WotC setting search winner - Eberron

[Kesh]

It was my attempt at a comical observation, but let's get geeky anyway. Let's assume this train is about the same size as a train from the early part of the 20th century, which the design seems to emulate. Let's say, such a train is about 10-12 feet tall. Given that scale, that train appears to be 5-6 feet off the ground. Seems like that'd be enough of a clearance for your average holstein, and anyway you wouldn't want that nasty-looking cowcatcher hitting old Bessie mid-section, would you? That'd be a b***h to clean off.

So, it's a dinosaur-catcher instead.

{Edit} Darn you, drnuncheon! I missed your comment the first time.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

What I find interesting about this setting, seems to be what is turning a lot of people off...

There have been constant threads about "If magic is so powerful and there's so many mages, then why doesn't [insert something more modern here] exist/happen/etc?" This setting seems to be taking that, and DOING it. I find that it doesn't hurt the suspension of disbelief, but HELPS it. Why? Because think of it this way.

This is extremely high magic from what we know. That means lots of powerful mages etc. Why WOULDN'T something be done to make travel faster? Why WOULDN'T something be done to make farming easier? Etc etc etc. I find it stupid NOT to use magic if its that abundant.

Now, that kind of high magic doesn't appeal to everyone, and I personally like low magic much more...but that's mainly because its easier to say WHY something doesn't happen since magic isn't so common.

 

[rounser]

There have been constant threads about "If magic is so powerful and there's so many mages, then why doesn't [insert something more modern here] exist/happen/etc?" This setting seems to be taking that, and DOING it. I find that it doesn't hurt the suspension of disbelief, but HELPS it. Why? Because think of it this way.

Can't say I've noticed the "constant threads" that you're referring to, but I will comment on why I disagree with your assertion. It's because, at it's heart, D&D is trying to simulate a genre. Sometimes it fails (paladins and assassins casting spells etc.) or exposes nonsense parts of fantasy (why don't monsters destroy towns, why not use magical lighting everywhere etc.).

But I think it is a huge mistake to take that as a reason to put the cart in front of the horse, and say that because our simulation sucks in some ways or exposes nonsenses in S&S fantasy, we should make the setting reflect the nonsenses and failures of our genre and system in order to make it consistent. It leads to a crazy setting where D&D's idioms and sword & sorcery fantasy's idioms are magnified and dwelled on until the cat chases it's tail, and that which was supposed to be simulated becomes irrelevant as the simulation begins to define it instead. This leads to designs such as the 3.5 prestige classes that have names and no archetypes, and are there because of a failure in the rules, another example of the cart put in front of the horse.

It's more difficult to ignore these idioms as of 3E because they're spelt out in greater detail (X number of wizards per town, and explicit magic item creation), but they should be ignored if one can, IMO, not put up on a pedestal and have all they imply extended until it defines the setting more than what they were originally trying to simulate does.

(I hope that's intelligible; I'm having difficulty getting across the concept because it's a little convoluted, but hopefully you can make sense of it.)

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

(I hope that's intelligible; I'm having difficulty getting across the concept because it's a little convoluted, but hopefully you can make sense of it.)

I see what you mean, and I don't completely disagree at all. Its just that the fact that this setting is taking a turn towards the "What if..." rather than ignoring it, is what interests me. I'm not really for or against it yet...but I'm definatly interested.

 

[rounser]

. Its just that the fact that this setting is taking a turn towards the "What if..." rather than ignoring it, is what interests me.

You're not alone. I believe Monte Cook's Ptolus setting is partially the result of such logical extension of D&D idiosyncracies as well.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

Maybe it's necessary to collect the harmonic radiance of the ley line that the train travels on (via 'pyramid power') to power the rest of the train.

I hope that's not how it works. Kevin Siembieda will throw a hissy. You do not want to see a grown-up game designer throw a hissy. It ain't pretty.

Maybe it's a dueling weapon. J

I take it all back. If Eberron has the long-awaited rules for train duelling, it just became a must-buy!

 

[drnuncheon]

I hope that's not how it works. Kevin Siembieda will throw a hissy. You do not want to see a grown-up game designer throw a hissy. It ain't pretty.

Because we all know that Kevin Siembieda invented ley lines, pyramid power, and the Internet.

Maybe it's WOTC's vengeance for The Primal Order?

J

 

[Gellion]

I dont see why everybody has to analyze things so much, cant Fantasy just be Fantasy. It doesnt have to have an explaination for every single little thing in the world.

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

Because we all know that Kevin Siembieda invented ley lines, pyramid power, and the Internet.
J

Actually, Rifts: New West has hovering trains that ride ley lines. Eerie, huh? We've all tapped into the Hack Game Designer Collective Unconscious!

 

[2d6]

Originally posted by Tarrasque Wrangler


I hope that's not how it works. Kevin Siembieda will throw a hissy. You do not want to see a grown-up game designer throw a hissy. It ain't pretty.

I believe we have sunk to yet a new low