In previous editions there would be loads of splat books at the very least announced by now. Or if not splatbooks, setting books. It doesn't look like there is even a magazine printing new adventures and content on a monthly basis anymore. What gives? Pathfinder is churning out stuff every month and has lots of products announced. Even Onyx Path which makes White Wolf products, though a shadow of its former self as a robust release schedule. Does Wizards lack confidence in its game?
LeslieLightning wrote:
Wizards does not lack confidence.
They are actually working on tons of stuff and haven't told anyone what it is as of yet because of one thing: When WotC says something, and it turns out that what they said wasn't exactly and absolutely correct, they get a lot of flack from some fans.
Since they don't want that flack, they are just keeping a lid on everything until the only info that is left to share is the correct, final version of the info.
Sure, it is different from what other companies are doing (such as Paizo announcing books months in advance and still pushing back release dates a couple times every year, or Onyx Path mentioning all the products on their desks being worked on and what stage of the work they are on in a semi-current fashion... but yet being as much as 2 years past their originally mentioned release dates on some projects, or even Catalyst with their "we plan on making these products" announcements without any kind of date to them and them boom! PDF version is out today, pre-orders are open for standard and deluxe print editions, and bundled deals are available).
LeslieLightning wrote:
LeslieLightning wrote:
Yo, Onyx Path may have a smaller team than they used to, but they are MUCH BETTER for it. Have your read any of their new stuff? Puts their White Wolf era stuff to shame. That is all.
Zardnaar wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
Zardnaar wrote:
LeslieLightning wrote:
CCS wrote:
The_Jester wrote:
moonbeast wrote:
CCS wrote:
Shasarak wrote:
moonbeast wrote:
Zardnaar wrote:
CCS wrote:
Being an old timer returning to D&D I for one really like the slower/reduced product releases. Id be intimidated if I came to the hobby as a noob and saw a library of 20+ books in less than 1 year. I think its smart marketing and its actually what the fan feedback was from the playtest. Wizards is being smart, because they release the rules content as free, but if you want the books, you have that option too.
I buy the starter Box set; like it? I then buy the PHB. Like it? Okay, I can buy the MM and DMG if Im going to start DMing. Really, really like it? Then I pick up the tokens, mini's, expansions, PHB 2 (Princes of the Apocalypse), etc.
I have stopped playing MagicTG twice now, both times because of he headache of the constant releases and format changes. In 3.X we strictly limited the allowed books.
While I hope the production schedule increases for 5E (and shorter adventures), I would rather this slow then that fast.
CCS wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
Synjin wrote:
Want and need are two distinctly different things. That's my only point.
D&D is a ttrpg, and therefore, an entertainment medium. By this very nature, 'want' takes precedence over 'need'.
I don't need the monk class in order to play D&D. But I DO want it, and if I couldn't have it, I simply wouldn't play D&D at all. And no, I'm not being hyperbolic here. I was constantly being letdown by 4th Edition in that respect, and it took until the 3rd PHB that I actually decided to give the game a shot (and given that 4E monk was well-crafted, it was a good pay-off). If no monk class was ever published for 4th Edition, I wouldn't bother at all with it.
I don't care, or particularly want, or need any more products. With 5th Ed and all previous editions, stirring them up in a succulent love-potion, I am feeling something very special...and...I get very comfortable *said like Robert Downey Jr. in Bowfinger*
Vahnyu wrote:
The other perspective on this is that WoTC has decided that paper and pencil rpgs are not a viable revenue stream but have released 5th edition to keep the game alive so they can profit from the liscencing for video games. Thus the tiny development team and the disappointing release schedule.
The_Jester wrote:
Dagne wrote:
Coredump00 wrote:
They will have to figure out the balance, like throwing logs on a fire. Too many logs may cause it to burn out fast, and not enough may extinguish it. Regardless, I wish 5E was more flexible when it comes to adding options to all classes to control the complexity of the game.
LeslieLightning wrote:
durntaur wrote:
I don't have to much a problem with the slowness of their release, however I do wish they were putting out small module adventures (Sunless Citadel, Isle of Dread, etc) unique to 5E. I don't have a problem using modules from earlier editions, but I wished 5E had some new ones.
Inxanity wrote:
Tony_Vargas wrote:
Tony_Vargas wrote:
There are some things that make me wonder about wat WOTC is planning with the release scedual of 5th edition.
The sundering book series was pressented as a series leading upto the new Forgotten Realms setting
the last book in that series has been over 6 months ago ( june 3rd 2014) butthe Forgotten realms setting has not been released, and is not even on the release scedual at this point.
EthanSental wrote:
Uchawi wrote:
CCS wrote:
moonbeast wrote:
moonbeast wrote:
Is this discussion actually productive, because it looks like another junk measuring contest?
The two lay offs are concerning, especially since the staff at Wizards is pretty small. My opinion is that they would like to do a few more releases than they are able to do right now. However, even with a larger staff I think they would still not flood 5E with tons of splat books.
If they lay off more people next year then I think D&D is in trouble. 5E has been well received but will it sell enough to thrive? I can't think of a better custodian right now than Mike Mearls.
I would like a Forgotten Realms Setting book sooner than later- it's frustrating not knowing when it will be out. The Dragon and Dungeon magazines need to come back now.
Tharizdun13 wrote:
EthanSental wrote:
Tharizdun13 wrote:
moonbeast wrote:
Considering they were still updating DDI with content until a few months ago.....you're weird belief is squashed.
Heck, by your reasoning, 3.5 was over by 2006 with the release of the Tome of Battle, which was equivalent to the public playtest version of 5E. .
It's because they don't want your money...
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Orethalion wrote:
Synjin wrote:
Orethalion wrote:
As I said, a D&D edition without splatbooks is a big No for me. I don’t buy any adventures and settings are only inspirational. Now, I don’t ask for them to remove these options, but people have been arguing against the mere existence of splatbooks (gods forbid if you mention the ban power of the DM). And what we got? No splatbooks. Great! For other persons, but for me… Disastrous.
Sadly, for many reasons (many more than just this one), I’m already looking out for other games.
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
moonbeast wrote:
Obviously 4e was cancelled before it was initially released. In fact, the game designers, planning to eventually release 5e all along, only ever released 4e as something of a practical joke because the wanted to use up the number 4, so they could release the real product as version 5, which polled better with customers. Imagine how they felt when they learned Microsoft simply skipped version 9 and went right on to windows 10. Mortified. I mean, you can just do that? Skip a whole number without even a filler release? Surely somebody had to pay the price for that mistake.
Orethalion wrote:
Found it; it was longer ago than I thought (May 29, 2014 to be exact), but it still says the same thing:
From 'Gazing into the Crystal Ball (Legends and Lore 5/29/2014):
Dougan_Axehammer wrote:
Dougan_Axehammer wrote:
Seems they are being cagey, good for them, considering the audience.
Orethalion wrote:
Dougan_Axehammer wrote:
Orethalion wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Well, it's clear they're not working in secret... they're just not telling us what it is they're working on (outside of the last two UAs) or when they're planning on announcing what they're working on. I think you're splitting some hairs here.
Edit: I'm sure it was sarcasm, but if they were working on nuclear weapons, someone outside of WotC would know. 
Dougan_Axehammer wrote:
AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
Orethalion wrote: