D&D Product Announcements

[Pour]

DND product announcement Blog of Holding

So what does everyone think of all the news?

Call me excited not just for specific news (the return of miniatures in non-random, themed sets is really, really exciting... and even more so that next August's setting is going to be something NEW, a twist never before seen...) but the idea that they are moving forward! Everything released today sounds like that are taking informed steps forward, exploring new design space, pushing ideas, continuing 4e's evolution. Man I am pumped!

 

[Neverfate]

PC race with flight (Pixie) and a Defender-Striker baked in hybrid with a new Barbarian build. Count me in. Also, Powers of the Plane Below? I wonder if that means a Planes above power source book beyond that. Maybe even bizarre powers of the Far Realm lol

Glad they are getting away from delver/combat oriented adventures. And sand-boxy style is always welcome.

Map packs sounds interesting. Might I assume they are a box of fold-out maps similar to the ones we've seen in boxed sets?

Mention of Abyssal Plague RPG products but other than DDI articles, not much else was said.

They shy away from the question about the "What is not working?" thread that started up in late spring. I wish they were doing more with that than just play testing and writing NEW material.

 

[the Jester]

A few things that struck me as especially noteworthy:

looking at ways to do digital distribution.

looking at ways to do a mass battle game.

republishing old editions. cant say anything yet but there are plans.

FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT
miniatures redesigned. rolplaying gamers dont like randomized miniatures. (applause) product coming out next year. noncollectible minis in themed sets.

The other thing that struck me as noteworthy was actually something that went unsaid: there doesn't appear to have been any mention of the Monster Builder. Aargh! When are they going to get it to the point where it can actually, you know, build monsters??

 

[Ashran]

Call me excited not just for specific news (the return of miniatures in non-random, themed sets is really, really exciting... and even more so that next August's setting is going to be something NEW, a twist never before seen...) but the idea that they are moving forward! Everything released today sounds like that are taking informed steps forward, exploring new design space, pushing ideas, continuing 4e's evolution. Man I am pumped!

I don't particulary care for miniatures... there are already countless other figurines around...
I think they announced next to nothing... They kept talking about products we already knew about for a major part of the annoucements, and the few products we didn't know were just mentionned and likely to get cancelled anyway.

I also see a trend I dislike. More fortunes cards... Fortune cards for anything. Dnd is a roleplaying game, not a card game. If at least they sold the complete set in one box, that would be interesting, but no they have to release it randomly.

Also another trend I'm not sure I like is the encounters thingamie... Don't get me wrong, it's great for shops to have people playing around and maybe buying some stuff... But where I live, in french speaking part of belgium, I don't have acces to that so I can't test it. I can't buy the modules as well, and that annoys me, too as a collector and as a DM. You see more and more "products" you just can't buy, and that I think is a way to incite piracy and illegal downloads.

Anyway just my 2cents.

 

[OnlineDM]

Here's my blog post with live notes from the session:

GenCon 2011 Day 3: D&D New Products Seminar Online Dungeon Master

 

[the Jester]

I really dislike the "game shop only" release thing... the FLGS here is terrible about getting new D&D stuff and kind of slacked its way out of running Encounters (I used to be one of the main dms for it). That essentially means it is a product I won't see until I go on a several-hour road trip.

 

[Starglyte]

Nothing on Ravenloft?

 

[Neverfate]

Anyone else think the release of PHB:Heroes mini line, then back to random-blind rarity then back to open-view packaging is a little odd? What specifically wasn't working the first time that would work now? I mean, I for one am happy, but still my curiosity has me wondering.

Also, could someone rep online DM for me a few posts up?

 

[Zaukrie]

Where's the meat?

No DDI update at all, like it is now somehow separate from how they are selling me D&D? Color me very disappointed.

I want a real monster builder. I want adventures. I want to give WotC my money, they just don't seem to want to give me an excuse.

 

[Echohawk]

Anyone else think the release of PHB:Heroes mini line, then back to random-blind rarity then back to open-view packaging is a little odd? What specifically wasn't working the first time that would work now? I mean, I for one am happy, but still my curiosity has me wondering

The PHB:Heroes were non-random minis targeted at players, while the new non-random packs sound as if they are targeted at DMs. I think that's a fairly significant difference.