If we assume that 4e will last between 5-10 years then that is 5-10 campaign setting updates.
Well Eberon and the realms have been announced, so what else do we want?
Spell Jammer
Birthright
RavenLoft
Darksun
Dragon Lance
Mystara
seam to be not only my choices but the most popular, that would be 8 years, and assumeing a year for a new setting, and the last year of 4e no setting that would be 10 years.
What does everyone else think?
2011: DARK SUN
2012: PLANESCAPE
2011: Spelljammer
2012: Mystara
2013: Planescape
Bel
2010: Greyhawk
2011: Birthright
2012: Dragonlance
Not sure 4e is right for Ravenloft. Strad won't be the total wuss that he was in 3rd edition. Vampire Wizard? Laaaame.
I have no preference beyond seeing Dark Sun published myself. But then I know nothing about the others.
what we will probably get is more like fr sword coast, fr dale lands, and other products on specific regions of FR and ebberon
The fluff in setting books is edition-agnostic and the fans can be trusted to make the adaptations necessary. As far as I am concerned, FR is "done." There have been enough books published on it that every corner of the realms is pretty much explored. Future FR books are redundant and just cashing in on brand identity off of devoted fans. Maybe at the setting's end-of-life you compile all the story material into a single book and keep that in print, but otherwise devote design efforts into something new and original instead of selling me the same old stuff wrapped in new rules.
WoTC already is sort of doing this, with the "new" realms, but of course the new-world-old-name only serves to anger the fans without truly breaking free of the creative shackles of an established setting. WoTC should create and retire settings every 5-10 years, IMO.
Of course, as rewarding as this would be artistically and creatively, there's no escaping the grim profit motive. Ultimately, established brand names are a more attractive investment than marketing a new brand. I can dream, though...
So this is what I want:
2010
-FR is given the decent burial it deserves. The lore is compiled into a massive book, which is then kept in print or made available electronically for people who want to continue playing the realms in 4e and the game systems to come. If the bean counters insist, we can license the setting to a third party for them to continue to adapt and develop. I'm sure Ed Greenwood would be happy to have full control over his baby again.
-A new setting search is run, and the winner becomes WoTC's new second setting, alongside Eberron.
2015-20
-Eberron is retired. Eberron lore is similarly collected in a volume.
-A new setting search is run, and the winner becomes WoTC's new second setting, alongside 2010 setting.
etc...
As for what I would like to see, I am dying for Planescape to come back. Ravenloft is another old favorite of mine. Both of these are settings that WotC didn't publish last edition for stupid and insipid reasons (because they're settings that include lots of non-standard elements.) Since 4e isn't nearly as rules-heavy as 3e, I think that the non-standard stuff would play a lot better.
That having been said, yeah... I'd Love to see Spelljammer make a comeback, as well. That one is not really popular with my friends for some reason. But, I honestly couldn't give you one good, solid reason why. (And neither could any of them, but we'll refrain from going there.)
A nice, fully-realized setting for Oriental Adventures would be great! I felt like they really low-balled us on that one, last edition. Kara-Tur needs to be brought back. Rokugan is frankly too flat and boring for D&D.
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Not sure 4e is right for Ravenloft. Strad won't be the total wuss that he was in 3rd edition. Vampire Wizard? Laaaame.
Strahd's not supposed to be a wuss. Besides, he wasn't one in 3E (unless you're referring to Expedition to Castle Ravenloft). He was a Necromancer 16/Fighter 4. Not to mention being more powerful due to age then the regular vampire. In 4E he can only get better. Probably be statted up as an Epic Solo monster.
Honestly, I don't really care beyond that. Of the published ones besides Planescape I wouldn't mind reading through Dragonlance (Nostalgia would be fun), Ravenloft or Dark Sun...but my group would never play them.
And, please, just get rid of Forgotten Realms already. :P
Krynn!
Darksun!!11111!!!!!+!
Oh such a sweet setting.
1. Ebberon (sooner than later ever though its been announced)
2010
1. Kara-Tur
2. Al Quadim
(I don't really think these 2 count as their own worlds but I want them now)
are on the top of my list
2011
1. Planescape
2. Spell Jammer
2012
1. Raven Loft
2. Dark Sun
2013
1. Mystara
2. Greyhawk
We will see.
Greyhawk, to please the old-timers, but.... Considering that the GH fanbase is even *less* easy to please than Fr's.... ANY changes could start a rage, potentialy.
A new setting, i'd like.... PoL expended, maybe. But then, they also said that 'pol won't be expended and there won't be any new setting (for now)' so...
It they did, there wouldbe perhaps some scorn for 'lying up'.
I enjoyed Al-Qadim but, I can do most of that with what I have now (3 core) and some basic knowledge of history and international culture. Same with Kura-tur (or w/e). Someone needs to get thier hands on that open liscense and unf*&^ Call of Cthulu though. 3.X made me hate it.
Dark Sun would be nice, too.
Everyone of you that said FR is done: I agree. God I am so sick of that overmagiced place. 3.X was perfect for FR, IMO, because it ensured that PCs could be as munchy as they wanted to, just like that f*&#stick "E".
This may be off topic but, realms that are constantly in danger are that way for a reason. There is no truly "saving" them. Athas and Sigil were perfect examples of that. Playing there, in my experience, was not a quest to save the world so much as an effort to make it just a little safer before all hell broke loose again. We need more of that.
Just my two cents.
FR is hardly dead, graymocker, considering the new era and the changes... It's a much maligned setting, for unjust and hypocrital reasons (albeit yes, it have weak points and problems, adressed in those changes). So, it may be a renaissance.. or not.
I think a lot of us just feel as though far too much focus was placed on the setting in 3.x, that's all. Personally, I'm sick of hearing about it. Of course, I'm sure there are others that have a different point of view.
Ravenloft
Darksun
A new OA world!
But without "O" in the title and much broader than Rokugan (although I do like Rokugan).The question is what settings do you hope to see, not what settings do you hate with a firey passion.
I hope for a ten year run on 4e. Here's what I hope to see setting wise.
2008: Already set for FR.
2009: Already set for Eberron.
My predictions/what I'd like to see.
Late '09: More FR stuff comes out, due to vocal demand, and the three 08 books selling well.
2010: Planescape (Three reasons why I think it will be next. 1> Several Editors like that setting. 2> Manuel of the planes will be out by then. 3> Wizards predicted timetable says that most people should be ready for Epic tier by then, and Planescape is a fairly epic setting.)
2011-2014: In no particular order, Ravenloft, SpellJammer, Greyhawk, Dark Sun.
2015 and beyond: Unknown...
I may be wrong but I was thinking Ravenloft was published by S&S for 3x. Is it possible to see some of these older settings come from 3rd party sources again?
Assume 4e will have a new setting in much the same fashion as we got Eberron.
Greyhawk? That would be great. But I've played since the great red box and I've never seen that setting get any official setting books.
Planescape was a great setting that I would love to see again.
Also Mystara would be great. My favorite DM is still using that setting :D
Later in the years I think Spelljammer would be a worthwhile world to see again.
And then... Who? perhaps Greyhawk, as the oldest one (along Mystara), and *the* classic one. Or a reconcepted PoL-ish one, like dark sun. or a new one.
Well, since Ravenloft, Dark Sun and Planescape are all actually mentioned in the 4e Player's Handbook, I think that those are very likely to be making a comeback. They are probably first in line, behind Eberron.
Also page 133 in the DMG references Al-Qadim and page 96 references Huzuz and the Grand Caliph!
I wonder if there are clues dropped throughout the 3 core books about upcoming settings?
Also, while I realize Planescape has a very strong fan base, I get the sense that it's being integrated into the fabric of the game with tieflings, more accessible planar environments, and even the graphic art is reminiscent of PS.
2011: Greyhawk
2012: Spelljammer
2013: Ravenloft
Honestly, I've never played in any of those settings but they are the ones that look the most interesting to me and/or I've heard lots of good things about.
2010 - Planescape - modified to fit the new cosmology - focus more on Sigil and Gating than the planes themselves (depending on what all is covered in Manual of the planes).
2011 - Spelljammer - But it is sailing the astral sea - keep the huge fleets of races, and the spheres (they are different Known worlds in the sea). Work it so that Planescape and Spelljammer can fit together perfectily, but you don't need one to run the other, but if you have both, the are cohesive.
That would cover just about any style of planar adventuring that could come up.
Then go back to "normal" settings
2012 Dragonlance or Mystra
2013 Ravenloft
2014 Dark Sun.
And maybe a new setting or two. An Oriental Setting.
They absolutely butchered the laws of the land for Ravenloft. They removed all the horror aspects and turned it into their same old Story Teller World of Darkness books.
I'm sorry, but Ravenloft's demiplane of the Dread was powerful because it had rules, and because it put players in a bind. By removing those DM tools, they watered it down, and made it a pathetic ghost of what it truly was.
I want Ravenloft.
PS: I also want Van Richten back. It was such an unpopular decision when WoTC had him killed off that they retracted their statement and said: Oh wait he's just missing. It's about time they completely threw those books and the WW/S&S books out of continuity and reverted back to the horror that was so easily used to manipulate players back in 2nd edition.
No I'm not asking for 2nd edition rules. I'm asking for the quality of writing that was done prior to the change over.
2012 (and beyond): I could definitely see myself grabbing copies of Maztica and Al Qadim as source material.
I'm distinctly not interested in Ravenloft or Dragonlance and I'm meh on Spelljammer, but I seem to be in the minority there.
On a related note, X Adventures/'cultural' settings books should be in the schedule, too (but well-done, with researches, creativity and all; things like Nyambe by example).
Yes, yes, yes. And broad too.
2010:
Mystara/ Birthrite: I'm a huge Mystara fan. Domain games in D&D RC were amazingly fun, and adding them to fourth eddition would bring a whole new level of play to the game I think would be appreciated. I've heard it suggested in a few places that Mystara and Birthrite settings could be combined and I fully agree.
2011:
Spell Jammer: This might be one of the harder ones to convert, but the concepts were so original / strange that I'd love to see a revision. Vehicular combat would also be appreciated.
2013:
Something New: Personally I'd like to see some sort of Victorian Steampunk setting, but really anything new and shiny would be appreciated. Perhaps something with good use of mass combat rules would work here as well.
2012:
Al-Qadim: It always seemed like Al-Qadim had potential to be one of the greatest settings in D&D, but it never quite giot the chance to shine.
2014:
Darksun: A Great Epic Setting with out leaving your plane.
2015 and beyond:
I'm sure Ravenloft will eventually be done, and it would be a shame if Greyhawk were left out, but I'm not really sure what else I'd like.
2. Planescape: Great for Paragon & Epic level game play.
3. Darksun: Its sword & sorcery feel seems like the perfect fit for 4e.
4. Al Quadim: Exciting, and certainly not over done.
5. Birthright: The whole birthright thing fits well with the heroic nature of 4e.
6. Dragonfist: This would just be blow-my-mind-awesome--wuxia for 4e!
Greyhawk & Ravenloft.
Greyhawk is done, and Ravenloft was never really big enough to be a setting to begin with. It would have been better done as one of those 3e campaign books (frost, sand, ghostwalk, battle, horror), than as a fully fledged setting.
1. Mystara: Take it back to where it started with the original POL setting.
Was that setting really dark? From what I know (little), it was quite like Forgotten Realms - some light, some dark, not really grim as a whole. Even some optimism, progress and all that shown.
I look at the arcade games, by example...
2) Ravenloft.
3) Planescape.
4) Spelljammer.
5) Dark Sun.
6) Anything but Forgotten Realms themed "expansions".
I'd give any specific piece of anatomy from my left side to see those.
I haven't spent a single penny on anything D&D since 2E was the "in" setting, and I still never will until they publish some of the older campaigns.
And I'm sorry to just burst in here and be so negative, but am I the only one sick to death of Forgotten Realms?
Seriously, is it really that popular?
Everyone I've ever spoken to in any of the nearby gamer groups have all hated that campaign something fierce....
Dear lord, it just won't die....
I'm not really trying to sound flamey here folks, I'm just hoping someone, somewhere at WotC might see that so many people want the good campaigns back again.
I'll go back to lurking now....
What I really don't need to see:
Greyhawk & Ravenloft.
Greyhawk is done, and Ravenloft was never really big enough to be a setting to begin with. It would have been better done as one of those 3e campaign books (frost, sand, ghostwalk, battle, horror), than as a fully fledged setting.
You really don't know what you're talking about.
Ravenloft was the most publicized world (more modules were produced for Ravenloft than any single campaign setting) during the last few years of TSR before Wizards took over.
It was the top seller.
Two of the top five best selling Dungeons and Dragons videogames EVER produced were: Strahd's Possession, and The Mummy's Curse. They were so popular that they were re-released on popular demand and placed on the first two disks of the re-release. Baldur's Gate holds the other three positions.
Ever since Wizards took over Dungeons and Dragons they tried to force feed Forgotten Realms down our throats. The rules for 3e and 3.5 were tailored for FR, and totally destroyed all attempts made at converting Ravenloft to 3rd edition (that stuff that was eventually released by White Wolf does not resemble Ravenloft in anyway shape or form).
Ravenloft is a true horror setting, with very little competition. It has had more modules and a higher selling rate through bookstores than any other horror setting/rpg in publication.
Just try to buy recent 2nd edition modules of Ravenloft on Ebay and you'll pay 2-3 times their cover price. I've had a lot of difficulty collecting all of the 2nd ed modules. -_- it hurt the pocketbook.
Ravenloft finally has a chance at being reborn with decent rules in 4th edition. All the major issues I saw with converting RL to 3e, are gone in 4e. It can be done right now. I just sincerely hope that Ravenloft is produced In House this time, and isn't marketed off to any sub publisher, like White Wolf.
Took over baruk-azhik as overthane, highpriest & guild leader.
The wealthflow was just amazing.. like 100GB a round, with fully decked out trade routes. Got better yet with a bit exploratory trade into brechtur and persuading the elves with a historically meaningful alliance dagger to take in some dwarf guilds and send a few wizards.
Next thing we knew, we were killing the chimera.. and turned baruk-azhik into a population growth+rule powerhouse of 12 provinces. Soon enough wealth went over 1000 surplus GB a turn :D
With a modest 200 units of guard and 200 xbow units, recruited wizards etc.. first kiergard was rolled over.. then the gorgon.. urga-zai etc followed quickly. Mur-kilad liberated and markazor annihilated.. as the joint tuariviel-sielvode-coullabright-barukazhik alliance brought justice to the world :D
Traders.. heheh.. oh the wealth that could be brought in via trade. Especially with a bit creative application of psionics.. psionic portals etc..
And then those flying discs.. nice adventure.. but as tools. Whoa! Travelling 300 miles a day with a rather large cargo for a single pilot. That very quickly outcompetes the regular trading houses.. which means war ofcourse.. but with wealth and a ability to go anywhere ;)
But a private island with giants enough to devastate a sorcererkings armies.. i do wonder how a mere trading house is supposed to beat them up?
Then bring in new settings
Or better yet, do a Forgotten Realms retcon
Let alone those cavedvellers... oomans, i think they are called? Not set to become fully sentinent in another 10.000 years :D
Mystara would be cool to revisit.
After that, I'm not really picky.
rant
:headexplo
:hoppingma
It's a boring, dead concept that only sells because the remaining FR fanboys buy up every supplement whether it's worth the toilet paper it's printed on or not. I often wonder how a setting where nothing the heroes do matters because they play second flute to the prepackaged epic level heroes of the world, could be fun. I've tried to like the realms, I gave it more than it's fair shot, but after 7 different Dms screwed me over with "But you'll like my Realms, I don't do anything like that." I have said to Hell with the realm and want them to burn, the only supplement I would even touch is if you where supposed to do just that, burn the realms into ash, kill all the heroes, villains and 80 breeds of elves trample the ashes, suck the marrow out of the bones, grind the bones into dust mix with the ashes and scatter them into spheres of annihilation. Dear lord can I get an amen.
:headexplo :evillaugh
end rant.
:headexplo:hoppingma
It's a boring, dead concept that only sells because the remaining FR fanboys buy up every supplement whether it's worth the toilet paper it's printed on or not. I often wonder how a setting where nothing the heroes do matters because they play second flute to the prepackaged epic level heroes of the world, could be fun. I've tried to like the realms, I gave it more than it's fair shot, but after 7 different Dms screwed me over with "But you'll like my Realms, I don't do anything like that." I have said to Hell with the realm and want them to burn, the only supplement I would even touch is if you where supposed to do just that, burn the realms into ash, kill all the heroes, villains and 80 breeds of elves trample the ashes, suck the marrow out of the bones, grind the bones into dust mix with the ashes and scatter them into spheres of annihilation. Dear lord can I get an amen.
:headexplo :evillaugh end rant.Or better yet, do a Forgotten Realms retcon
No, push the changes ahead. They may bring a renaissance to the Realms.. an only chance, as you can see now one of the reasons why.
While I currently not upgrading to 4th, I personally would love to see any setting except Forgotten Realms revised,rant
:hoppingma
It's a boring, dead concept that only sells because the remaining FR fanboys buy up every supplement whether it's worth the toilet paper it's printed on or not. I often wonder how a setting where nothing the heroes do matters because they play second flute to the prepackaged epic level heroes of the world, could be fun. I've tried to like the realms, I gave it more than it's fair shot, but after 7 different Dms screwed me over with "But you'll like my Realms, I don't do anything like that." I have said to Hell with the realm and want them to burn, the only supplement I would even touch is if you where supposed to do just that, burn the realms into ash, kill all the heroes, villains and 80 breeds of elves trample the ashes, suck the marrow out of the bones, grind the bones into dust mix with the ashes and scatter them into spheres of annihilation. Dear lord can I get an amen.
Everyone knows the only worthwhile setting is the Realms and for some reason the bozos at WoTC are changing it
Already vented, so this is all I will add, my opinion of the realms cannot be changed, I hate them with an unyielding passion.
BUt don't let my hatred stop you.
But anyway... This is what I would like to see:
1) Greyhawk
This became my second favorite campaign setting of all times. And with the more balanced 4e system, I think this is the best time for it to return. Besides, I think this has the potential to be the third staple series in D&D.
2) Oriental Adventures
Not as a campaign setting, but as a resource/expansion book. That way, they can give samples of Kara-Tur and other places in other campaign settings.
Also, on a side note, I would like to see them license Record of Lodoss War, since the franchise did debut (in Japan) as a D&D campaign and the license was originally offered to TSR.
And I'm sorry to just burst in here and be so negative, but am I the only one sick to death of Forgotten Realms?
Seriously, is it really that popular?
I've had my issues with FR myself. Since they are probably no different from anyone else, I really won’t go into it, but I’m hoping the Spellplague will help alleviate some of the issues and give it a new since of wonder… I know (at least I’ve read somewhere) that the new philosophy is to create setting books so that any DM can take the information piece-meal and drop it into their home campaign.
Oh…
And I want:
1. Ravenloft!!!!!!!!!!!
2. Oriental Adventures/Kara-Tur
3. Planescape
4. Whatever….
Already vented, so this is all I will add, my opinion of the realms cannot be changed, I hate them with an unyielding passion.
BUt don't let my hatred stop you.
It won't. Nor should you stop hating the Realms
2) Oriental Adventures
Not as a campaign setting, but as a resource/expansion book. That way, they can give samples of Kara-Tur and other places in other campaign settings.
I would love that as well as an Arabian Nights/Al-Qadim book
Well, since Ravenloft, Dark Sun and Planescape are all actually mentioned in the 4e Player's Handbook,
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Does it really mention them in the player's handbook? I'm still in the middle of reading it (it takes me a month or two to finish rule books), does anyone know the page numbers they are mentioned on? Also personally I want to see back DarkSun, Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Birthright, and Red Steel.
Spelljammer is prime for an update (if you don't believe me check out Larklight from Phillip Reeve, it's kinda like Spelljammer)
Eberron should not be allowed to die and Planescape is always awesome.
I think Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk are things of the past, relics of a bygone age, Wizards should/is right in letting them go, Generic Fantasy is a thing of the past and the current "basal" 4e implied world serves that purpose well enough. My thoughts personally...
Spelljammer is prime for an update (if you don't believe me check out Larklight from Phillip Reeve, it's kinda like Spelljammer)
Eberron should not be allowed to die and Planescape is always awesome.
Since the Realms is more popular than Eberron or Planescape I'm not sure I get that
Well, since Ravenloft, Dark Sun and Planescape are all actually mentioned in the 4e Player's Handbook, I think that those are very likely to be making a comeback.
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I saw Sigil mentioned in the DMG, but where were the others mentioned?
That said, if there was going to be a conversion I think Mystara is a great choice (or even a piece of the setting). For one, it had the concept of characters becoming leaders of domains, taming the wilderness, etc. It had pretty much every environment and form of government. And probably most importantly, the immortals are mostly mortals who ascended - and this seems to fit the epic mold very well.
L
For d20 Modern I would like Urban Arcana and d20 Past (age of adventures, shadow stalkers and pulp heroes).
Assuming that 4e lasts for eight years, if you devote 2010-12 to, say, Greyhawk, Dragonlance and Mystara, then we're halfway through 4e's probable life cycle with no new settings, and only one setting from the 21st century. Also, WotC would be taking a huge risk if they devoted a year to a fringe setting like Spelljammer.
I think while 4e is being produced, there have to be at least two and maybe three new settings created. The printed setting books could be augmented with online-only versions of the old settings. This could take care of the likes of Ravenloft, Spelljammer, Dark Sun, and maybe Planescape, leaving the field clear to produce printed books for new worlds.
Bel
I'd love to see Al-Qadim/Arabian Nights, Oriental Adventures, African Expeditions and similar environment/culture combos as a product line in the vein of the -scape books, backed up by DDi.
I would like to see the other two settings from the competition that spawned Eberron, as well as continued fluff for the Points of Light.
Other things I'd like to see: Red Steel, Dark Sun, Planescape/SpellJammer, maybe Ravenloft.
Frankly, what is needed? A write-up on Sigil, the Manual of the Planes, a few possible Spelljamming ships and the rules for operating them, an iconic BBEG or organization or two and there you go. It plops right into any campaign world you currently have running (maybe even FR and Ebrron with some creative tweaking).
Still, I'd love to see Planescape redone and reset to the earlier storylines. I'd also like to see a revamped version of the 2E Ravenloft. A number of the 2E games I was in and ran led to the PCs being surrounded by a thick mist in a clearing with a glowing planar gate, giving the choice of Ravenloft or Planescape for the high level adventures.
d
2011: Darksun, played it once, loved it.
2012: Birthright, awesome bloodline stuff in that world.
I wouldn't mind seeing the Arabian setting Al-Qasim? come back...I never played it but it always intrigued me.
I'm wondering if Spelljammer and Planescape can actually be done as a campaign setting. More likely they can be supplemental rules as they don't really change the base PoL setting in any significant way, they just deal with a higher level area of the setting, namely the Astral Sea and the various realms within. I wonder if most of what would be needed couldn't be released in the Manual of the Planes or DDi.
Frankly, what is needed? A write-up on Sigil, the Manual of the Planes, a few possible Spelljamming ships and the rules for operating them, an iconic BBEG or organization or two and there you go. It plops right into any campaign world you currently have running (maybe even FR and Ebrron with some creative tweaking).
Still, I'd love to see Planescape redone and reset to the earlier storylines. I'd also like to see a revamped version of the 2E Ravenloft. A number of the 2E games I was in and ran led to the PCs being surrounded by a thick mist in a clearing with a glowing planar gate, giving the choice of Ravenloft or Planescape for the high level adventures.
d
I would absolutely love to see both Planescape and Spelljammer return, however I agree with you that they shouldn't be campaign settings in the strictest sense. A Campaign Setting denotes a Material Plane (be it Forgotten Realms, Eberron, the "Points of Light" core setting, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, etc, etc.)
I believe that Planescape could easily be dealt with in the Manual of the Planes and perhaps future supplements therof. Sigil was already mentioned in a DM's Guide sidebar, but still needs to be fully fleshed out with its factions and whatnot.
I would definately rush out to buy a Spelljammer book as soon as it hit stores. It would have to include rules on building/acquiring an Astral Ship. (I feel that it would make the most sense for Paragon tier characters to either find or buy a pre-built Astral ship, and for Epic tier characters to actually have the capability to design their own.) The book(s) would also have to include some of the iconic Spelljammer races (such as the hippo people I can't remember the name of) and also rules for combat between astral ships.
I think the return of Spelljammer would broaden the options for D&D campaigns while not really upsetting the apple cart in any way. (Your gaming group doesn't like the idea of swashbuckling among the Astral Sea? Just don't ever have them find/travel on an astral ship.) Also, the thing I absolutely love the most about Spelljammer is the ability to do campaign setting cross-overs. For example, the old Spelljammer comics (which I would love to find) had the characters showing up on Toril, Krynn, and some other places, and the Forgotten Realms novel Finder's Bane has the main characters (one of which I believe was from the Spelljammer comics) using an astral ship to travel from Toril to Sigil. (and the next book in that series, Tymora's Luck, featured the kender from Fistandantilus Reborn making his way to Toril and joining the party.
All in all, Wizards re-introducing Spelljammer (without removing the capability for crossovers) would probably the biggest thing they could do to make me be a die-hard supporter of 4e and everything in it.
In terms of actual campaign settings I'd like to see return -
Ravenloft could definately be interesting (although the 3e version didn't really catch my interest).
Dark Sun could definately be a cool one to re-do with its focus on psionics and magic defiling the planet.
Dragonlance is an old favorite of mine since middle school (but the more recent storylines haven't really piqued my interest).
Al-Quadim and Kara-Tur are also old favorites (but I'd like to see them done as supplements to Forgotten Realms, not as their own campaign settings)
Tale of the Comet - I read about this campaign setting in Dragon magazine. It sounds rather entertaining, but never got to see it in print.
Ghostwalk - an interesting idea, though I'd like to see the city of Manifest dropped into an existing campaign setting, most likely the Points of Light setting, due to the fact that Wizards purposely plans to not map out the majority of the world it would become easy to drop in a city and its surrounding area
Urban Arcana - I would definately love to see this campaign redone as more of a D&D / D20 Modern crossover. I also feel that 4e d20 modern needs to be more compatible with the main D&D game. Within the new 4e cosmology I'm not entirely sure it would make as much sense for the Shadowfell to be the connecting point between universes, but I'm sure some new connection point could be found. (perhaps portals are beginning to open up between modern-day Earth and Oerth [for example] or something along those lines.) I think D20 Modern needs less rules for crossovers and more DM tips (such as what items to possibly limit from one world to the other, and what an influx of items from the other world would mean to society.) I'm already picturing 4e write-ups for Frall and Weren in head and jumping for joy.
42 people have responded to the thread so far. Thus...
Of the settings thus far:
(42 Total replies)
Show
Dark Sun
Positive: 22 (52%)
Negative: 0
Planescape
Positive: 20 (48%)
Negative: 1 (2%)
Ravenloft
Positive: 20 (48%)
Negative: 1 (2%)
Spelljammer
Postive: 13 (31%)
Negative: 0
Dragonlance
Positive: 11 (26%)
Negative:
Mystara
Positive: 11 (26%)
Negative: 0
Al Quadim
Positive: 9 (22%)
Negative: 0
New Setting Entirely
Positive: 8 (19%)
Negative: 0
Greyhawk
Positive: 8 (19%)
Negative: 2 (5%)
Birthright
Positive: 6 (14%)
Negative: 0
Oriental Setting
Positive: 5 (12%)
Negative: 0
Ghostwalk
Positive: 2 (5%)
Negative: 0
Red Steel
Positive: 2 (5%)
Negative: 0
Dragonfist
Positive: 1 (2%)
Negative: 0
Tale of the Comet
Positive: 1 (2%)
Negative: 0
Urban Arcana
Positive: 2 (2%)
Negative: 0
Forgotten Realms
Positive: 2 (5%)
Negative: 9 (22%)
Dark Sun
Positive: 22 (52%)
Negative: 0
Planescape
Positive: 20 (48%)
Negative: 1 (2%)
Ravenloft
Positive: 20 (48%)
Negative: 1 (2%)
Spelljammer
Postive: 13 (31%)
Negative: 0
Dragonlance
Positive: 11 (26%)
Negative:
Mystara
Positive: 11 (26%)
Negative: 0
Al Quadim
Positive: 9 (22%)
Negative: 0
New Setting Entirely
Positive: 8 (19%)
Negative: 0
Greyhawk
Positive: 8 (19%)
Negative: 2 (5%)
Birthright
Positive: 6 (14%)
Negative: 0
Oriental Setting
Positive: 5 (12%)
Negative: 0
Ghostwalk
Positive: 2 (5%)
Negative: 0
Red Steel
Positive: 2 (5%)
Negative: 0
Dragonfist
Positive: 1 (2%)
Negative: 0
Tale of the Comet
Positive: 1 (2%)
Negative: 0
Urban Arcana
Positive: 2 (2%)
Negative: 0
Forgotten Realms
Positive: 2 (5%)
Negative: 9 (22%)
I would however LOVE to see Dark Sun (it'd work well with the new ruleset)
Ebarron will of course be released, I only wish the forgotten realms wasn't being smooshed as it appears to have been. Poor forgotten realms.
I'd like to see something that wasn't medieval fantasy as well, rennaissance fantasy perhaps? Firearms and all that mwhahaha
Instead of Kara-Tur/Al Quadim we could get a couple of kingdoms to use with classes, equipment and setting ideas for Orential/Middle Eastern adventures.
Instead of Ravenloft we could get everyones favorite Vampire, some of the Kingdoms and tips for a horror dnd game with rules.
Also, I simply can't understand how so many seem to have a hatred for the Realms. I have no desire to see FR go the way of the dinosaur; I rather enjoy the setting in fact. I just don't want to see Forgotten Realms and Eberron be the only campaign settings that Wizards spends any real amount of time on (which was how 3e was really starting to feel there, especially over time.) I know we had some other new settings (Kalamar for one,) but Wizards never really seemed to spend a whole lot of time or attention on any settings except for Forgotten Realms and Eberron. And all of the "mini" campaign settings introduced in the D20 Modern books were treated like inbred black sheep cousins.
As for Planescape, it's another old setting I'd like to see redone as supplements to the core rules. The Manual of the Planes could deal with the basic descriptions of the planes and the various threats and obstacles that come with travelling through them. Then, further volumes could be made bringing greater detail to the various "big-name" cities of the planes (Sigil, City of Brass, etc.) As for getting the feel right, that could be handled by treating Sigil or perhaps some of the other major cities as "home bases" (such as the town of Fallcrest in the Dungeon Master's Guide) and have tips for creating slightly higher level characters who start out living in Sigil.
As for rentauri's comments... I feel that his suggestions could work for Kara-Tur and Al-Quadim, but only if the actual campaign setting info was in the book as well as an option. I feel that 3e took Kara-Tur (a very awesome addition to the Forgotten Realms setting) and skinned it, then expected us to be happy. I want "Kara-Tur" not generic "oriental adventures," but I would settle for it if that was my only option. However, doing the same thing to Ravenloft would be inexcusable; taking away the idea of it being a sentient demiplane with potentially-sinister motives who can steal people away from their proper place in the cosmos (Lord Soth from Krynn, etc) would just take far too much away from the setting.
However, I could see them doing Ravenloft as a "plane's guide" supplement instead of a full-blown campaign setting, right alongside Sigil, the City of Brass, and other non-Material Plane locations.
As for rentauri's comments... I feel that his suggestions could work for Kara-Tur and Al-Quadim, but only if the actual campaign setting info was in the book as well as an option. I feel that 3e took Kara-Tur (a very awesome addition to the Forgotten Realms setting) and skinned it, then expected us to be happy. I want "Kara-Tur" not generic "oriental adventures," but I would settle for it if that was my only option. However, doing the same thing to Ravenloft would be inexcusable; taking away the idea of it being a sentient demiplane with potentially-sinister motives who can steal people away from their proper place in the cosmos (Lord Soth from Krynn, etc) would just take far too much away from the setting.
Well let me us theme instead of genre, as asain themed, horror themed sound a little better. Now with regards to Ravenloft, its both a unique setting and the truly the only horror setting (or at least only good one I know of) in the dnd world. Now I know a couple of people that would buy dnd 4e Ravenloft and use it, I would not. Not that I hate it, just don't care to spend the money on a big book devoted to a setting I'm not going to run. Instead I would go to the bookstore and page thru the book, looking at the things that I find enjoyable and like then port into my setting/game.
On the other hand if it wasn't DnD 4e Ravenloft but instead DnD 4e Lands of Horror (title depending). This would be a book designed to help DM's craft horror stories, lace their land with those spooky things that go bump in the night while having rules, classes and equipment that may be unique to this theme it would be different. Examples are golden, and Ravenloft as the prime example of dnd horror would be shown off, written about and allowing its story to unfold giving the reader an idea of Ravenloft and its notable figures of power. This would give those hungry for Ravenloft a book on it while also giving everyone enough information on how to expand on it, or in create there own setting (or port it into a non Ravenloft one).
Kara-Tur was a interesting but I hated most of the actual nations, in 3rd the Oriental Adventures was generic but that was because they attempted to make it Rokugan-lite. Ironically that could be exactly what I talking about with regards to above, not sure but I do know I bought OA and still reference it for games. Of course I could be in the minority here and people prefer settings.
1 - Dark Sun
The most memorable campaign I’ve made is in this setting, I can’t wait to start again ! (I'm a fan of bone weapons :D)
2 - Planescape
3 - Dragonlance
4 - Something new
It's interesting to note that Spelljammer is in between your Tier 1 and Tier 2. Personally, it is the "campaign setting" that I care the most about (far above any others,) but I see it being best served done as supplements to the core rules, instead of as a campaign setting, however I know that I don't speak for everyone by a long shot.
I was interested more than anything in archiving the overall tone of the thread more than trying to make any sort of specific push for what should be a "campaign setting" or just extra rules. I just made the tiers based entirely on what percentage of people wanted SOMETHING new to come out for that setting. And you are entirely correct, somehow I blanked Spelljammer out of my tier stuff, I'll fit that in. It does seem to be more of a 1.5 than a 1 or 2....hmmm...
I wouldn't mind seeing Spelljammer at all, the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. I'm interested in getting away from just having one or two settings and broadening WotC's horizons as far as published material in 4e.
Also, I simply can't understand how so many seem to have a hatred for the Realms. I have no desire to see FR go the way of the dinosaur; I rather enjoy the setting in fact. I just don't want to see Forgotten Realms and Eberron be the only campaign settings that Wizards spends any real amount of time on (which was how 3e was really starting to feel there, especially over time.) I know we had some other new settings (Kalamar for one,) but Wizards never really seemed to spend a whole lot of time or attention on any settings except for Forgotten Realms and Eberron. And all of the "mini" campaign settings introduced in the D20 Modern books were treated like inbred black sheep cousins.
Well put. A lot of it isn't actually hate for the setting; it's the fact that it was shoved down our throats for two editions. Again, this is solved by releasing lots of different settings, not just focussing on two for 20 years. I think that WotC would be surprised what would happen if they somehow released every setting at once. I think it's fair to say that Forgotten Realms would not sell nearly as well as the others. Just my opinion though.
As for Planescape, it's another old setting I'd like to see redone as supplements to the core rules. The Manual of the Planes could deal with the basic descriptions of the planes and the various threats and obstacles that come with travelling through them. Then, further volumes could be made bringing greater detail to the various "big-name" cities of the planes (Sigil, City of Brass, etc.) As for getting the feel right, that could be handled by treating Sigil or perhaps some of the other major cities as "home bases" (such as the town of Fallcrest in the Dungeon Master's Guide) and have tips for creating slightly higher level characters who start out living in Sigil.
I agree, what I personally wish COULD be accomplished through rules supplements. Of course I would actually prefer a full-blown setting. The problem I see is that they might release the Manual of the Planes then say "Oh, we're done!" like they did in 3.x (more or less). I love doing homebrew stuff but quite honestly I don't have time to sit up creating planes on my own, especially when half of them are infinite. ;)
A City of Brass "expansion" if you will would be phenomenal. One for Sigil. I absolutely LOVED the Fiendish Codex I and II. I know they've said before they weren't as interested in in the Upper Planes but it would be interesting to see the Celestials given a similar makeover. /shrug
Then, a small Greyhawk thing. AND a Living Greyhawk.
Then, Eberron, all new, was offered for the more divergent tastes.
It was not pushed to customers in any way beyond that there was not much choices else (because WOTC, understandably, didn't want to to an error of TSR and hold too many settings aloft simultanously).
BUT, there was many third parties settings.. and somes of high quality...
Nobody was ever forced to use it.
2011: Greyhawk
Not because I like those setting best. I just think those have the best potential for drawing in novel-readers/grognards into 4ed.
I also agree that settings like Planescape, Spelljammer, and Ravenloft could all fit into the greater PoL universe. Shadowfell = Ravenloft, or something like that...
I have searched for and found a dozen or so of my DS books and I am laboriously making an conversion. Realistically I'll never play it though, because without art it just won't grip the players. Maybe I could find my Prism Pentad and get a few readers and see if that approach pays off. On the other hand if I have a Player's Guide to Dark Sun I could just hand it to them and they'd be into it. Well maybe not, as WotC can't afford real art.
No particular order;
Dark Sun ('Kreen are cool. 'nuff said)
Dragonlance (like the stories)
Planescape (I've a player who liked Torment)
Whatever Rich Burlew or Phillip Nathan Toomey developed for the setting search. They competed with my favorite setting, and Burlew wrote one of 'em, so I'd be excited to see what they're like. Plus, Wizards owns 'em - they can use 'em whenever.
Shadowfell = Ravenloft, or something like that...
The Shadowfell's a reflection of a world. That's not what Ravenloft is. Besides, Rich Baker's already said that demiplanes still exist, so there you go.
2010 - Planescape - modified to fit the new cosmology - focus more on Sigil and Gating than the planes themselves (depending on what all is covered in Manual of the planes).
2011 - Spelljammer - But it is sailing the astral sea - keep the huge fleets of races, and the spheres (they are different Known worlds in the sea). Work it so that Planescape and Spelljammer can fit together perfectily, but you don't need one to run the other, but if you have both, the are cohesive.
I would absolutely love to see these two return in this kind of fashion.
Spelljammer, especially, is one that I've wanted to see return for a long time now. It allows for crossovers between different campaign settings in a way that makes sense within the D&D "multiverse."
As Mhoram said though, Spelljammer should now be dealt with as travelilng through the Astral Sea. The various campaign setting worlds can be located in the Astral Sea beside the Citadels and such things.
And this would fix the one real problem I've had with Spelljammer in the past. The fact that it deals with magical "space" travel doesn't mean it shouldn't make sense. And the fact that D&D has traditionally been a medieval-style game doesn't mean that we have to act like medieval science makes sense. Moving the spelljamming ships to the Astral Sea (putting them on equal footing with the Githzerai Astral ships) would allow it to have the feel of space travel while actually being entirely magical and not giving us cr@p explanations of space.
I wish Iwish I wish
2011: Birthright
2012: Spelljammer
Planescape
Spelljammer
Greyhawk
The Hamster
Ari Marmell would be the man for the job (though I'd love to see the original authors involved too). Personally, I think this would be a kick to design, combing through the old campaign setting book, choosing one (or more) of the rumors as true for each city, then advancing the plot one generation so that there are a couple sons competing for the title of Grand Caliph. The theme I'd shoot for is swashbuckling with shades of comedy, romance, and theological debate.
Al-Qadim: Points of Light
The World is a Fantastic Place
Sandstorm oracles, holy swords once wielded by prophets, wish-granting djinni? Check.
The World is Ancient
Nog? Rogaro? Isle of the Elephant? Crowded Sea? Supplement entitled Ruined Kingdoms? Check.
The World is Mysterious
Sure there were beautiful maps, but a lot was left vague. Feuding city-states separated by tractless desert, haunted oases, legendary caves of the Loregiver, enlightened and spiteful tribes, grim raiders, and cunning djinni? Check.
Monsters are Everywhere
I think Al-Qadim challenges the concept of "monster", and provides the opportunity to explore how men become monsters. Still the MM portfolio provided more than enough new monsters to populate Zakhara with.
Adventurers are Exceptional
Most folk are bound by tradition, duty, and family. It's the heroes who are the center of swashbuckling action? Check.
The Civilized Races Band Together
Faith is more important than race, so all the races are found co-mingled in the cities, but sectarian disputes are common? Check.
Magic is Not Everyday but it is Natural
Miraculous recoveries, peris turnign into ringdoves, dashing rogues escape on flying carpets, summoned djinni hide in the marketplace, belief in the evil eye? Check.
Gods and Primordials Shaped the World
I think the Djinni Lords could fit the bill.
Gods are Distant
Angels deliver messages to worthy mortals, prayers are answered, followers belong to all alignments and have divergent interpretations? Check.
Al-Qadim for 4e. I'd give my liver for it.
Al-Qadim! With all the references in the DMG, I think this wonderful campaign needs to make a comeback.
...
Al-Qadim for 4e. I'd give my liver for it.
That is perhaps the most convincing argument I have heard for a 4th ed make over. great pitch, I hope marketting is reading.
Now I know that Forgotten Realms, Kara-Tur, and Al-Quadim were all set together in the same world (as shown in various novels, etc. [such as the old Forgotten Realms comics],) but I'm trying to remember if there were any other settings in the same world. I thought there were, but I can't remember for sure. I thought perhaps that the Council of Wyrms setting might have been on the same world since Toril was the "assumed world" for AD&D 2e.
Anyone remember any others?
and a new setting. One with Native American influence would be cool.
DRAGONLANCE!
I have to agree. I don't think that the Dragonlance world has ever been done to it's potential. I'd also like to see:
-Ravenloft
-Birthright
-Planescape
I do wonder how a world like Dragonlance can exist with the updated D&D cosmology (Fey/Shadowfell/etc). I've heard that many people have that problem where the Realms are concerned.
Maztica the one inspired by precolombian cultures, and a sort-of setting called Hordeland - the regions of the "central asia'.
That's right... I forgot about those two.
Between Forgotten Realms, Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica, "the Horde", and the Council of Wyrms, the world of Toril always seemed like the most varied and thought out of the campaign settings.
Don't get me wrong though... several of the other settings seemed quite entertaining as well. Dark Sun seemed really entertaining, but I never got a chance to play in it. And Dragonlance was an early favorite of mine.
I think Dragonlance could work in 4e, but I'd like to see the campaign setting include both Ansalon and Taladas. And I think they'd have to find a legitimate story reason for cosmology changing, and perhaps include some info on the old cosmology (War of the Lance, etc, etc).
Between Forgotten Realms, Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica, "the Horde", and the Council of Wyrms, the world of Toril always seemed like the most varied and thought out of the campaign settings.
I would rather each of the various FR sub-settings got their own setting.
Bel
That's right... I forgot about those two.
Between Forgotten Realms, Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur, Maztica, "the Horde", and the Council of Wyrms, the world of Toril always seemed like the most varied and thought out of the campaign settings.
You obviosly never played Mystara.
You obviosly never played Mystara.
no, never got the oppurtunity... I've unfortunately read about far more campaign settings then I've actually played in.
Not counting my own homebrew campaigns, I think the only campaign I've actually played in (rather than just reading about) was Forgotten Realms. And in that campaign I played a hengeyoki kidnapped by spelljamming slavers who wound up in Waterdeep.
Eberron is top notch though, cutter.
In Ravenloft, you were the Points of Light; WotC copied their current generic world's PoL concept straight from the pages of Dark Sun and in Planescape, Sigil was the single Point of Light.
I would love to see a new Dark Sun setting by them, but I'd rather they spent a couple of years getting it exactly right than rushing it out in 2010.
Just my 0.2 ceramics.
Al-Qadim! With all the references in the DMG, I think this wonderful campaign needs to make a comeback.
Ari Marmell would be the man for the job (though I'd love to see the original authors involved too). Personally, I think this would be a kick to design, combing through the old campaign setting book, choosing one (or more) of the rumors as true for each city, then advancing the plot one generation so that there are a couple sons competing for the title of Grand Caliph. The theme I'd shoot for is swashbuckling with shades of comedy, romance, and theological debate.
I wholeheartedly endorse this post.
(Seriously. There are a number of old settings that I'd kill to work on, but AQ is one of my top three.)
2011: DragonLance
2012: Dark Sun
2010: Sanctuary (Diablo III)
2011: DragonLance
2012: Dark Sun
I heard words that the Diablo 1 and 2 products weren't so hot...
My Top 5:
-Al-Qadim
-Dark Sun
-Planescape
-Ravenloft
-Spelljammer
I heard words that the Diablo 1 and 2 products weren't so hot...
That's right. Diablo 2 wasn't good at all. But that doesn't mean that they can't do a great work with Diablo III. I can only hope it will be released and it will be great.
I am not interested in:
Forgotten Realms - Done this one to DEATH. Let them be Forgotten already. The onlything reallhy unique about this setting is the NPCs. When the focus of a campaign setting is on NPCs instead of PCs, then something is horribly wrong.
Dragonlance - Now I like the books (novels), and to be honest they were some of my favorites back in highschool. But Dragonlance suffers from NPC ascociation syndrome much in the same way as FR. That being said there are some things about FR that I really like: Solomnic knights and thier orders, Kender and their pockets of wonder, and moon phase magic. But those things don't need an entire setting to exsist.
As for ideas of a new setting? I would like to see a modern D&D setting. Not d-20 modern but dungeons and dragons modern. I want fantastic creatures, kobolds, magic, and the whole D&D experience to be offered in a modern or even futuristic campaign offering.
love,
malkav
2010: Sanctuary (Diablo III)
I would also like to see another attempt at Sanctuary (Diablo) and Azaroth (Warcraft) done with the 4e system. The main problem I could see with this though is that Wizards would have little to no control over the setting. It would have to be done within the continuity/cosmology of the Warcraft/Diablo universe and Wizards/Blizzard would have to set out to begin with just how much connection there would be. (ie would the stories set forth in the RPG effect the rest of Blizzard's world.)
As a side note: Something I rather like is that it's been hinted heavily in Warcraft 3, and in various interviews with Blizzard staff, that the demonic invaders of the Diablo franchise and the Infernal Legion (I think that was their name) of the Warcraft series are in fact one and the same, and that Azaroth, Sanctuary, and the Outlands are all just different worlds within the same cosmology. Going with that in mind, I would love to see Blizzard create within the storyline a portal linking Sanctuary either to Azaroth or to the Outlands (in the same fashion that there is currently a portal linking Azaroth and the Outlands.)
I know that me and the rest of gaming group would definately get behind a 4e-driven tabletop rpg of Diablo/Warcraft.
Honestly, as hostile as WotC is to all things once TSR, I seriously doubt that we would see any TSR settings get a full treatment again, with the possible exception of Dragonlance.
Except TSR is not hostile to TSR legacy.
the closest is that.... How to explain it...
Myself, I don't like to roleplay characters created by others. Like prefabricateds. Why? I can't identify to them as much... they are not *my* creations, they don't have me in them. I also may not play them as well as I could, do them justice.
It's the best analogy I can think of. It's a bit hard to deal with a legacy created by others - and give it a just, fair and good treatement and play.
hence a reason why Eberron existed.
Honestly, as hostile as WotC is to all things once TSR, I seriously doubt that we would see any TSR settings get a full treatment again, with the possible exception of Dragonlance.
Except they've stated that they actually intend to put out some of those old settings, one per year.
Also getting an update on some of my favorites, Spelljammer, Ravenloft, Mystara is the icing on the cake.
Bel
You obviosly never played Mystara.
too bad the translations (red, blue, green and black boxes. Gold was never translated..) never gave any real detail on the world as such.
So while i have a few maps.. and various names taken from real world -trollhättan-, comes to mind.. the world as such means close to nothing at all.
It looks like the "Lost Chronicles Trilogy" was cancelled before the third book could even come out. Also I've seen rumors that Weis and Hickman weren't even contracted for anything past that.
The way they cross market everything, if WotC is not putting out any new Dragonlance novels, why would they put out campaign setting?
I just don't see it happening.
If some info has come out recently to dispute any of this I would be very happy to hear it.
All others: after that.
Though I guess my preference would go to ravenloft and other settings that are vastly different from things like faerûn, eberron, etc.
Honestly, as hostile as WotC is to all things once TSR, I seriously doubt that we would see any TSR settings get a full treatment again, with the possible exception of Dragonlance.
Isn't Forgotten Realms also TSR?
Its supported afaik.
I want to see Dragonlance get it's due. That series got shafted in the 3.0/3.5 era. It needs to be empowered.
Gray Hawk.... I don't know. It really isn't that special.
Ravenloft would make for a killer game setting.
What I would like to see is something a bit more modern style. steam punk possibly with some magic. It would be like Eberron i guess but instead of magic being the technology, magic is a gift to only a few. As if magic is leaving and technology is taking over.... It would be interesting.
A 4.0 Modern game would be spiffy to see also! Bullets, cars and destruction OMG!
2009/2010: Planescape, using the old cosmology and saying that those clueless primes in the PHD/DMG/MotP had it all wrong.
All others: after that.
Though I guess my preference would go to ravenloft and other settings that are vastly different from things like faerûn, eberron, etc.
Isn't Forgotten Realms also TSR?
Its supported afaik.
WHy not with the current cosmology? Planescape don't HAVE to use the wheel, it could be reimaginated and done in another way. It's a setting about Sigil, ideas, believes and philosophies.
Also, I hope they cut the haugtyness down a bit.
Dito with the whole new different demons/devils/fey thing.
Besides; what would happen to the gate towns?
I don't think they'll be able to slide into another plane when the belief of the inhabitants change enough. Not to mention the whole unity of rings going down the drain.
The old cosmology was the perfect almagation of the unity of rings and the rule of three.
Plus the whole appearance of it now looks like something a clueless would imagine it to be.
Minor details, really...
And a bit artifical, forced... a mish mash.
the planars can be wrong, too... wasn't that a key point? Who is the clueless?
DRAGONLANCE!
My name is Joseph Silver, and I support this post.
The same can't be said for reverse; You can't fit Dark Sun in Forgotten Realms for instance, nor can you fit Dragonlance in Al Quadim.
The fact that Dungeons and Dragons hasn't had an official horror setting to date also says that Ravenloft needs to be brought back and done right. White Wolf just made it shallow and hurt the campaign setting more than anything ever done. Retcon everything White Wolf did, do a bit of work, bring back the Demiplane of Dread to it's former glory, I bet it would be a hot ticket campaign like it was in the past to.
Although A new world contest for a new edition of D&D would be a cool idea too.
I would love to see Dark Sun return, probably my favorite setting. Just my two cents.
Dark Sun was my favorite behind Ravenloft. I am hoping for both, but in order for DS to return the psionicist system has to be revised for it. Remember everyone in DS was a wild talent at least in psionics, and not mention I believe you had to start at level 3.
Darksun
- Really stands out among all the published campaign settings that I have ever played in or ran a campaign for. It was an old work that had already fallen and you were just trying to survive and maybe make things a bit better, instead of the typical 'ride-in-save-day-happily-ever-after' feeling most of the other settings / published modules gave me. It had some truly great, truly unique concepts in the setting that would actually work very well with the 4e ruleset for great character development (becoming a Dragon as an Epic destiny for example).
Planescape
- Admittedly I love Planescape as much as I do because of it's sense of style and the wonderful artwork that was done in the books for it. I really hope the setting doesn't just get relegated to a few paragraphs of mention in the forthcoming Manual of the Planes for 4e and that instead it truly returns to Sigil and the Factions and becomes a setting once more for great planar-political treachery and drama.
Spelljammer
- The setting was a great way to take a campaign from saving a village, to a kingdom, to a world, to now saving an entire crystal sphere / solar system. Plus, there was just something that was simply amazingly fun about a campaign setting with 'Miniature Giant Space Hamsters' and the militant space hippos of the Giff. The entire thing was so tongue-in-cheek and at times felt to me almost like AD&D had a love-child with Jules Verne. Not everyone liked it, but I always loved it.
and ravenloft and mystara after! (although i doubt for mystara,,,)
Although A new world contest for a new edition of D&D would be a cool idea too.
I would tend to agree, I would like to see something new in the way of a new campaign setting. A lot of the old settings were very good and I would like to see a majority of them back, but seeing something new would also be very good (except for a creepy steam punk setting). But the bottom line in any setting being published by WoTC will be how much they can make off of it, that is why they do FR and Eberron.
Then the Planescape/Spelljammer campaign add-ons to fit into any campaign.
After that I would enjoy seeing Ravenloft and then Dark Sun.
I don't care either way about Eberron, and would greatly prefer that Dragonlance give this edition a miss. I've not liked the setting for a very long time.
Birthright: first and foremost.
Then the Planescape/Spelljammer campaign add-ons to fit into any campaign.
After that I would enjoy seeing Ravenloft and then Dark Sun.
I don't care either way about Eberron, and would greatly prefer that Dragonlance give this edition a miss. I've not liked the setting for a very long time.
oh yeah... birthright... how could i forget... i still have the books and take ideas for my adventures... so great setting and so unplayable rules!
oh yeah... birthright... how could i forget... i still have the books and take ideas for my adventures... so great setting and so unplayable rules!
Wasn't Birthright set in Mystara though or supposedly? I dunno, never got into it.
Wasn't Birthright set in Mystara though or supposedly? I dunno, never got into it.
First time i hear that, but i doubt it...
2011 Spelljammer
2012 Maztica (the last year of Mayan calendar)
and all other crap settings, they better not touch the greatness that is Planescape
2012 Maztica (the last year of Mayan calendar)
dum da dum da daaaaaaaaaa
Also, if we got really lucky they'd put out a Spelljammer supplement for the Core rules, and then treat the rest of Toril's crystal sphere as being part of the combined Forgotten Realms/Al-Quadim/Kara-Tur/Maztica campaign setting. I think that it would even make some logical sense since the Realms book for Spelljammer back in AD&D said that there was a spelljamming port outside Waterdeep and a couple in Kara-Tur (and I imagine there should be one in Al-Quadim as well.)
Also, I never got a chance to play in Dark Sun (except the computer game,) but it always seemed like a cool setting. A change I'd like to see though, would be to say the "multiverse-at-large" has discovered the crystal sphere that Athas is located in.
I would love to see Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur, and Maztica all return as full-fleshed add-ons to the Forgotten Realms... able to stand on their own as campaign settings, but also done in such a way that they show their connection to the larger world that connects them all together (Toril). As an example, people in Maztica may not have much of a clue what the hell was happening across the pond, but that doesn't mean that the Spellplauge would have only effected people in Faerun.
Also, if we got really lucky they'd put out a Spelljammer supplement for the Core rules, and then treat the rest of Toril's crystal sphere as being part of the combined Forgotten Realms/Al-Quadim/Kara-Tur/Maztica campaign setting. I think that it would even make some logical sense since the Realms book for Spelljammer back in AD&D said that there was a spelljamming port outside Waterdeep and a couple in Kara-Tur (and I imagine there should be one in Al-Quadim as well.)
Also, I never got a chance to play in Dark Sun (except the computer game,) but it always seemed like a cool setting. A change I'd like to see though, would be to say the "multiverse-at-large" has discovered the crystal sphere that Athas is located in.
No, please, Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur and Maztica as full fledged settings, yes; attached to the Forgotten Realms, no!
Or make a setting that is comprised of nothing but r/l cultural settings, minus the western european influence. It should sell well concidering it would attract all the different niche setting players.
But, please leave the FR out of it, it's going to take a while to adjust to the changes from 4E for many of us. At least those of us willing to give it a try, anyway.
Bel
2011 -- Mystara
2012 -- Ravenloft
2013 -- Al Qadim
A well done return to Greyhawk might interest me as well.
I've always loved Dark Sun and Mystara and would love to see them get a 4E treatement. :D
I'm leery of a revived Karu-Tur. It never struck me as a very interesting depiction of the far east (I like L5R - NOT WotC's - Rokugan). I think they could make a better Cathay-ish campaign world if they put their mind to it.
Spelljammer would have to undergo a radical transformation to be a viable campaign - for example, how Helms worked in the original set would definitely have to be changed (I think they tackled that in the Spider Moon conversion). Likewise, I imagine a lot of the campiness rampant in the old campaign would be gone; it might be best to use the Astromoni Cluster as the basis for Spelljammer.
I think that Al-Qadim and maybe Dark Sun might have the best chance to be made 4E without either overhauling the "feel" of the game or the original campaign world. Dragonlance would probably fit as well, and Mystara should fit right into the feel of 4E (perhaps after the fall of Thyatis?). Eberron in 4E is a no-brainer, though gnomes of Zilargo are going to be a little weird...
I don't think, however, that Birthright will fit the 4E game as it is now. Too much of the granduer of ruling a kingdom, battling with armies and wielding the blood of gods would probably just make 4E roll up in a ball and cry. 4E would have to swallow hard and go through a lot of torturous stretching on a rack to do Birthright justice.
IMHO, Forgotten Realms is dead, with the all they've done to destroy and rebuild it. I could care less what they do with the Realms now.
While Planescape could be resurrected, I think they would be better off redesigning it for the new cosmology. Keep Sigil (an unaligned entity), but pit it in a philisophical war with say the City of Brass (Chaotic Evil) and the city of Dis ([Lawful] Evil), and then making the campaign revolve around touchstone points and wars on the planes where a philosophical war is being "secretly" waged between the three cities. Sigil, of course, it attempting to spread freedom, while the City of Brass seeks to **** the points of their riches and Dis seeks to enslave the inhabitants...
Personally, I'd like to see if they could get away with doing a proper Council of Wyrms, with the PCs as truly awe-inspiring dragons, and it still be playable.
The one I would hope for most? It's a toss-up between Al-Qadim and Dark Sun. If I had to choose, I'd have to go with Al-Qadim.
Unless 4E receives a serious overhaul, I don't think it would be appropriate for Ravenloft at all (IMHO, it would be as bad as WotC mauled Rokugan in OA). I think 4E is just a bad fit conceptually for the brooding, fear-drenched mood of Ravenloft. Characters are just too heroic, and the fear of death just isn't there in 4E.
I don't think that 4E needs an overhaul to work with Ravenloft. Ravenloft is, of course, a horror game, and horror games depend upon a good gamemaster and players who are willing to be scared. There is an issue with epic-tier play meshing well with the Demiplane of Dread, but that can be addressed with DM advice and a few Ravenloft-specific epic destinies. Additionally, I don't know what 4E game you're involved with, but my players fear death in almost every encounter they face. I'm running a horror-themed 4E game, and it's one of the better games I've come up with. 4E doesn't obviously point to horror, but neither does it hinder the style. Ravenloft can fit in just fine.
No dragons, elves, unicorns and what not.
I was also thinking no gods, just devils and genies – that sort of thing.
Dark Sun in 2e was a power gamer's paradise. As in, you started at 3rd level, meaning you could begin play as a half-giant psionicist with a natural 24 strength (remember that in 2e it only went to 25) that could already use disintegrate and had double hp, and who gets to change alaignment every day. 3e drasitcally changed half-giants and psionics in a severe nerf. Now picture further nerfing to 4e levels - Dark Sun just isn't going to be "uber" anymore.
Spelljammer: GNOMES IN SPAAACE! It's a blast to play, and one of my personal favorite settings. But it's a very goofy setting, and WotC doesn't like to be goofy anymore. If it doesn't have giant space hamsters and tinker gnomes, it's not going to be the same. As a side note, Spelljammer pretty much requires Dragonlance to be made first.
Dragonlance: this one has great races and cool classes. 3e had excellent treatment. However, despite the annual apocalypses, I actually think that 4e might be pretty good with this one, as long as it has good rules for time travel, retains the three moons and wizards of high sorcery, and manages to get rid of the shadows of the Heroes of the Lance & their kids.
Planescape: they really messed with the Great Wheel for 4e. A new Planescape would really be a manual of the planes with the PS races and Sigil. I think what we would see would be a sourcebook on Sigil and a Manual of the Planes. But some of my favorite aspects of PS were the deep ethereal and the para- and quasi-elemental planes (especially dust). They're gone, so I don't know how they're going to do that one.
Mystara: I've got a lot of nostalgia on this one. I think I'd rather they left if untouched. There's really not much to add here. Maybe rakastas, lupins, and tortles, but overall I don't want to see another Fall of Magic.
Greyhawk: probably works fine as is without any changes. There are lots of nostalgia and it's already almost points of light, so I don't think there should be any changes or problems converting to 4e.
Lankhmar and Conan: great sword and sorcery taking PCs up to 15th level. Get rid of the epic tier completely and half of the paragon tier, and they might work.
Gamma World/Alternity/Masque of the Red Death: D20 Past/Modern/Future is the only non D&D game I'll play, mostly because it's basically D&D. It would be nice to have sourcebooks for PL 3+ equipment, for D&D. But it totally goes against WotC's plans and guidelines.
Al-Qadim/Kara-Tur/Rokugan/Maztica: I don't really like culture-tied books. OA is a great book, and always has been, but overall I'm not a big fan.
2011: Ravenloft
2012: CAMPAIGN WORLD CONTEST!
I love Planescape. Hands down my favorite (with Darksun a distant second). However, with the new cosmology I think a campaign setting book would be a mistake. Instead, I would release an advenure series set in Sigil within the Points of Light campaign world, beginning at Paragon level (I don't think Heroic characters should frequent Sigil), and through Epic. The adventure series would cover Sigil and environs in the new setting, through the course of six or so modules.
And while I think there would be a demand for Dragonlance, the problem is that Dragonlance has gone through so many ages already, it feels to me like a tattered campaign. Any 4th edition version would have to be utterly rewritten (again). I'd rather let that one lie fallow for awhile and regain its strength.
And while I think there would be a demand for Dragonlance, the problem is that Dragonlance has gone through so many ages already, it feels to me like a tattered campaign. Any 4th edition version would have to be utterly rewritten (again). I'd rather let that one lie fallow for awhile and regain its strength.
Maybe a pre-cataclysm Dragonlance setting would work, especially with the whole points of light action – no gods, old ruins of past empires, forgotten this and that etc.
Spelljammer had a lot of potential but I felt it was kind of wasted, so even though I never really liked the setting, I wouldn't mind seeing them take another crack at it.
I think that was due to people using the setting as a taxi service to get from Toril to Krynn or what have you. They didn't set-it up enough as a standalone setting.
I've been on a Planescape kick recently, so I really would like to see it statted up. I think the 3-book-formula could work pretty well for a Planescape revival--revise the Great Wheel cosmology and the alignment system in the DM guide, include the factions and sects in the player's guide, then publish a great plane-hopping adventure a la The Great Modron March.
That said, the one I'm looking forward to most is Dark Sun. The combat system of 4e, coupled with the new classes, seem utterly fitting for Athas. If this one comes out after Eberron, I'll gladly pick it up.
I think that was due to people using the setting as a taxi service to get from Toril to Krynn or what have you. They didn't set-it up enough as a standalone setting.
Near the end of it's life, the Astronomi Cluster did a bang-up job of creating a unique Spelljammer world-setting.
I'd love to see Ravenloft, but intimidating heroes in 4e is much more difficult than in prior editions, particularly 2e.
I have that same feeling. I absolutely loved Ravenloft in 2E. It was hard to make/keep the mood in 3E; something about 4E from what I've played tells me generating fear and the proper mood for Ravenloft will be even harder.
The combat system of 4e, coupled with the new classes, seem utterly fitting for Athas.
Agreed. 4E seems made to fit Athas.
No, please, Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur and Maztica as full fledged settings, yes; attached to the Forgotten Realms, no! ...
But, please leave the FR out of it, it's going to take a while to adjust to the changes from 4E for many of us. At least those of us willing to give it a try, anyway.
That was really the main problem I always had with Al-Quadim, Kara-Tur, and Maztica. Back when I was reading the AD&D books for them, I always thought "these are awesome campaign setting ideas, but the thing that makes them truly great is that they are connected to the Realms and take place on the same world," but unfortunately TSR/WotC seems to have a problem connecting them in logical ways.
I always liked it when Elminster would throw out a bit of knowledge about Kara-Tur in a short story, and of course the region was mentioned in the novel Finder's Bane (alongwith the Celestial Beaurocracy [I know I'm spelling that horribly]). However, whenever anything huge and world-shaking would happen (as is the case with the 4e transition Spellplague) characters who should know better, such as Khelben and Elminster, would always talk about Faerun being in danger. I always hated how the settings were connected to a tiny degree, then mostly forgotten about.
Now I know that it would be difficult to just go from Faerun to Kara-Tur because of the Hordelands in the way, or to go from Faerun to Al-Quadim because of deserts and mountains in the way. (Maztica would be a bit easier; just get yourself a ship and "we're off to the New World".) But despite the possible difficulty getting from one place to another, I still always felt that the settings should have been more closely connected, at least when it comes to world-shaking storylines.
Originally Posted by Steely_Dan
I think that was due to people using the setting as a taxi service to get from Toril to Krynn or what have you. They didn't set-it up enough as a standalone setting.Near the end of it's life, the Astronomi Cluster did a bang-up job of creating a unique Spelljammer world-setting.
From what I've read so far of the old Spelljammer books it seems like Spelljammer introduced some rather nifty worlds to visit alongwith other spacefaring communities (like the Dwarven Citadels).
The main point I want to make though, is that if characters want to spend the money on a spelljamming ship so that they can leave their homeworld and explore the other campaign setting worlds, then why the hell not. That's a pretty expensive taxi service, but well with it when you consider all the options that opens up for your campaigns.
I think the best use for Spelljammer in 4e would be as a supplement to the Core rules. This sourcebook would have to include:
the basics of D&D space travel (hopefully de-camped a little),
specs on some buyable ships (as Paragon/Epic tier magic items),
rules for creating your own ships,
some new playable races (Giff and Tinker Gnomes especially),
possibly new classes, paragon paths, and epic destinies if there are any unique to Spelljammer,
and information on well-known ports in Forgotten Realms, the Points of Light core setting, and others
Information on Spelljammer unique places could be handled in future products (possibly Dragon magazine articles.)
Also, it was suggested by another poster that Spelljammer couldn't be redone in 4e until after Dragonlance because of the importance of the tinker gnomes. I disagree. Since the tinker gnomes present in Spelljammer were mostly descendents of the gnomes from Krynn, they could actually be statted up first in Spelljammer then given mention in a Dragonlance setting book at a later time (if we ever get one.)
I also would love to see WotC go in the direction of saying that Eberron (with its flying ships) is just now starting out spelljamming and figuring out that there's more out there than they're own world.
I think that was due to people using the setting as a taxi service to get from Toril to Krynn or what have you. They didn't set-it up enough as a standalone setting.
There is that, and there is also the fact that the good stuff about the setting got buried under all the silly stuff, i.e. Giant Space Hamsters and Hippo-people.
Do a repeat of the Eberron Process. That turned out brilliantly. Why not give it a repeat.
How about as a limited line a setting who divergeate quite from base D&D, and perhaps more than ever.... like, something with many of the core assumptions removed or changed around heavily.
Removes ALL the base races except humans, and use new or promote minor races instead. Perhaps change classes too in a similar way. or 'power sources'.
That had never been tried really, or just 'timidly' (albeit Dark Sun made a good effort).
-Science-fantasy setting where warforged are androids, ships can sail thru large swathes of space by portaling thru the Feywild (or Shadowfell), magic is a type of spirit biotechnology, and combat knights are trained not just to fight hand-to-hand but also pilot large, mechanized armors.
-An informed East Asian culture setting (not Europe with Asian fittings nor a setting that goes no further than a shallow gimmick like "honor" and "black pajamas"). Preferably a new setting, so you have less baggage.
-An informed East Asian culture setting (not Europe with Asian fittings nor a setting that goes no further than a shallow gimmick like "honor" and "black pajamas"). Preferably a new setting, so you have less baggage.
There is a problem there possibly... Why asians/non-european -based settings should be historical and clearly based on reality, and not like the more.... 'white' ones, open to be creative, ahistorical and more fantasy?
Why should they more 'authentic' and not mixed around, created, inspired, etc...?
Sorry if I am not clear, I am trying to explain what I am wondering about.
I would like to see Planescape majorly overhauled to serve as a real showcase of the new planes: Astral Sea, Elemental Chaos, Feywild, Shadowfell.
As an entirely separate endeavor, I would love to see the Far Realms fully and well explored. Something of a cross between (i) the terror inducing feel of the original Ravenloft with (ii) the planes-spanning impact of Planescape; where the Far Realms sporadically touches on and threatens all of the known planes of existence (perhaps with disturbingly increasing frequency), in manners both small enough to engage heroic tier characters and large enough to make both gods and primoridals poop their pants.
Notice that I did not include the Far Realms in the Planescape paragraph (#2) above. That is because I do not wish for the Far Realms to be so casually catalogued as the known planes of existence. Now that WOTC has the Cthulhu license, I am excited to see them do terror so well that Ravenloft would feel quaint in comparison.
There is a problem there possibly... Why asians/non-european -based settings should be historical and clearly based on reality, and not like the more.... 'white' ones, open to be creative, ahistorical and more fantasy?
Why should they more 'authentic' and not mixed around, created, inspired, etc...?
Sorry if I am not clear, I am trying to explain what I am wondering about.
Good question. What I mean is that there's a difference between historical accuracy and cultural accuracy. There's a difference between Naruto and The Real Ultimate Power. One is actually based on ninja lore; the other is quite removed. Both are fantasies. I mind when tomatoes are painted purple and passed off as grapes; I don't mind if you add bits of tomato to real grapes. One of the above is mostly tomatoes.
One of the things I'd look for in a fantasy setting is the lack of a Good vs Evil TM emphasis. In a Japanese setting, for instance, morality may be colored more in shades of harmony and dissonance anyone can create rather than each person being intrinsically good or evil; people finding/making a path rather than allying with a side.
I wish for Dark Sun, and I want it Now. Forget the lame Forgotten Realms(what a misnomer :P ) and bring me my dark sun.
And a new campaign contest would be spiffy.
After Dark Sun there are some others that I would like to see released are Al-Qadim, Oriental Adventures, and Planescape (although given the fact that the Blood War has been taken out of the core D&D Cosmology and other changes I'm not sure how cool the setting would be now. Still, to reiterate Dark Sun is the setting I'm primarily concerned about being put into circulation again.
Peace,
Fallstorm
Good question. What I mean is that there's a difference between historical accuracy and cultural accuracy. There's a difference between Naruto and The Real Ultimate Power. One is actually based on ninja lore; the other is quite removed. Both are fantasies. I mind when tomatoes are painted purple and passed off as grapes; I don't mind if you add bits of tomato to real grapes. One of the above is mostly tomatoes.
this post made me laugh.
Naruto based on ninja lore? lololololol
Now that it seems like psionics wont be out until the PHB3, it looks like its release in 2010 my lead the way to Dark Sun coming out that same year. One can only hope.
I don't about that.. and I'm sure I'll get flak from what I'm about to say, but: With the first two worlds, Forgotten Realms and Eberron, is Greyhawk really needed? Aren't those aforementioned worlds, and the PoL pseudo-setting similar enough to give enough people their traditional fantasy? I say yes, and am hoping for something very different, and as much as Spelljammer and Planescape (which could conceivably be wrapped together) are interesting, Darksun is a wholly different environment, no so much as officially touched since the inception of d20, and while the past made it unbalanced as you said, there is no reason that 4e could not avoid the pitfalls, or sand traps as it were, of 2e Darksun. Psionics is going to show up, and Darksun is a prime world to wrap it all in - the world is so different that the standard fantasy staples that people, I would think, will flock to it. New players will be awed by it as they don't know the history. Old players will remember old campaigns set in the world, and most of all there are scores of additional books that can be put out to incorporate a whole slew of new and/or optional rules. Weapon durability, starvation/dehydration rules, all manner of stuff that can go in new DMG, that while almost necessary for the world of Darksun, can be used in any campaign, new playable races (for 4e anyway) for the PHB, new weapons, armour (such as chiton), the monster manual will be full of new monsters, after all Darksun has no horses so something new to ride etc, etc.
Oh, I believe that the superficial similarities of Faerun, Greyhawk and Eberron would strike a fine counterbalance with the scorched sands of Athas.
Now perhaps I should find a place to hide, before the rabid fans I have insulted by calling the worlds of Greyhawk, Eberron, and Faerun similar, band together with pitchforks and torches and burn me at the stake. The irony is that they'd all be working with a common goal, perhaps proving how similar the worlds and the fans are...
Darksun- I stumbled upon this setting a year ago while searching for more psionic material and almost immediately fell in love. The whole concept of the setting is very dark and gritty which really works for me. Plus it seems like it would be an easy campaign to write/run with only minimal WotC support. It is extremely different from classic S&S, but works on a heroic level while also being easy to describe to new players. Essentially this is the only classic setting that has really grabbed my interest.
Ravenloft- I like the idea/concept of this setting, because it is so different from the standard S&S. However I don't feel that this is a very DM friendly setting. If run well I think it would be a blast to play in, but don't see myself ever wanting to attempt the setting as a DM. It just seems beyond my story telling capacity.
Spelljammer- A lot of people seem to like this, but to me it just seems hokey and cheesy.
Greyhawk- I know this is a classic with capital letters dating back to Gygax, but I never understood why D&D needed both this and FR. What makes them so different? In other words I'll pass.
Planescape- Never really been interested in the whole plane jumping concept. Even in a lot of the Fantasy books I read it just doesn't have much appeal. I would much rather flesh out one world, rather than 12 merged together.
Mystara/Red Steel/Savage Coast- I'm not really sure what this setting offers that we haven't already got through PoL/FR/Eberron. The most interesting aspect of the setting is the Savage Coast part. But why not start over and make a distinctive Swashbuckling Sea Faring setting that pulls from the old classic stories (both in and out of D&D), yet is distinctively new (like Eberron). Oh and I have no interest in guns as a part of my D&D experience and feel that this is a major issue for others as well.
Al-Quadim- Done right this setting could be interesting, but seems a little cliché.
Rokugan/OA- Everybody seems to want Ninjas and Samurai. Why? Seems like this would end up being a very one dimensional setting. And if you make me call everything by its proper Japanese name I'll never be able to pronounce anything. As a history major I laugh half the time when I read posts on this subject, but fan boys will be fan boys. Lets face it D&D is played by and written by Westerners so it’s going to be influenced by the west. Don’t get me wrong properly done an OA style setting would be very popular and fun, but if your going to get hung up on any ideas of “purity” you have lost sight of the fact that this is a fantasy game.
this post made me laugh.
Naruto based on ninja lore? lololololol
Shinobi are famously viewed historically as being trained mercenaries rented out from hidden "ninja villages" (such as Iga and Koga/Kouga) or soldiers/spies sworn to a lord. The place shinobi occupy in Naruto's political framework is adequately comparable, I think, as is the spirit of ki-flow, technique, and misdirection underlying their training. Many specific elements also come from ninja myth & legend/exaggerations (shapeshifting, duplicating their image, powerful hand signs). "Ninja lore."
I'd guess the demand for a Japanese and Chinese setting(s) is because the supply didn't/doesn't satisfy the demand. Rokugan was the only vaguely Japanese or Chinese CS that existed for d20, and a number of people didn't care for it. European culture, on the other hand, got Greyhawk, Birthright, Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, ... Didn't like one? Pick another. Same thing goes for some of those other settings that venture beyond straight medieval European fantasy, tho' I don't know if more Spelljammer fans are in it for the spaceships or the sense of humor...
I know others certainly would, but I would not buy a new "Concept" of campaign world by wizards EVER. I would much rather them develop and update older properties. I have not even looked at Eberron yet (though I have a casual familiarity due to the D&D community in general). I am not slamming Eberron either so don't get all huffy.
'New concepts' of campaign worlds IMHO would not sell well enough to provide WOTC with any profit. I think there is too much competition as it is. I am a person that runs LONG TERM campaigns, (The one I am running now started in 1995 2e) and I will continue running it through 4e. I would definitely pick a new game night and run Dark sun if that was re-developed.
PlaneScape is one of those campaign settings that I call "Parallel worlds' that can be applied to any campaign setting, and I put Ravenloft in that category as well. IF you are running an FR game it is easy to do a series of adventures in either of those worlds.
Wizards has already said that campaign worlds are lower on the radar. I would not like to see Wizards invent ANOTHER campaign world. I would much rather them stick to what they have.
I know others certainly would, but I would not buy a new "Concept" of campaign world by wizards EVER. I would much rather them develop and update older properties. I have not even looked at Eberron yet (though I have a casual familiarity due to the D&D community in general). I am not slamming Eberron either so don't get all huffy.
Alrighty then, don't play any new ones they make.
We do want a new one or two, so don't worry about whether or not they do. You'll still get enough of the old junk.
The only things worth bringing back are Darksun, Spelljammer, and Planescape. Unfortunately, spelljammer and planescape are such that in 4e they'd be best served by being combined and produced in a single supplement rather than being full-fledged settings...and unfortunately it doesn't seem that WotC is interested in producing those types of books anymore.
What is with the horror schtik? Bores the crap out of me. Oooh, be afraid, I'm "evil" and have big, gross tentacles! The only thing that ever scared me were the aliens in the Alien movies, and that's still not by much. All the cthullu garbage struck me as laughably ridiculous. And Ravenloft was a cliche exercise in futility. Great, a wannabe gothic RPG version of tic-tac-toe...only more pointless. Eh, whatever trips people's triggers...they were better than FR. Actually, since FR got torn to hell for 4e, I'm actually interested in playing it for the first time ever.
I don't want future settings to follow Eberron in nature, but rather by being unlike anything previously in D&D. Unfortunately, that can only happen so many times, as after a few settings, there won't be the possibility of "new". Everything will have been done before, and the only option will be to rehash things already done.
So, Darksun, and something new once in a while...with whatever garbage rehashes other people want inbetween.
D20 Modern - because I like technology
D20 Future - because it covers more bases than Star Wars SAGA
Mystara - and please don't pull a Spellplague
Planescape - it doesn't have to the be the great wheel as long as all locations exist in some way, including every inner plane (maybe just continent-sized regions of the elemental chaos?); either way I want my aasimar back. They made tiefling core but left aasimar out; unless they're called eladrin now.
Dark Sun - and please make it as powergamey and munchkiny as it's 2e version
Spelljammer - The astral sea lends itself well to this
Al Qadim/Kara-Tur - they went somewhere, right?
Something completely new, like they did with Eberron
Dark Sun - and please make it as powergamey and munchkiny as it's 2e version
Yeah, the 5 – 20 range for starting ability scores (before racial bonuses) was NICE.
Alrighty then, don't play any new ones they make.
We do want a new one or two, so don't worry about whether or not they do. You'll still get enough of the old junk.
The only things worth bringing back are Darksun, Spelljammer, and Planescape. Unfortunately, spelljammer and planescape are such that in 4e they'd be best served by being combined and produced in a single supplement rather than being full-fledged settings...and unfortunately it doesn't seem that WotC is interested in producing those types of books anymore.
What is with the horror schtik? Bores the crap out of me. Oooh, be afraid, I'm "evil" and have big, gross tentacles! The only thing that ever scared me were the aliens in the Alien movies, and that's still not by much. All the cthullu garbage struck me as laughably ridiculous. And Ravenloft was a cliche exercise in futility. Great, a wannabe gothic RPG version of tic-tac-toe...only more pointless. Eh, whatever trips people's triggers...they were better than FR. Actually, since FR got torn to hell for 4e, I'm actually interested in playing it for the first time ever.
I don't want future settings to follow Eberron in nature, but rather by being unlike anything previously in D&D. Unfortunately, that can only happen so many times, as after a few settings, there won't be the possibility of "new". Everything will have been done before, and the only option will be to rehash things already done.
So, Darksun, and something new once in a while...with whatever garbage rehashes other people want inbetween.
Who is this 'we' of which you speak? For every gamer that wants a new campaign world I could find one that is not interested and is happy with what is available. SO perhaps 'we' in that case is HALF the population of our niche.
Eberron, from what I see DOES break the fantasy conventions. Dark Sun breaks them and that was one of the best campaign settings they put out.
I can't see how anyone can call FR crap since it is so complete. If it is in fact the completeness that bothers you, than make up your own world. I don't accept the POWERFUL NPC argument because you do not have to include them in your adventures.
From the snippets I have read, Eberron is that "modern type" fantasy for which people were looking. It appears to me to break alot of the fantasy paradigms (I have not read it, so it is only an impression).
I don't see how you can say the stuff that was done already is crappy, and new stuff would be great. Why would something be crappy because it was old, and good if it is new?
Just a point there was never an official CTHULHU for D&D. CTHULHU is not a campaign setting, it is an independent idea, well written by Lovecraft. If you think it laughable, I suggest you read some of his work.
Just a point there was never an official CTHULHU for D&D. CTHULHU is not a campaign setting, it is an independent idea, well written by Lovecraft. If you think it laughable, I suggest you read some of his work.
Er, there was cthulhu for D&D - in the 1E Legends & Lore; then there was the d20 cthulhu which had notes for using it in D&D in the back.
I liked Lovecraft's Cthulhu stuff *more* before I actually sat down and read the books. The ideas and monsters he put in motion are great, but his actual stories are horrible. And tentacles ≠ horror, at least to our modern sensibilities. Further, I'd describe the xenomorph from Alien as a cthulhian horror.
I also completely disagree with LuciferNietzsche's entire post.
I liked Lovecraft's Cthulhu stuff *more* before I actually sat down and read the books. The ideas and monsters he put in motion are great, but his actual stories are horrible.
I also completely disagree with LuciferNietzsche's entire post.
I'm on your page.
Er, there was cthulhu for D&D - in the 1E Legends & Lore; then there was the d20 cthulhu which had notes for using it in D&D in the back.
I liked Lovecraft's Cthulhu stuff *more* before I actually sat down and read the books. The ideas and monsters he put in motion are great, but his actual stories are horrible. And tentacles ≠ horror, at least to our modern sensibilities. Further, I'd describe the xenomorph from Alien as a cthulhian horror.
I also completely disagree with LuciferNietzsche's entire post.
Well I am not counting the Deities and Demigods version... that was just a set of statistics not a developed campaign. I can't count d20 Cthulhu as a D&D campaign either. That was released by chaosium, and in my opinion only to ride the d20 market. Call of Cthulhu (NOT d20) was a solid game.
As for criticism of his horror, fair enough. However I think he is a good writer. He was writing at a time when this was NEW. R. E. Howard wrote some CTHULHU pieces as well and they are CREEPY (He did a better job that lovecraft methinks). We have been exposed to much more now, so I guess maybe Lovecraft won't be horrifying (I just think it well written and interesting). Remember though the time in which he was writing. This WAS groundbreaking. War of the WOrlds caused suicides and we would all scoff at that now. The old UNIVERSAL Dracula, mummy, etc were infact HORROR movies and scared people. I find it ludicrous they could, but people were not exposed to such things before. We are all very desensitized simply by our hobby.
Well I am not counting the Deities and Demigods version... that was just a set of statistics not a developed campaign. I can't count d20 Cthulhu as a D&D campaign either. That was released by chaosium, and in my opinion only to ride the d20 market. Call of Cthulhu (NOT d20) was a solid game.
Well, as you said, Cthulhu in of itself is not a campaign, just elements of horror.
As for criticism of his horror, fair enough. However I think he is a good writer. He was writing at a time when this was NEW. R. E. Howard wrote some CTHULHU pieces as well and they are CREEPY (He did a better job that lovecraft methinks). We have been exposed to much more now, so I guess maybe Lovecraft won't be horrifying (I just think it well written and interesting). Remember though the time in which he was writing. This WAS groundbreaking. War of the WOrlds caused suicides and we would all scoff at that now. The old UNIVERSAL Dracula, mummy, etc were infact HORROR movies and scared people. I find it ludicrous they could, but people were not exposed to such things before. We are all very desensitized simply by our hobby.
I suppose, put among his contemporaries, he was a genius with his writing. Looking at it with modern eyes though, the stories seem almost farcical. Kinda like how cool the original Star Wars seemed back in the day, but now looking at it, you realize how campy it is and that it was the effects, not the stories themselves, that held so many people's interests.
P.S.: Funny you should mention the War of the Worlds broadcast; I was just reading how much of the supposed fear was mostly yellow-journalism hate-mongering against radio by the established newspapers of the day.
Who is this 'we' of which you speak? For every gamer that wants a new campaign world I could find one that is not interested and is happy with what is available. SO perhaps 'we' in that case is HALF the population of our niche.
Eberron, from what I see DOES break the fantasy conventions. Dark Sun breaks them and that was one of the best campaign settings they put out.
I can't see how anyone can call FR crap since it is so complete. If it is in fact the completeness that bothers you, than make up your own world. I don't accept the POWERFUL NPC argument because you do not have to include them in your adventures.
From the snippets I have read, Eberron is that "modern type" fantasy for which people were looking. It appears to me to break alot of the fantasy paradigms (I have not read it, so it is only an impression).
I don't see how you can say the stuff that was done already is crappy, and new stuff would be great. Why would something be crappy because it was old, and good if it is new?
Just a point there was never an official CTHULHU for D&D. CTHULHU is not a campaign setting, it is an independent idea, well written by Lovecraft. If you think it laughable, I suggest you read some of his work.
While I understand people's dislike of such generalizations as, "we," I feel it's still relevant to say "we" in reference to any particular group that one is a part of. Just as it's relevant to say "you" in reference to a different group or all those not of one's own associated group. But, I suppose that's just a matter of opinion. My apologies for the generalization.
I'm not sure if you're counterpointing with the reference to Eberron and Darksun, or agreeing with me. You can't really be counterpointing unless you're mistaken about my opinions of those two settings. They happen to be my favorites.
"Complete" isn't the word I'd choose to describe FR. I happen to feel that FR was a good setting in the same sense that the average flesh golem is pretty. I couldn't care less about how powerful the game is in that setting. Power I can handle, but excessive, unnecessary, and overstated...not so much. But, again, that's just opinon.
I don't care about the time period of a fantasy setting, nor really whether it's fantasy or sci-fi. As long as its got either fireballs or phasers, I just don't care so much. Oh, and it has to be cool. Eberron being supposedly more "modern" (which I don't think it is), has no bearing at all on the fact that I enjoy it.
My reference to "old junk" is probably what prompted the notion that everything old is crappy. It probably didn't help that I said the only worthwhile settings were Darksun, Spelljammer, and Planescape. Except that those are all old settings. I never said new settings would be good, I said that I want to see new settings instead of rehashed old ones I never liked. I understand they'll probably bring back some of them, and most probably the ones I don't like. But, I'd still LIKE to see new ones instead. I have no idea what they'll be like, but I'd like to find out. I also said that too many new ideas would eventually burn out the game, leaving nothing new at all, ever again.
I didn't mention Cthullu because it was or wasn't a D&D setting. I mentioned it as a staple of horror. When I encountered my VERY first "horror", which happened to be Nightmare on Elm Street, followed not long after by Alien, I wasn't impressed in the least. I hadn't been desensitized by experience, because it was the first horror I'd seen or even really heard of. It just struck me as ridiculous, not terrifying. Perhaps it was a lack of suspension of disbelief on my part, but regardless, I don't find such things at all stimulating. But, again...opinion, and others differ.
Frankly, I don't find Lovecraft's work particularly good. His descriptive expression is bland, repetitive, and I don't find it particularly engaging to the reader. Maybe I just have different tastes. However, my mistake was indicating that such works are simply bad, as if it were fact. I apologize for that...as again, it's merely opinion. But, then niether are you correct in saying his work IS written well. You believe it is written well, and I believe it is not. Aside from spelling and grammar quality, there's no way to definitively say what is "good" writing vs. what is "bad". It's all a matter of taste. But, it's my fault for bad phrasing there.
Most of this is my fault, having stated my views as if they were more than opinion. But, they are just that, opinion and nothing more. So for that I"m sorry. But also, I won't be changing my views any sooner than anyone else will. So like usual, we can all agree to disagree, and get on with the thread.
4e Darksun had better come out after Eberron...I want my psionics, without the brokeness and pseudoarcane flash-bang powers.
Greyhawk
Dark Sun
Anything but Ebberon, Planescape, or Spelljammer
My greatest wish for campaign settings is that they stop putting out so freaking many. They should pick 2 or 3 settings at most (including the default setting) and put out more material for those instead. If I had to choose it would be....
Greyhawk
Dark Sun
Anything but Ebberon, Planescape, or Spelljammer
Seeing as Ebberron, Planescape, and even Spelljammer (even though I hate spelljammer) are generating some of the most buzz, I highly doubt your wish to see them gone is going to happen. Furthermore, considering the fact that Wizo's have stated that they will do 1 new setting each year, and each setting will be composed of only 3 books (after which they will no longer produce any new setting material for that setting), I think your wishes are out of luck.
DRAGONLANCE! :D
Ravenloft
Darksun
A new OA world!
HURRAY DRAGONLANCE
I really want this one, and Rokugan too really, but I doubt either will come -_-
Something that can be added to any setting, since there are no real planetbound locations this can be done easily.
That being said I see Dark Sun as the 1st CS after Eberron, then Mystara, Ravenloft, with a new take on the Demi-plane and Mists.
After that there's Blackmoor, Greyhawk and Dragonlance.
Bel
2mystara
3 dragonlance
2. Dark Sun
3. Planescape/Spelljammer
-Ravenloft
-Spelljammer (but redone for "Astraljamming")
-Planescape
-Dark Sun
New ones:
-I would love to see a truly technologically advance one that isn't D20 Modern. So stuff like ley-lines that are plugged full of electrical wires to power cities, bullets altered by magic to explode into acid on contact, etc.
-A fae-oriented one, so lets really delve into the Feywild and make a fully established setting with it.
-A setting based completely around a huge metropolis.
New ones:
-I would love to see a truly technologically advance one that isn't D20 Modern. So stuff like ley-lines that are plugged full of electrical wires to power cities, bullets altered by magic to explode into acid on contact, etc.
-A fae-oriented one, so lets really delve into the Feywild and make a fully established setting with it.
-A setting based completely around a huge metropolis.
Hm...Actually, the three of these elements together could make for a cool setting. A tech-advanced megalopolis universe with elements of magic drawn from its little known, nature-dominated parallel dimension. (I know that's not what you meant though.)
Re: topic...I'm a fan of both but am wondering......
Are settings like Ravenloft and L5R too narrow in focus to stand alone as an entire calendar year's campaign?
What I found interesting was that, despite his ambivalence for 4ed, he was genuinely excited that the Forgotten Realms was being published again; an excitement that screamed "My favourite setting is still relevant! That's so cool!"
I think that the best thing WotC can do is use old-school setting like Greyhawk or Dragonlance to lure curious lapsed players back into RPGing. I agree with other posters that there are far more original settings out there, but the popular campaigns help the Core Brand by exposing lapsed players to the new system, and get them playing again.
Recently visited an out-of-town game shop. The guy had a lot of 4ed Core books in, as well as the FRCG in. He said that he liked parts of 4ed, as he liked parts of 3ed, but that his heart is in 2ed.
What I found interesting was that, despite his ambivalence for 4ed, he was genuinely excited that the Forgotten Realms was being published again; an excitement that screamed "My favourite setting is still relevant! That's so cool!"
I think that the best thing WotC can do is use old-school setting like Greyhawk or Dragonlance to lure curious lapsed players back into RPGing. I agree with other posters that there are far more original settings out there, but the popular campaigns help the Core Brand by exposing lapsed players to the new system, and get them playing again.
While I can see your point of view, the problem is that all the old-school settings are very similar to each other. medieval euro-centric fantasy. Honestly, it gets boring after a while. As much as it is good to get older roleplayers back gaming, it is the new players that you have to attract to stay in business. Despite the sterotype of adult gamers living in their parents basement and being virgins, these people most likely have families and other commitments that prevent them from playing. Younger players, college, high-school, etc. generally don't have this so they have a bit more disposable income to spend on games - and something unique will attract them more, IMHO.
1-3) Darksun - the wasteland feel, combined with it's different approach to magic and inclusion of psionics, and the rarity of high quality gear being exaggerated make it unique enough to set it apart from the default and Forgotten Realms.
4) Ravenloft - More victorian that medieval, and with a heavy focus on the horror element of the world being full of monsters... unique enough.
5) 100% new stuff.
Dark Sun
Oriental Adventures (though I still think this makes more sense as a "theme" for one of the PHB/DMG/MM cycles, eg "Elemental, Ki and Shadow Heroes")
Mystara (though, as a generic "kitchen sink" setting, I'm not sure I see any need for it)
Planescape/Spelljammer (I think this is also appropriate as a "themed" core book cycle, eg "Elemental, Psionic and Shadow Heroes")
Gammaworld (I think this is completely possible to do, and do well, as a D&D setting)
Dragonlance, Birthright, and Greyhawk too. I'd like to see every classic setting get the "two books and a module" treatment.
Dark Sun Campaign Setting (Wasteland world where survival is the rule. Perfect for epic 4th edition. I say this is more than likely in the future.)
Al-Qadim Campaign Setting (Fun Arabian type world perfect as stand alone setting or adventure supplements. Perfect for anything from Everybody rating to PG. Perfect for kids)
Planescape Campaign Setting (Links all the settings together in an epic way. Venturing to different worlds the old fashion way. Add some Spelljammer to it and you got an epic setting.)
Oriental Adventures (Not a bad supplement but would like to see a setting around it. A full world fuedal japan and China style. Your Kung fu is no match for an awesome setting and new hand to hand fighting rules. Destinies. All sorts of thing.)
Dragonlance I think is clearly being made as we speak. No need to mention it. Realms and Eberron is out. I would like to see more new stuff like Eberron. Greyhawk is base D&D setting so it shouldn't even be counted as a Campaign setting. Besides Gygax was it's creator. It should be retired due to his death. Nobody could do it justice. They didn't do it justice in 3.0 anyway. Mystara never impressed me much. Trust me we need to get backto 2nd edition canon though.
2012 Maztica (the last year of Mayan calendar)
It's the end of the world as we know it,
It's the end of the world as we know it,
It's the end of the world as we know it,
and I feel fine.
Seriously. Would like to see some of this setting. I didn't get a chance to play it. AT ALL! So sad...:raincloud
Ghostwalk (Would like to see that one as sort of a limbo or between world between the Afterlife. Add that to a setting so that when the players die horrible deaths it would be a quick save for a campaign. Also would like to see the realm of Dreams and far realm explored. Perhaps tied to a new realm of dread through the Nightmare plane. So awesome!)
While I can see your point of view, the problem is that all the old-school settings are very similar to each other. medieval euro-centric fantasy. Honestly, it gets boring after a while. As much as it is good to get older roleplayers back gaming, it is the new players that you have to attract to stay in business. Despite the sterotype of adult gamers living in their parents basement and being virgins, these people most likely have families and other commitments that prevent them from playing. Younger players, college, high-school, etc. generally don't have this so they have a bit more disposable income to spend on games - and something unique will attract them more, IMHO.
Unique is in the eye of the beholder. Try telling a Greyhawk fan that his world is similar to Faerun. Or do the same between a Planescape fan and a Spelljammer fan. They'll tell you (perhaps justifiably) that they're different in profound ways.
IMO, 95% of campaign worlds could work in the basic D&D world, but are specifically tuned to focus on a certain subgenre (High fantasy, horror, magitech, etc.) that can't be focused on in general D&D for fear of alienating other subgenre specialists. What I'm trying to say is that people who want to play Planescape, Ravenloft, or Dark Sun can send the PCs to the Outer Planes/a haunted forest/a huge wasteland and get the same results using the Core 3 as having a setting book specifically focused on the tropes of the subgenre. And I'm sure at least one group is doing that right now.
I'm not saying that WotC shouldn't publish these or other campaign setting. What I'm saying is that, for all the uniqueness Birthright might have, a DM might be equally enchanted with the subtle difference between FR and Dragonlance, and opt for one of those campaigns. At least the big names have the brand recognition.
Unique is in the eye of the beholder. Try telling a Greyhawk fan that his world is similar to Faerun. Or do the same between a Planescape fan and a Spelljammer fan. They'll tell you (perhaps justifiably) that they're different in profound ways.
Turn that around; what make the settings so different? Are they really that different? And the ones who say 'it's all very differents', are not they.. how to say.. nitpicking experts? (lacking a better term - perhaps a bit too arcane and experts-driven)
Because some settings are quite similar indeed, in themes and mores. The Big Three and Mystara, by example, more or less (generaly...) classic D&D fantasy. Their differences are smaller thm argued, perhaps.
Imagine if WoTC retired an old setting and ran a new a setting search every 5-10 years. How awesome would that be?
I have to admit that I am more along this line of reasoning more than any other.
To be truthful, I think FR really is 'done.' I think there is more than enough material for it, and I honestly hope that WotC does NOT bow to pressure to support more FR. I wouldn't mind seeing the adventure plan change however - I think EACH setting should receive a quarterly adventure "path" for new campaign runs in each setting.
I'm not all that wild about having each old setting reimagined. To be serious, how many settings do we honestly need? We have the default "non-defined" setting, FR and then Eberron. I would see the potential for one more setting and then call it a day. While not a Planescape player, I could argue its existance primarily to elevate gameplay to the paragon and epic level, getting folks transitioned from the baseline settings and into the more fantastical. I'm not entirely enthused about giving Ravenloft and Dark Sun the complete setting treatment either, as I never felt these were truly full settings, but more localized, reduced in scope.
Also, what's all this about wanting a new setting search? WotC STILL has rights to two other unknown settings - Rich Burlew's (of Order of the Stick fame) and Phillip Nathan Toomey's. I really want to see both.
And, yes, I made a post to this effect over a month ago. Bite me. :P
2011: More Ravenloft
2012: Ravenloft with frickin' laser beams attached to its head!
2010: Ravenloft
2011: More Ravenloft
2012: Ravenloft with frickin' laser beams attached to its head!
Amen Brother!
Turn that around; what make the settings so different? Are they really that different? And the ones who say 'it's all very differents', are not they.. how to say.. nitpicking experts? (lacking a better term - perhaps a bit too arcane and experts-driven)
I totally agree. And these people must be exploited. :P
2010: Ravenloft
2011: More Ravenloft
2012: Ravenloft with frickin' laser beams attached to its head!
anyway, dark sun all the way!
1 - Darksun
2 - Ravenloft
3 - Planescape
in that order, because to me they represent a move away form the traditional fantasy, and offer something new in the way of concepts and theme to 4th ed. I love Dragonlance, but it is really just another generic fantasy setting that for the most part could be recreated with a little DM work.. and maybe the help of the good people over at the Dragonlance Nexus..
does anyone else see the shadar kai in this image?
Oh yes, that's a nice influence there.
I want to see NOVEL stuff ! Something unexpected and wondrous ! The campaign contest that lead to Eberron was an excellent idea.
Darksun
Planescape
2010: Ravenloft
2011: More Ravenloft
2012: Ravenloft with frickin' laser beams attached to its head!
Harumph, harumph!
The main thing I'd like to see, though, is Spelljammer, but I'll agree with previous posters that Spelljammer would best be presented as part of the 4ed Manual of the Planes or something to that effect. That would also give it the advantages of coming out sooner rather than later, which I would appreciate :D
Dark Sun
Dragonlance
Rich Burlew's unpublished setting
I also think it would be great if Planescape and Spelljammer are indeed folded into Manual of the Planes as some rumors suggest.
1: I don't hink we'll see another planescape book. We'l get a manual of te planes like last edition and we'll probably have to recreate the rest ourselves like last time. So like last edition, planescape will sort of be core...sort of.
2: Wizards owns two worlds they have not put out yet (read the introduction to your 3rd edition Ebberon book). So I would , at some point or another, expect a new world for us to explore.
That being said I'd like (in no certin order)
Dark Sun
Rokugen
Unnamed New World
Dragonlance
Ravenloft
Spelljammers (As a way to bridge worlds and some sort of stand alone system of worlds to play in)
2: Wizards owns two worlds they have not put out yet (read the introduction to your 3rd edition Ebberon book). So I would , at some point or another, expect a new world for us to explore.
I doubt these worlds will ever see the light of day. These worlds were specifically created with Third Edition in mind, particularly its modularity. Converting Eberron to 4th edition is going to be a bear -- why should Wizards go through the effort for worlds with no loyal fanbase that they felt was inferior to Eberron?
The various 2nd edition settings, imo, would be easier to convert to 4th than a 3rd edition setting. If they ever run out of second edition settings, I think they'd be better served running a new contest (and letting the two runners-up from last time to resubmit their worlds as 4th edition worlds -- why not get them to do the work for you).
As for Planescape, I don't remember if I said it in this thread, but I think that would best be served in a series of Paragon and Epic tiered modules taking place in Sigil. This allows you to describe the culture and factions of Sigil and tie them into the Manual of the Planes.
2011 More Greyhawk
2012 Dragonlance
2013 More Greyhawk
2014 Ravenloft
2015 more Greyhawk
2010 Greyhawk
2011 More Greyhawk
2012 Dragonlance
2013 More Greyhawk
2014 Ravenloft
2015 more Greyhawk
Unless there is changes, there will be *only* one year for each setting (but perhaps small supports, DDI and all).
If they ever run out of second edition settings, I think they'd be better served running a new contest (and letting the two runners-up from last time to resubmit their worlds as 4th edition worlds -- why not get them to do the work for you).
Just to take the side of the Traveler -
You're forgetting a huge element of the equation here; MONEY.
It would cost way more to run a new contest than to just use what they've essentially already paid for. Plus, Rich Burlew's got name recognition.
I don't really see the difficulty in conversion, either. I've seen no indication of Eberron "being a bear" to convert (unless you speak fluff-wise, though those have, from what I've seen, been relatively minor).
I don't really see the difficulty in conversion, either.
It's not the difficulty per se (though that's not insignificant). But if you're going to introduce an entirely new campaign setting from the ground up, it should be one built for the edition in question, not one built for a different edition and squeezed into this one.