Do you still use it? My set was left in Canada when I moved to England though buried (hopefully safely) in my sister's basement. I'm going to see if I can find it when I go back next year. The new edition reminds me of it in so many ways, and has made me miss it big time.
You may notice that the horseman ("Thunderstaff") from the old Gray Box is redepicted in the FRCG on p. 48. I've always had a fondness that for mysterious fellow and it was great to see him again.
That said, the new edition does not (even remotely) remind me of the OGB.
Yes and still use it every day.
Ditto!
In fact, the Cyclopedia of the Realms is one of the most well-thumbed tomes in my entire RPG library.
:lightbulb :evillaugh 
:angelhide 
18DELTA :D
-Nope.
What sort of answer is that?
It does not even match with the topical question! ;)I like the parchment-style pages and the brown ink; gives the whole product an aged feeling that really helps sell the setting. I still reference the "Books of the Forgotten Realms" section regularly (great stuff). We also got some 2nd edition mileage out of the "Halls of the Beast Tamers" and "Lashan's Fall" by converting them.
I also thought the "horseman" was an intriguing figure; didn't realize he's made an appearance in the 4e CS (until is was mentioned). I've only skimmed the book (so far), as I'm not a fan of the new incarnation of the Realms. So, who is "Thunderstaff" anyway? (for those of us who are curious ;)).
I was just curious to know how many people out there were also introduced to the Forgotten Realms by the Grey Box.
Do you still use it? My set was left in Canada when I moved to England though buried (hopefully safely) in my sister's basement. I'm going to see if I can find it when I go back next year. The new edition reminds me of it in so many ways, and has made me miss it big time.
Ah, just thinking of my Old Grey Box brings a tear to my eye. I can still remember the wonder I felt as I first gazed upon its huge maps of Faerun back in 1987. I do not agree with you that 4E is anything like the original set. Matter of fact, I feel that 4E took FR further away from it's origins than any of the editions have. I really don't agree with where WOTC has taken the Realms.
To answer your question, yes I still use it. More for reference as I am reading novels and for pure entertainment.
Bel
I was introduced to FR via the Darkwalker on Moonshae novel, but it prompted me to purchase the Grey Box.
Ditto here.
Or was it the other way around?
I'm so old I can't remember anymore. ;)
Anyway, elements of those tomes still find their way into my 3E D&D games, especially the adventures.
Persoanlly, I think those that try and make a favorable comparison between the old grey box and 4E are stretching things a bit. The grey box might have been shy on detail sometime, but it did give at least some and gave enough plot hooks to want you to know more. And it whetted our appetitie as it was the first thing we saw FR....it was different back then.
the 4E campaign guide is a different animal altogether. I think comparing 4E to the grey box is doing the older work a great disservice.
Honestly IMO the Plague was done for the fans. They saw that Epic changes sell novels and the TOT might have done well for TSR and the fans bought enough product from that event. I think many (really only a few probably) folks should be blaming the fans. I think the designers just did their job and sold this product to new fans and people that loved RSEs.
That's not why the changes were made and you've participated in enough discussions on this forum to know that.
What sort of answer is that?
Question: Do you use it?
Answer: Nope.
Question: Do you use it?
Answer: Nope.
Wasn't the topical question :P ... and the next one was (if you had / used it) whether you still use it. But before you get into it ... I was just "complaining" about one-word-answers when no answer would have sufficed.
BTW, still a great read - if you actually have it?
However one of my players and I got talking about an earlier game we played which used the grey box and I was thinking what if we just rewind time and ignore 90% of the later supplements.
Might just be a daytime fancy but it has whetted my appetite to consider a FR game in the future.
I still have 3 copies of old gray on my shelf.@ Hobbit. I did say IMO. It is not drek since it is my opinion. Anyway my reasoning is the designers placed things in the setting that sells books and they noticed (IMO) that RSEs sell products. If RSEs sell better than things without RSEs that must mean many fans like RSEs so IMO the books were done for the fans. I know some fans do not like RSEs (I am one for the most part) but those Events sell the same as they do in comics.
Comic fans online love to complain about Big Crossovers and Event books and claim how they hate them but they must sell copies so someone must be buying them. I think the same goes for RSEs and why they changed things in the FR.
I realized a while ago that (IMO) I am part of a small select group of FR fans in my area that know alot about the setting through years of novel and sourcebook reading and not many people who play in the Realms or call themselves "fans" know as much as me. Whenever I have sat down to play in the Realms only the DM knew as much about the Realms as myself. When I ran a game most were Realms novices. This may be just some phenomenon in my local area but I kinda don't think so. IMO. ;)
DB
PS: Dûd Onahorz FTW :D
DB
So some people love the OGB best of all and some love the 3E book most of all and new fans that experience the Realms may come to love the 4E books most of all and every other edition or later products won't be a "good".
DB
FR Adventures hard cover was and still can be a great item for DMs in any Realms setting.
@ Hobbit. I did say IMO. It is not drek since it is my opinion. Anyway my reasoning is the designers placed things in the setting that sells books and they noticed (IMO) that RSEs sell products. If RSEs sell better than things without RSEs that must mean many fans like RSEs so IMO the books were done for the fans. I know some fans do not like RSEs (I am one for the most part) but those Events sell the same as they do in comics.
Comic fans online love to complain about Big Crossovers and Event books and claim how they hate them but they must sell copies so someone must be buying them. I think the same goes for RSEs and why they changed things in the FR.
I realized a while ago that (IMO) I am part of a small select group of FR fans in my area that know alot about the setting through years of novel and sourcebook reading and not many people who play in the Realms or call themselves "fans" know as much as me. Whenever I have sat down to play in the Realms only the DM knew as much about the Realms as myself. When I ran a game most were Realms novices. This may be just some phenomenon in my local area but I kinda don't think so. IMO. ;)
Wow, did you just say that you know more about the Realms than most people do? I mean, thats a pretty ballzy thing to say here if thats what you are saying.
As far as this RSE thing is what fans want.....bullocks! Yeah, RSE's make great novel fodder but I think many would agree with me when I say that LSE's (Local Shaking Events) make far better novels than RSE's. LSE novels actually make up a far greater percentage of the released novels than RSE novels and they don't force me to read every freakin novel out there (even though I may want to
). Let's face facts, RSE's are ONLY done for two reasons. 1) To sell more products in the way of new source books, more novels, and new editions. 2) To try and make the setting more paletable to new fans who they think are too lazy to study the history of the setting before playing.This Spell Plague nonsense was done for one reason and one reason only. WOTC wants more money than they are meking right now. So that means finding more schleps to play DnD. That is fine by me, it's a free country and they own the product. But what isn't fine by me is their lazyness in promoting the game to these new players. Instead of marketing the existing world like it is, they decided to blow it up and build it into their own image just so they could coax some of the WoW players away from the PC.
Anyways, I am sorry for the rant but I really disagree with your logic in this matter and it seems that you are trying to back it up because you feel you know more about the Realms than the rest of us. I hope I am misreading your posts and if I am then I am sorry.
Wow, did you just say that you know more about the Realms than most people do?
How many additional IMOs should he have used? I disagree with him, but come on - he clearly just stated his opinion.
DB
I still have 3 copies of old gray on my shelf.
Heh, you and me both.
I've got one "Do Not Touch" mostly-mint box.
One reference box.
And one dog-eared, written in and generally thrashed for gaming table usage box.
I should also mention one boxed set (probably just parts of one, actually) still sitting at my parents house.
How many additional IMOs should he have used? I disagree with him, but come on - he clearly just stated his opinion.
DB
Yes, I saw the IMO's. I stand by my post because I was mostly responding to his assertion that the 4E changes were done for the fans. But if Rauric responds telling me that he didn't mean to say that he knew more about FR than most of us, then I will believe him.
18DELTA;)
But yes, what Delta said, pained as I am to agree with his Smiley-Addled Self :P ;), lets avoid the whole argument.
How many additional IMOs should he have used? I disagree with him, but come on - he clearly just stated his opinion.
DB
Thank you for that. Same to you Stigger.
When I am in a gaming group I am usually the person who knows the most about the Realms. I have been in many gaming groups and I usually do not find many people who is as big of a Realms fan as I am. Even if the group is filled with D&D fans they tend not to know much about the Realms even if they like the Realms. IMO the designers want to focus on those players and not me because I am in the minority and they cannot sell many books just focusing on me. This is not a scientific study, this is just my observation on my local FR situation. ;) There are many people that know more about the FR than me in the world. :D
I'm modest enough to realize I'm one that needs to dial things back a bit. I'll work on that.
Rauric, after reading your posts again and especially Stigger's most recent I think I understand your initial position better.
Anyway my one buddy im my current game is happy with the new books and he is a new fan to FR and only has been playing D&D for a year. He is pretty excited to play his Rift dwarf, barbarian who has a mean dislike towards drow.
Murdering a dwarves family does not really help race relations it seems. He loves dwarves and he sees that FR has many fun places that the stout folk can come from.
Thank you for that.
My pleasure
A little objectivity goes a long way - and that goes for both sides.I was just giving my thoughts on the designers reasons for changing things. It cannot just be "because they felt like it".
I don't believe for a second that they changed anything just because they felt like it. However, they clearly stated some of their reasons (some may have been true, some may have been white lies), and I disagree with most of them very strongly.
DB
PS: You italicized the IMO - maybe you should bold it :D
However, a few years back a friend of mine who does very little gaming allowed me to borrow the Grey Box. Great product, I go back to it a few times a year at least. Of course until my friend wants it back I think I'll continue to "borrow" it. :D
As for how much of it do I still use? That's hard to say. I have a good deal of 1st & 2nd ed area source books/guides. Plus a few misc FR sources that caght my eye over the years. And I have the basic setting books 2nd - 4th.
But really? While I use the old maps, & sometimes other details, and my games nominally begin based on that original calander date, my own FR games deviated from the TSR/WoTC plot lines ages ago.
And I have zero interest in the novels.
I went on and bought most of the 2e stuff as well as all of the 3e and 3.5e stuff.
*Second edition of the setting, it's a grey box also, but has Elminster on the front. It's dated after the Time of Troubles and has alot more detail drawn from the novels. I suppose this would be called the New Grey Box?
Oh, and the old illustration of Fzoul Chembryl with the beholder behind him made that guy my favorite villain instantly because he looked so cool and powerful. I'm definitely gonna put his 4E stats to good use when my players are up to it!
Any shared setting or project like this or comics or novels will eventually tick someone off because they will change at some point in a way that some fans will not like but others (majority) will like.
Hehe, I got introduced to the Realms through the Baldur's gate games and really liked the whole time of troubles thing. Only when I came online to these forums did I find out so many people hated the whole time of troubles event because unknown (to me) deities from before had gotten killed off by it. :D
It's only now with the spellplague thing I can experience their view on things.
So no grey boxer here. 2nd edition on the pc, 3rd in paper and still playing 3.5.
I loved the parchment look but it was difficult for me to read.
For me it started with a neat map the DM brought in. He was a jerk and wouldn't tell me where he got it. (Turns out it was in Dragon Magazine.) I picked up the map, and later, saw the boxed set and picked it up.