What settings are officially supported don't interest me much, as long as the core medieval fantasy stuff (swords, platemail, wizards, dragons) are present.

Well, this isn't about official settings. This is the RPGA Living Greyhawk organized play campaign, which has a couple 10's of thousands of players, I believe.

I feel a bit bad, because I introduced tons of people (more than 10 at least) to D&D through this program, and some of those people (including one guy who kinda yelled at Chris Tulach during the announcement and left the RPGA meeting) are really upset. This is the announced end of a campaign they have been playing in. I'm also sort of loosely associated with another guy who happens to be one of the triad members of my region, and I happen to know that guy does a lot of work. (I've also helped out on occasion, by writing encounter blocks for a battle interactive--which amounted to something like 40 different uniquely templated stat blocks for an adventure, so they could re-stat out the entrire adventure at any level from 2nd to 16th); it's a lot of work. People just love this campaign.

Anyhow, they are all waaay more upset than I am, in fact. They feel like the campaign is being arbitrarily ended on them. My highest level LG character is a pair of 3rd level guys, neither of whom I am especially attached to. I didn't join LG until it had already been in existence until the beginning of year 6. By that time, there really was a bit of an entrenched clique that kinda ran things.

But we talked about it on the way home. I am ready to get behind this new campaign at the beginning. The Living Realms campaign is only be as good as people make it, and it will require the same kind of work. Getting involved at the beginning could be very exciting.

Looking at it another way, this could be the chance of a lifetime, really!

(We DID eventually collect enough tokens to win the Grand Duchy of Geoff's shield by the way, but  someone else decided he wanted it to, and beat us to it. We had to track the guy down (from the Bandit Kingdoms) and convince him to trade for the Bone March shield. Right at the end we almost ended up short when one guys showed up and donated 30 more tokens...)

Anyhow, I'm not one of those guys who clings to old editions. I've heard some interesting things so far, and I've already made some initial contacts about getting involved in leading a playtest group and maybe keeping an eye on Living Realms.

We'll see!

Quote from: Abyssal MawWell, this isn't about official settings. This is the RPGA Living Greyhawk organized play campaign, which has a couple 10's of thousands of players, I believe.

If Living Greyhawk isn't an official setting, how can someone from Wizards seems to have announced that it is coming to an end?  If your buddy and others like him are upset, they simply need to declare independence and take Living Greyhawk in another direction.

You can't.  Living Greyhawk is run by the RPGA - which is run by WotC.  And that's not even including the fact that all of that IP is very heavily guarded - why I have no idea.

For example, if you wrote a mod for Living Greyhawk, you get the rights returned to you (assuming WotC didn't buy it outright) after two years (when play ends for that mod.  Oh, except all of the IP of Greyhawk, specific GH names, places, etc, are stripped out.

Nice, huh?

People are always floating this idea, and I wish it could occur - take GH independent.  But for some reason, WotC, which seems to treat GH as the red-headed step child of its settings (mny theory - because Gygax was involved), clamps down tight on that shit.

I'm hoping that by removing GH as the implied default setting, it might loosen the grip...maybe...dare to dream...

Quote from: jrientsIf Living Greyhawk isn't an official setting, how can someone from Wizards seems to have announced that it is coming to an end?  If your buddy and others like him are upset, they simply need to declare independence and take Living Greyhawk in another direction.

I thought the same thing... I'm actually waiting to see if the guy running our game (one of the Ket triad and really enthusiastic about the setting) decides to keep it going, or if he'll make the switch to Forgotten Realms.

Anyone know if there's a Sinbad / Aladdin type area in the Realms, and how will WotC decide which real world area gets which Realms area?  

Hopefully they'll set Eastern Canada in the Moonshae's... since that's the only FR book I ever bothered reading.

Quote from: James J SkachBut for some reason, WotC, which seems to treat GH as the red-headed step child of its settings (mny theory - because Gygax was involved), clamps down tight on that shit.

I have a hunch that when Wizards bought TSR there was an anti-Gary Gygax clause in the deal somewhere.

If it's any consolation, my region is the Theocracy of the Pale.

I mean, how lame is THAT? The only way I'd want to interact with those institutionalized do-gooders is nuke them from orbit, then repair to my stronghold in the Drachensgrab Mountains.

To Jrients: James Skach is explaining it pretty good.

The "Living Realms" campaign will use the new rules. That's the draw.

See that's the thing with the living campaigns. They are primarily promotional tools that just happen to connect players to games in a controlled fashion,. (and theyre brilliant at doing this-I've met at least a hundred people playing LG). I contend that ANY game putting together an organized play program for their game, managing a campaign like this would benefit hugely. Forward to Adventure, Rifts, .. ANY game that poured a little money and effort into something like this, the payouts are huge.

To Stuart: I seem to recall that there is an arabian knights type area of FR. I'll have to recheck the books. I'm not a big Realms guy. In fact, I think they eventually stuck Al Qadim itself somewhere in the world of the Realms. (Can anyone confirm this?)

Coincidentally, I bought the Al Qadim sourcebook for 2e again. I had sold this off for 40$ a few years ago. I just rebought it for 9$. I think I want to do an Al Qadim-ish game next.

I'm in Verbobonc.  And I think the hardest part was that I had decided to pursue more Living Greyhawk a little while ago - got my character more fleshed out - wrote him a background and everything.  Almost got to GenCon for gaming - plans for all kinds of things.

Now, eh, not so sure.

Perhaps I should push to get back into that Realms home campaign that my little hospital visit precluded....

Isn't that Calimport...where Drizzt (I know, a bad word) goes to rescue the halfling?  Isn't that supposed to be the kind of Arabian Nights chunk?

James, I think you are right! Calimport.

The Theocracy of the Pale sounds awful, but it could be fun being a rebel there. Heh.

Quote from: King of Old SchoolEd Greenwood is a really interesting guy.  His own take on FR would probably make Bradford Walker's "Joe Gamer" spontaneously combust!

Heh.  I'd laugh if that happened.

This is awesome news!  The rpga fucks and the FR losers will now be only one group to avoid instead of two.

Quote from: NicephorusThis is awesome news!  The rpga fucks and the FR losers will now be only one group to avoid instead of two.

You may even wish to avoid all human contact, in order to ensure you don't run into any of them secretly!

Quote from: Abyssal MawYou may even wish to avoid all human contact, in order to ensure you don't run into any of them secretly!

No need for that, one can usually smell them coming.