Any word from the admins about this?
I prefer Eberron to the Realms, so I was wondering if there will be a Living Eberron campaign in the future, perhaps after the release of the Eberron books.
Any word from the admins about this?
When asked about a new RPGA campaign at DDXP, Chris Tulach said there are no plans for a new RPGA campaign in 2009.
HOWEVER - I too am a big Eberron fan, as well as a fan of the D&D Campaign Style.
I suggest that like-minded individuals let their opinions be known via Customer Service (http://wizards.custhelp.com). While it may be too late for 2009, we might be able to get one for 2010 if there are enough of us.
...and of course, our illustrious VCL beat me to it. ;)
...and of course, our illustrious VCL beat me to it. ;)
*flex*
Assuming that LFR continues with its current schedule of one year per tier, modules for the final level band of the epic tier will be released in January 2011, and I expect the campaign to thereafter enter what I'd euphemistically call its "second phase".
I would keep an eye on whatever campaign setting comes out in 2010 for the next RPGA campaign, as that would let WOTC premiere the new campaign in Fall 2010, around the time the setting's player's guide comes out (boosting sales), and slowly ramp up that campaign to be ready for LFR players who have ran a PC or two through to demigodhood and are ready to move on to another campaign.
Has there been any announcement (or indication) as to what's the next campaign setting after Eberron?
-- Brian Gibbons.
Has there been any announcement (or indication) as to what's the next campaign setting after Eberron?
No, although there's a whole thread dedicated to its speculation over in the Future Releases forum. Most folks are speculating either Dark Sun, Dragonlance, or Planescape. They say Dark Sun because of the re-release of the Dark Sun books by Troy Denning, plus we saw Dark Sun hazards as an article in Dragon. Coupled with the devs statement that they want to revisit some classic settings. Some say Planescape. Not sure why. I doubt this since it is considered core now (Sigil is in the MotP and will also feature prominently in the DMG 2). Some say Dragonlance because WotC has expressed great interest in doing Dragonlance since the 3e version did as well as it did and they pulled their license back.
Some folks have speculated it may be one of the top non-winning entries from the setting contest that Eberron won. They still ave the rights to those settings.
And of course, a small handful of people have thrown around Maztica, Al Quadim and Birthright.
Quite a few people have mentioned Greyhawk, and think it will likely get a 4e treatment, but it's probably unlikely a year after FRs release since they may not want to release two "generic" fantasy settings so close together.
so that's the speculation in a nutshell.
I talked to Chris Tulach at DDXP and he said that right now the RPGA wants to focus on LFR. But this does not say that they will not roll something out at Gen Con 2009 once the new books are out. My guess is that there will be a new D&D Campaign for Eberron. I like LFR but it hurts my heart to be sitting across a table from a guy playing a Warforged cleric, warlock, fighter, ranger, or paladin. Which are all represented in the small gaming group that I play with. I think that the forged should be from Eberron only but that is my opinion. After next month I am sure there will be a glut of Shifters in LFR.
Well, they have already said that any RPGA campaign is going to be subject to the same open access rules that LFR has. So for every Warforged in LFR you will have just as many Drow Simbarchs of Aglarond in any Eberron campaign.
Well, they have already said that any RPGA campaign is going to be subject to the same open access rules that LFR has. So for every Warforged in LFR you will have just as many Drow Simbarchs of Aglarond in any Eberron campaign.
And, assuming Dark Sun comes out - Githyanki/zerai Swordmage/Barbarian Damphyr Chosen of Tempus.
...
...
Was that too over the top?
I think that the forged should be from Eberron only but that is my opinion. After next month I am sure there will be a glut of Shifters in LFR.
I attempted to run an Eberron campaign (which died due to my inexperience), and the first thing I wanted to do was see how to add a variety of races to Eberron while keeping the Eberron feel and flavour. The first race I worked out how to add was the Genasi soon followed by goliaths.
To me the idea of a race belonging in a particular campaign, is as ridiculous as saying elves or dwarves only belong in one campaign. Warforged as they exist in the Eberron books clearly belong to Eberron. Just as Drow as described in the Eberron books belong to Eberron. However the idea of a sentient golem with a soul certainly isn't Eberron-specific.
To me the idea of a race belonging in a particular campaign, is as ridiculous as saying elves or dwarves only belong in one campaign. Warforged as they exist in the Eberron books clearly belong to Eberron. Just as Drow as described in the Eberron books belong to Eberron. However the idea of a sentient golem with a soul certainly isn't Eberron-specific.
Sure. You can pretty much take any race and find some way to put it in pretty much any campaign setting. All it requires is that the DM of the campaign take some time to come up with a way for them to fit, either by tweaking the setting or the race.
This is true for more than races; most classes, paragon paths and other features can be customized by a DM to fit any campaign setting.
Note, however, that you need a DM taking an active role to fit elements from other campaigns in a campaign setting. If a DM completely abdicates their responsibility, you have a mish-mash that detracts from campaign immersion, rather than aiding it. It's the difference between saying, "Okay, the equivalent of being a Simbarch of Aglarond in Eberron is ... which uses the same mechanics but has a difference name and background" and just playing a Simbarch of Aglarond in Eberron.
To elaborate:
- I'm planning on using standard PH races in a human-only Oriental Adventures-type campaign. All PCs are human in appearance; the mechanical differences between the races represent differences in clans. That's a perfectly unobjectionable way to include races in a campaign setting where they really don't fit.
- Were one playing a human-only campaign, one could also easily introduce a race that doesn't fit the setting by having an in-game explanation of planar travel, magical effects, radioactive mutation or whatever fits with the type of campaign as an explanation for someone looking and being non-human.
- A third option would be, in a human-only campaign, someone sitting down with a minotaur PC, with an explanation of "**** you; it's in Dragon Magazine and I'm going to play it. I don't care if it fits or not."
Which of these methods is most like the one being used to introduce new races into RPGA campaign is left as an exercise for the reader.
-- Brian Gibbons.
If there are players that are more interested in living Eberron than in LFR, it seems like creating that living campaign would raise their customer satisfaction, no? That seems like it would be a good thing.
Also, won't adding this campaign generate more new players? I can personally identify 7 players here in buffalo, including myself, who are waiting for the eberron campaign to start, and aren't planning on doing any lfr in the meantime. Surely, we aren't the only new players that are waiting for this campaign? Isn't getting new players involved more important than somehow maintaining which campaign the players are playing in?
Please, someone explain the situation to me.
Instead, a second RPGA campaign would likely be done in the D&D Campaign style.
The main difference here is that D&D Campaign style would feature level bumps so that the campaign maintains a minimum character level (great for new players or groups that only play occasionally), and also a fixed duration (2 years is the historical norm, I wouldn't be surprised to see a 4E version go 3 years - one per tier).
Again, I suggest interested players submit their feedback to Customer Service.
I do poke Chris from time to time with "state of the forums" e-mails to help him hear what's being said in the community. If enough interest in maintained on this topic I'll be sure to forward it on as well.
I heard that one of the reasons for not putting a Living Eberron campaign out upon release of the books is because they don't want to cannibalize their existing LFR player base. Can someone please elaborate on that? Specifically, why thats a bad thing, and something that should be delayed?
As others have said, there are a number of reasons why there isn't going to be a Living Eberron (or Eberron D&D Campaign like Xen'drik Expeditions) in the near future. The "cannibalization of existing players" is one of those reasons, but not the only reason. It is a matter of resources, of budgets, of return on investment.
Having been one of the Factionmasters in Xen'drik Expeditions, I was a big fan of both Eberron and of the D&D Campaign model. I believe the RPGA is always in a position where it has to justify the money it receives from WotC with play numbers. While an Eberron campaign certainly would bring in new players, the question becomes at what cost would those new players come? And would there be enough new players to justify the cost of taking resources from a campaign that launched just over 6 months ago and is still growing.
I strongly believe that the RPGA will support Eberron in some way, although it may not be in the a form that we have seen in the past (Living campaign, D&D campaign, etc.). Or maybe it will . . . So hang in there!
Be well,
Shawn
So, the cost/benefit for starting a second living campaign is pretty brutal. On the plus side they would attract the few players who absolutely refuse to play anything with the Forgotten Realms label but will play things with the Eberron label. Now, after following these boards, such a group exists but it isn't very big. Certainly not enough to support a campaign all by itself. And every other player would be a wash in terms of active numbers. I doubt anyone here can honestly say that if they joined a living Eberron game, it would not affect how much they play LFR at all.
Now, on the negative side of the ledger there are a couple points. First, either they would have to double their budget or else cut back on LFR modules in order to support both campaigns. Either way, it would be a split of resources and time commitments. Even if they are able to set up a whole second campaign without causing any change to LFR, what they get out of it is a set of modules and plot threads that are mechanically identical to what they are already producing. So you end up with two sets of characters playing the same types of adventures. The only difference is that you need to level two separate sets of characters to participate in everything.
Also, a nightmare at cons. Even large cons. If you want to run both LFR and LE, you need to double your tables. Because while a 1-4 LFR adventure and a 1-4 LE adventure provide largely the same experience, they are not cross compatible. If most cons could double the number of tables they offer, they already would, which means that the available spots would be mostly split between mechanically identical but exclusive games. So if the smaller group of 7-10 LFR tables is full, you can't join the 7-10 LE tables that have taken their place.
So, in short, I'd be shocked if the RPGA starts a parallel Living Campaign of any type. The prospect is all cost and little benefit. Now, a Delve-style or Campaign-style game, possibly. Those are more casual, don't take the same resources or player base that a Living Campaign does.
Now an Eberron-based meta-plot for Delve Night adventures, or even going so far as a D&D Campaigns style model, with perhaps one adventure a month, a tightly planned plot-line and a clear end - that could work (crazy idea: WotC could trot out the plans for an Eberron reboot/timeline shift and feed it through that campaign - so people who want the Eberron meta-plot to move on get to play through it and see it happen, and those who want things to stay the same get their core books untroubled with meta-plot)!
I like LFR but it hurts my heart to be sitting across a table from a guy playing a Warforged cleric, warlock, fighter, ranger, or paladin. Which are all represented in the small gaming group that I play with. I think that the forged should be from Eberron only but that is my opinion. After next month I am sure there will be a glut of Shifters in LFR.
;)
Call me sentimental but I also have a problem with the Warforged being in FR. The whole essence of the Warforged was derived from them as a by-product of the war in Eberron. Having them pop up here there and everywhere throughout the FR is somehow demeaning.
However a Warforged like race in FR has its merits. I for one would have them take over the whole realms. If only I knew the secret to the creation forges.
