Why did the Scarred Lands fail?

[Brennin Magalus]

Was SL one of those settings that didn't use all of the PHB core classes, races, etc?

They had all the core races and classes except gnomes, which was a huge plus for me. Until Termana, that is, when they were shoehorned in (with Nightfall's help, as I recall).

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Did the TV show Angel fail because it got canned at the end of season 5?

It failed because it was lame, just like the show it spun off from.

 

[Acid_crash]

After reading all this, I didn't intend to use the word 'fail' and get the reaction I did so for all SL lovers I do apologize if it upset you.

That said, I hope that the Scarred Lands gets a major overhaul in the next year, called 2nd edition, and it gets a true setting book typed in the same font size and same page length as Eberron, because for Scarred Lands to be fully appreciated, that is exactly what it needs to bring new people into the fold.

Hell, for 2nd edition, they should make a Scarred Lands Players Guide and a Scarred Lands Game Masters guide due to how much information there is for the world, along with conversion guide and guidelines on how to take the former books written and use them with the new edition.

Print those two books and I think SL will succeed even more.

SL was a setting that I wanted to like, I really did, but I couldn't because of the vast amount of resources getting all the books required just to understand the world. I mean, there was so much spread out over so many books I didn't know where to start. Plus, top that with how WW writes their books (larger font size means less words, plus large page borders cut into words printed) and it means I am getting less for my buck.

And if Warcraft is getting a 2nd edition book (as for the latest White Wolf update magazine I got in my LGS), why not SL?

 

[Turjan]

And if Warcraft is getting a 2nd edition book (as for the latest White Wolf update magazine I got in my LGS), why not SL?

Because Warcraft is immensely more popular, given that the sales of the computer games were always strong and a persistent world just happened to launch ?

I suspect that everyone is picking their words based on their regard or disdain, which makes the whole debate rather pointless.

Although I think this logical connection is pointless and the first half of that sentence is just wrong, I agree with your conclusion. Whatever reasons led to the publishing stop (and I think the suggestions were good), those things happened.

Don't underestimate emotions. Quite often, they convert to sales - or the lack thereof . And that's what matters to a RPG company.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Maybe we should have a sticky "Why SL Is dead" type of deal eh?

Another point, I don't know if it has been mentioned, is lack of friendly starting player locations. Take out Mitrhil and Hollowfaust and you don't have a lot left. Calista? Most of Termana? Blood Sea? Nope... not saying that the regions covered aren't great for adventurers to happen in, but not real good power bases for players.

 

[Trickstergod]

Calastia actually made it rather clear that it was a decent place to set up shop; so long as you don't try to rebel, it's not so bad. It's about as oppressive as Hollowfaust in its laws; excluding Virduk himself and a few others, most of its leaders are lawful neutral.

Termana's also the center of the forsaken elves - who, while I've my own admitted love for, also seem to be the source for more than a few other campaigns.

There does seem to be a thread of grumpiness over other areas not being detailed, though. Vesh and Darakeene it seems, notably. Arguably both more player friendly.

 

[Zelda Themelin]

Maybe we should have a sticky "Why SL Is dead" type of deal eh?

Another point, I don't know if it has been mentioned, is lack of friendly starting player locations. Take out Mitrhil and Hollowfaust and you don't have a lot left. Calista? Most of Termana? Blood Sea? Nope... not saying that the regions covered aren't great for adventurers to happen in, but not real good power bases for players.

I mentioned this. I actually have been saying for long time before this line was dead, that why you don't you do book about Vesh, Darakeene and Albadia.

Giving Albadia and Darakeene only to French people was to me big, big mistake.

These lands had great potential, and they very around interesting areas, dangerous places. Good places to start adventuring, and more flexible than some city state like Hollowfaust and Mithril (which were IMO good books).

Most areas they published weren't that interesting for most people. And it didn't help that some books felt so quite boring, when I tried to read them.

I liked both Relic and Ritual and first two monster books very much though. Despite rule-problems they contained some inspired write-ups and ideas, usable for both Scarred Lands dm:s and to those who wanted to use them in other worlds.

Bad maps, lack of adventures and general bad metaplots (too early) were reasons it was hard world for dm:s.
Art could have be better too, though that never was my major issue, some of the art was quite nice (taste thing, I suppose).

Compained to constant world-re-writing. which I personally hated with passion, and made offical scarred lands dead to me long before line was done, despite me buying the books. I used them, yes, but not in our scarred lands games. Funny though, for example some Monte Cook's stuff suited our idea of Scarn better than offical Scarred Lands books.

We hoped it would get back in right track, but it didn't. People in charge of Scarn had lost their inspiration with original idea long ago, it seemed.

 

[Nightfall]

They had all the core races and classes except gnomes, which was a huge plus for me. Until Termana, that is, when they were shoehorned in (with Nightfall's help, as I recall).

Hey don't look at me! I was damn happy there weren't ANY gnomes. I just recall repeatedly answering the same questions "Where are the Dragons' Gone but they might be elsewhere. "Where are the gnomes?!!" Termana at least by executive decision.

I'm okay with a "feral" tribal gnome. (And yes I helped in terms of Trapmaster but that's it!) But overall I wasn't missing gnomes. I got more than enough on Ghelspad to be happy with.

*won't comment on your lack of TV tastes.*

And I will say folks while I can't speak specifics, I'm doing what I can to keep the Scarred Lands alive. Just wait and see.

 

[Pants]

Also, both Midnight and Iron Kingdoms do have a main campaign setting book, although the one for Iron Kingdoms was rather late to hit the shelves.

Also note how IK only had 2 books out (1 of which was a primer for the world) and 3 adventures before the first Core book was released.

SL had what, 5 books before the Ghelspad Gazeteer came out?

 

[Acid_crash]

Also note how IK only had 2 books out (1 of which was a primer for the world) and 3 adventures before the first Core book was released.

SL had what, 5 books before the Ghelspad Gazeteer came out?

And those three adventures were pretty cool. I think without those three adventures the popularity of the setting book wouldn't have been as high. My FLGS can't keep any IK books in stock.