Three Settings - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Three Settings

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
korvar
May 05, 2004 11:01:33 I'm more and more beginning to think we need to be thinking of Dark Sun as two - or even three - distinct sub-settings.

The athas.org one (the one true setting!) in Free Year 10 or so.
The Paizo One 300 years after athas.org
a pre-PP setting

We come up with distinctive names for each, e.g.:
Desert's Slumber (the year before the PP) for the PP setting,
Free Year 10 for athas.org's,
The194th King's Age for the Paize setting)

Actually, those names are a bit pants; I'm sure better ones can be found

Each supplement that comes out (from the 'net, at any rate), will basically be set in one of these time periods, with some quick notes for the other two.

For example, the City State of Draj supplement is set in Free Year 10; with my idea you'd add a supplemental chapter that would quickly mention how things were before the death of Tectuktitlay, and how things are 300 years later.

I think this way would allow us to keep things separated, conceptually, at least. And it would allow athas.org, and this board, to cater to those of us who like the original boxed set and consider every thing else to be heresy, as well as those who first saw Dark Sun from Dragon and Dungeon.

Ideas?
#2
dawnstealer
May 05, 2004 11:12:03 Hmm...

How about:

TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times.
Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so.
Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.
#3
korvar
May 05, 2004 11:14:59 Diplomatic as always
#4
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
May 05, 2004 11:15:27
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times.
Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so.
Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.

#5
korvar
May 05, 2004 11:20:49
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
Hmm...

How about:

TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times.
Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so.
Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.

Perhaps that should be v3.5.C for the Paizo version?
#6
nightdruid
May 05, 2004 11:22:24
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
Hmm...

How about:

TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times.
Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so.
Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.

Fits, actually...Company Revision of Athas by Paizo....
#7
korvar
May 05, 2004 11:25:52 I was thinking of something a bit more cool-sounding.

Dark Sun: Desert's Slumber (pre PP)

Dark Sun: The Free Cities (FY 10ish)

Dark Sun: uh, something (FY 310)
#8
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
May 05, 2004 11:36:28 Well, the thing is.... the changes that athas.org have done to Dark Sun are closer to appearing like the changes that Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Ravenloft and Greyhawk had undergone in the conversion to D&D 3.0/3.5. The changes that Paizo did in the Dragon & Dungeon articles are more like the changes that you undergo when your DM switches from a Greyhawk setting to a Forgotten Realms setting. Sure, there are similarities.... some similarities, but it's not the same thing.
#9
dawnstealer
May 05, 2004 11:40:48
I was thinking of something a bit more cool-sounding.

Granted, but do you believe people are actually going to write it out? It'll probably get relegated into acronyms like:

DSDSPPP

DSTFCFY10+

&

DSUSFY300+

DSUSFY, I like that.
#10
zombiegleemax
May 05, 2004 12:24:41 I agree that it seems like DS has been split into three subsets and I like the idea of labeling each with notes at the end on how to bring the supplements in line with each.

I am not so sure that the extra work is necessary though. I cannot help but think that the Paizo DS setting will not get much (read:any) support from the web and Paizo sure doesn't seem interested in adopting things from Athas.org.

As for those diehard prism pentaders (myself included): our worlds are so custom-built with our own timelines and world events that often our best recourse- and what we do anyway- is to adapt we like and ignore the rest.

I suspect that the number of articles tagged with the appropriate labels after 3 years or so would be: 1 billion or so Athas.org, 10 prism pentad, 0 Paizo

So while the organizational freak inside me screams "YES YES LABEL EVERYTHING!!" the practical side says that the work is probably unnecessary.
#11
korvar
May 05, 2004 13:58:51 Yeah, I guess we can see how much the Paizo articles generate in the way of new players, or following...

If it doesn't do much of either, then we can just ignore it, and continue with the athas.org setting, with the PrePP (PPP? P3?) people (PPPP or P4...) explaining that as their stuff is the history of Athas it's ever so useful even for those who don't play there...
#12
doppleganger_dup
May 05, 2004 21:06:12 How about:

DSC ---- Core
(or DSO -- Original/Old - but DS Online could cause confusion)

DSF ---- Free Years/Fan-supplemented/Final TSR version

DSP ---- Paizo-ed/Post-TSR
#13
zombiegleemax
May 06, 2004 23:31:50 *Shakes Head*

Seriously, guys... The three published darksun settings are as follows:

DS-1: The original boxset setting.
DS-2: The revised boxset setting/Athas.org setting (Post Prism Pentad).
DS-P: Paizo 3.5 setting.

Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either.
#14
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
May 06, 2004 23:45:34
Originally posted by Leatherwood
*Shakes Head*

Seriously, guys... The three published darksun settings are as follows:

DS-1: The original boxset setting.
DS-2: The revised boxset setting/Athas.org setting (Post Prism Pentad).
DS-P: Paizo 3.5 setting.

Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either.

You missed DS3 - the Athas.org release (3.5e rules). I hate to break it to ya, but it's just as official as Paizo's, and is the superior product. It's not "published" per se, but it is available for download on the official website. It's been worked on for the last four years. WotC sanctioned the people at that site to release new Dark Sun material. Check it out, but from the sounds of it, you don't seem to like Dark Sun anyway. Athas.org isn't DS2 - that's the Revised Box setting.
#15
zombiegleemax
May 07, 2004 9:51:49
Originally posted by Leatherwood
*Shakes Head*

Seriously, guys... The three published darksun settings are as follows:

DS-1: The original boxset setting.
DS-2: The revised boxset setting/Athas.org setting (Post Prism Pentad).
DS-P: Paizo 3.5 setting.

Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either.

I Ilike DS-P: Poo Poo.

:D
#16
dawnstealer
May 07, 2004 9:58:33
Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either.

Kind of narrows it down...
#17
zombiegleemax
May 09, 2004 9:56:23
Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm
You missed DS3 - the Athas.org release (3.5e rules). I hate to break it to ya, but it's just as official as Paizo's, and is the superior product. It's not "published" per se, but it is available for download on the official website. It's been worked on for the last four years. WotC sanctioned the people at that site to release new Dark Sun material. Check it out, but from the sounds of it, you don't seem to like Dark Sun anyway. Athas.org isn't DS2 - that's the Revised Box setting.

I didn't miss DS 3.5 by Athas.org... it uses the same setting material as the revised box. We're talking setting, not rules varients.
#18
zombiegleemax
May 09, 2004 9:57:48
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
Kind of narrows it down...

*Shrugs*

I'll use elements from all three...
#19
Dragonhelm
May 09, 2004 11:23:37
Originally posted by Leatherwood
*Shrugs*

I'll use elements from all three...

If I were running a Dark Sun game, I'd be doing the same.

When the Dragonlance Nexus was first established as the official Dragonlance site, we had a bit of a split fan base. Still do, but it isn't quite as bad as it used to be.

The fan base was split between "4th age fans" who liked the classic setting and AD&D rules, and "5th age fans" who liked the Fifth Age and SAGA rules.

One of our tenets was that all points of view on the world of Krynn are valid. We gave no preferential treatment to either fan base, and we encouraged alternate rules and setting concepts as well. The submissions we allowed were from any edition of the game.

Dark Sun and Spelljammer now have a similar situation to Dragonlance with the respective articles on them found in Paizo's magazines. The articles not only present 3rd edition rules (alternate to what is found on the sites), but also an alternate look at the settings. In both cases, the long-established fan base balked at the new articles.

So here we are with several views of Dark Sun (original boxed set, revised boxed set, Athas.org, and Paizo). I see it as a multi-faceted gem. Each facet on the gem is a bit different, yet each one adds something to the overall whole.

I understand that there are those here who do not like the Paizo material on Dark Sun. Yet there are others here who do (whether in whole or in part), just like there are those who are for or against the Athas.org materials, just like there are those who are for or against any of the two original boxed sets.

Again, I think to myself that all points of view are valid. I like pieces of all the DS materials, and feel that materials from each can be used for many Dark Sun games, so that DM's and players can create the view of Dark Sun that best works for them.
#20
nytcrawlr
May 09, 2004 12:38:38
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
Hmm...

How about:

TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times.
Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so.
Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.

I prefer:

Man did we drop the ball and smoke too much crack that day (or v3.5B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.
#21
Pennarin
May 09, 2004 16:04:49
Originally posted by NytCrawlr
I prefer:

Man did we drop the ball and smoke too much crack that day (or v3.5B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.

DSv3.5MDWDTBASTMCTD ??
#22
nytcrawlr
May 09, 2004 16:21:25
Originally posted by Pennarin
DSv3.5MDWDTBASTMCTD ??

Works for me.

:D
#23
jon_oracle_of_athas
May 10, 2004 11:53:09 Or let's just drop the abbreviations and move on with our lives.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 korvar May 05, 2004 11:01:33	I'm more and more beginning to think we need to be thinking of Dark Sun as two - or even three - distinct sub-settings. The athas.org one (the one true setting!) in Free Year 10 or so. The Paizo One 300 years after athas.org a pre-PP setting We come up with distinctive names for each, e.g.: Desert's Slumber (the year before the PP) for the PP setting, Free Year 10 for athas.org's, The194th King's Age for the Paize setting) Actually, those names are a bit pants; I'm sure better ones can be found Each supplement that comes out (from the 'net, at any rate), will basically be set in one of these time periods, with some quick notes for the other two. For example, the City State of Draj supplement is set in Free Year 10; with my idea you'd add a supplemental chapter that would quickly mention how things were before the death of Tectuktitlay, and how things are 300 years later. I think this way would allow us to keep things separated, conceptually, at least. And it would allow athas.org, and this board, to cater to those of us who like the original boxed set and consider every thing else to be heresy, as well as those who first saw Dark Sun from Dragon and Dungeon. Ideas?
#2 dawnstealer May 05, 2004 11:12:03	Hmm... How about: TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times. Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so. Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.
#3 korvar May 05, 2004 11:14:59	Diplomatic as always
#4 xlorepdarkhelm_dup May 05, 2004 11:15:27	Originally posted by Dawnstealer TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times. Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so. Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.
#5 korvar May 05, 2004 11:20:49	Originally posted by Dawnstealer Hmm... How about: TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times. Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so. Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so. Perhaps that should be v3.5.C for the Paizo version?
#6 nightdruid May 05, 2004 11:22:24	Originally posted by Dawnstealer Hmm... How about: TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times. Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so. Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so. Fits, actually...Company Revision of Athas by Paizo....
#7 korvar May 05, 2004 11:25:52	I was thinking of something a bit more cool-sounding. Dark Sun: Desert's Slumber (pre PP) Dark Sun: The Free Cities (FY 10ish) Dark Sun: uh, something (FY 310)
#8 xlorepdarkhelm_dup May 05, 2004 11:36:28	Well, the thing is.... the changes that athas.org have done to Dark Sun are closer to appearing like the changes that Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Ravenloft and Greyhawk had undergone in the conversion to D&D 3.0/3.5. The changes that Paizo did in the Dragon & Dungeon articles are more like the changes that you undergo when your DM switches from a Greyhawk setting to a Forgotten Realms setting. Sure, there are similarities.... some similarities, but it's not the same thing.
#9 dawnstealer May 05, 2004 11:40:48	I was thinking of something a bit more cool-sounding. Granted, but do you believe people are actually going to write it out? It'll probably get relegated into acronyms like: DSDSPPP DSTFCFY10+ & DSUSFY300+ DSUSFY, I like that.
#10 zombiegleemax May 05, 2004 12:24:41	I agree that it seems like DS has been split into three subsets and I like the idea of labeling each with notes at the end on how to bring the supplements in line with each. I am not so sure that the extra work is necessary though. I cannot help but think that the Paizo DS setting will not get much (read:any) support from the web and Paizo sure doesn't seem interested in adopting things from Athas.org. As for those diehard prism pentaders (myself included): our worlds are so custom-built with our own timelines and world events that often our best recourse- and what we do anyway- is to adapt we like and ignore the rest. I suspect that the number of articles tagged with the appropriate labels after 3 years or so would be: 1 billion or so Athas.org, 10 prism pentad, 0 Paizo So while the organizational freak inside me screams "YES YES LABEL EVERYTHING!!" the practical side says that the work is probably unnecessary.
#11 korvar May 05, 2004 13:58:51	Yeah, I guess we can see how much the Paizo articles generate in the way of new players, or following... If it doesn't do much of either, then we can just ignore it, and continue with the athas.org setting, with the PrePP (PPP? P3?) people (PPPP or P4...) explaining that as their stuff is the history of Athas it's ever so useful even for those who don't play there...
#12 doppleganger_dup May 05, 2004 21:06:12	How about: DSC ---- Core (or DSO -- Original/Old - but DS Online could cause confusion) DSF ---- Free Years/Fan-supplemented/Final TSR version DSP ---- Paizo-ed/Post-TSR
#13 zombiegleemax May 06, 2004 23:31:50	Shakes Head Seriously, guys... The three published darksun settings are as follows: DS-1: The original boxset setting. DS-2: The revised boxset setting/Athas.org setting (Post Prism Pentad). DS-P: Paizo 3.5 setting. Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either.
#14 xlorepdarkhelm_dup May 06, 2004 23:45:34	Originally posted by Leatherwood Shakes Head Seriously, guys... The three published darksun settings are as follows: DS-1: The original boxset setting. DS-2: The revised boxset setting/Athas.org setting (Post Prism Pentad). DS-P: Paizo 3.5 setting. Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either. You missed DS3 - the Athas.org release (3.5e rules). I hate to break it to ya, but it's just as official as Paizo's, and is the superior product. It's not "published" per se, but it is available for download on the official website. It's been worked on for the last four years. WotC sanctioned the people at that site to release new Dark Sun material. Check it out, but from the sounds of it, you don't seem to like Dark Sun anyway. Athas.org isn't DS2 - that's the Revised Box setting.
#15 zombiegleemax May 07, 2004 9:51:49	Originally posted by Leatherwood Shakes Head Seriously, guys... The three published darksun settings are as follows: DS-1: The original boxset setting. DS-2: The revised boxset setting/Athas.org setting (Post Prism Pentad). DS-P: Paizo 3.5 setting. Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either. I Ilike DS-P: Poo Poo. :D
#16 dawnstealer May 07, 2004 9:58:33	Although setting-wise there are a great number of things I don't like about DS-P, I don't honestly like the DS-1 or DS-2 settings either. Kind of narrows it down...
#17 zombiegleemax May 09, 2004 9:56:23	Originally posted by xlorepdarkhelm You missed DS3 - the Athas.org release (3.5e rules). I hate to break it to ya, but it's just as official as Paizo's, and is the superior product. It's not "published" per se, but it is available for download on the official website. It's been worked on for the last four years. WotC sanctioned the people at that site to release new Dark Sun material. Check it out, but from the sounds of it, you don't seem to like Dark Sun anyway. Athas.org isn't DS2 - that's the Revised Box setting. I didn't miss DS 3.5 by Athas.org... it uses the same setting material as the revised box. We're talking setting, not rules varients.
#18 zombiegleemax May 09, 2004 9:57:48	Originally posted by Dawnstealer Kind of narrows it down... Shrugs I'll use elements from all three...
#19 Dragonhelm May 09, 2004 11:23:37	Originally posted by Leatherwood Shrugs I'll use elements from all three... If I were running a Dark Sun game, I'd be doing the same. When the Dragonlance Nexus was first established as the official Dragonlance site, we had a bit of a split fan base. Still do, but it isn't quite as bad as it used to be. The fan base was split between "4th age fans" who liked the classic setting and AD&D rules, and "5th age fans" who liked the Fifth Age and SAGA rules. One of our tenets was that all points of view on the world of Krynn are valid. We gave no preferential treatment to either fan base, and we encouraged alternate rules and setting concepts as well. The submissions we allowed were from any edition of the game. Dark Sun and Spelljammer now have a similar situation to Dragonlance with the respective articles on them found in Paizo's magazines. The articles not only present 3rd edition rules (alternate to what is found on the sites), but also an alternate look at the settings. In both cases, the long-established fan base balked at the new articles. So here we are with several views of Dark Sun (original boxed set, revised boxed set, Athas.org, and Paizo). I see it as a multi-faceted gem. Each facet on the gem is a bit different, yet each one adds something to the overall whole. I understand that there are those here who do not like the Paizo material on Dark Sun. Yet there are others here who do (whether in whole or in part), just like there are those who are for or against the Athas.org materials, just like there are those who are for or against any of the two original boxed sets. Again, I think to myself that all points of view are valid. I like pieces of all the DS materials, and feel that materials from each can be used for many Dark Sun games, so that DM's and players can create the view of Dark Sun that best works for them.
#20 nytcrawlr May 09, 2004 12:38:38	Originally posted by Dawnstealer Hmm... How about: TSR (or v1.0) = Prism Pentad times. Net (or v3.5) = Athas.org version, in FY 10-15 or so. Crap (or v3.5.B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so. I prefer: Man did we drop the ball and smoke too much crack that day (or v3.5B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so.
#21 Pennarin May 09, 2004 16:04:49	Originally posted by NytCrawlr I prefer: Man did we drop the ball and smoke too much crack that day (or v3.5B) = Paizo version, taking place in FY 300 or so. DSv3.5MDWDTBASTMCTD ??
#22 nytcrawlr May 09, 2004 16:21:25	Originally posted by Pennarin DSv3.5MDWDTBASTMCTD ?? Works for me. :D
#23 jon_oracle_of_athas May 10, 2004 11:53:09	Or let's just drop the abbreviations and move on with our lives.