Hi! (Bruce Heard Q&A)

[Ambreville]

Bruce,

Have you ever considered a grand, unified Mystaran Underdark? If so, how would you connect it all?

Not really, no. There could be various "underdarks" but since the surface isn't unified, there's no logical reason for any underdark to be so either. Connections between such realms could be made via tunnels, faults in the crust, teleporters, "warp" regions, etc.

[Knightfall]

Bruce,

Have you ever considered a grand, unified Mystaran Underdark? If so, how would you connect it all?

Not really, no. There could be various "underdarks" but since the surface isn't unified, there's no logical reason for any underdark to be so either. Connections between such realms could be made via tunnels, faults in the crust, teleporters, "warp" regions, etc.

Thanks for the reply.

So, what's your opinion of the Shadowdeep material (ignoring the broken WtoC messageboard links) on Vaults of Pandius?

Shadowdeep

[Ambreville]

Bruce,

Have you ever considered a grand, unified Mystaran Underdark? If so, how would you connect it all?

Not really, no. There could be various "underdarks" but since the surface isn't unified, there's no logical reason for any underdark to be so either. Connections between such realms could be made via tunnels, faults in the crust, teleporters, "warp" regions, etc.

Thanks for the reply.

So, what's your opinion of the Shadowdeep material (ignoring the broken WtoC messageboard links) on Vaults of Pandius?

Shadowdeep

It's very interesting. I haven't gotten into the subject in depth, but from what I saw, I'd say these entries are a nice alternative to the present game world.

[Knightfall]

Here's a question related to this topic I just posted...

Did TSR ever consider expanding/modifying the outer world of Mystara to include more continental regions for the AD&D 2E version?

[Ambreville]

Had the AD&D version fared better in terms of sales, naturally, its design team would have pushed for more products. I don't think they ever addressed the option of expanding out of the Known World. That product line didn't survive long enough for that.

[NPCDave]

Bruce's Gazeteer writing manual is now up for sale.

http://www.storybones.net/bookstore/wor ... rs-manual/

[Thorf]

Bruce's Gazeteer writing manual is now up for sale.

http://www.storybones.net/bookstore/wor ... rs-manual/

I just bought it this afternoon.

[Ambreville]

Yay!

[Sock Puppet]

I beat you by a few hours, Thorf :p

[Morfie]

I have backed Calidar.. but what will this new project mean for your work on Mystara such as the Alphatia development?

Will it continue as your free time permits, or is it on hold?

[Ambreville]

It will certainly slow it down, but I've stated before I intend to keep supporting Mystara as much as I can.

[Havard]

It will certainly slow it down, but I've stated before I intend to keep supporting Mystara as much as I can.

So we will get both Calidar AND more of those excellent Mystara articles? It doesn't get much more awesome than that!

-Havard

[Ambreville]

First off, I do love Mystara -- this has and will always remain true. For many of you, Mystara was the game world you grew up with, and this is irreplaceable. And second, it wouldn't be fair of me to walk away from Mystara after all the support all of you have given that setting and given me as well. I do have a debt of gratitude toward the "Mystara Spirit" and all who helped keep it alive all those years.

[Havard]

Hi Bruce,
are you familiar with TSR game designer Norman B Ritchie? His work for TSR seems to have mainly happened in the early 1990s. Do you know if he is related to David J. Ritchie (of Blackmoor module / DragonQuest fame)?

-Havard

[Ambreville]

Hi Bruce,
are you familiar with TSR game designer Norman B Ritchie? His work for TSR seems to have mainly happened in the early 1990s. Do you know if he is related to David J. Ritchie (of Blackmoor module / DragonQuest fame)?

-Havard

I remember a Norman in the TSR circles around that time, but not his last name. I don't think Dave Ritchie had a relative in the area. Boy, that's a good question!

[RobJN]

Bruce,

Your initial writeup for the Alphatian province of Theranderol says the event that created the Great Gouge happened "some centuries long past." Did you have a particular date/year in mind, or is that something you left vague for DMs to play with?

[Ambreville]

Bruce,

Your initial writeup for the Alphatian province of Theranderol says the event that created the Great Gouge happened "some centuries long past." Did you have a particular date/year in mind, or is that something you left vague for DMs to play with?

The latter is the case. Feel free to fill out the blanks!

[RobJN]

Now, to see where I can fit it into the timeline......

[Havard]

Hi Bruce,
quick question: I have compiled a list of all the Video Games and Computer Games associated with Mystara and the Classic D&D line.

Do you recall if there were talks or plans for other video games to be produced for Mystara or related IPs that never came to being made? A Savage Coast video game would have been really cool to see for instance...

I realize this is one of those long time ago questions, but just checking

-Havard

[Ambreville]

Hi Bruce,
quick question: I have compiled a list of all the Video Games and Computer Games associated with Mystara and the Classic D&D line.

Do you recall if there were talks or plans for other video games to be produced for Mystara or related IPs that never came to being made? A Savage Coast video game would have been really cool to see for instance...

I realize this is one of those long time ago questions, but just checking

-Havard

No, sorry, I don't recall anything about this.

[Big Mac]

Hi Bruce,

Blacky the Blackball is converting some BECMI stuff to 5th Edition D&D and Morfie recommended looking at a roads spreadsheet that he said you made in the 90s.

I've had a look around your blog, but didn't find it there. Is that something you still have online?

I don't play 5e myself, but if Blacky is converting BECMI things to 5e, I'm guessing that he is going to build something that helps Mystara fans use 5e (...or something that helps 5e fans discover Mystara, depending on your point of view ).

[Jayce]

Hi Bruce,

Considering Chris Perkins of WotC has, at various times, hinted at the fact that the DM's Guild may, in the future, be opened up for campaign settings that aren't Forgotten Realms, would you consider publishing new Mystara material through it when the option becomes available?

[Ambreville]

Hi Bruce,

Considering Chris Perkins of WotC has, at various times, hinted at the fact that the DM's Guild may, in the future, be opened up for campaign settings that aren't Forgotten Realms, would you consider publishing new Mystara material through it when the option becomes available?

Honestly, at this point, no. This would have been an option indeed when I first approached WotC a few years ago to allow new Princess Ark stories to see the light of day. Following their refusal, I invested myself into my own product, the World of Calidar. I'm not going to drop my own property now to work on Mystara, given that I don't particularly trust WotC or Hasbro to support Mystara more than casually or temporarily. Sorry.

[Jayce]

Hi Bruce,

Considering Chris Perkins of WotC has, at various times, hinted at the fact that the DM's Guild may, in the future, be opened up for campaign settings that aren't Forgotten Realms, would you consider publishing new Mystara material through it when the option becomes available?

Honestly, at this point, no. This would have been an option indeed when I first approached WotC a few years ago to allow new Princess Ark stories to see the light of day. Following their refusal, I invested myself into my own product, the World of Calidar. I'm not going to drop my own property now to work on Mystara, given that I don't particularly trust WotC or Hasbro to support Mystara more than casually or temporarily. Sorry.

A shame, but I understand. On the other hand, I'm really glad Calidar is a long-term project!

[Ambreville]

Hi Bruce,

Considering Chris Perkins of WotC has, at various times, hinted at the fact that the DM's Guild may, in the future, be opened up for campaign settings that aren't Forgotten Realms, would you consider publishing new Mystara material through it when the option becomes available?

Honestly, at this point, no. This would have been an option indeed when I first approached WotC a few years ago to allow new Princess Ark stories to see the light of day. Following their refusal, I invested myself into my own product, the World of Calidar. I'm not going to drop my own property now to work on Mystara, given that I don't particularly trust WotC or Hasbro to support Mystara more than casually or temporarily. Sorry.

A shame, but I understand. On the other hand, I'm really glad Calidar is a long-term project!

So far, so good.