RAVENLOFT IS BACK.

[Archedius]

I do hope that the Frats netbooks will continue in the tradition of their past ones and not switch gears into accounting for 4th ed "Ravenloft".

Personally, and I know that there are many that agree with me, would prefer that Gazs be made for the rest of known RL as shown in 2nd and 3rd edition DnD.

I know that the progression has been said to be both of the Core's seas but I hope that after the two seas are completed that the different clusters are explored. At the most give the 4th ed players tips as to how to cherrypick from the netbooks rather than catering mostly to them.

If the Frat decides to make the netbooks system neutral to acomadate different editions, that's fine but I just hope that the tone and focus for the fluff is kept true to the 2nd/3rd edition mood and feel that the products held.

[Pamela]

I do hope that the Frats netbooks will continue in the tradition of their past ones and not switch gears into accounting for 4th ed "Ravenloft".

1) Nobody knows what 4e Ravenloft is yet.
2) The Gaz following the Nocturnal Seas report is unlikely to be produced before 2010.

The question is premature.

[Joël of the FoS]

I do hope that the Frats netbooks will continue in the tradition of their past ones and not switch gears into accounting for 4th ed "Ravenloft".

1) Nobody knows what 4e Ravenloft is yet.
2) The Gaz following the Nocturnal Seas report is unlikely to be produced before 2010.

The question is premature.

It sure is indeed, but still I can offer an embryo of answer (those are tasty with thai sauce).

As we plan to do with 3.5/4, if the new-and-eventually-very-different-in-4e-incarnation-of-RL is fun and liked by many, we'll probably support both, for as long as there is strong interest in both.

Joël

[Creepy Old Woman]

New domains, new darklords, new adventure settings... I can't wait. Either way, there is bound to be a surge of fan interest in Ravenloft, which could only mean good things.

[HuManBing]

I do hope that the Frats netbooks will continue in the tradition of their past ones and not switch gears into accounting for 4th ed "Ravenloft".

1) Nobody knows what 4e Ravenloft is yet.
2) The Gaz following the Nocturnal Seas report is unlikely to be produced before 2010.

The question is premature.

I disagree that the question was premature. This messageboard is already putting out 4E material quite a bit in advance of Wizards, so I think Archedius' question about this messageboard's composition and focus is actually quite timely.

As we plan to do with 3.5/4, if the new-and-eventually-very-different-in-4e-incarnation-of-RL is fun and liked by many, we'll probably support both, for as long as there is strong interest in both.

Joël

But I agree that the answer was delicious and went down very well with my lorp gai.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Yep!

Ravenloft is back. I have to say that the Ravenloft campaign in general is pretty amazing. It's survived every single edition of the game, unlike many other settings. I guess you can't keep a good setting down.



From Digital Insider #6, the WotC Website: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4news/20080910

October will also see the Domains of Dread return to D&D, with the long-time Ravenloft concept being folded into the core now. Meanwhile we’ll also be trying out a new rules concept that allows you to multiclass into classes that don’t really exist, like gladiator. I should probably stop now before R&D gets forbidden from feeding me previews.

Please understand that they are talking about material to be releases on their on-line magazine. Still, there's something there. Here's hoping it leads to a source book.

KEWL!

Anyone one of our little family here involved in this?

Besides, *hello* all, I am back from Spain!

[Cole Deschain]

Bleh.

It's not broken, don't fix it.

(Says the crabby old fart still using 2E)

[HuManBing]

Hey, nothing wrong with 2E. I still think some of the materials written for that are among the best "flavor" for the setting ever written.

Also, I played an adventure where my players were dealing with a tragic dhampir character joining the Kargatane. His name was Corley Daschane, which struck me as being redolent of something... but I couldn't remember what.

Now I see your username and it's all come back to me

[Cole Deschain]

I'm like the plague. Wait a year, and I turn up briefly.

All I can say is, what I've seen of fourth edition?

Ick.

[HuManBing]

Yeah, I'm of a similar opinion. Although Fourth Edition GURPS appears to have taken a completely different (and much more user-friendly) sales philosophy. It's largely compatible with 3rd Ed. GURPS, and it shies away from having any "must-use" rules - instead offering up a load of modular rules that are all optional.

I've heard people say "well, 4E is customizable so don't lose heart". That may be true but it's not designed to be customizable. It takes a fair bit of work, and kudos to the Ravenloft faithful who have stuck through all that work. I don't have that level of tenacity.

GURPS is the system of choice for me now, all the moreso now that they've finally released the Thaumatology add-on, which should have a good rundown of Spirit Magic (the type of magic system that I think would work well with a GURPS Ravenloft setting).

[Lanus]

Well, maybe, just maybe, WotC is testing the waters, see the reaction on the article, if more people are interested in this "Domains" and then figurate hoy (or if) are they going to manage Ravenloft 4E.

Something very important that seems to be absent in several post is the need of new blood. Sure, we are a loyal fanbase but the thing is that life catches up on a lot of us: Work, kids, bills, travels. Moreover, we have competition in the form of videogames. This is not the 90s anymore. We tried to get 3 new people into DnD last week. Two wont be coming back and the 3rd one is thinking it through. Why? The rules are too complex (as in "tehre are rules an you must now them") and The Game itself disturbed them (as in "a lot of geeks in the same room interacting). I can't blame them: they're a new generation. I grow up playing boardgames so learning rules and everything was kinda natural for me, as playing with other kids. They came from nintendo, from not having to learn any rule save which button does what and sitting alone in front of the Teevee.

I have positive feelings about 4E. Its friendlier and thats a good thing for me because we wont scare so much new players.

I think wizards is trying to do that and the sacrifice is some older players. My heart tells me this wont work but hey, they have the marketing experts. The butchered the realms because they hope they will gain more players than the ones they'll lose. They're keeping Eberron intact because a lot of new players (as well as old, i know) digg it and they dont want to alienate them. I think (hope) they're testing the waters with Ravenloft.

My hope is that they decide that Ravenloft is gonna be the mature setting. With xenophobia, death, and everything in between. Because people like that too. This whole controversy around 4E shows one thing: That people want awesome and glitter as much as they want grit and hard work. I know a bunch of kids that will be much more interested in playing a dark setting than a high fantasy one.

I don't now what will happen, i have very few hope but at least i have some.

[Desertrising]

I too hope that this is a testing the waters kind of thing. I also think that it would appeal to some people who might not otherwise play DnD.

It's true the world is changing, and so the game is changing to accomodate it. Yes this is not the ninety's but it is a new time with new ideas. I think Wizards has made a good decision trying to get more virtual. However, I also am afraid they will muck it up (DDO anyone?).

What I really worry about is that R&D has lost touch with gamers. While 4.0 is a great game, I don't think they really listened to what players had to say in the changes they were making. While the system is sound, the fluff lacks.. well fluff.

But this is not about the fate of DnD, it is about the fate of Ravenloft.

Here are the issues that confront us whether or not Wizards brings it back.

We have a smaller and smaller active fan base. I remember when I had to check these boards every couple hours to keep up with a thread I had interest in. However, lately I have been able to go days (and that is with my decision to start posting again) without really needing to check. I know that we will loose people (hell someday I may stop playing DnD (though I doubt it)) but in the past we were able to bring in new people as well.

Part of me wants to just find a few million bucks buy the Ravenloft liscence and see what this community could do with it. However, I also do not have that kind of money.

Well I think I have rambled enough.

[Isabella]

From another POV: Do we really want to shell out money to WotC for... the exact same fluff we got from 3.0? The Gazetteers are mighty fine, I don't expect WotC to be better. So why should I mock them for doing something different?

[Archedius]

I'd rather they take the 3.0 edition fluff and advance the timeline in a manner appropriate to the settings traditions. Different and new isn't always good.

I don't think WotC has the grit to make 4.0 RL dark, brutal and subtle with it's horror. They can't do subtle really. It's not going to be real horror, it's going to be more fight scary monsters. An analogy could be Nosferatu compared to Van Helsing. One is real horror while the other is actiony with 'boo' moments.

Based on the general mood and themes of WotC's supplements and settings books as well as how 4th edition is geared - this is my feeling for how they'll do 4th ed RL.

[Pamela]

We tried to get 3 new people into DnD last week. Two wont be coming back and the 3rd one is thinking it through. Why? The rules are too complex (as in "tehre are rules an you must now them") and The Game itself disturbed them (as in "a lot of geeks in the same room interacting). I can't blame them: they're a new generation. I grow up playing boardgames so learning rules and everything was kinda natural for me, as playing with other kids.They came from nintendo, from not having to learn any rule save which button does what and sitting alone in front of the Teevee.

When I was in my teens in the early 80's, the "boob tube" was a fixture in the house, as was the Atari for my brothers. I remember my brothers spending the money from their paper routes on the arcade machines. They weren't alone in it either. Most still managed to finish high school despite that.

These "Nintendo kids" (who, if not members of this board, probably are members of the families of posters here) aren't less bright than the kids I grew up with. If you really thought that, why in the world would you invite them into your game?

You don't need to be under 20 to find learning 3e difficult and not worth the effort. I certainly did. I nonetheless got involved in producing an FoS Survey and in one of the RP games here despite that. I enjoyed Ravenloft and D&D despite its edition.

I enjoy 4e. You like 3e, GURPS or god-knows-what-else? Hey, good for you. I promise not to call you a snob or grognard if you promise not to call me a sufferer of ADHD or a low IQ.

Will I like 4e's Ravenloft? No idea. I certainly hope so and will give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm able to ignore what I don't like and make up things I do. I've done that for the previous editions already - as did many others here- so I don't see why that should miraculously change now.