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5e isn't a Golden Age of D&D Lorewise, it's Silver at best.
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<blockquote data-quote="Selvarin" data-source="post: 8711297" data-attributes="member: 6102"><p>I don't recall which person said it. Perhaps Steven E. Schend(?)...maybe. But whoever it, one of the game designers discussed how all the sourcebooks being published wound up having smaller sales because they were only of use for the DM. So if you're publishing (for example) 40,000 units of a supplementary campaign sourcebook the target market winds up being a smaller subset of the whole community. So, maybe 10,000-12,000 wind up getting purchased and the rest languish on the shelves. It doesn't help the industry as a whole, or the company in particular, to print wonderful in-depth material (the 'fluff') if it would ultimately lose them money.</p><p></p><p>Could they do more in-depth digital content? Sure. but IIRC the decision was to add bits here and there in future products instead so you at least get something in addition to new mechanics or game options.</p><p></p><p>I liked Greyhawk though more or less it was a limited/'static' campaign setting. I loved the Forgotten Realms, and it helped to have several top authors and designers manning the helm. Some others were interesting. It's not the same as it was, but I'd rather have them publish good material here and there than risk having mediocre work published just because there's a schedule and so <em>something</em> must be put on the shelves.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Selvarin, post: 8711297, member: 6102"] I don't recall which person said it. Perhaps Steven E. Schend(?)...maybe. But whoever it, one of the game designers discussed how all the sourcebooks being published wound up having smaller sales because they were only of use for the DM. So if you're publishing (for example) 40,000 units of a supplementary campaign sourcebook the target market winds up being a smaller subset of the whole community. So, maybe 10,000-12,000 wind up getting purchased and the rest languish on the shelves. It doesn't help the industry as a whole, or the company in particular, to print wonderful in-depth material (the 'fluff') if it would ultimately lose them money. Could they do more in-depth digital content? Sure. but IIRC the decision was to add bits here and there in future products instead so you at least get something in addition to new mechanics or game options. I liked Greyhawk though more or less it was a limited/'static' campaign setting. I loved the Forgotten Realms, and it helped to have several top authors and designers manning the helm. Some others were interesting. It's not the same as it was, but I'd rather have them publish good material here and there than risk having mediocre work published just because there's a schedule and so [I]something[/I] must be put on the shelves. [/QUOTE]
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Community
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5e isn't a Golden Age of D&D Lorewise, it's Silver at best.
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