Mike Mearls is a Genius

[mearls]

I don't really have time to address everything here - I had no idea that my post would generate this much discussion!

First - Eyebeams is right that, in most cases, core stories come out as an artifact of the metagame. You look at what gamers do with your game, and build stuff around it. What I'm looking at now, though, is building a core story into a game/setting from its foundcation.

Second - Eberron's core story is D&D's core story. If I'm already playing D&D's core story in the Realms, why do I need Eberron? That's the key point. Look at how factured the Eberron marketing campaign was - it was hard to get a feel for the setting based on WotC's build up to it.

The core story I created is sort of implied in the Eberron core book. However, I think there's a lot of stuff in Eberron that simply doesn't support that core story in any direct way (the undead worshipping elves are, frankly, my favorite whipping boy in this case). I think a lot of the other elements could be tweaked to better support a core story and generate lots of different, useful elements in the setting.

Third - I currently work at Paizo, and I'm in the process of interviewing for a job at WotC. I left Malhavoc about 2 months ago. It was an amicable parting.

 

[RSKennan]

edit: nevermind, the link was given earlier...

 

[Mark]

I don't really have time to address everything here - I had no idea that my post would generate this much discussion!

...and they call you a genius...

 

[Felon]

Second - Eberron's core story is D&D's core story. If I'm already playing D&D's core story in the Realms, why do I need Eberron? That's the key point. Look at how factured the Eberron marketing campaign was - it was hard to get a feel for the setting based on WotC's build up to it.

Well, the marketing was pretty consistent in terms of slapping a big Warforged onto everything. They really wanted that one race to be the official Eberron mascot.

I just saw a video preview of D&D Online a few days ago. One of the developers was trying to summarize Eberron, and once again the Maltese-Falcon-meets-Indiana-Jones allusion came up again. And once again, there was no explanation of what the hell that's supposed to mean. I think that clicks pretty well with what you're saying.

I guess I can understand the Indiana Jones reference easily enough. He explores ruins for a living. Of course, in that respect, the allusion doesn't tell me anything that's new about Eberron. I've explored a few ruins before Eberron came along.

But then there's the Maltest Falcon bit. That utter meaninglessness of that reference really bugs me. Pulp noir D&D? As far as I can tell, that's just D&D with mood lighting....everburning torches with dimmer-switches.

 

[Vigwyn the Unruly]

I currently work at Paizo

And a good job you're doing there, by the way. I really enjoyed your "tree" and "sinking boat" adventures. You have a real knack for putting together dungeon crawls in cool, non-traditional environments. It's a whole new spin on the core story.

 

[fanboy2000]

Second - Eberron's core story is D&D's core story. If I'm already playing D&D's core story in the Realms, why do I need Eberron?.

Because I don't want Heinz 57 varieties of elves.
Because I want a campaign setting where I don't have to tack on Psionics.
Because I want the Dragon's alignment to be a mystery from the start. I don't want it to be a surprise that the Red Dragon is CN, I want the PCs to cautiously approach it.
Because I want a setting that actually details NPCs using NPC classes.
Because I want a setting that actually encourages magic weapon creation, not just purchase.
Because I want a setting with more detail than d20 Greayhawk and less than Forgotten Realms.
Because I want Orcs to be more than CE mooks.
Because I want a world map unencumbered by past products
Because I want a Campaign setting where there's a built-in reason for unexplored ancient ruins.
Because I want a cosmology that doesn't have hell in it.
Because I want a cosmology that doesn't have gods in it.
Because I want a setting that doesn't just allow cinematic roleplaying, but encourages it.

If I work at it, I can do all of that in Forgotten Realms. But then I don't get the advantage of using a published campaign setting. I can do all of that in Eberron without modification.

You want to know what Maltese-Falcon-meets-Indiana-Jones means? It means the heros are more likely to survive the encounter for no other reason than because they are the heros. It means the bad guys often plot and scheme for years just to have their plans dashed because the protagonist were hired at the last minute to stop them. It means that when the action gets bogged down and the heros don't know what to do next, someone kicks down the door and attacks them.

 

[pogre]

Third - I currently work at Paizo, and I'm in the process of interviewing for a job at WotC. I left Malhavoc about 2 months ago. It was an amicable parting.

Good luck! Sorry for being nosey earlier - it really is none of my business and I apologize for the question. I would prefer you go to work for Green Ronin and crank out some more excellent WFRP adventures, but whatever

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

If I'm already playing D&D's core story in the Realms, why do I need Eberron?

You don't. All the people who didn't pick up the Realms because they can do LotR-lite on their own, or because they don't like the FR baggage, be it carrying two scimitars or an old pipe, or whatever, need Eberron. Product can overlap in the marketplace if it sells to audiences that wouldn't otherwise be reached. If ECS and FRCS are cannibalizing each other, it's bad. If it's attracting seperate audiences -- which seems likely, given the strong visceral reactions to each -- that's good.

 

[S'mon]

I think it's vital for long-term play that a game has a core "What do we do?" story that works and can be relied on to support play. D&D clearly has this, so has Cthulu. Some games have core stories that are too limited - eg Twilight 2000's "going home"; or are lacking - eg Traveller is a setting without a core story, and Traveller seems to be bought far more than actually played. Some games have mechanics that don't support the core story - eg Runequest was presented as a game about adventuring, but its mechanics make adventuring almost as dangerous as it would be in real life! Or FASA Dr Who, where the best way to deal with Daleks was shoot them with a .44 Magnum...
D&D's mechanics support its core story well. If anything I think 3e is so focussed on supporting the core story that it can become a strait jacket, losing the inifinite possibilities that is also a hallmark of D&D - eg at high levels the D&D 3e spell system, while remaining balanced for the high-level dungeoncrawl, makes most other forms of scenario unplayable.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

But then there's the Maltest Falcon bit. That utter meaninglessness of that reference really bugs me. Pulp noir D&D? As far as I can tell, that's just D&D with mood lighting....everburning torches with dimmer-switches.

Well, it might be WotC's fault for not articulating this better, but "The Maltese Falcon" is anything but basic D&D "with mood lighting." They probably should have used a film that's more current and thus more likely to be familiar to more of their target audience -- maybe "LA Confidential" instead, although that doesn't have an iconic McGuffin to chase.