FR History update [Archive] - Wizards Community

FR History update [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Caterane
10-23-03, 01:49 PM I once read that the Realms develop at a pace of 2 months in 5 months real time.

Where can I view these updates in FR history?
Kuje31
10-23-03, 01:53 PM Originally posted by Caterane
I once read that the Realms develop at a pace of 2 months in 5 months real time.

Where can I view these updates in FR history?

That really didn't happen (it was printed in the FRCS), because WOTC laid off a lot of people or a few people quit, and so finally in March, when the Player's Guide, comes out is when the new year will be in the sourcebooks.

Underdark has some minor updates about the Spider Queen module and book series.....
ElGrecoETAC
10-23-03, 04:05 PM The FR design team should really look at getting the funding and talent to publish a semi-annual or annual FR Gazeteer that evolves the Realms through a continuing history. This would be a nice way to give you the impression of "living Realms" and an opportunity to detail places, people, and cultures that usually need to be crammed and abbreviated in much bigger sourcebooks.
Caterane
10-23-03, 04:27 PM Well spoken!

I would love to see such a Gazetter. I`m even glad when I find small information about a lean-to in the midst of Cormanthyr in the Dragon.

It`s no solution to release an expensive sourcebook once in a while. I even want to read the smaller details and if it`s just a gossip in Nesme
Faraer
10-23-03, 04:39 PM The problem with that is it wouldn't sell to non-Realms players, or to as many Realms players as DMs, AND it would only appeal to that part of the audience who likes and follows the advancing timeline. There's an awful lot of Realmslore I'd have in preference.

I don't think an advancing timeline, or at least the kind that's being done, is anything like the best way to convey the living Realms, but that's another discussion.
ElGrecoETAC
10-23-03, 05:11 PM Hey, to each their own! :)

I'm not sure why you think such a product would not sell well to FR gamers (or at least enough to make it worth WotC's while). Non-FR gamers, sure, I understand they couldn't care less--but the same could be said of their attitude toward the FRCS or any number of sourcebooks.

I can see how a lot of folks wouldn't want a "metaplot" timeline that they didn't truly use. However, each subsequent boxed set/campaign setting HAS advanced the timeline. It is simply our choice to adhere to it, or to incorporate new information as we see fit, culling the stuff we do not enjoy. Either way, timeline or Realmslore, I think a recurring publication bringing to focus parts of Faerun we ordinarily would only get small blurbs of is a good idea. I would even advocate smaller Gazeteers that act as companions to high-selling FR novels--a guide to NPC and monster stats, etc.
Kuje31
10-23-03, 05:30 PM I'd buy them, if they had more fluff in them then the current FR books do. There's only so many spells, feats, skills, monsters, magical items, etc that you can use. But you can never run out of fluff about an area (which is why I miss how they books used to be. :))
Caterane
10-23-03, 05:38 PM I love the Volo`s Guides because they display the FR in great detail! There are even prices for various inns listed, not to mention names of characters and places; or gossip which always inspires me with new ideas for adventures.

A FR gazetter would be cool.
Reefy
10-24-03, 11:34 PM Originally posted by Caterane
I love the Volo`s Guides because they display the FR in great detail! There are even prices for various inns listed, not to mention names of characters and places; or gossip which always inspires me with new ideas for adventures.

A FR gazetter would be cool.

Couldn't agree more, I too would like to see more fluff. Maybe an online gazette every so often, or even just a small published one, not necessarily something that everyone would like (though I reckon there would be plenty of people who would go for it) but that just contains a small update, in the form of a short magazine or journal as opposed to a sourcebook. Six months seems like about the right period of time to me.
ksu_bond
10-24-03, 11:42 PM also at a reasonable price...unlike the more recent accessory books...I've had to go to ordering them online instead of from my local gaming stores
Herr Doktor
10-25-03, 11:17 AM Originally posted by Reefy
Maybe an online gazette every so often... That's a great idea!

I think they could even probably stick to the original plan of 2 months/ 5 laid out in the FRCS is they simply published updates to the timeline as a web article. At the rate of time they'd be releasing them I don't think it'd get in the way of anything, and it'd be very useful (at least to myself).

What do you guys think?
Kuje31
10-25-03, 04:32 PM Originally posted by Herr Doktor
That's a great idea!

I think they could even probably stick to the original plan of 2 months/ 5 laid out in the FRCS is they simply published updates to the timeline as a web article. At the rate of time they'd be releasing them I don't think it'd get in the way of anything, and it'd be very useful (at least to myself).

What do you guys think?

Seems like a good idea, you can never have to many small advancements to the time line, to turn into some small mini adventures/plot hooks......
Herr Doktor
10-25-03, 04:35 PM I just mentioned it on the Ask Rich Baker thread, maybe he can get in contact with the right people and make it happen?
Caterane
10-25-03, 04:45 PM Yes. I hope this will come to happen
Reefy
10-25-03, 09:44 PM Originally posted by Kuje31
Seems like a good idea, you can never have to many small advancements to the time line, to turn into some small mini adventures/plot hooks......

Are you thinking of something along the lines of the 'latest events/ calender' bit in the 2E FR box set? I think something like that would be nice, it just had the month for the current year and about three or four events that were happening in various places across Faerūn, giving plenty of possible plot hooks. Even something as small as that would be appreciated.
Kuje31
10-25-03, 09:50 PM Originally posted by Reefy
Are you thinking of something along the lines of the 'latest events/ calender' bit in the 2E FR box set? I think something like that would be nice, it just had the month for the current year and about three or four events that were happening in various places across Faerūn, giving plenty of possible plot hooks. Even something as small as that would be appreciated.

Yeah pretty much, or a large update to the time line could be used also. But I do miss those small updates in the time line from 2e.......
Reefy
10-26-03, 09:08 PM I think I just miss the fluff from 2E in general.
Has Rich given an answer yet?
Herr Doktor
10-27-03, 11:01 AM Originally posted by Reefy
I think I just miss the fluff from 2E in general.
Has Rich given an answer yet? He has now:
I agree that that would be a pretty cool article, but here's what worries me from the creative side: the continuous creation of a large body of material that we would feel beholden to in future product. Unfortunately, there isn't really a central clearing house where we carefully inventory and inspect each bit of Realmslore before it gets published. No one person could possibly have the time to function as that hypothetical Realms Controller, even if I could persuade our business folks that such a job would be a good idea.

So, what this means is that I can't count on freelance game designer X (or heck, even myself) having access to or familiarity with this novel that was written 10 years ago, or that series of Poly articles, or something Ed told some folks at GenCon last year. In that climate, I'm very hesitant to encourage the generation of a brand-new mass of Realmslore someplace where I'm not going to see or review it before it becomes official. Much as I would like to oblige, I just don't want to do something like that until I think we can do it right.
baerdith
10-27-03, 02:58 PM Originally posted by Reefy
Couldn't agree more, I too would like to see more fluff. Maybe an online gazette every so often, or even just a small published one, not necessarily something that everyone would like (though I reckon there would be plenty of people who would go for it) but that just contains a small update, in the form of a short magazine or journal as opposed to a sourcebook. Six months seems like about the right period of time to me.

Volo Online?! Hey Wizards! What do you think? At the very least, take the old Volos and update them for 3.0 or 3.5.
Terraquel
10-28-03, 07:04 AM Even if none of the WOTC staff are interested, how about just as a freelance project? On that same note, what about a bunch of FR DMs getting together to fix all the plot holes/contradictions in the Realms *cough* Orcus *cough*;)
Kuje31
10-28-03, 12:18 PM Originally posted by Terraquel
Even if none of the WOTC staff are interested, how about just as a freelance project? On that same note, what about a bunch of FR DMs getting together to fix all the plot holes/contradictions in the Realms *cough* Orcus *cough*;)

What contradictions are there with Orcus?......
Reefy
10-28-03, 08:09 PM Hopefully we'll be enlightened shortly.
Terraquel
10-29-03, 04:57 PM See the Ask Richard Baker thread.
Kuje31
10-29-03, 05:43 PM Originally posted by Terraquel
See the Ask Richard Baker thread.

Well that's helpful. :). There's 22 pages in there to go through, can you be a bit more specific? :)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Caterane 10-23-03, 01:49 PM	I once read that the Realms develop at a pace of 2 months in 5 months real time. Where can I view these updates in FR history?
Kuje31 10-23-03, 01:53 PM	Originally posted by Caterane I once read that the Realms develop at a pace of 2 months in 5 months real time. Where can I view these updates in FR history? That really didn't happen (it was printed in the FRCS), because WOTC laid off a lot of people or a few people quit, and so finally in March, when the Player's Guide, comes out is when the new year will be in the sourcebooks. Underdark has some minor updates about the Spider Queen module and book series.....
ElGrecoETAC 10-23-03, 04:05 PM	The FR design team should really look at getting the funding and talent to publish a semi-annual or annual FR Gazeteer that evolves the Realms through a continuing history. This would be a nice way to give you the impression of "living Realms" and an opportunity to detail places, people, and cultures that usually need to be crammed and abbreviated in much bigger sourcebooks.
Caterane 10-23-03, 04:27 PM	Well spoken! I would love to see such a Gazetter. I`m even glad when I find small information about a lean-to in the midst of Cormanthyr in the Dragon. It`s no solution to release an expensive sourcebook once in a while. I even want to read the smaller details and if it`s just a gossip in Nesme
Faraer 10-23-03, 04:39 PM	The problem with that is it wouldn't sell to non-Realms players, or to as many Realms players as DMs, AND it would only appeal to that part of the audience who likes and follows the advancing timeline. There's an awful lot of Realmslore I'd have in preference. I don't think an advancing timeline, or at least the kind that's being done, is anything like the best way to convey the living Realms, but that's another discussion.
ElGrecoETAC 10-23-03, 05:11 PM	Hey, to each their own! :) I'm not sure why you think such a product would not sell well to FR gamers (or at least enough to make it worth WotC's while). Non-FR gamers, sure, I understand they couldn't care less--but the same could be said of their attitude toward the FRCS or any number of sourcebooks. I can see how a lot of folks wouldn't want a "metaplot" timeline that they didn't truly use. However, each subsequent boxed set/campaign setting HAS advanced the timeline. It is simply our choice to adhere to it, or to incorporate new information as we see fit, culling the stuff we do not enjoy. Either way, timeline or Realmslore, I think a recurring publication bringing to focus parts of Faerun we ordinarily would only get small blurbs of is a good idea. I would even advocate smaller Gazeteers that act as companions to high-selling FR novels--a guide to NPC and monster stats, etc.
Kuje31 10-23-03, 05:30 PM	I'd buy them, if they had more fluff in them then the current FR books do. There's only so many spells, feats, skills, monsters, magical items, etc that you can use. But you can never run out of fluff about an area (which is why I miss how they books used to be. :))
Caterane 10-23-03, 05:38 PM	I love the Volo`s Guides because they display the FR in great detail! There are even prices for various inns listed, not to mention names of characters and places; or gossip which always inspires me with new ideas for adventures. A FR gazetter would be cool.
Reefy 10-24-03, 11:34 PM	Originally posted by Caterane I love the Volo`s Guides because they display the FR in great detail! There are even prices for various inns listed, not to mention names of characters and places; or gossip which always inspires me with new ideas for adventures. A FR gazetter would be cool. Couldn't agree more, I too would like to see more fluff. Maybe an online gazette every so often, or even just a small published one, not necessarily something that everyone would like (though I reckon there would be plenty of people who would go for it) but that just contains a small update, in the form of a short magazine or journal as opposed to a sourcebook. Six months seems like about the right period of time to me.
ksu_bond 10-24-03, 11:42 PM	also at a reasonable price...unlike the more recent accessory books...I've had to go to ordering them online instead of from my local gaming stores
Herr Doktor 10-25-03, 11:17 AM	Originally posted by Reefy Maybe an online gazette every so often... That's a great idea! I think they could even probably stick to the original plan of 2 months/ 5 laid out in the FRCS is they simply published updates to the timeline as a web article. At the rate of time they'd be releasing them I don't think it'd get in the way of anything, and it'd be very useful (at least to myself). What do you guys think?
Kuje31 10-25-03, 04:32 PM	Originally posted by Herr Doktor That's a great idea! I think they could even probably stick to the original plan of 2 months/ 5 laid out in the FRCS is they simply published updates to the timeline as a web article. At the rate of time they'd be releasing them I don't think it'd get in the way of anything, and it'd be very useful (at least to myself). What do you guys think? Seems like a good idea, you can never have to many small advancements to the time line, to turn into some small mini adventures/plot hooks......
Herr Doktor 10-25-03, 04:35 PM	I just mentioned it on the Ask Rich Baker thread, maybe he can get in contact with the right people and make it happen?
Caterane 10-25-03, 04:45 PM	Yes. I hope this will come to happen
Reefy 10-25-03, 09:44 PM	Originally posted by Kuje31 Seems like a good idea, you can never have to many small advancements to the time line, to turn into some small mini adventures/plot hooks...... Are you thinking of something along the lines of the 'latest events/ calender' bit in the 2E FR box set? I think something like that would be nice, it just had the month for the current year and about three or four events that were happening in various places across Faerūn, giving plenty of possible plot hooks. Even something as small as that would be appreciated.
Kuje31 10-25-03, 09:50 PM	Originally posted by Reefy Are you thinking of something along the lines of the 'latest events/ calender' bit in the 2E FR box set? I think something like that would be nice, it just had the month for the current year and about three or four events that were happening in various places across Faerūn, giving plenty of possible plot hooks. Even something as small as that would be appreciated. Yeah pretty much, or a large update to the time line could be used also. But I do miss those small updates in the time line from 2e.......
Reefy 10-26-03, 09:08 PM	I think I just miss the fluff from 2E in general. Has Rich given an answer yet?
Herr Doktor 10-27-03, 11:01 AM	Originally posted by Reefy I think I just miss the fluff from 2E in general. Has Rich given an answer yet? He has now: I agree that that would be a pretty cool article, but here's what worries me from the creative side: the continuous creation of a large body of material that we would feel beholden to in future product. Unfortunately, there isn't really a central clearing house where we carefully inventory and inspect each bit of Realmslore before it gets published. No one person could possibly have the time to function as that hypothetical Realms Controller, even if I could persuade our business folks that such a job would be a good idea. So, what this means is that I can't count on freelance game designer X (or heck, even myself) having access to or familiarity with this novel that was written 10 years ago, or that series of Poly articles, or something Ed told some folks at GenCon last year. In that climate, I'm very hesitant to encourage the generation of a brand-new mass of Realmslore someplace where I'm not going to see or review it before it becomes official. Much as I would like to oblige, I just don't want to do something like that until I think we can do it right.
baerdith 10-27-03, 02:58 PM	Originally posted by Reefy Couldn't agree more, I too would like to see more fluff. Maybe an online gazette every so often, or even just a small published one, not necessarily something that everyone would like (though I reckon there would be plenty of people who would go for it) but that just contains a small update, in the form of a short magazine or journal as opposed to a sourcebook. Six months seems like about the right period of time to me. Volo Online?! Hey Wizards! What do you think? At the very least, take the old Volos and update them for 3.0 or 3.5.
Terraquel 10-28-03, 07:04 AM	Even if none of the WOTC staff are interested, how about just as a freelance project? On that same note, what about a bunch of FR DMs getting together to fix all the plot holes/contradictions in the Realms cough Orcus cough;)
Kuje31 10-28-03, 12:18 PM	Originally posted by Terraquel Even if none of the WOTC staff are interested, how about just as a freelance project? On that same note, what about a bunch of FR DMs getting together to fix all the plot holes/contradictions in the Realms cough Orcus cough;) What contradictions are there with Orcus?......
Reefy 10-28-03, 08:09 PM	Hopefully we'll be enlightened shortly.
Terraquel 10-29-03, 04:57 PM	See the Ask Richard Baker thread.
Kuje31 10-29-03, 05:43 PM	Originally posted by Terraquel See the Ask Richard Baker thread. Well that's helpful. :). There's 22 pages in there to go through, can you be a bit more specific? :)