WotC setting search winner - Eberron

[Emiricol]

Well, with all the good press I might take a look at midnight.

Aaron.

Good choice

I suspect the setting will be much more than "dinosaurs and trains." From the reports from the folks at the seminar from GenCon, it seems that trains were mentioned as an example of "magical technology." Magical technology being the focus, trains just the example.

Then they did a horrid job promoting it, and should have waited rather than running off half-cocked with a lame introduction. As to magical technology, that's sort of cool, but not much different than IK's steampunk or Dragonstar's idea of spellware.

I *will* take a look at it when it comes out, but based on what I know so far this one seems like a stinker. Not to mention the fact that it apparently violated the guidelines, which might even be actionable if anyone cared to press the matter.

 

[Gargoyle]

FYI, the setting is not technologically advanced. The technology is medieval level. That was made clear in the seminar.

Magic is being used in daily life rather than tech, so you do have very tall buildings being held up by magic, and some magical transport. An example that was given is that on the Forgotten Realms a farmer uses middle ages technology to farm (plows etc.) On Eberron, a farmer would use magic.

 

[Emiricol]

So, very very high magic world? That kind of magic would require gazillions of mages with craft feats or high level spells, I'd imagine. Did they get into that in the seminar?

And again, the way this was all presented was horrible

 

[Aitch Eye]

Not to mention the fact that it apparently violated the guidelines, which might even be actionable if anyone cared to press the matter.

How? As WotC said at the time, it was a setting search, not a contest. The procedures might have resembled those of a contest, but the final three didn't get prize money, they got a contract to write a 100 page document that WoTC would own. They were being paid for the setting and their work as freelancers. The "winner" got a contract to do the full book.

(edit: Original post got eaten for several minutes before coming out with the end missing. This is what I rewrote while I thought it was gone.)

 

[Emiricol]

How? As WotC said at the time, it was not a contest, it was a search. The screening process might resemble the setup of a contest, but remember, the top three weren't getting prize money, they got a contract to write a 100 page document that WotC would own. The money came from them being paid for their setting and their work. The winner got a contract to do the full

Because there's some money involved. First of all, you don't need to be able to win to sue and settle. Second of all, WOTC itself laid out guidelines and then, it MIGHT be interpreted, selected a submission that violated its guidelines. Any of the people who tailored their submission to the guidelines presented could (conceivably) pursue damages, particularly punitive damages.

When you are talking about lawyers, whether the case is valid or nor, or winnable or not, is often not a primary consideration.

Anyway, it is all pretty far-fetched. Not like that one line was the focus of the post Just a comment.

 

[Desdichado]

Doesn't the article quite clearly say this is not steampunk? Magical Industry is not steampunk. Lots of typical and frankly fairly pathetic knee-jerk reactions on this thread; latching onto words that don't even seem to describe the setting, and denouncing the setting because of it.

 

[Angcuru]

I shall simply say that publishing these books will be a waste of time, money, and trees.

Who chose the final by the way? Someone find him and poison his grape nuts.

 

[Gargoyle]

So, very very high magic world? That kind of magic would require gazillions of mages with craft feats or high level spells, I'd imagine. Did they get into that in the seminar?

And again, the way this was all presented was horrible

They did mention that not everyone was a spellcaster, and that there aren't loads of high level spellcasters like in the Forgotten Realms, so there is something else going on to explain how these magical things are crafted.

When asked if there would be new races and classes, the answer was "Yes". I don't know if that refers to new core classes that can be taken at 1st level, or simply prestige classes, but it certainly sounded like the former.

They didn't get into any details at the seminar. The stuff in the press release that gamingreport.com received was not mentioned or given to us during the seminar, so we (the general populace) didn't have any opportunities to ask questions about the action points or anything else referred to in that document.

 

[coyote6]

Until I see more information, I'm dismissing this one as a piece of piss-poor world-building with little or no attempt at verisimlitude. This means that I can't suspend my disbelief, so the setting fails as a work of fiction. Genre doesn't matter.

The prerequisities for a civilization possessed of Industrial Age technology

Where do you get "Industrial Age technology" from the Gaming Report piece? THey said "urban and industrial themes"; you can have an industrial theme with not a hint of Industrial Age technology. Exhibit A: Isengard, in the Two Towers.

As for "piss-poor world-building" -- wha-huh? It could be the worst mish-mash of world-building since Space: 1999, or it could be a masterpiece of such intricacy and skill that Tolkien would tip his hat. There's absolutely no way to tell (of course, either extreme is probably fairly easy to rule out).

Y'all have some incredible Jump (Conclusions) skill modifiers; I don't think that less-than-300-word report gives enough space for a running jump.

Edit: James, you were there; what's your impression on how accurate and well-written the Gaming Report article is? That's not a WotC press release; it's an article written by a GR reporter. You can't blame WotC for any crappiness in the writing (you can blame WotC for any crappiness in the actual seminar, of course).

 

[Myconid Sage]

DM: [To Players]"Ahh...yeah...like you see a Tyrannasaurus Rex riding a train, bening pulled by a stone golem."
Player 1: [to the DM], "Dude, this world rawks! My Mage-Farmer blasts his dino butt with a fireball."
Player 2: [to DM and Player 1] "Hell yeah, Steampunk and Eberron for life! My Dwarven Train Engineer readies is steam powered vibo-axe and waits for the charge. My Dwarf grumbles 'Your gonna pay for stealin' my train, your hide is gonna make me a pair of boots...."

Based on limited info, I say STONE! It may be good, just a bad first press release, but Steampunk just ain't my bag baby!

Hey Tarrasque Wrangler, nice Blazing Saddles line! LOL

[edit] Must learn to spell [/edit]