Why Forgotten Realms?

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Why is everything based in FR? I mean is it the most interesting world, is it the most reallistic world, or what ? I'd say none of the above. Than why everything in it. I recently read some posts complaining that there arn't any games/books in other worlds and I agree. I mean why is FR so popular?!

edit> Oh I forgot - is a trademark of Extremist .

[This message has been edited by Vicsun (edited July 18, 2001).]

 

I would say it's because it's the most popular world. TSR, then WotC have developed so much of it, and yet left a ton so that the players could develop that it's just become the flagship of ad&d worlds. I like it because of the variety, but I hate it because they've done so many things to the world, that when I try to campaign, other players or the DM pull out a completely new handbook or reference guide, and everything is completely different.

 

Relic has it about right. FR is the most popular because its the most popular. How's that for some circular logic. TSR printed the greatest number of books, maps, guides and modules for FR thus the greatest number of campaigns were set there. The the more play who played in FR the most they wanted to see more material about FR. Self fullfilling prophecy.

If you don't want to play in FR no big deal. Just make or have your DM make a new world. That way you avoid players knowing more about the world then you. I've played in a ton of D&D campaigns, many in the FR, but the best were in world made up by the DM. Feel free to steal, combine and tweak published products until your heart is content. After all it's your world.

 

The only world that comes close to FR's popularity is Dragonlance. Little is ever set there, however, because the entire world is driven by a select group of NPCs. Plus, the entire world is charted out and known, with few problems save for whatever world-shattering problem the main characters are dealing with at the moment.

 

There is money in FR. And thats because its
"classic" fantasy. (2 words that never should be merged)
I remember asking some other guys in my gaming circle wich setting they would recommend. Originally I wanted to buy Birthright but I was told it was too odd.
The same for Greyhawk. Planescape and Dark sun had nothing to do with fantasy.
FR in the other hand was good normal fantasy.
People also dislike the D&D movie because it has "darkskinned elven rangers with crossbows", " dragons that doesn't talk",
"dumb beholders" and (my favorite)
"is set in a homebrewed world that doesn't exist." I thought that was the point with fantasy.
I also remember when one of my old players told about the campaign he was writing:
" I'd like it to have some existing monsters like hydras, chimearas and such instead of those weird two-headed griffons like in your campaign."
(And he was wrong. It was two-headed manticores )

 

LOL. Yes we need "real" and "existing" monsters like talking dragons!

 

Not to stray from the topic but I saw you saying Dark Sun was not a 'fantasy' world. Out of all the TSR world I think, FR aside, Dark Sun is the best. Mine me it has some problems but it's a great world. The concept of metal being rare, the new races and classes and the desert setting are all excellent.

What do you think of Dark Sun?