A slight change in website design/layout. With some added content if I can ever get it done. The front page elements would stay the same or be rearranged. What I'd like to add however, is some more focused Greyhawk primers for various topics like Deities, Nations, Power Groups, etc. The Greyhawk primer I wrote a couple weeks ago has made me realize I cater too much to old fans, but I have a chance to be a hub for new gamers needing easily digested info on Greyhawk. One thing also: having wikis with Greyhawk info is great if you know what you're looking for, but having essential material presented in one location is the next best thing to a setting book.
Speaking of which, I know others have done 5E conversions for Greyhawk. Greyhawk Reborn is doing good things in that regard, carrying on the old timeline. I am more aligned to Greyhawk Grognard's feel to bring 5E Greyhawk back to the old 576 CY starting point. So, while I'm no expert at game design, any Greyhawk primer I do will be fluff not crunch. I'd try to focus on what's important or relevant for new gamers and then crosslink to any "advanced" information I can find online either on 3rd party sites or on my own blog.
Brainstorm over.
Update 06/24/2021: Cripes I need to finish my primers still. Ugh! That said I did redesign the look of my blog, and put up quite a bit of content for beginners. The links are on the left of the homepage. Enjoy!
The lets add some non DMG crunch to your fluff.
ReplyDeleteThe accuracy of information coming from one city to another is determined by population of the source and your distance from source.
I%=0.24x ((population^0.87)/(distance^0.4))
If you want to map the sweet spots on the greyhawk map where circles of 100% accuracy overlap you can use:
Distance (radius in miles)=0.4 root((population^0.87)/(100%/0.24))
The 0.4 root is mathematically like cube root except with a 0.4 not a 3.
This will provide you with a greyhawk map covered in circles so when you roll into a tavern at some crossroads between kingdoms you can determine which rumors you are hearing are 100% accurate and which are bogus.
I like to map mystara and determine those obscure little backwaters where information accuracy drops to below 1% a mile from the village tavern.
City...........pop.........100%.........50%
ReplyDeleteGreyhawk.......69,500......9540 miles...54252 miles
Safeton........6,100.......48 miles.....273 miles
Hardby.........5,100.......32 miles.....184 miles
Elmshire.......4,000.......19 miles.....109 miles
What does 100% represent? The only question that matters: Geographical awareness.
"Free city of Greyhawk? Yeah I've heard of it."
The primer idea is great. You do a wondeful job of distilling all the info into bite-sized chunks.
ReplyDeleteBrandon
Shifting gears to cater to new players and creating content that lowers barriers to entry is a good thing. If that starts your creative motor, it is even better. I am basing my Hardby campaign in 576 CY because the full weight of canon/Living Greyhawk was starting to feel like a straight jacket and a limit on the story I want to explore with my players.
ReplyDeleteSaracenus: Exactly. I cherry pick plenty from more recent canon, but you can't beat that old box feel. I'm not sure how ambitious this project will be. I'm afraid of veering too far, where does one draw a line on Greyhawk info? I'll figure it out I guess.
ReplyDeleteBrandon: Yeah bite-size chunks is the concept. Now let's hope I don't take huge mouthfuls to start.
A great little chart! I plan to share it with my players!
ReplyDeleteI know this is a month late, but I have two cents.
ReplyDeleteThe old gamers seem to like 976. The new gamers don't care, but don't want drama (that's why they just use the default, which is faerun).
My fear, as someone who grew up on Greyhawk lore with my dad telling me stories from his games, is that Greyhawk will die.
It has a rich lore and history, much of which allows gaming in ANY system without having to shoehorn special powers in there to suit the storybooks (I'm looking at you fearun).
THEREFORE: I think the best bet is to have hyperlinks to map-sets and datapoints particular to a specific time frame, and have the "front" devoted to "timeless" elements and "current" maps. This gives the nod to "current" (which is 591 or 597... though I can't find ANY material post-591 even in pdf form) while allowing the "old" times to be used by players.
The ultimate goal should be, as you said, a one-stop shop for Greyhawk setting and, one day, a printable book akin to those fraternity of mists has for ravenloft.
Just my opinion, though.
Late comment but very appreciated. I am definitely striving to keep a neutral baseline of information while at the same time trying to make GH relevant to today's D&D gamers (hence the use of tieflings and dragonborn). It's much to ponder over.
ReplyDelete