D&D General Weis, Hickman, and Manganiello update on Dragonlance world book

[Parmandur]

He was working freelance at the time, and working for various RPG companies. Little known, but WotC was actually one of them from what I've heard, though he had far more work via other places.

WotC also defined what they were looking for, and Ebberon basically does not fill out what they defined as one of the criteria...which makes on go...hmmm....

It was great for him to get it (as he was freelance, not an employee, and struggling at that), but that was totally not a legit...even handed...fair way to do it.

Hot take, maybe. There's a reason most contests disqualify (or have it in their rules, a few companies still break those rules at times, the difference is that they then are eventually sued in court by unhappy norms who truly are disconnected from that company when inspired by lawyers for an easy money take...for the lawyers) employees (which also normally includes freelancers if they are in that same industry), family members, and certain friends of employees or family.

See now, I was around back then, and while WotC cast a wide net, it was clearly a "professional proposal from freelancers" net. A professional freelancer who knew what they were doing was going to come out on top.

However, the irony that we see in this thread with a few saying WotC should do new settings...WotC has done new settings (maybe not new...per se...but new to D&D or at least 5e).

They've done 5 or 6 MtG settings (several of them available for free) for 5e D&D. They've done smaller ideas such as Radiant Citadel...

They've probably had more "new" settings in that way, than the older ones!

Very true.

Guess that depends on how you define hot take.

I mean, this is kind of the dictionary definition.

 

[KYRON45]

See now, I was around back then, and while WotC cast a wide net, it was clearly a "professional proposal from freelancers" net. A professional freelancer who knew what they were doing was going to come out on top.

Very true.

I mean, this is kind of the dictionary definition.

It was a joke. Every single thread devolves into arguing about definitions so...i felt it was time.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

When it's a known world beyond the DM, players will object to "breaking canon" or various other things even though it might just be a difference of opinion on that canon. I had issues running a Roman world campaign. From then on I've only ever ran my own campaign world. I'm a worldbuilder at heart so that is not great sacrifice.

And considering how convoluted canon can be, that's a high bar to clear. You've got contradictions and retcons galore in any long-standing IP. And even outside of that, there's tone to consider. A GM can get away with a lot as long as it feels right to the setting. But trying to constantly match the tone of an existing IP can, I find, be exhausting in the long run.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And considering how convoluted canon can be, that's a high bar to clear. You've got contradictions and retcons galore in any long-standing IP.

Not to mention, unless it's something massive -- Galadriel as the Dark Lady -- a lot of it can be chalked up to "well, your handful of rangers isolated in the North aren't 100% clear what the heck is going on in the rest of the world, and vice-versa."

Was there a minor servant of Sauron in an isolated area we never heard about during Lord of the Rings? Probably! Let the GM cook, people.

And even outside of that, there's tone to consider. A GM can get away with a lot as long as it feels right to the setting. But trying to constantly match the tone of an existing IP can, I find, be exhausting in the long run.

100%

 

[Parmandur]

It was a joke. Every single thread devolves into arguing about definitions so...i felt it was time.

Traditionally, I believe the idea is for jokes to be funny.

 

[KYRON45]

Traditionally, I believe the idea is for jokes to be funny.

Well, they require people to have a sense of humor.

 

[Parmandur]

Well, they require people to have a sense of humor.

I have, if anything, an overdeveloepd sense of humor. And one might note the post you just quoted was a bit tongue in cheek itself.

 

[bsss]

Not to mention, unless it's something massive -- Galadriel as the Dark Lady -- a lot of it can be chalked up to "well, your handful of rangers isolated in the North aren't 100% clear what the heck is going on in the rest of the world, and vice-versa."

Was there a minor servant of Sauron in an isolated area we never heard about during Lord of the Rings? Probably! Let the GM cook, people.

100%

In my opinion, you also have the very approachable option of "well, what if Gandalf never suspected this weird trinket a hobbit found in a cave was the Ruling Ring, but all the other problems still exist?". Basically break canon, but just exactly at the point where you'd inject the table's characters, and run with it.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

But Star Wars could be the most famous sci-fi franchise among roleplayers. Its adventage is to allow a lot of space for spin-off plots of different styles.

If "Death Saves" is canon within D&D multiverse then oficially other timelines of Dragonlance could be possible, even one where the summer of Chaos didn't happen and then the age of mortals didn't start. Or there wasn't the war of souls (in the same way) because Takishis knew she was going to lose.

 

[delericho]

If "Death Saves" is canon within D&D multiverse then oficially other timelines of Dragonlance could be possible, even one where the summer of Chaos didn't happen and then the age of mortals didn't start. Or there wasn't the war of souls (in the same way) because Takishis knew she was going to lose.

Weirdly, that now seems to be the official timeline - the Destinies trilogy appears to have retconned things. (By "that" I mean the summer of Chaos not happening.)