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arry
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
317 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 11:25:50
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We have heard many things from WotC at GENCON, and they all sound good. However, words are one thing, deeds another. WotC have made many promises over the years and their record of keeping them is not good. Like others here I will reserve judgement until I see concrete results of those promises. We have two years to go, what will happen in those two years, will the people who made the promises still be at WotC? Will the goals have changed, who knows?
The news that the Realms back catalogue is to be released in electronic format is wonderful. Like others however, I do not want these in a proprietary format and I want to own them outright, not have them available for the duration of a subscription.
I am ecstatic that Ed is finally at the helm of the Realms. It was noticeable, however, that he was reading from an autocue; Ed spoke the words but who wrote them?
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4492 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 13:08:12
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quote:
Originally posted by arry
The news that the Realms back catalogue is to be released in electronic format is wonderful. Like others however, I do not want these in a proprietary format and I want to own them outright, not have them available for the duration of a subscription.
Most likely it'll be like DDI articles in that you can view them like a PDF and download them to your hard-drive, external HD, thumbdrive, etc... So it's not like if you stop your subscription, they'll go away so long as you download them during/after purchase. |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator
E6 Options: Epic 6 Campaign |
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Tarlyn
Learned Scribe
USA
315 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 14:20:49
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I think the new team deserves a chance. I am the first one to say I would have preferred alternate timelines or a reboot. However, if WotC is putting Ed in charge of the change then I am willing to give it a chance. Also, every indication is that the team is going to be repairing the damage done by the 4e transitional events.
quote:
Originally posted by Arry
I am ecstatic that Ed is finally at the helm of the Realms. It was noticeable, however, that he was reading from an autocue; Ed spoke the words but who wrote them?
I wasn't there, so I cannot comment on whether there was a script. I do think that the team up there new what questions were coming and in what order, it was obivious with all the predone video support. I am also willing to question WotC intergrity at every turn, however if Ed was willing to go up there and read a script, I think he believes in the script.
My major concern is the direction after the sundering. I think it is cool that WotC is taking fan feedback and allowing that to kind of drive the Realms from messageboards, but I am not thrilled about having official adventures drive the Realms storyline. I have two main concerns.
1) I like to design my own adventures and stories in the Realms. I occasionally use published adventures, but if I have the time I like to do it myself. This new format means that because I care about the Realms, I am compelled to run / play in two pre publish modules a year to have a "vote" in the settings future direction.
2) Their are a lot of people that don't like the Realms period. It does not matter what era you are talking about and WotC just told them that the settings they do like would not be receiving support for a while / indefinately. I think that there are people out there mean spirited enough to report false results from adventures just to damage the official Realms. It does not take a lot of messagebaord surfing to find people complaining about FR. I would be a lot happier with this kind of approach if another setting was being released as well that is dramatically different than the classic Realms say Eberron, Ravenloft or Darksun. That way a majority of those people would not feel like WotC is trying to force Realms on them.
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Tarlyn Embersun |
Edited by - Tarlyn on 19 Aug 2012 14:23:09 |
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Arcanus
Senior Scribe
485 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:01:27
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| I am a bit cautious. It's all very well Ed being at the helm of things but let's not forget that he is the creator of the Realms, he is not the sole creator of the world that is actually used. That title goes to many different people, who, over the years have all added their own ideas and creative flair. |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3823 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:21:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Tarlyn
[...]
2) There are a lot of people that don't like the Realms period. It does not matter what era you are talking about and WotC just told them that the settings they do like would not be receiving support for a while / indefinitely. I think that there are people out there mean spirited enough to report false results from adventures just to damage the official Realms. It does not take a lot of messageboard surfing to find people complaining about FR.
[...]
This is something to take in consideration. FR haters are not few as far as I can see, and we've already felt the result of their complaints in the past... |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 19 Aug 2012 15:24:14 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36982 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:29:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Arcanus
I am a bit cautious. It's all very well Ed being at the helm of things but let's not forget that he is the creator of the Realms, he is not the sole creator of the world that is actually used. That title goes to many different people, who, over the years have all added their own ideas and creative flair.
While that's true, some of the ideas and flair that have been added have detracted more than they've added. With Ed riding shotgun over the Realms herd, we'll have far less of those bad ideas. Ed isn't one to shoot down something because it's not his idea -- he'll either say "oh, that's cool, let's do it!" or he'll say "this idea has merit, but what if we tweak this just a little bit to make it fit better?"
With the promise of no more RSEs after the Sundering, there isn't going to be as much potential for damage to the setting. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36982 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:34:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Tarlyn
2) Their are a lot of people that don't like the Realms period. It does not matter what era you are talking about and WotC just told them that the settings they do like would not be receiving support for a while / indefinately. I think that there are people out there mean spirited enough to report false results from adventures just to damage the official Realms. It does not take a lot of messagebaord surfing to find people complaining about FR. I would be a lot happier with this kind of approach if another setting was being released as well that is dramatically different than the classic Realms say Eberron, Ravenloft or Darksun. That way a majority of those people would not feel like WotC is trying to force Realms on them.
Has WotC actually said there's only going to be one setting? Because I'm thinking they'd not focus that much on discussing other settings in a seminar devoted to one particular setting.
And while the concern about Realms haters is a valid one, I think that going thru the effort of reporting false results in an attempt to damage the setting is going to be more than most people would want to do. It will likely be a lot easier to whine on a random forum than it it will be to falsify adventure results.
Simply having people have to register, and perhaps answer a few Realms questions while doing so, would cut thru a lot of that.
Even if people do go thru that effort, I don't think there would be enough of them to counteract the dedicated Realms fans who are participating. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Jeremy Grenemyer
Great Reader
USA
2717 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:38:24
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What Wooley said. I'll add that Mearls indicated the aggregate results of reported adventures would determine what becomes official in the Realms.
He also indicated that WotC isn't forgetting about the other settings. |
Look for me and my content at EN World (user name: sanishiver). |
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arry
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
317 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:39:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
quote:
Originally posted by arry
The news that the Realms back catalogue is to be released in electronic format is wonderful. Like others however, I do not want these in a proprietary format and I want to own them outright, not have them available for the duration of a subscription.
Most likely it'll be like DDI articles in that you can view them like a PDF and download them to your hard-drive, external HD, thumbdrive, etc... So it's not like if you stop your subscription, they'll go away so long as you download them during/after purchase.
I hope you're right; we'll see. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 15:55:14
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Well, we know that Greyhawk is coming back in some form, didn't they spend a bit of time during the keynote talking about it before shifting over to the Realms?
The people who should really be worrying are Eberron fans. Not a single mention in the keynote. Doesn't mean it's dead, but it does seem to have at least gotten moved to the third burner. Which is too bad; I like Eberron. Not as much as FR, obviously, but I think it's an interesting setting, and would be sad to see it die. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 16:25:41
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My "etched in stone" question was rhetorical. The writing is on the wall and in the published products. The only reason I don't take a stone tablet and etch "multi-era support, all inclusive of all lore" is because it would mess up my knife.
WotC has said what's going on and has shown what's going on. I don't know what else you need.
I'm going to move on now. I'm not going to suggest you "wait and see"--I'm going to suggest you look at what's already there.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 18:13:33
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A Half-Dozen Desired Dos and Don'ts
in which I once more without shame state the bleedin' obvious
- Please avoid sourcebooks divided into sections by multiple authors when it's possible. In normal-sized books, as opposed to setting and rules compendia where several contributors are necessary, a single continuous voice allows for much greater coherence and depth -- as in the Volo's Guides and FOR series, Cormanthyr and Lands of Intrigue, compared to the 3E patchworks.
- The sense of a real, lived-in world has been harmed by what I've called foreshortening, a tendency where distant things are made close, hard things easy, complex things simple, different things similar, rare things common. For instance, easy spell acquisition and magic item creation; common (rather than occasional) dwarven wizards, tieflings and aasimar; thinking and speaking of 'the Realms' as a whole rather than linked local parts, with modern fast communication, ideas of fame, etc., and the idea of controlling or affecting it as a whole, which Ed raises as a matter of in-Realms satire in his novels; bringing past and geographically distant races etc. into the immediate present (elves, dwarves, drow, Shades, etc.). Doing a few of these things occasionally can be dramatic; as a trend it's degrading, dull and homogenizing.
- A specific case of the above: the overfamiliarization of exotic and alien distant lands, a false cosmopolitanism, the loss of focus on their original role as sources of strange tales and travellers when they got detailed from-within, and in the omniscient perspective of the 3E FRCS compared to the less exhaustive but more immersive first one. Some more stress on the original perspective, as in "Ed Says: Geography", would be excellent.
- Don't change the setting to fit the rules. Isn't it clearer than ever at times like this, between D&D editions, how absurd it is to erode the Realms' autonomous, self-consistent integrity by treating it as subservient fluff to the latest ruleset?
- Get the style of character names right all the time, just as you would any other point of continuity. If an author doesn't have a knack for Realms names, improve or change them in editing, as Ed Greenwood's own Kalamar names were in Geanavue. Say no to fantasy apostrophes.
- Don't tie adventures needlessly to the timeline. Some are so tied by their premise, like the Godswar and Sundering ones, but attaching an adventure rigidly to a particular period or temporary situation limits its use.
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 19:09:54
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| Erik: I'm trying to look at what's already there; unfortunately, Menzo isn't the easiest book to find. Three books stores this morning, all with gaming materials, none with it. Either it's selling like hotcakes and I've already missed out, or it's not in a very wide release. I'm willing to give it a chance, but I've got to find the thing first. As for the rest, wait and see is the best WotC can get, since none of the other stuff out there addresses these concerns. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 19:13:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Erik: I'm trying to look at what's already there; unfortunately, Menzo isn't the easiest book to find. Three books stores this morning, all with gaming materials, none with it. Either it's selling like hotcakes and I've already missed out, or it's not in a very wide release. I'm willing to give it a chance, but I've got to find the thing first. As for the rest, wait and see is the best WotC can get, since none of the other stuff out there addresses these concerns.
Menzo book isn't supposed to be released until the 21st. Myself, I have to wait until Tuesday to snag it. |
Edited by - Eilserus on 19 Aug 2012 19:14:08 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 19:19:33
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Aha, well now that makes more sense why I could find it.  Thanks. I'll head back on Tuesday and see what's to see. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 19:33:17
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quote:
Originally posted by arry
We have heard many things from WotC at GENCON, and they all sound good. However, words are one thing, deeds another. WotC have made many promises over the years and their record of keeping them is not good. Like others here I will reserve judgement until I see concrete results of those promises. We have two years to go, what will happen in those two years, will the people who made the promises still be at WotC? Will the goals have changed, who knows?
The news that the Realms back catalogue is to be released in electronic format is wonderful. Like others however, I do not want these in a proprietary format and I want to own them outright, not have them available for the duration of a subscription.
I am ecstatic that Ed is finally at the helm of the Realms. It was noticeable, however, that he was reading from an autocue; Ed spoke the words but who wrote them?
I cannot envision any scenario where Ed would read words he didn't write. I think he would walk away before doing something he didnt believe in . |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 19:44:25
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| Agreed. Yes, a lot of what he was saying when he was introducing the six books sounded like it had been written beforehand (it's amazing the subtle differences in voice between when you're saying something you rehearsed, and when you're speaking off the cuff), but considering he's been working with all of these people for months, why do you think he didn't write his own speech? It had Ed's flair for the dramatic, after all. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12194 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 20:16:54
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
Ripping abeir and toil back apart sounds like a change to me.
AO, Mystra, Helm and most likely Mask returning is change.
Addressing the spell plague is a huge change
If anyone gets it, it is Erik.
Last time around I remember talk of Ed remaining on board trying to do what he could to nudge the boat a bit if he could.
This time Ed is not the captain, he's the fleet admiral.
That is huge.
I may be out of synch with some new news? Where are they promising all this? I like what I'm hearing of the return of those gods. I like hearing that Abeir and Toril separate again (especially if Mulhorand and Unther return)... it would be nice if Halruaa recovers as well... and if Thay could be reformed... maybe not in the same place if it has to happen that way, but a good old magocracy led by the former Zulkirs would be nice. Hell, if they changed things up and opened up the Zulkirships up to some alternative casting styles (maybe after having learned more from surrounding lands) and possibly a ruling class that's not exclusively mulan, I wouldn't complain, as long as the core idea were there (i.e. evil group of mages, warring amongst themselves but working together against their neighbors, using magic to improve their life at the expense of their neighbors, having slaves, using monsters, political strife, evil religions allowed but treated as a lesser class, etc...). By the way, if someone did run with that idea... the area where they were building the canal might actually make a good place for relocation (I'd have to see what all is there to see who all would be cheesed by the idea) |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1288 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 20:23:52
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quote:
Originally posted by Arcanus
I am a bit cautious. It's all very well Ed being at the helm of things but let's not forget that he is the creator of the Realms, he is not the sole creator of the world that is actually used. That title goes to many different people, who, over the years have all added their own ideas and creative flair.
The way I am reading this is:
The 3 to 4 changeover was a development decision and that was turned over to the writers to make it work.
The 4 to next changeover is a WRITING decision handed over to developers to make it work.
I love the latter much more.
I am excited, and I am going to start catching up on more realms books that i fell away from with the changeover.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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Mournblade
Master of Realmslore
USA
1288 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 20:27:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Faraer
Don't change the setting to fit the rules. Isn't it clearer than ever at times like this, between D&D editions, how absurd it is to erode the Realms' autonomous, self-consistent integrity by treating it as subservient fluff to the latest ruleset?
Get the style of character names right all the time, just as you would any other point of continuity. If an author doesn't have a knack for Realms names, improve or change them in editing, as Ed Greenwood's own Kalamar names were in Geanavue. Say no to fantasy apostrophes.
Don't tie adventures needlessly to the timeline. Some are so tied by their premise, like the Godswar and Sundering ones, but attaching an adventure rigidly to a particular period or temporary situation limits its use.
[/list]
From the keynote I am getting the impression that the above bullet points will be satisfied.
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A wizard is Never late Frodo Baggins. Nor is he Early. A wizard arrives precisely when he means to... |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 22:10:27
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
Ripping abeir and toil back apart sounds like a change to me.
AO, Mystra, Helm and most likely Mask returning is change.
Addressing the spell plague is a huge change
If anyone gets it, it is Erik.
Last time around I remember talk of Ed remaining on board trying to do what he could to nudge the boat a bit if he could.
This time Ed is not the captain, he's the fleet admiral.
That is huge.
I may be out of synch with some new news? Where are they promising all this? I like what I'm hearing of the return of those gods. I like hearing that Abeir and Toril separate again (especially if Mulhorand and Unther return)... it would be nice if Halruaa recovers as well... and if Thay could be reformed... maybe not in the same place if it has to happen that way, but a good old magocracy led by the former Zulkirs would be nice. Hell, if they changed things up and opened up the Zulkirships up to some alternative casting styles (maybe after having learned more from surrounding lands) and possibly a ruling class that's not exclusively mulan, I wouldn't complain, as long as the core idea were there (i.e. evil group of mages, warring amongst themselves but working together against their neighbors, using magic to improve their life at the expense of their neighbors, having slaves, using monsters, political strife, evil religions allowed but treated as a lesser class, etc...). By the way, if someone did run with that idea... the area where they were building the canal might actually make a good place for relocation (I'd have to see what all is there to see who all would be cheesed by the idea)
I dont think you missed any official news, I think that's coming later.
By at the Candlekeep seminar, all those things we're address, most more than on e and by multiple people. Also the wotc decision makers did not contradict any of it, but verified many, most importantly that all realms design goes through Ed. All the above points were addressed by Ed, so that's as concrete as it gets with this new team. |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2012 : 22:12:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Mournblade
quote:
Originally posted by Arcanus
I am a bit cautious. It's all very well Ed being at the helm of things but let's not forget that he is the creator of the Realms, he is not the sole creator of the world that is actually used. That title goes to many different people, who, over the years have all added their own ideas and creative flair.
The way I am reading this is:
The 3 to 4 changeover was a development decision and that was turned over to the writers to make it work.
The 4 to next changeover is a WRITING decision handed over to developers to make it work.
I love the latter much more.
I am excited, and I am going to start catching up on more realms books that i fell away from with the changeover.
The way I understand it, the sundering will be the last instance of a proclamation from On high telli. The writers/designers here is what happens , now make it work. They are going to be allowed to write more of what they want |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 01:12:45
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Good to have met you RW - I'm sorry we didn't get to talk more.
As Walker states, there is going to be one last mega-RSE, which they need to do to restore some of what we lost. We want this one, trust me. I am not sure if it is connected to the Rise of the Underdark thing. I had assumed it was, but looking back no-one actually said this, and I didn't think to ask.
After it is all over, the stage will be set of 5eFR. At that point, only 'small stories' will be told. At least, thats the plan. Our characters will be the movers and shakers in the world, and some of what they do will be reflected in future Realms events. YES, that means what happens at YOUR table could become canon. The Realms will no longer highlight the stories of the elite. What you do can actually matter. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 02:29:29
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I'll tell all tomorrow. Why? Because I'm exhausted and legally green lighted to talk tomorrow.
quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
quote:
Originally posted by arry
The news that the Realms back catalogue is to be released in electronic format is wonderful. Like others however, I do not want these in a proprietary format and I want to own them outright, not have them available for the duration of a subscription.
My understanding is that you can download them individually. WotC is still formalizing their plan on that point.
quote:
[quote]I am ecstatic that Ed is finally at the helm of the Realms. It was noticeable, however, that he was reading from an autocue; Ed spoke the words but who wrote them?
I cannot envision any scenario where Ed would read words he didn't write. I think he would walk away before doing something he didnt believe in .
Please don't read anything into that. It was a hugely important historic event shaping the course of wotc's entire future. Ed had a TelePrompTer available to display a speech he wrote/helped write in the course of an all-day meeting Wednesday. It was important and Ed, being the classy professional he is, wanted to make sure he got it exactly correct.
On that note, I'm gonna sign off, go home, and sleep. Sweet water and light laughter--hit me up tomorrow for more infos.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Arcanus
Senior Scribe
485 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 02:37:23
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| Is ed's next elminster book being released as scheduled? |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 02:41:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Good to have met you RW - I'm sorry we didn't get to talk more.
As Walker states, there is going to be one last mega-RSE, which they need to do to restore some of what we lost. We want this one, trust me. I am not sure if it is connected to the Rise of the Underdark thing. I had assumed it was, but looking back no-one actually said this, and I didn't think to ask.
After it is all over, the stage will be set of 5eFR. At that point, only 'small stories' will be told. At least, thats the plan. Our characters will be the movers and shakers in the world, and some of what they do will be reflected in future Realms events. YES, that means what happens at YOUR table could become canon. The Realms will no longer highlight the stories of the elite. What you do can actually matter.
I'm sorry as well...I'll take the blame. I had to leave when I did. I'd had a full days work on the farm, the had a meeting the next morning with an important potential new client. As is I had only 4 hours sleep that night!
Thats the only reason I kinda bumped in and shook your hand and introduced myself to you while you were talking to Paul S Kemp. I wouldn't have wanted to interrupt you for any other reason but it was nice talking to you two if on for 10 minutes.
And we were told " hey we are not going o blow up Zhentilkeep again, but of you guys do.....it will blow up again."
Also had the example that they weren't going to nuke Candlekeep either, but if enough of us did....it would happen. |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 02:42:29
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IIRC, he said something about 'next month', which I assume means it is on schedule (I don't know the schedule myself).
EDIT: And he said that the index was so intensive (and LOOONG) that they chose to put it in a web-enhancement rather then eat-up page count. This was music to my ears.
Someone disagreed with me at the con on this point - not sure why someone would want less pages of Ed Greenwood goodness. Maybe they only buy the books for the indexes {sarcasm}. To be honest, I don't think she understood she wasn't going to get both. As for me, WE's are where all glossaries, indexes, appendixes, maps, etc should go. The more lore the better (or maybe thats just me). |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 20 Aug 2012 02:53:20 |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 03:16:05
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Next Elminster book was available at the con, so I think it's on schedule.
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Caolin
Senior Scribe
769 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 04:00:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
Good to have met you RW - I'm sorry we didn't get to talk more.
As Walker states, there is going to be one last mega-RSE, which they need to do to restore some of what we lost. We want this one, trust me. I am not sure if it is connected to the Rise of the Underdark thing. I had assumed it was, but looking back no-one actually said this, and I didn't think to ask.
After it is all over, the stage will be set of 5eFR. At that point, only 'small stories' will be told. At least, thats the plan. Our characters will be the movers and shakers in the world, and some of what they do will be reflected in future Realms events. YES, that means what happens at YOUR table could become canon. The Realms will no longer highlight the stories of the elite. What you do can actually matter.
As a novel reader I am a little worried about this. I think it is a step in the right direction. But I would hate to see the novels become "boring" as a result of telling these "small stories". Granted, this relies solely on the author's ability as a writer. But seeing that FR has some amazing authors it makes me only a "little" worried.
Don't get me wrong though, I love the idea of players driving the events of the Realms. But didn't they try this with the Living Realms? Either way, I hope we still get some stories involving the power players of the Realms. I enjoy those, but a good mix of small localized stories and stories involving some iconic characters would be nice. I mean, Elminster doesn't have to be in mortal danger or saving the world in every novel. I think it would be fun to have a whole novel where he is shown teasing and foiling the Zhentarim. But that's just me. |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3290 Posts |
Posted - 20 Aug 2012 : 05:39:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Arcanus
Is ed's next elminster book being released as scheduled?
Sept 4th is the official release date. |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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