WotC Setting Search Runner ups

[johnsemlak]

How many settings which finished either in the top 11 or the top 3 are going to be published by d20 companies. All I remember specifically is Morningstar by Goodman Games.

Another thing occured to me in thinking about this...

Isn't it true that by holding the setting search and choosing 11 settings, then narrowing it down to three (from 11,000 submissions IIRC) , didn't WotC effectively give free research away as the finalist settings (which are presumably very good as well) can now be published by independant publishers.

I mean, d20 companies are essentially saved their own setting search process, looking through thousands of submissions and so forth, since they can or could be assured that a setting that made it into the final 11, or the final 3, is at least worth reading through.

Just thought I'd toss that out.

Again, which other settings are being published?

 

[PowerWordDumb]

If you assume that the D&D RPG market is big enough to accept 11 new settings in addition to those already published, then yeah you might have a point.... but I think that we'll see that only one or two are at all likely to survive, and even those will not sell anything remotely resembling the numbers that the big-name settings do.

So, in reality just how valuable is a setting idea that's almost certain to lose the publishing company money? Assuming of course they go the standard hardcover route, that is - the economics may shift greatly if they leaned toward pdf-based distribution, but I can't even guess at that.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

John - I know that Fantasy Flight will be publishing Dawnforge, another of the runner-up campains.


Gary "wizardoftheplains" here on ENWorld says that his top 11 campaign "Sunset Kingdoms" will be printed this year too, but I do not know who the publisher will be.



PWD- I'm pretty sure that most of the 15 ( yes! ) or so different campaign setting books that have been published in the past few months or will be published in the next upcoming months will not LOSE money. Most are being published by tried and true publishers ( FFG, FFE, Goodman, Mongoose, Malhavoc, Necromancer, Green Ronin, AEG, SSS etc... ) that print what they know they can sell. I would definitely agree that most will not be huge money makers though...

edit - oops -- sorry Monster Manual !

 

[Orias]

Everytime people start talking about settings being released, I always get high-hearted towards Dark Sun & Planescape.

 

[Monster Manuel]

Me too, Orias, me too.

By the way, Bigfreekingoblinoid, I wrote Morningstar, not Dawnforge. No problem.

 

[PowerWordDumb]

As BFG mentioned, those published by the big names will probably have a decent chance to justify their existence... I trust that those folks know enough to build a proper business case for publishing a setting. If those settings end up being noted as runner-ups for the contest as part of their marketing campaigns it might actually pique my interest a little, given the high standards one would assume would have to apply before one of the big name would even consider publishing.

I do think though, that most will likely not be money-makers, sad though that is. I'm all for variety in the market, but the reality is there's only so much market to go around. I wish people well with their products, but I'm only so optimistic.

I'm interested to see just how many get picked up though!

Edit: Add in another me too! While I'm not in love with Dark Sun, it does have a certain quirky appeal. Planescape on the other hand is pure genius, and someone should buy the rights from Wizards and start milking that puppy for all it's worth.

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Me too, Orias, me too.

By the way, Bigfreekingoblinoid, I wrote Morningstar, not Dawnforge. No problem.

OOPs - -I have edited my post above so as to not confuse anybody else! I'm sure I'll get it straight after I get to read/buy Morningstar! -- I am really looking forward to this Campaign as a model of how a "Golden Age" setting should work!

 

[Monster Manuel]

No problem, BFG, I hope it meets your expectations!

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

continuing the hijack:

Add my mame to the Planescape petition. BIG fan here. Failing an official version of the setting, I'd sure like to see some publisher come up with a series of books devoted to different planes. And I don't mean athe 32 page kind of "book" either.

I liked DarkSun for what it was, but it ran it's course in my Opinion - Things got a bit messy after the Ruling Dragons started falling IMO.

 

[Staffan]

I liked DarkSun for what it was, but it ran it's course in my Opinion - Things got a bit messy after the Ruling Dragons started falling IMO.

Well, it could use an update to 3e. I've mellowed somewhat toward the one at athas.org, but I still don't like the genericization of the divine spellcasters.

And I'm one of those weirdos who think the revised setting is a better setting to play in than the original one, on account of being more varied and offering more opportunities. I would have a much easier time running a campaign in Revised DS than in original DS. I disagreed with many of the rule changes, though.