like Jon Peterson’s Playing at the World, as well as deep insight into the creative mind of Rob Kuntz, and his lasting (and continuing!) impact on the development of Dungeons & Dragons.
I hope that helps provide some additional context for folks who are interested in the Archive and my thoughts on it. I’ll likely write some more about the Sunken City adventure soon!
