Would you pay for a new, original campaign setting?

[Y.O.Morales]

All of us know that most campaign settings published out there have a lot of things in common, derived from what I would call a "Tolkien" fantasy. Stuff like tree-loving elves, dwarf miners with long beards, dragons, etc. etc. It has been like this for many years and hoping to see something new, we just get a "campaign setting search" by WoTC looking for another of such fantasy worlds.

So what is your opinion? Would you spend a couple of bucks in a different kind of fantasy campaign setting? One that would have a lot of original elements and revamps of old things while still preserving a few classics? Even a campaign setting that does not spin around the theme of good vs. evil? Whatever your opinion, please vote below and let know your opinion.

 

[Nightfall]

Well I'm already sold on the Scarred Lands, so getting a new one...just doesn't seem worth it. That said, if I read and liked it, might be different story.

 

[Katerek]

I will buy the contest winner when it comes out regardless, just to support what is being done by WoTC there. I think it is a cool idea. Unless of course mine is the one chosen, then I suspect I won't have to buy it, as I will have already written it.

As far as any other campaign setting, yeah, I like a little divergence from Tolien flavor. I do not, however, want TOO much. I do not know how to clarify what I am saying really but I can offer an example.

Earthdawn was a bit much for me, I liked some of the concepts, but all the weird races (Windling, Rock people, et al) just didn't do much for me. Don't get me wrong, ED is a cool game, and I have played it, but when it comes to long term playability, I always come home to DnD.

 

[Gargoyle273]

Buying a new world

I'd have to say that any new campaign world would have to be pretty damn good to get me to start playing it rather than my own, especially after having worked so much of it out due to the WotC contest. Even writing that one page entry made me work so much of my own world out that the only reason i would look into buying a new Campaign world is if it had enough cool ideas to steal or salvage. Realms has some usefulness to it, but only to steal their better spells, the occasional map and maybe a prestige class, but over all, I havent been that impressed.

I really hope that the caliber of work WotC gets from this solicitation is really good. The real hard part is in making the transition from a home brew campaign world to a completely different WORLD without ending the campain, and without it being some totally lame
"One day you are walking down the street, then you run into a portal to another place, then hey look! You now find yourself in Fearun 2 complete with all the nifty things in this book."

Well, not that constructive but you asked for feedback. javascript:smilie('')

 

[Y.O.Morales]

On the next days I will post a few concepts of the world so everyone can see that it is not TOO different... it just keeps a balance and provides DMs with ways to adapt the campaign as they want.

 

[Silver Dragon]

I used to be all about published campaign settings. I own and still enjoy DMing/playing in DragonLance, Forgotten Realms, and RavenLoft.

In my most recent campaign, however, I'm running a setting of my own design. While slighly more work so far, I found it's actually easier when DMing because you're a lot less inclined to look something up. You're always very familliar with a world of your own designed and thus can make it seem much more real more easilly. It's also very nice to be able to make the world *exactly* the way you want.

 

[Churchill]

Maybe...

It would all depend on the setting and how the products looked. There is no way I'd buy one sight unseen. Still, it's not likely that I'd buy a setting even then since making one up is my favorite part of GMing. In many ways I prefer creating the world than actually playing/running it.

 

[Mistwell]

Oh, see, here I thought the question implied "From WOTC, or from an otherwise published author with name recognition in this industry".

Would I buy a new setting from a totally unknown author, that was not backed by WOTC? No, not a prayer.

 

[Harlock]

I will buy any setting if it is nice and generic enough for me to swipe the good stuff and put in my campaign. If it was REALLY good, I would use it as is. And, by really good I am talking about better than FR or some such. Also, I'd like a little divergence from the Tolkien-ish elements, but if you stray too far it becomes a new game and not D&D. Sorry, I cannot give an example of what I wish for because if I knew I would write it myself! I'll know it when I see it.

 

[nazgul]

If you're looking for something that goes beyond traditional fantasy, you might check out Shadow World. It's for Rolemaster, but it's well-done and you should be able to convert it fairly easily. Some DMs have already done part of the work (prestige classes, etc.) In any even, it has its roots in traditional fantasy, but there are many interesting twists.