So the new DM's Guild project from Wizard allows independent writers to make products for the Forgotten Realms setting.  As of last time I checked, Maztica, Al-Qadim, and Kara-tur were all part of the Realms, albeit distant parts.

Is there anything explicit in the conditions of the DM's Guild that would prohibit writing supplements for these settings?

From https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/413uu7/dd_ama_with_mike_mearls_and_chris_lindsay_115/

Quoteflametitan

As I recall, Kara-tur, Al-Qadim and Maztica are all continents on the same world as Faerun. Would they count as Forgotten Realms content, or not?

QuoteOnnatryx - DnD Product Manager

It is totally okay if you want to play around with one or more of the other continents in the Forgotten Realms. Kara-tur, Al-Qadim (my personal favorite), and Maztica are totally part of the DMs Guild allowed content.

Hot damn!

al-Qadim has my interest. Hmm...

Wow, that's a whole lot of area to cover, a lot of which hasn't been covered already.  It's wide open for new RPG writers to try and get noticed.

YAY! :cheerleader:

OMG, we can totally recreate a derivation of Disney's "Emperor's New Groove" on Lopango! Llama World, here we come!

I'd loved to see a less derped 5E take on Kara-Tur. Like, an actual ninja path based on the rogue that focues on spying and infiltration and less "I walk through walls.". Then put the "I walk through Walls" in the mystic monk area.

Doesn't being in 'The Guild' allow WOTC to negate anything they don't like though? I can easily picture someone writing up an Al Qadim or Kara Tur book that I'd love but corporate overview deems inappropriate and ashcans it.

Quote from: Simlasa;873991Doesn't being in 'The Guild' allow WOTC to negate anything they don't like though? I can easily picture someone writing up an Al Qadim or Kara Tur book that I'd love but corporate overview deems inappropriate and ashcans it.

Then just write up some adventures with setting fluff/crunch stuff to support it without getting to detailed to test the waters.

Quote from: Mostlyjoe;873993Then just write up some adventures with setting fluff/crunch stuff to support it without getting to detailed to test the waters.

My concerns are solely as a consumer... knowing that, as much as I'd like to see it, there's no way James Raggi's version of Kara Tur is going to make it through unfiltered. It will be pre-blanded, for the kids.

Quote from: Simlasa;873991Doesn't being in 'The Guild' allow WOTC to negate anything they don't like though? I can easily picture someone writing up an Al Qadim or Kara Tur book that I'd love but corporate overview deems inappropriate and ashcans it.

You really think anyone at WOTC cares? This is basically a glorified fan fiction portal.  They aren't going to be checking stuff. If something gets removed for content like that, it will likely be because users flagged it.

Quote from: JeremyR;874008You really think anyone at WOTC cares? This is basically a glorified fan fiction portal.  They aren't going to be checking stuff. If something gets removed for content like that, it will likely be because users flagged it.

Well, if that's the case then, yay!

Quote from: JeremyR;874008This is basically a glorified fan fiction portal.

Much like Kindle Worlds.

However, OBS potentially has a good system where people who purchase the stuff get to rate the stuff. Each month, OBS can sweep for 1 star ratings and warn WotC if something needs to be yanked.

However, I suspect its all going to be based on people yipping about particular products, and OBS and WotC will only "check in" after the yipping.

Quote from: jadrax;873697From https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/413uu7/dd_ama_with_mike_mearls_and_chris_lindsay_115/

Well now, that's a whole other kettle of fish, ain't it?

My understanding is that WotC/OBS will only be filtering out things deemed "inappropriate" not really policing rules etc. WotC can use any material they deem useful for their own ends.

The way I see it is simple: it's all shit until someone puts up something that is publishable quality with good production that people like. Right now there is a flood of unprofessional material that a lot of fans just put up there for kicks and giggles. Some of them even say "this isn't intended to be official or anything" - and I just scratch my head.

There's already a race to the bottom on price-point. So yeah. It's fan-material.

I'm working on Kara-Tur and Al-Qadim but I'm definitely going to be going for professional quality and higher price-point. There's a few Kara-Tur things out there already, one has some nice ideas, but they're still unrefined and are essentially fan-material with formatting.

My gameplan is larger in scope. But yeah, it's the onset of the unwashed masses right now. But I'm fine with letting the market decide.

Was Maztica really that bad?