Knights & Knaves Alehouse

austinjimm wrote:Aren't DL & FR the same thing?

No. The Forgotten Realms are a designer imposter Greyhawk. Krynn (the Dragonlance setting) is a barely-there excuse of a background for a series of railroad "adventure" atrocities committed by talentless hack novelist Tracy Hickman and a "team" headed by noted computer hacking victim Frank Mentzer.

Of the choices listed, I would only consider using Greyhawk; the Forgotten Realms are fine (I guess) but unnecessary as long as one has GH, while Krynn should be sealed in barrels and buried at sea. In actual fact, the only commercial setting I have ever used is Jeff T.'s Hyperborea, and I doubt that will change in the future. Having to make clear how much published material I wouldn't be using for Greyhawk (or even FR as a second choice) makes the whole exercise sound very tiresome.

As I mentioned up-thread, Greyhawk was the first that came to mind, and pretty much the only standard TSR setting that I'd be interested in using. I stick with the folio and original boxed set. Zero interest in Krynn, FR, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Planescape, et cetera. Zero interest in the expanded Mystara, which I found goofy, but I've used the original "Known World" before. Wouldn't be my first choice, today.

I like Hyperborea, too.

I like many things about the Wilderlands, but some of it doesn't mesh well with my conception of how the setting should be structured. Really dig the maps and the JG hex/campaign system, though.

I think Middle Earth can be an excellent campaign setting (especially certain eras and regions).

I like the idea of Glorantha, but I have the same problem with it that I have with Empire of the Petal Throne (although perhaps not to the same degree). That is, it's a bit too different and diverse and I don't want to invest the time in learning its details.

Philotomy Jurament wrote:Homebrew world is Black Sabbath. Greyhawk is Rush. Forgotten Realms is Britney Spears. Dragonlance is Tiffany.

Dude, Dragonlance is HAWT!

I run and usually play homebrew but I've had a lot of fun in JG. I've tried Greyhawk once or twice but never with a halfway decent DM.

I alternate between my own setting and JG's Wilderlands. I have a lot of respect for Greyhawk, but at this point I'm just too set in my ways to really take on a new setting as a GM. I would certainly not hesitate to play in a Greyhawk game with someone like grodog.

As for the Forgotten Realms...no. Just no. Same for Dragonlance, or any other TSR/WOTC setting. I'm at least as experienced (if not moreso) with AD&D as any of the people who wrote those settings so they have nothing whatsoever to offer me. Not to mention that I personally dislike many of them.

Similarly, with Traveller I've never been very interested in the 3rd Imperium. A significant portion of the game (for me) is creating and detailing my own setting. I like that, I'm good at it. I'm sure Marc Miller would disagree, but I feel like my own setting is just as good as whatever he came up with, and I'm not interested in using the 3rd Imperium just to fit in with the cool kids' idea of what is canonical.

garhkal wrote:So, when you use established game realms to game on, which is your fave?

For FRP gaming, in rough order of preference:

- Greyhawk
- Mendenein: my homebrew sister-world to Oerth
- The Multiverse: Moorcock meets the Great Wheel meets The Primal Order and The World of Tiers (with a dash of Roger-Dean-meets-Spelljammer thrown in too)
- Ars Magica's Mythic Europe
- Warhammer 1e's The Old World

From a literary POV, these are other settings that I've DM'd in at one point or another (generally within scope of a Greyhawk-Mendenein campaign):
- CAS: Averoigne, Zothique
- REH: The Hyborian Age
- JRRT: Beleriand and Eriador in First Age Middle Earth
- Greek Myth
- Amber

For SF gaming:
- Dune
- Poseidon: Blue Planet's hard-sci near-future setting
- Babylon 5
- The Federation of the Hub: James H. Schmitz's SF settings
- Eclipse Phase's blasted solar system
- Star Wars

Unfortunately, of the SF games I've only played in Blue Planet's Poseidon and Star Wars (and I'm not aware of any Schmitz RPG game/setting, or I'd snatch it up!).

Allan.

garhkal wrote:So, when you use established game realms to game on, which is your fave?

My AD&D games have tended towards either Middle-earth or generic AD&D.

In the latter case, I default to Greyhawk assumptions in a pinch—calendar, heavenly bodies, the Great Kingdom, human races and languages, Tenser and such if needed—but it’s really kitchen sink. My old main serious campaign stuck to the WoG pantheon, but nowadays it’s more like Supplement IV + St. Cuthbert + whatever the players fancy or the adventure features.

Middle-earth is my main world, now, although I’ve never had any qualms about including any gonzo AD&D elements. But the trend is towards making it feel more Middle-earthy in ways.

In terms of other genres, the biggies for me are Star Wars and pulp 1920s-30s.

Like many others here, GH, Wilderlands, and working on a campaign world of my own.

My current campaign is in GH, but until they choose to travel away from this dungeon/town it's all homebrew merely set in GH.

Mine would be early Forgotten Realms. Back before the bloat that ruined the setting. Start with the original boxed set and tailor it to my tastes. Despite what many would have you believe, there was nothing wrong with FR as it was originally presented. It's what came later that caused a lot of the hate that people have for it.

Other than that, I'd go with a homebrewed world or maybe the Wilderlands. I also like the early pre-Mystara, Known World.

ghendar wrote:Mine would be early Forgotten Realms. Back before the bloat that ruined the setting. Start with the original boxed set and tailor it to my tastes. Despite what many would have you believe, there was nothing wrong with FR as it was originally presented. It's what came later that caused a lot of the hate that people have for it.

I too enjoyed the FR boxed set and thought it brought a lot to the table.

Philotomy Jurament wrote:Forgotten Realms is Britney Spears. Dragonlance is Tiffany.

Close enough then. Don't they both feature the half-halfling race called Kindar or something?

Homebrew and Greyhawk. We've also received good mileage out of Middle-Earth under the other main DM in my group.

Philotomy Jurament wrote:Homebrew world is Black Sabbath. Greyhawk is Rush.

Given Black Sabbath and Rush were my two favorite bands in my early D&D years, I like this. Nearly every character created in my rec room in the early 80s was rolled up to the music of either Rush or Black Sabbath.

Cool that my Wild North made the cut.

Geoffrey wrote:

garhkal wrote:So, when you use established game realms to game on, which is your fave?

The Wilderlands with tack-ons:

JCBoney wrote:

ghendar wrote:Mine would be early Forgotten Realms. Back before the bloat that ruined the setting. Start with the original boxed set and tailor it to my tastes. Despite what many would have you believe, there was nothing wrong with FR as it was originally presented. It's what came later that caused a lot of the hate that people have for it.

I too enjoyed the FR boxed set and thought it brought a lot to the table.

It really did. Yes, it was more developed than Greyhawk but not overly so. It may not be the cup of tea for many K&Kers but it was good stuff in the late 1e days

Philotomy Jurament wrote: Greyhawk is Rush.

So where in Greyhawk did you place Willowdale, The River Dawn, and the dark and forbidding lands of the necromancer? Don't forget the Fountain of Lamneth.