D&D 4E What should the next new official campaign setting for 4e be like?

[Lalato]

Actually, I would prefer to see an AP in a new world, and that is the whole things, except maybe a side book that adds some mechanical features, like races, a class, feats and the like.

This! What better way to show off a new setting. I wonder if it is possible for a third party to create an AP like this via the GSL? I haven't kept up with what the GSL allows so I honestly don't know.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

This! What better way to show off a new setting. I wonder if it is possible for a third party to create an AP like this via the GSL? I haven't kept up with what the GSL allows so I honestly don't know.

I'm pretty sure GSL only covers core stuff. You can refer to the main books, but something like FR is totally proprietary. Of course WotC could license adventures set there if they wished.

Generally the problem with adding more detail to existing campaign settings is they've tried it. People didn't really buy it. At best that kind of stuff is a loss making product that might help support core book sales. I'd imagine this is why 4e settings have been announced to be highly limited product sets. Probably also explains why they are rehashes of the most popular settings. They could sell 2 FR/DS/EB books without taking a bath.

Truthfully if you're going to make any kind of money off a setting it has to be a pretty compelling setting. I would be hard pressed to think of any such ever made by WotC. They managed to bring out Eberron, which is pretty good, but still wasn't done in-house. Rehashes of various 2e-era settings is unlikely to cut it. WotC does pretty good crunch, they just aren't THAT creative.

 

[Lalato]

That's too bad. A smaller publisher might be able to make money (or at least break even) on this type of project... allowing WotC to concentrate on what they're actually good at.

I suppose the APs could be produced via Dungeon magazine by freelancers. But then there would be complaints about requiring DDI to access them.

 

[Neonchameleon]

This! What better way to show off a new setting. I wonder if it is possible for a third party to create an AP like this via the GSL? I haven't kept up with what the GSL allows so I honestly don't know.

You mean a publisher like ENPublishing? With Adventure Paths like War of the Burning Sky and the forthcoming Zeitgeist?

 

[moxcamel]

Generally the problem with adding more detail to existing campaign settings is they've tried it. People didn't really buy it. At best that kind of stuff is a loss making product that might help support core book sales. I'd imagine this is why 4e settings have been announced to be highly limited product sets. Probably also explains why they are rehashes of the most popular settings. They could sell 2 FR/DS/EB books without taking a bath.

Yes. The sweet spot for campaign settings seems to be 2 books. Anything beyond that and it's really only the DM buying them. And since roughly only about 1 in 5 players are DMs, it just doesn't make good financial sense to release anything beyond the core world materials.

To me, Dungeon and Dragon articles is where additional campaign materials belong. That way they avoid the printing and distribution costs associated with dead tree products, plus they don't have to try to work a few good ideas into a certain number of pages.

Truthfully if you're going to make any kind of money off a setting it has to be a pretty compelling setting. I would be hard pressed to think of any such ever made by WotC. They managed to bring out Eberron, which is pretty good, but still wasn't done in-house. Rehashes of various 2e-era settings is unlikely to cut it. WotC does pretty good crunch, they just aren't THAT creative.

I think WotC are creative, it's just that when you're the 500 pound gorilla of the industry, you can't really afford to make products that only appeal to a niche audience. From what I understand, Dark Sun was originally a pretty tough sell to the powers-that-be. Everyone in creative absolutely fell in love with it, but it was so different as to be considered risky. Fortunately it was a smashing success, but then other niche-type products, such as Spelljammer, were considered failures.

But again, I think DDI could be a fantastic outlet for edgier products that don't carry a lot of risk. Releasing a new and non-traditional campaign setting as a one-off 64 page PDF would be a very low-risk way of judging interest in more niche products that would either live or die in subsequent Dungeon and/or Dragon articles.

 

[Incenjucar]

I have a feeling that, regarding bringing old settings back, there is already so much fluff out there that people have already purchased that WotC doesn't think they can sell it again. D&D is a product built on many older-edition customers who already have all the fluff they could ever want, and there are probably Wikis for all the people who missed out on those old books and boxed sets.

 

[Zaran]

Seems like I'm a minority but I would love to see a 4 e version of dragonlance - war of the lance era. That series got me into DnD it was the first novel series to be from DnD. I'd like to see it get upgraded to 4e.

 

[moxcamel]

Seems like I'm a minority but I would love to see a 4 e version of dragonlance - war of the lance era. That series got me into DnD it was the first novel series to be from DnD. I'd like to see it get upgraded to 4e.

Probably not gonna happen of course, but you can probably find some good stuff at the Dragonlance Nexus.

 

[Knightfall]

I have a feeling that, regarding bringing old settings back, there is already so much fluff out there that people have already purchased that WotC doesn't think they can sell it again. D&D is a product built on many older-edition customers who already have all the fluff they could ever want, and there are probably Wikis for all the people who missed out on those old books and boxed sets.

This is true, but you have to remember that some of that old gaming material is REALLY hard to find in good condition. And when you do find it, it usually costs a lot more than your average gamer is willing to pay.

Yes, there is e-bay, but it's a risk. You might win something great or it might be in terrible condition. And the best material from the best sellers isn't cheap.

That is why I liked the fact WotC redid Dark Sun, even though I still have my revised and expanded 2e Dark Sun boxed set (not to mention various other DS boxed sets and accessories).

And while I'm not sure if I like what WotC did to the Forgotten Realms, I consider the new FRCG to be a great book worth hanging on to. (I didn't keep the player's book, however.) And I'm looking forward to Neverwinter.

And if WotC redid Greyhawk, I'd burn a hole in my pocket buying it and any other books they create for the setting. A revised Greyhawk would make me seriously consider getting a DDI subscription, which is what WotC wants!

And if that Greyhawk setting went back to its roots similar to what WotC did for Dark Sun, I'd become a D&D 4e/WotC fan once again. And if the second sourcebook was a revised version of the City of Greyhawk, I'd be thrilled. The best third product would be a Greyhawk themed Monster Vault!

Forget about making a new Greyhawk adventure. WotC has already redone Tome of Horrors. That's all a Greyhawk campaign needs!

The only other revised setting that would make me more thrilled would be Mystara!

It has been more than a decade since Mystara has been in print. I know tons of Mystara fans who would KILL for a 4e revision! I think the best selling Mystara product would be a Monster Vault that updates all the classic Mystaran monsters.

I would SOOOOO buy that!!

Cheers!

Knightfall

 

[Ryujin]

I agree with you about Greyhawk. I have many fond memories of my long-running 1e campaign. I disagree about Tomb of Horrors though. You also need Temple of Elemental Evil, which they've also redone