| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
|---|---|
| Uzzy04-04-08, 08:56 PM | Well, the updated version of the cover has been published in a British trade magazine. http://premium1.uploadit.org/Uzzy101//cimg0079axh6.jpg |
| MarkusTay6304-04-08, 08:58 PM | Yeahhhh... So we are just "Dungeons & Dragons" now, eh? Still no logo... I won't buy a single FR product that doesn't sport its own logo. We are SO CORE, its not even funny. :( |
| Daenaan04-04-08, 10:21 PM | *sigh* Bruce Cordell confirmed as the primary designer... how awful. Undoubtedly these new "Realms" will be filled with not only WoW-inspired geography but also uncharacteristic aberrations, aboleth, dragon-people, and outsider-alien things imported from the Far Realm. It'll be like a stupid nightmare re-imagining of the Realms we've come to love. No wonder they killed off most of the gods and pulled the "Abeir was really a separate world" out of their butts... What a shame. |
| Angua04-04-08, 11:52 PM | God, that cover looks awful. |
| GreenKnight04-05-08, 12:03 AM | Yeahhhh... So we are just "Dungeons & Dragons" now, eh? Still no logo... I won't buy a single FR product that doesn't sport its own logo. We are SO CORE, its not even funny. :( The idea is to make them look like D&D books, rather then to make them look so different as to make people believe that it's some whole other game. And really, what makes you think that the Realms is core? We've seen bits of the core setting, and it's clearly not the Realms. |
| MarkusTay6304-05-08, 12:50 AM | Because Eberron got a logo in 4e! Why differentiate at all, then? :ahem: I KNEW this was coming - I told you ALL, LONG before 4e was announced. "FR's going Core I says...", Undermountain HAD NO LOGO, because it was released as a CORE product, and when I made the comment that the stuff in there about Halaster wasn't official, because it appeared in a CORE product, One of the designers politely corrected me and told me that All core lore is valid in FR... and that was like a freakin' year ago! The only other setting that didn't get its own logo in a certain editon was... wait for it... Greyhawk, in 3e!!! We ARE the equivalent of GH in 3e, and there just no two-ways about it. And we all know what happened to Greyhawk. Kiss this franchise goodbye. :( When they have to 'trick' kids into buying the books, you know something is wrong... VERY wrong. |
| sfdragon04-05-08, 01:17 AM | UGLY with a capital UGGGGGLLLLYY they were better off with the Drizzt cover. can we petition them to change it. or is this two books now that i am going to cover ups as they are both UGLY capital UG, capital LY. |
| 18DELTA04-05-08, 01:18 AM | -:allalone: :raincloud :surrender :tantrum: :twitch: :blink: -Yeah...that cover looks awful.:mad: 18D:( |
| Morholdt04-05-08, 01:43 AM | I think it looks nice. |
| Mr. FIXIT04-05-08, 01:53 AM | It is awesome! :D |
| sfdragon04-05-08, 01:58 AM | whats so cool about a female shade knight riding a black wyvern? its ugly, capital UG, capital LY, spells capital UGLY |
| Stigger04-05-08, 02:05 AM | Is that what that's supposed to be? Guess I wasn't paying enough attention... either way it goes, not really my cup of tea. |
| Daenaan04-05-08, 02:27 AM | whats so cool about a female shade knight riding a black wyvern? its ugly, capital UG, capital LY, spells capital UGLY U-G-L-Y, it don't got no alibi, it UGLY! :cheer: :heehee :cheer: |
| BadCatMan04-05-08, 03:07 AM | Damn it. When you go to a store and look for the product that you want, you look out for the fricking logo because it's instantly recognizable. This is barely distinguishable from anything else in the D&D 4e range. That's not going to help it make it's own mark. Uzzy, can you give us the blurb that goes with that? I'm guessing it says 'Malaugryms to Manshoon', but I'm wondering what else it might mention. Because Eberron got a logo in 4e! Why differentiate at all, then? :ahem: Has it? The latest Eberron book is An Adventurer's Guide To Eberron, which is a non-sourcebook that appears between editions. No other Eberron books appear on release schedule. |
| GreenKnight04-05-08, 04:36 AM | Because Eberron got a logo in 4e! Why differentiate at all, then? :ahem: Got a link? I haven't seen any indication that Eberron books will look any different. The only other setting that didn't get its own logo in a certain editon was... wait for it... Greyhawk, in 3e!!! We ARE the equivalent of GH in 3e, and there just no two-ways about it. And we all know what happened to Greyhawk. Kiss this franchise goodbye. :( That's hardly the same, because Greyhawk didn't actually get a campaign setting book, a player's guide book, or anything else of the sort (Aside from the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer). Moreover, the core setting in the PHB, etc isn't the Realms. So it isn't at all comparable. |
| LumTheMad04-05-08, 08:22 AM | ... they were better off with the Drizzt cover. ... Anything is better than that Anime-Drizzt. |
| Uzzy04-05-08, 12:37 PM | Uzzy, can you give us the blurb that goes with that? I'm guessing it says 'Malaugryms to Manshoon', but I'm wondering what else it might mention. I'm afraid I can't right now. But just going logically, I'm guessing it says this. 'Gives DM's what they need to run adventures and campaigns set in the Realms - Full of *****-rich elements about the lands, people, plots and cosmology of the Realms - Dozens of monsters and foes, from Malaugryms to Manshoon.' |
| sfdragon04-05-08, 01:31 PM | Anything is better than that Anime-Drizzt. maybe, but not the current one. |
| 18DELTA04-05-08, 01:47 PM | Got a link? I haven't seen any indication that Eberron books will look any different. -It was during the D&DXP. I saw a video.(on youtube, by old baldy,x-radio gamer or what every his name is!!!!:rolleyes: I do like Blue, she is HOT!!!;):D ) They showed a cover of a Realms product, no friggin logo, just Forgotten Realms whatever under a GIGANTIC D&D LOGO.:mad: Eberron had a GIGANTIC Eberron Logo on it!!!!:rolleyes: That's hardly the same, because Greyhawk didn't actually get a campaign setting book, a player's guide book, or anything else of the sort (Aside from the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer). Moreover, the core setting in the PHB, etc isn't the Realms. So it isn't at all comparable. But didn't Greyhawk become the defacto LRPGA world in 3e like what is happening to the Realms in 4e? I cant wait for FRCG#3 in 3 years. God I hope they dont try that kinda cr@p with the settings. Core Rule books maybe but not the settings! 18D:rolleyes: |
| Daenaan04-05-08, 02:00 PM | I'm afraid I can't right now. But just going logically, I'm guessing it says this. 'Gives DM's what they need to run adventures and campaigns set in the Realms - Full of *****-rich elements about the lands, people, plots and cosmology of the Realms - Dozens of monsters and foes, from Malaugryms to Manshoon.' Maybe it says "buttery-rich". Like Aunt Jemima syrup. |
| 18DELTA04-05-08, 02:20 PM | -I know I have used this before, but this is what I think about that cover!!! http://homepage.mac.com/durf/pix/rollbarf.gif 18D:rolleyes: |
| Straploknight04-05-08, 05:10 PM | -I know I have used this before, but this is what I think about that cover!!! http://homepage.mac.com/durf/pix/rollbarf.gif 18D:rolleyes: You sir owe me a new keyboard! LMAO |
| Morholdt04-05-08, 05:36 PM | Seriously, there have been much worse pictures and MUCH worse covers put out over the years and no-one much batted an eye. Now suddenly a picture that isn't exactly what you would have picked becomes the epitome of awful, while one you would have picked becomes the very definition of aesthetic TRUTH!?! Seems like some people have unreasonable expectations. I say if its got good production value and a reasonable degree of artistic merit why complain? It's the cover. Seriously. That picture is fine. Is there art I would have liked better? Sure. But nothing will ever be perfect. At least that picture was done by someone with some artistic talent. Have you ever seen some of the crayon-fisted stuff they printed in the 80s? Feeling ownership of the game is one thing, but shredding and belittling other people's work is a little bit much when doing so has no purpose. The internet has made everyone an expert. |
| GreenKnight04-05-08, 07:00 PM | But didn't Greyhawk become the defacto LRPGA world in 3e like what is happening to the Realms in 4e? I cant wait for FRCG#3 in 3 years. God I hope they dont try that kinda cr@p with the settings. Core Rule books maybe but not the settings! Why is this a problem? It's not as if there wasn't a Forgotten Realms RPGA campaign, before. Now there's another one. Or rather, there's a third. There was Living City and that shortlived Green Regent thing. There's also an Eberron RPGA campaign (Or two, I'm not sure), a Star Wars RPGA campaign, and a few others. So in what way is it a problem that Forgotten Realms is getting another RPGA campaign? Crying doom because there's an RPGA campaign is really making a mountain out of a molehill. |
| Mula04-05-08, 10:39 PM | Looks pretty cool. Evocative. |
| MerrikCale04-05-08, 11:09 PM | Like everything else since the announcement: horrible and utterly pathetic |
| MarkusTay6304-05-08, 11:46 PM | Thank you for answering GK for me Delta - I've been away from my computer for the whole day. @Greenknight - If you check out the Convention Videos here (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=997610), and look carefully, the setting books for both are shown, and it is pretty obvious that we are merely 'D&D' now (unlike Eberron). Damn it. When you go to a store and look for the product that you want, you look out for the fricking logo because it's instantly recognizable. This is barely distinguishable from anything else in the D&D 4e range. That's not going to help it make it's own mark.Yup - the only difference between 'Core' and FR is the color band - we get that purplish band, Core gets the blue one - otherwise the books are indistinguishable. I've said it in other threads, but I'll say it again in this one - I had every intention of buying the FRCG, even if it was just to see how much damage they did, but I swear on my kids I wil never purchase any product without the logo (Hence my refusal to purchae Undermountain, which was obviously a peak at FR's dim future). No logo makes it a non-setting, and I'm more interested in playing in a actual setting. :( I'm even considering abandoning FR for good, and switching over to Eberron... only because my existing books won't be null and void when 4e Eb is released. The only thing keeping me from taking that plunge is because I think thats what WotC wanted all along - its exactly how the drove us GH fans to FR the last time I went through this. "From the Ashes", anyone? :bored: |
| Mula04-06-08, 12:00 AM | No logo makes it a non-setting, and I'm more interested in playing in a actual setting. :(Uh huh. The logo on the cover. |
| Red_Wizard04-06-08, 12:08 AM | I don't mind the pic, almost like it, but the cover design is so off putting that it destroys any hope wizards had of winning me over to the 4e Realms. Looks like I went from willing to buy the CG to check it out simply for the sake of argument, to picking up and reading in store, or even perhaps finding a PDF a month after it arrives. That's right, I said it. :rolleyes: -RW |
| Lord Karsus04-06-08, 01:15 AM | -So...Rich Baker's not on the cover credits? |
| Elsenrail04-06-08, 06:33 AM | I'm very upset with the cover. Does WotC listen to us? Perhpas we could ask for redesigning it. I'm meaning - I don't mind the art that much, bu the lack of FR logo. The FR logo is a must on the cover... |
| Jiggawha04-06-08, 07:10 AM | it's not awful, 2/5 reminds me of 2E Screen they should have used 3e cover, with more colors purple band sucks |
| eiglos04-06-08, 11:17 AM | The blurb is as follows: "Gives DMs what they need to run adventures set in the Realms - full of story-rich elements about the Lands, People, Plots, Deities and Cosmology of the Realms - Dozens of Monsters and Foes from Malaugryms to Manshoon." The Player's Guide blurb is: "Everything you need to craft a Character for the Realms - Includes rules for Drow and Genasi Character Characters - Introduces the Swordmage class - Regional backgrounds, new Feats and more" capitalisation is as per the blurbs, the picture is mine, as is the pamphlet I took it from, do you want a better picture of the cover? |
| StarFyre200704-06-08, 12:34 PM | Hello, As someone else stated... compared to the covers of the past in 1e and many in 2e, this is a masterpiece. I like it much more than the placeholder drizzt cover...it has a much more mystical feel to it. Eiglos - if you have it, could you do a high quality scan of it...and message me if you can? I'll give you an email address :) Regards, Sanjay |
| eiglos04-06-08, 01:05 PM | Regrettably I have no scanner here, only a camera, sorry. |
| Daenaan04-06-08, 03:22 PM | Hello, As someone else stated... compared to the covers of the past in 1e and many in 2e, this is a masterpiece. ... 1st edition Realms had a Keith Parkinson cover. |
| Lord Karsus04-06-08, 05:39 PM | I like it much more than the placeholder drizzt cover...it has a much more mystical feel to it. -Ironically enough, for as much as I didn't particularly like the placeholder cover with Drizzt on the cover, I think it's superior to this one. That could just be because, perhaps, the picture here isn't as high quality as the one with the placecover cover. |
| 18DELTA04-06-08, 11:37 PM | -So...Rich Baker's not on the cover credits? -So...does that mean he MUST NOT be stopped!?!?!?!?:eek: :confused: :embarrass -Or...should it be Bruce Cordell MUST be stopped!?!?!?!?:eek: :confused: :embarrass 18D:P |
| Lord Karsus04-06-08, 11:39 PM | -So...does that mean he MUST NOT be stopped!?!?!?!?:eek: :confused: :embarrass -Or...should it be Bruce Cordell MUST be stopped!?!?!?!?:eek: :confused: :embarrass 18D:P -It certainly puts us in a conundrum. I am going to meditate on this... |
| 18DELTA04-06-08, 11:44 PM | -It certainly puts us in a conundrum. I am going to meditate on this... -Meditate you must my master!!!:emp: (Watched episode 3 tonight on Spike, so I be in a Star Wars kinda mood tonight!!!):emp::cool: 18D:D |
| Lord Karsus04-06-08, 11:46 PM | -Meditate you must my master!!!:emp: (Watched episode 3 tonight on Spike, so I be in a Star Wars kinda mood tonight!!!):emp::cool: 18D:D -As did I. :) -I know more about Star Wars than I do about the Forgotten Realms. :cool: |
| 18DELTA04-06-08, 11:57 PM | -As did I. :) -I know more about Star Wars than I do about the Forgotten Realms. :cool: -You are Wise and...Mighty my master!!!:emp:(In best Vader voice) 18D:) |
| Lord Karsus04-07-08, 12:02 AM | -Indeed, my Hand, indeed... |
| Dark Wizard04-07-08, 02:06 AM | I saw this cover in the DXP youtube videos a while ago. The closer look provided in the trade magazine didn't make it look any better now than it did back then. The lack of a FR logo (or significant differentiation from regular D&D books) definitely makes it bland looking. I just came back from a convention, most of it spent wandering the vendor floor. I liked that I could spot RPG books from yards away. The white-ish covers of 3e FR helped me pick out which seller had what I wanted quickly. When placed next to the regular D&D books, the FR covers really popped out, just as the darker Eberron covers contrasted with the middle-tone D&D books and the lighter-colored FR covers. This was the same with other things, books, comics, manga. I generally picked up things that looked different from the other items around it. While I might not have purchased them, I at least picked them up with some interest rather than thoughts along the lines of "Oh, another D&D book with a really long title." While the cover image is okay, it doesn't stand out. I think it has to do with the subject. The Shade is naturally (logically) dark but the background is bright. The dominant figure is the Shade, so the dark foreground element blocks out the bright background element. Yet my eyes are drawn to the background rather than the foreground figure. While I think the artist might have intended to highlight the Shade, it has the opposite effect of making the background drown out the details of the Shade while making me wish she (looks female) fly away so I can get a better look of the background. Instead of thinking "awesome, a Shade dragon rider," I'm wondering if the picture is supposed to be a lot bigger with the Shade only as a small component of it. This is the same problem I have with the new 4E core covers. The artist doesn't use much contrast, so the image just looks like a blob of dark grays with a few specks of color thrown in. Sure the art is detailed, but it gets lost in the overall look of the picture. Eberron uses WAR's art as covers well because they single out one figure while fading out the rest. As much as I hate overdoing the look, I was expecting something more shadowy rather than an almost human looking Shade with a glowing sword. I thought the Shade would be riding a (shadow) dragon cloaked in wisps of shadow and other fell magic effects while wielding an obviously enchanted weapon glowing with power but yet enveloped in shadow stuff like the images of the two shades including in the interior art of the 3e FRCS. The Shade could be symbolically blocking out the sun where ever she flies over. Go full out fantasy, all the way with the image rather than the half-half we have now. As for previous editions having worst art, that's a low bar to match. One thing the company has told us all along is that D&D editions are supposedly progressive, so there should be improvement. While there are many worst covers, there are also many better covers (more evocative, more stand-out, better arranged, etc.) Basically, to keep up with the media and art put out by other companies, particularly video game companies, this has a long way to go, as does all of 4E. I find myself taking an interest products with eye-candy art and/or a brand name. This new cover to me has neither. It's decent, but then hardly earns more than a neutral 'meh' when compared to even other RPGs out on the racks and bookshelves. |
| msatran04-07-08, 03:58 AM | Well, they ruined the Realms completely with this move. As if the hundred year time jump wasn't bad enough, and adding Dragonborn and Tieflings with too much a** wasn't enough, they had to make the cover all about Shades. The shades in my game won't make it to 1377. Why the !@#$$! should I switch to 4th edition? |
| MarkusTay6304-07-08, 12:05 PM | The 1e CS had Dude Onahorze. So did the 2e box, at first (it was later redone). The 2e Forgotten Realms Aventures had a beautiful female... on a horse! Now, the 4e preview books talk about a 'theme' for each race, and they decided 'mobile' for humans (horseman, nomads, etc). So obviously, with this trend in mind, we should have seen someone (a male and a female?) on horse, overlooking a 'fantastical' vista (very 4e-ish). But.... they decide to go 'extreme', and take the concept to the next, cooler level... Instead of a human on a horse, with get a human changed by fell magics riding a dragon. Awesome! isn't it cool? At least it's still someone riding something. :rolleyes: Seriously... why do they insist on ramming these god-awful Shades down our throats? :confused: P.S. - You know the reason why I never bought ANY of the Dragonlance novels, and almost no DL sources? Because all of the ads for the setting showed a Knight on a Dragon (THE 'Dragon-Lance'), and I thought it was such a hokey come-on that it turned me off to the setting for good. I want a setting that feels REAL, not a bunch of over-the-top characters and dragon-people. I wonder if FR's Tiamet is getting re-named Takhisis? :bored: |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-07-08, 01:59 PM | The picture itself is OK. I wish it had an FR logo, myself, but who am I to be picky? I'm not on board with the 4E changes to the setting anyway.:) What counts for me is what's inside the covers. LK: It's hard to believe, but Rich Baker wasn't really involved with this book (I recall him saying that). He seems more involved with the core books. |
| Lord Karsus04-07-08, 02:52 PM | LK: It's hard to believe, but Rich Baker wasn't really involved with this book (I recall him saying that). He seems more involved with the core books. -Being the Lead Designer for the Forgotten Realms (at least, that's what he's been), I found it pretty wacky. -That Chris Sims culprit is back, though, I see. He's been laying very low. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-07-08, 03:16 PM | -Being the Lead Designer for the Forgotten Realms (at least, that's what he's been), I found it pretty wacky. Yeah, I guess he's not the lead designer anymore (don't remember if he is or not). -That Chris Sims culprit is back, though, I see. He's been laying very low. Indeed, haven't heard from him in a while. |
| Lord Karsus04-07-08, 03:33 PM | Indeed, haven't heard from him in a while. -Now, is that a good thing, or a bad thing? ;) |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-07-08, 03:37 PM | -Now, is that a good thing, or a bad thing? ;) Weeeeeeeelll...now that you ask...:thinks: ;) |
| Lord Karsus04-07-08, 03:44 PM | -Chris Sims was the guy who, if I am not mistaken, back in the day, was the one who compliled that infamous list of 10 things that were being changed, which was really the first "shot" fired in this "war" of differing opinions. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-07-08, 06:57 PM | -Chris Sims was the guy who, if I am not mistaken, back in the day, was the one who compliled that infamous list of 10 things that were being changed, which was really the first "shot" fired in this "war" of differing opinions. Yes, I remember those particular opinions of his...:-X |
| Eli_the_Tanner04-07-08, 08:33 PM | Chris Sims name also graces the cover of the Adventurer's guide to Eberron.....maybe he's now taking control of Setting products. |
| MarkusTay6304-07-08, 09:45 PM | I know! He's an Aboleth!!! :eek: He's used his psionic powers to turn the whole design team into mindless Skum! <BTW, you guys have my permission to run with that> ;) :P |
| MerrikCale04-07-08, 10:04 PM | -Chris Sims was the guy who, if I am not mistaken, back in the day, was the one who compliled that infamous list of 10 things that were being changed, which was really the first "shot" fired in this "war" of differing opinions. you are correct, he was the author of that nonsense |
| Dark Wizard04-08-08, 12:45 AM | I noticed the upcoming FR novels set post-Spellplague use the same 3e FR logo. They might still be mock-up covers, so nothing is set in stone yet as far as I know. Back during the 2e-3e transition, the 3e logo came into use quickly. I have several series that changed logos mid-way, making them look somewhat awkward on the bookshelf. |
| Lord Karsus04-08-08, 01:44 AM | I know! He's an Aboleth!!! :eek: -Hmm...When jumbled, his name spells "I is Chrs MS". 'Chrs' obviously stands for 'characters', and 'MS' is 'Multiple Sclerosis'. Thus, it seems Mr. Sims here wants to give our characters- and the world that they live in- MS. -We saw through that one, Mr. Sims. Nice try...:detect: I have several series that changed logos mid-way, making them look somewhat awkward on the bookshelf. -My bookshelf is a mish-mosh of softcovers and hardcovers, some looking one way, and some looking the other, with various sizes. I wish it were all uniform... |
| Valgard04-08-08, 03:38 AM | Hi guys... Sorry for not posting in a while... I am busy at work. When the Countdown to the Realms first article went out, your opinions showed up quickly and clearly. I tried to view it with an open mind, trying to understand the designers' justifications in a reasonable way... but this is going in the wrong direction. If what MarkusTay says is true that you'll need a D&DI subscription to get updated to new FR lore that we are not even comfortable with (to say the least), then this is going to be dead before it starts... for us, at least. Someone posted elsewhere that this isn't D&D anymore (I'm not wanting to discuss this right now). What is true is that an entire generation of players I'm proud to belong to (at least for a short time) is going to be set a part and a new one is starting to play to something with the same name as what that previous generation was playing to. As I said a while before, I'll probably switch to 4E (I don't dislike the new rules and I don't find Pathfinder too much marvelous as it's supposed to be) but I'm scratching all lore away... that awfulness called Points of Light and that truly abomination that is sadly going to be called Forgotten Realms. I think I'll take a look (not sure if going to buy) the Player's Guide for just three things: 1- Swordmage. 2- Drow. 3- Genasi. Sorry for this long post, but I was forced myself to say something to make some kind of justice... something that even the new FR doesn't have (yes, I'm talking about Tyr). |
| Lord Karsus04-08-08, 04:33 AM | Sorry for this long post, but I was forced myself to say something to make some kind of justice... -You call that long!? ;) :P |
| Valgard04-08-08, 09:45 AM | -You call that long!? ;) :P I'm not used to write more than four paragraphs with more than two lines on each of them. And not even that when I'm at work as I am now! :ton: |
| Lord Karsus04-08-08, 09:49 AM | -I see. |