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Roman wrote:

Mr. Baker,

About a month ago I asked a question on tying CRPGs into the storyline of Forgotten Realms between 3.X edition and 4th edition. At the time you were not familiar with the CRPG side, but mentioned that you would look into it. Of course, you are very busy working on the campaign setting, so I would not be surprised if you had not had the time to look into the matter or if it slipped your mind. Still, I think this would be interesting for WotC to consider and for us, gamers, to enjoy. I will summarize the idea again below:

The Forgotten Realms setting will undergo a great upheaval in the transition from the 3.X edition to 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Many things will be reorganized and a number of deities will fall.

I think this presents a golden opportunity to tie in a computer game (perhaps the next expansion of Neverwinter Nights 2 [I am assuming that the excellent Mask of the Betrayer sold well enough to justify another expansion) into the upheaval in FR, in such a way so that the story of the CRPG actually changes the setting. For example, the designers of the game could communicate with the designers in WotC, who would inform Obsidian (or Obsidian could suggest) that they need god X to be killed off, or ruler of country Y to be overthrown and the player could do these things in the game. Wouldn't it be nice to have players being able to affect our favorite setting in this manner? This is the best opportunity to do something like that, since the campaign setting is in such a state of flux that this would not upset the Forgotten Realms (or at least not beyond what is being done already). It may also soften the blow for those opposing some of the changes by empowering us to carry them out ourselves - that would make it psychologically much more satisfying.

I would love to be able to impact the Realms in this manner. Wouldn't you (you = other gamers)?

Except for the part where I kill Cyric in the CRPG and save Mystra...it won't make a difference. Personaly a CRPG will end in the way the designers needs it...heck most of the time it is regardless of your actual skill or intelligence or choice.

Well... elves have been "taller" throughout 3rd Edition. We made sure to address the height and weight defaults in Races of Faerun so that the default would reflect the fact that we'd said in various places for years that elves were as tall as humans in FR. For example, in 3e the sun elf is 4'10" plus 2d10 inches, or about 5'9" on average. The core elf is 4'5" plus 2d6 inches, or an even 5 feet on average. So this is a place where 4e core is moving to where 3e Realms has been for quite some time.

Regarding halflings, it's pretty much true that we want them to be a bit bigger. The height and weight charts in 3rd Edition described a 3-year old human child. That's *tiny*. In Lord of the Rings, Pippin is described as being about the size of a 10-year old boy (admittedly, he is big for a hobbit thanks to Treebeard's draught). That's a lot more reasonable. Plus, it helps us to make better miniatures of halfling characters if they're about 2/3rd human height.

And yes, I think spellfire might make an appearance.

GreenKnight wrote:

Thanks for the answer. And now I have another pair of questions.

How're you going to explain the rumored growth spurts of both elves and halflings? Or are the Realms versions going to retain the same sizes as they are currently?

Also, will there be rules in 4E for playing a Spellfire Wielder? And if so, will they appear in the initial book, or in a later supplement?

WotC_RichBaker wrote:

I'm still looking into it. We're sort of "between" titles on that front, so it's going to be a little ways off no matter what we do.

Of course: CRPGs take a long time to make, so it is no surprise that it would not come immediately.

I would like to see a CRPG title that really explores the Spellplague events (for instance), which we sort of want to treat as an event that's run its course in the 4e campaign setting.

That is precisely what I mean! It creates an extra bit of story/history, can be used to flesh out some of the events of the Spellplague or other happenings between the editions and can do so in an epic manner, since it will not mess with an established setting. I am positively excited now.

But that's just my opinion, and there are a few things to sort out. Our licensors (or licensees? I can never keep that straight) might have some other suggestions.

I believe they are your licensees and you (or rather, the WotC) are the licensor, but English is not my native tongue so I could be wrong.

When I know more, I'll say more.

Excellent! I am thrilled at the prospect and will eagerly but nonetheless patiently await any news on that front.

Roman wrote:

Of course: CRPGs take a long time to make, so it is no surprise that it would not come immediately.

If you are going to do this, then make it turned-based, not RTS, or even better, a hybrid where you can choose which style you prefer (I know I've played at least one game like that).

I think something along the lines of Age of Wonders, Heroes of Might and Magic, or even Lords of Magic would be awesome, with authentic FR nations and units. I could definately SO get into that.

In fact, you can even make it so folks could play against each other over the net - it might be another good move in your Digital Intiative.

You know - sometimes I wish Blizard had bought WotC instead of Hasbro; those guys know how to crank out awesome games.

Rich Baker,

So I am guessing that the demigods will be briefly mentioned then forgotten about?