I would say that the only published settings that I have run almost unchanged is WFRP and to a certain extent Star Wars.
The rest of the time, I'm just using the system and perhaps certain aspects of the systems campaign setting. I get stuff(settings/world books) that grabs my attention and use it for my own games not necessarily the system that is was created for.
My library is filled with settings that I cannibalize for my own homebrews. For most games I take the rules and modify the existing setting if I use it at all.
What about you folks?
Regards,
David R
My current campaign is set in Eberron, which I'm using pretty much as written. I'm of course not using all the material out there (even though I own pretty much all of it), mostly because the PCs don't encounter it all. For example, the Lords of Dust and their rakshasa servants haven't made any appearances so far IMC, which have been more focused on the servants of the daelkyr.
My next campaign will likely be set in the Forgotten Realms, using the Red Hand of Doom campaign. Since the map is made to match what is possibly the only spot on the FR map that doesn't already have a hundred pages written about it, the FR-ness will mostly show through in the character options available.
As for homebrews, I've tried making ones before, but never really got past the mapping stage. I suck at maps :(
Quote from: DackeAs for homebrews, I've tried making ones before, but never really got past the mapping stage. I suck at maps :(
I "borrow" maps from published settings all the time. Also names of character classes - for instance, the Warforged from Eberron, is the name I now use for the race of Muls (sp?) originally from Dark Sun, who in turn look like the Obsidian men from Earthdawn :)
Regards,
David R
Quote from: David RI "borrow" maps from published settings all the time. Also names of character classes - for instance, the Warforged from Eberron, is the name I now use for the race of Muls (sp?) originally from Dark Sun, who in turn look like the Obsidian men from Earthdawn :)
Regards,
David R
hey. that's
Obsidimen to you. :p
I don't usually "take from", but I'll "add to" all the time. It's much easier for me to have some sort of foundation already established.
I prefer to change as little as possible in a published setting, mostly because any players who are familiar with it may have expectations and may feel cheated if something is changed. Which is why I like to go with settings that aren't as fleshed out, so there's room to put stuff in where I need to and not go against canon.
Quote from: Thjalfihey. that's Obsidimen to you. :p
Obsidamen.
I rarely use a published setting as is. I'll use one as a bit of a base (Iron Kingdoms ATM) and add stuff from other settings until I've got what I want. Right now I rob from (for fantasy) IK, Dragonlance, FR, Dark Sun, Oriental Adventures/Rokugan, Talislanta, Warcraft, and various smaller pdf settings.
It's been a looooong time since I've ran a setting as is. It was likely back when D20 Star Wars first came out.
Quote from: DackeObsidamen.
I don't know what you're talking about. ;)
Quote from: TechnomancerI prefer to change as little as possible in a published setting, mostly because any players who are familiar with it may have expectations and may feel cheated if something is changed. Which is why I like to go with settings that aren't as fleshed out, so there's room to put stuff in where I need to and not go against canon.
I can't even really imagine that. If I had a player get after me for changing something in a setting I was running, I'd probably smack him with a rolled-up Dragon. :p
I have a tendency to follow a published setting too closely and have a hard time deviating. I even find that I have this problem when I'm running a homebrew after it has been fleshed out. It's an issue that I need to work on.
With published settings, however, I waste a lot of time reading irrelevant background material and at times will bog a game down because I want to be accurate. My best games have been when I just go with what I know and make up the rest on the fly.
Quote from: CyberzombieI can't even really imagine that. If I had a player get after me for changing something in a setting I was running, I'd probably smack him with a rolled-up Dragon. :p
Ever DM'ed for hardcore Forgotten Realms fanboys? :p
Quote from: FickleGMMy best games have been when I just go with what I know and make up the rest on the fly.
This has worked for my players and me for a long time. The only way to run games as far as I'm concerned :)
Regards,
David R
Quote from: TechnomancerEver DM'ed for hardcore Forgotten Realms fanboys? :p
Nope. Never actually gamed with one before. I knew one guy in college who was really into the Realms, but that was back in '92, so there wasn't nearly as much to go hardcore over. :)
Of course, I also usually DM Greyhawk or the Known World when I'm DMing an existing setting and I think it's just kind of expected that they'll be modded.
Quote from: TechnomancerEver DM'ed for hardcore Forgotten Realms fanboys? :p
Played with some. I'd never DM FR for that reason.
Well that, I there are serveral settings that I like better.
Quote from: David RThis has worked for my players and me for a long time. The only way to run games as far as I'm concerned :)
Regards,
David R
It works fine until I hit a "wall". At that point, more material is helpful. I do feel that it is my favorite way to play when I'm on my game (I just wish that I was on my game more often).
WFRP is the only game where I try and keep the setting intact, but that's because I love the setting. Most other systems that we play are actually pretty hard to really define a specific setting so it's hard to stray from something that isn't defined.
Actually now that I think about it there are more, Shadowrun, Cyberpunk, Mechanical Dream, Feng Shui, Earthdawn and even World of Darkness are games wehre I generally stick to the setting, or at least the setting for the books I've purchased.
I think it comes down to if the rules are for a generic setting like D20 or if the rules come bundled and are based around a setting/metagame. If the rules really are designed to work in a given setting there are often too many little quirks that don't work outside of that setting so deviation is harder.
But I guess it does depend on how strict you get in defining 'use a published setting'. I may change names and places to suit a specific goal but I try and keep as much the same as possible, it makes adding supplements easier.
In the Early Days, I decided I needed a game world, and since I didn't have Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms was not yet a box, I made my own. I drew a map, then I needed to name all the places. I turned to DRAGON Magazine for names, and there was a series of articles by Ed Greenwood, (Pages from the Mages, 7 Swords) that would eventually become the Forgotten Realms. I took all the names and used them for my towns and cities, without much attention paid to what was a city or a country in the article, it just needed to sound cool.
So players come to my game, hear some familiar names, and decide they must be in the Forgotten Realms. Only my game world is very little like the realms they know. So it's new and exciting yet slightly familiar at the same time.
With other modules and settings- ESPECIALLY ones that the players are familiar with, I might include the map, but change the location (or trigger) for the secret doors, or the main hero might be the main villain. Anything to say, "you shouldn't have read ahead. NOW you actually have to PAY ATTENTION, because what you thought you knew...is wrong."