Tolero: Forgotten Realms content for next 3 years please!

[Fizban]

Please no more Forgetful Realms after this.

/Not signed

This is like saying please DO NOT add to the game the most popular and well-liked D&D world. My friend there are plenty of reasons why Forgotten Realms is the most popular and, in my opinion, best D&D world. I disagree, keep more Forgtooen Realms content coming to the game. In my opinion you will have the best marketing ability to pull in many more D&D players to DDO that exclusively only play Forgtooen Realms pen and paper, like myself and many of my friends.

 

[Toblakai]

/Not signed

This is like saying please DO NOT add to the game the most popular and well-liked D&D world. My friend there are plenty of reasons why Forgotten Realms is the most popular and, in my opinion, best D&D world. I disagree, keep more Forgtooen Realms content coming to the game. In my opinion you will have the best marketing ability to pull in many more D&D players to DDO that exclusively only play Forgtooen Realms pen and paper, like myself and many of my friends.

It's the most popular because that is what WoTC pushes, doesn't make it good. D&D is in for a rough future after the whole OGL fiasco, and WoTC sending out the Pinkertons.

 

[Dragavon]

It's the most popular because that is what WoTC pushes, doesn't make it good. D&D is in for a rough future after the whole OGL fiasco, and WoTC sending out the Pinkertons.

What are you talking about?
DDO has always had its own license, DDO has nothing to do with OGL.

 

[Toblakai]

What are you talking about?
DDO has always had its own license, DDO has nothing to do with OGL.

I am talking about the popularity of D&D and forgetful realms. D&D's market share is going down and it makes the forgetful realms less meaningful.

 

[TavernBrawler]

I am talking about the popularity of D&D and forgetful realms. D&D's market share is going down and it makes the forgetful realms less meaningful.

Source: I just pulled it from my backside.

 

[BuckGB]

oosh, no more dark & gloomy quests/packs, no ty

I'm the exact opposite - I want to vanquish evil in sinister environments. No more dragon balls of yarn and gumdrop golems, please.

 

[DilemmaEnder]

I really enjoy the Eberron setting... It just seems so much more creative to me. Faerun is fine, I don't dislike it or anything, it's just very standard vanilla Medieval/LotR-esque high fantasy setting.

Eberron is more steampunk, has a great backstory, and seems actually more realistic to human nature - if magic truly existed, of course we would use it to build airships and submarines and sentient robots.

All of this is subjective. As I say I do also like Faerun content. But this is why I enjoy Eberron and am happy to have it as the main campaign setting.

The only thing I don't like is all the constructs I can't instakill

I see this or similar critiques often of FR and I always wonder why? As with most settings there is as much or as little as you put into it but specifically FR has built into it Airships and Sentient Robots among most other things.

May I intruduce you to Halruaa - the land where the surviving decendants of the fallen sky-cities of Netheril mostly settled (read that as took over) and now rule after hundreds of years of intermingling with the pre-existing culture/people. They kept the secret of the Halruaan Skyships from the rest of the world for centuries but eventually a renegade Halruaan wizard let slip the information and since then multiple governments around the world have been in a race to get their own Sky Navy armada's afloat. - Reference: Shining South by Thomas M. Reid (P. 124 Halruaa, P.56 Halruaan Skyship [Wonderous Item])

Concerning the Sentient Robots, meet the Techsmith - Men and women devoted to the development of new inventions and the progression of achievement in the name of the Wonderbringer. These master craftsmen based in the Lantanese city of Illul can be found throughout the continent as advisors to rulers and merchants selling fantastic wares. Slow to make friends with those who do not share their obsession with mechanics and explosives (in that order), it often has been said that a techsmith's only true confidante is the golemlike construct known as a Gondsman, who serves as the techsmith's servant, assistant, and friend. - Reference: Faiths and Pantheons by Eric L. Boyd & Erik Mona (P. 206-208)

While these are not the only such examples they are easy for anyone to look up as the 3.5 SRDs and PDFs are abundant. I, personally, own both of these books and love sharing the Realms most seem to have Forgotten with any whom require the remembering.

 

[Brakkart]

I see this or similar critiques often of FR and I always wonder why? As with most settings there is as much or as little as you put into it but specifically FR has built into it Airships and Sentient Robots among most other things.

May I intruduce you to Halruaa - the land where the surviving decendants of the fallen sky-cities of Netheril mostly settled (read that as took over) and now rule after hundreds of years of intermingling with the pre-existing culture/people. They kept the secret of the Halruaan Skyships from the rest of the world for centuries but eventually a renegade Halruaan wizard let slip the information and since then multiple governments around the world have been in a race to get their own Sky Navy armada's afloat. - Reference: Shining South by Thomas M. Reid (P. 124 Halruaa, P.56 Halruaan Skyship [Wonderous Item])

Yup and Mystara has had flying ships for far longer than Eberron was even an idea. Nations like the mage ruled Empire of Alphatia, the teutonic knights inspired Heldannic Territories and the gnomish flying island of Oostdok have maintained fleets of airships since they were detailed in the setting way back in the late 1980's.

 

[Synalon]

Guys, you are missing the point. The point is not "there are robots", or whatever else. Any D&D setting will have 'robots' since golems are in the base monster manual.

DilemmaEnder, you say you wonder why people make this sort of critique of FR, and I can explain why.

I have played Baldur's Gate 1-3 as well as Dark Alliance, Icewind Dale 1 & 2, and of course all FR content in DDO. I've also read many 3.5 sourcebooks with information on Faerun plus a good deal of lore on the dedicated wiki. And watched the recent DnD movie. So, while I am not an expert, I definitely have at least a passing familiarity with the setting.

The references you both give are highly esoteric. Across about nine games and a good deal of wider reading, I have never heard of the lore you mentioned. Since it has existed for decades and is TSR's flagship setting, I have no doubt that anything in Eberron could be found in FR if you look hard enough. But my experience, with quite extensive exposure (likely in the thousands of hours) to FR, is that it is largely presented as a pretty generic high fantasy Medieval setting. In all of the media I mention, it is basically 'the middle ages but with magic and dragons'.

So, the fact that there are obscure instances of particular fantasy tropes in FR doesn't make much difference to its overall flavour. The setting has not, for example, asked the question of how people would improve daily life given access to magic.

By comparison, in Eberron, magical technology is commonplace. The whole setting is suffused with creations made for convenience and utility: the lightning rail, Lyrandar airships, the warforged, etc. Whereas apparently in Faerun, the discovery of a Halruaan airship is enough to spark a race by the world's governments for the technology. This is what I mean by Eberron being in a sense more 'realistic' - the creator looked at our own manipulation of the laws of nature, and applied it to his fantasy world.

The Medieval/LotR vibe is ubiquitous in fantasy settings, whereas Eberron is decidedly steampunk and film noir. It is these facts that make Eberron stand out far more to me in terms of creativity and uniqueness.

I'm not criticising FR per se. Vanilla is the most popular flavour of ice cream for a reason. And I've played about nine games in the setting, so clearly I don't hate it, and I am looking forward to the Myth Drannor expansion later this year. I am just explaining why people react to FR as being a bit generic and consequently why I prefer Eberron as our default setting.

 

[Notadrizztvariant]

/Not signed

This is like saying please DO NOT add to the game the most popular and well-liked D&D world. My friend there are plenty of reasons why Forgotten Realms is the most popular and, in my opinion, best D&D world. I disagree, keep more Forgtooen Realms content coming to the game. In my opinion you will have the best marketing ability to pull in many more D&D players to DDO that exclusively only play Forgtooen Realms pen and paper, like myself and many of my friends.

by that reasoning, I would have to buy Taylor Swift albums.

 

[DilemmaEnder]

Guys, you are missing the point. The point is not "there are robots", or whatever else. Any D&D setting will have 'robots' since golems are in the base monster manual.

DilemmaEnder, you say you wonder why people make this sort of critique of FR, and I can explain why.

I have played Baldur's Gate 1-3 as well as Dark Alliance, Icewind Dale 1 & 2, and of course all FR content in DDO. I've also read many 3.5 sourcebooks with information on Faerun plus a good deal of lore on the dedicated wiki. And watched the recent DnD movie. So, while I am not an expert, I definitely have at least a passing familiarity with the setting.

The references you both give are highly esoteric. Across about nine games and a good deal of wider reading, I have never heard of the lore you mentioned. Since it has existed for decades and is TSR's flagship setting, I have no doubt that anything in Eberron could be found in FR if you look hard enough. But my experience, with quite extensive exposure (likely in the thousands of hours) to FR, is that it is largely presented as a pretty generic high fantasy Medieval setting. In all of the media I mention, it is basically 'the middle ages but with magic and dragons'.

So, the fact that there are obscure instances of particular fantasy tropes in FR doesn't make much difference to its overall flavour. The setting has not, for example, asked the question of how people would improve daily life given access to magic.

By comparison, in Eberron, magical technology is commonplace. The whole setting is suffused with creations made for convenience and utility: the lightning rail, Lyrandar airships, the warforged, etc. Whereas apparently in Faerun, the discovery of a Halruaan airship is enough to spark a race by the world's governments for the technology. This is what I mean by Eberron being in a sense more 'realistic' - the creator looked at our own manipulation of the laws of nature, and applied it to his fantasy world.

The Medieval/LotR vibe is ubiquitous in fantasy settings, whereas Eberron is decidedly steampunk and film noir. It is these facts that make Eberron stand out far more to me in terms of creativity and uniqueness.

I'm not criticising FR per se. Vanilla is the most popular flavour of ice cream for a reason. And I've played about nine games in the setting, so clearly I don't hate it, and I am looking forward to the Myth Drannor expansion later this year. I am just explaining why people react to FR as being a bit generic and consequently why I prefer Eberron as our default setting.

I get what you are saying to some extent, but the point I am trying to make is kind of part of your response.

It has everything, but to your point, most Video Games only show what would work best for mass appeal. So anyone who is basing their opinion of the Forgotten Realms off of what has appeared in Movies & Games is only seeing the top layer. The Vanilla as so many say.

FR does have all of the things you mentioned and then some. It has noire-like cities as well as magi-tek suits of armor and flying cities as well as subterranean dungeons leaking into other planes. The continent of Faerun is just that - one continent of a much larger world.

There are 20 sourcebooks written about the continent of Faerun in 3.0/3.5 alone, not to mention the numerous from earlier and later editions. Within just those 20 sourcebooks can be found examples of everything that has been mentioned. From people that were forced to live without magic due to dead magic zones to civilizations that quite literally immersed themselves in the very heart of magic for the whole of their people. And everything in between. From Cave Dwellers to Star Cruising space voyagers.

So much is present that never gets used or heard about except by people who delve into the PnP game and truly try to learn it. So let me just say that while I too believe each should have a chance to explore the world of their choosing. Make no mistake that just because you haven't seen something in what has been presented to you others, that doesn't mean that if you go looking for it you won't find it.

Explore the Forgotten Realms & Eberron & Mystara & Oerth & all the other worlds PnP D&D has to offer. And the best part is that if you don't see what you want - create it.

 

[Blunt Hackett]

I'd prefer other settings because they are underrepresented in video games compared to FR. I'm excited for Myth Drannor, however.

 

[eightspoons]

I'm personally unbothered about whether new content is Forgotten Realms based or not, though I find the whole narrative and background of the setting rather tiresome at this point, for a few particular reasons;

Deities get killed
Deities come back in new form
Elminster is seemingly eternal
Deities get killed again
Drizzt pops up to poke scimitar in baddie
Deities come back in new form
Elminster has hard time with something but still comes back unscathed
One or more deity gets killed

Okay, maybe a little hyperbole involved there, but sometimes that's how it seems.

 

[Solarpower]

Okay, maybe a little hyperbole involved there, but sometimes that's how it seems.

To make it short : Ed Greenwood was bullied a lot in his childhood so he created a magical world with himself as a powerful wizard who can beat all of the bullies.
But why should we care ?

 

[Fizban]

It's the most popular because that is what WoTC pushes, doesn't make it good. D&D is in for a rough future after the whole OGL fiasco, and WoTC sending out the Pinkertons.

The Forgotten Realms is and was the most popular even prior to WotC. Regardless even with WotC it is the most popular. From my preference it is absolutley the best world in D&D.

I'm literally playing with a circle of players of 30 plus and about 25 of them prefer FR as well. It's just a fact more people think FR is the best world, I do.

 

[Fizban]

by that reasoning, I would have to buy Taylor Swift albums.

No, it is great that you have a world you prefer over others. IF FR isn't your favoroite world fine, I support you. But in an effort to promote your preference so many to include you feel like the best way to do this is to criticise the world that most other D&D players prefer, FR.

Lile what you like, and I'll like what I like, FR.

 

[Kathwynn]

Please no more Forgetful Realms after this.

Forgotten Realms is just to popular. Sorry that is not your go to thing. But from a strict marketing perspective. Expanding on the Forgotten Realms could bring a lot more players to this very small niche game.

And truthfully given a choice in a pen and paper setting. If one table was focused on say Grey Hawk or even Dark Sun and the other was focused on Forgotten Realms. It would FR hands down. I am not the only one that feels that way either. While the Red Wizards of Thay are not my favorite place in the FR. Still it will be interesting to see what DDO does with this enigmatic hermit kingdom in the FR.

 

[DilemmaEnder]

No, it is great that you have a world you prefer over others. IF FR isn't your favoroite world fine, I support you. But in an effort to promote your preference so many to include you feel like the best way to do this is to criticise the world that most other D&D players prefer, FR.

Lile what you like, and I'll like what I like, FR.

I love the fact that someone by the moniker Fizban outwardly says that his favorite Realm is the Forgotten one. So much Meta there... Kudos to you!

 

[Kathwynn]

I'm personally unbothered about whether new content is Forgotten Realms based or not, though I find the whole narrative and background of the setting rather tiresome at this point, for a few particular reasons;

Deities get killed
Deities come back in new form
Elminster is seemingly eternal
Deities get killed again
Drizzt pops up to poke scimitar in baddie
Deities come back in new form
Elminster has hard time with something but still comes back unscathed
One or more deity gets killed

Okay, maybe a little hyperbole involved there, but sometimes that's how it seems.

Playing at a table is far different from the books. I started out in Grey Hawk myself. This was the early 1980's. Yes I am old.. And get off my virtual lawn.. But when Forgotten Realms first started making an appearance and test drove it with my brothers and a few friends. They preferred Forgotten Realms hand down. The world was just to rich and made my life easier as the countries and the settings had a lot more potential than Grey Hawk did for me and my then table.

While the books do seem to tend towards watching the gods die and come back periodically. And Elminster is a an old coot that takes way to much credit for what others do and barely gets his wizardly hands dirty. I am no fan of Elminster or even the harpers for that matter. The harpers has not changed from being a bunch of self righteous busy bodies since it was rolled out in 1983 or was it 1984? But Forgotten Realms when at a table is huge world and one that I appreciate being able to grow a character into something formidable or watch it flounder as he realizes that being so strong is not always a good thing.

Here in DDO I love being able to visit at least one corner of the Forgotten Realms and with new expansion on the horizon. I look forward to visiting yet another corner of the Forgotten Realms.

 

[Fizban]

I love the fact that someone by the moniker Fizban outwardly says that his favorite Realm is the Forgotten one. So much Meta there... Kudos to you!

lol, I did say I like other worlds and Dragonlance is certainly a world I enjoy. FR is still my favorite.