Not really big enough - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Not really big enough

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
manowater989
Jan 07, 2004 21:40:12 Is it just me, or does it seem like for a supposedly infinite setting, there is still a lot more that could be done with Planescape. I mean, I realize they could never create an infinite amount of content for it, but still, it seems unrealistically sparse. I mean sure, it's vibrant and packed, maybe for 1 universe, but not all those planes. I mean, look how neglected the Inner Planes are. Is the plane of water infinite, or is it not? It is, and so, realistically, there should be an infinite or at least astronomically high number of civilizations there, balls of coral or seaweed that could dwarf cosmologies, and so much stuff in each plane that you could pick one, planet-sized area, make it as detailed as Faerun or Krynn, and make that its own campaign setting: every single plane should seem this endless and filled: even if they were mostly empty space, like the Prime Material, there should still be enough stuff in an infinite plane to fill more than this. I mean are the Slaad and Giths all there is on Limbo? Why not a million chaos races, if the plane is infinite, it should be able to hold 'em all. You know what I mean?
#2
Shemeska_the_Marauder
Jan 07, 2004 22:21:18 Well, if the setting had remained in print longer there would likely have been more chance to further detail some of the planes, especially the inner planes. Personally I would have liked to have seen an Inner planes box set. But alas they never got around to it.

There's also a problem of the infinite size of the planes. At some point there's a bit of self delusion involved in imagining how some things could exist, etc. Some details need to get glossed over such as how things could remain in walking distance on an infinate plane, how you could ever travel in say the plane of earth and ever have a realistic chance of discovering any other person given the infinate size, etc.

Realism can be tricky as such and its probably better to ignore some of those problems inherent in the setting. Realism is good to the point where it detracts from the game I say.
#3
zombiegleemax
Jan 08, 2004 3:08:03 Just to sound contrary...

I like 'em infinite. You can put something anywhere that way. Thinking of having a little corner of mechanus where a city of constructs stamps out organics on the basis that their capacity for chaos makes them impure? It's there. Want a place in the abyss where pink bunnies attack intruders in a pythonesque manner? Have an entire layer. Want to have a baatezu prision camp filled with tanar'ri prisoners taken in the blood war? Baator's got plenty of room.

Better yet, it's feasible for these places to be undiscovered (or just relatively unknown) because the infinite distance involved make it impossible to find them unless you stumble across the right portal. Sometimes it's nice if you can walk overland too, but hardly necessary.
#4
ashramry
Jan 08, 2004 10:23:04
Originally posted by Shemeska the Marauder
Well, if the setting had remained in print longer there would likely have been more chance to further detail some of the planes, especially the inner planes. Personally I would have liked to have seen an Inner planes box set. But alas they never got around to it.

i know for a fact that at one point there was tentative plans to do a guide to each of the outer planes (like the guide to hell was for baator). If i recall correctly the never left the drawing board for most of these due to a)Wotc's buyout of TSR, b)dwinddling sales of Ad&d as it tried to support too many worlds (this is the reason why at least 4 planescape books(paladin in hell, guide to hell, vortex of madness, warriors of heaven) didnt carry the PS logo, they were trying to make them more universally useful to those who didnt care about campaign settings.), and lastly c)the big killer for most of the future PS, RL and DS plans--the planed release of 3e.

ashy
#5
factol_rhys_dup
Jan 08, 2004 14:55:13 Anyone at PS3E hear that? An idea for making a separate guide to every plane? *Nudge, nudge*

The "Planes of..." boxed sets did a fair job of detailing a delightful number of planar locales. Unfortunately, so many don't have them that they're hardly common knowledge, and so can't really be talked about.
#6
Shemeska_the_Marauder
Jan 08, 2004 15:13:28 *nudges back* "Watch it Rhys or I run openly for the Sigil council next election." *brushes off arm where the Cipher touched*

OOC:

Oh I'd love to see a guide to each plane written. Most of the planes have individual, brief guides written to them already sitting on the backburner for a later chapter of the core setting release at Planewalker. I penned the planes of conflict for that for what its worth.
#7
bob_the_efreet
Jan 08, 2004 15:32:20
Originally posted by Shemeska the Marauder
I penned the planes of conflict for that for what its worth.

I penned a guy last week. Word to the wise: We're merchants. We are accustomed to moving goods across the infinite and dangerous planes. Of COURSE we can defend ourselves and our stuff.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 manowater989 Jan 07, 2004 21:40:12	Is it just me, or does it seem like for a supposedly infinite setting, there is still a lot more that could be done with Planescape. I mean, I realize they could never create an infinite amount of content for it, but still, it seems unrealistically sparse. I mean sure, it's vibrant and packed, maybe for 1 universe, but not all those planes. I mean, look how neglected the Inner Planes are. Is the plane of water infinite, or is it not? It is, and so, realistically, there should be an infinite or at least astronomically high number of civilizations there, balls of coral or seaweed that could dwarf cosmologies, and so much stuff in each plane that you could pick one, planet-sized area, make it as detailed as Faerun or Krynn, and make that its own campaign setting: every single plane should seem this endless and filled: even if they were mostly empty space, like the Prime Material, there should still be enough stuff in an infinite plane to fill more than this. I mean are the Slaad and Giths all there is on Limbo? Why not a million chaos races, if the plane is infinite, it should be able to hold 'em all. You know what I mean?
#2 Shemeska_the_Marauder Jan 07, 2004 22:21:18	Well, if the setting had remained in print longer there would likely have been more chance to further detail some of the planes, especially the inner planes. Personally I would have liked to have seen an Inner planes box set. But alas they never got around to it. There's also a problem of the infinite size of the planes. At some point there's a bit of self delusion involved in imagining how some things could exist, etc. Some details need to get glossed over such as how things could remain in walking distance on an infinate plane, how you could ever travel in say the plane of earth and ever have a realistic chance of discovering any other person given the infinate size, etc. Realism can be tricky as such and its probably better to ignore some of those problems inherent in the setting. Realism is good to the point where it detracts from the game I say.
#3 zombiegleemax Jan 08, 2004 3:08:03	Just to sound contrary... I like 'em infinite. You can put something anywhere that way. Thinking of having a little corner of mechanus where a city of constructs stamps out organics on the basis that their capacity for chaos makes them impure? It's there. Want a place in the abyss where pink bunnies attack intruders in a pythonesque manner? Have an entire layer. Want to have a baatezu prision camp filled with tanar'ri prisoners taken in the blood war? Baator's got plenty of room. Better yet, it's feasible for these places to be undiscovered (or just relatively unknown) because the infinite distance involved make it impossible to find them unless you stumble across the right portal. Sometimes it's nice if you can walk overland too, but hardly necessary.
#4 ashramry Jan 08, 2004 10:23:04	Originally posted by Shemeska the Marauder Well, if the setting had remained in print longer there would likely have been more chance to further detail some of the planes, especially the inner planes. Personally I would have liked to have seen an Inner planes box set. But alas they never got around to it. i know for a fact that at one point there was tentative plans to do a guide to each of the outer planes (like the guide to hell was for baator). If i recall correctly the never left the drawing board for most of these due to a)Wotc's buyout of TSR, b)dwinddling sales of Ad&d as it tried to support too many worlds (this is the reason why at least 4 planescape books(paladin in hell, guide to hell, vortex of madness, warriors of heaven) didnt carry the PS logo, they were trying to make them more universally useful to those who didnt care about campaign settings.), and lastly c)the big killer for most of the future PS, RL and DS plans--the planed release of 3e. ashy
#5 factol_rhys_dup Jan 08, 2004 14:55:13	Anyone at PS3E hear that? An idea for making a separate guide to every plane? Nudge, nudge The "Planes of..." boxed sets did a fair job of detailing a delightful number of planar locales. Unfortunately, so many don't have them that they're hardly common knowledge, and so can't really be talked about.
#6 Shemeska_the_Marauder Jan 08, 2004 15:13:28	nudges back "Watch it Rhys or I run openly for the Sigil council next election." brushes off arm where the Cipher touched OOC: Oh I'd love to see a guide to each plane written. Most of the planes have individual, brief guides written to them already sitting on the backburner for a later chapter of the core setting release at Planewalker. I penned the planes of conflict for that for what its worth.
#7 bob_the_efreet Jan 08, 2004 15:32:20	Originally posted by Shemeska the Marauder I penned the planes of conflict for that for what its worth. I penned a guy last week. Word to the wise: We're merchants. We are accustomed to moving goods across the infinite and dangerous planes. Of COURSE we can defend ourselves and our stuff.