How does EN Publishing feel WotC announcement?

[RangerWickett]

I'm not actually thinking of converting to 5e without finishing the 4e version. If our audience prefers that, we could do it, but at this point I'm assuming we'll finish out the 4e version.

That's not to say my assumption could end up wrong. With War of the Burning Sky, the announcement of 4e really chilled interest in 3e adventures, so it was a struggle to get the adventure path finished. This time around, we're definitely going to keep releasing the Pathfinder versions of ZEITGEIST, so we may as well do the 4e versions too.

That is at least until Paizo announces Pathfinder II.

 

[Siberys]

Oh, I certainly would want you to keep going with the 4e one. I'm not interested in switching ruleset midstream, or especially as late in a game as after the ninth adventure.

 

[Colmarr]

I'm not actually thinking of converting to 5e without finishing the 4e version. If our audience prefers that, we could do it, but at this point I'm assuming we'll finish out the 4e version.

Amen, brother!

 

[ve4grm]

Well, my assumption for a date is summer 2014. Given that:
- it took almost a year after announcing 4e before it released
- we're at a stage of "very very early design"
- they won't even start the public playtesting until the spring, and need to have time to incorporate it into the design in multiple stages

Should I be correct, Zeitgeist wil be finished.

Should I be wrong, I suppose you could always release three versions of the last 4 adventures, should you feel like transitioning to 5e.

If not, the fan conversion will likely come quickly.

 

[N'raac]

Regardless of the timing, I'd release the whole thing in 4.0. I suspect, when all's said and done, you'll then want to consider whether to release the whole thing for 5th Ed. Anyone wanting to run some sections in 4e and others in 5e need simply select the appropriate versions.

 

[Peter FdH]

I suppose one of the main points is how easy it might be to convert from 4e to 5e. I've run 3e Cthulhu modules in the fifth edition of that game and it hardly shows (appreciate that D&D is likely to have more mechanics though).

One of my main fears is that a D&D community already fragmented into 3E, Pathfinder and 4E will now be further fragmented. That must be hard for a publisher to deal with in terms of finding a market for their product.

 

[ve4grm]

One of my main fears is that a D&D community already fragmented into 3E, Pathfinder and 4E will now be further fragmented. That must be hard for a publisher to deal with in terms of finding a market for their product.

Indeed it is, which is why one of their stated goals is to create something that can draw in fans of all editions.

Whether they can succeed in that remains to be seen. It will be quite the task, though.

In any case, a direct mechanical conversion will likely be rather complicated. But a fan conversion will probably be done regardless, even if monsters have to be redesigned to do it. I just hope that whoever does it, they post the conversion (if they're allowed to). No story, of course. Just converted monsters and skill challenges, to be used with the purchased adventures.

 

[Gronin]

I am pleased to hear that Zeitgeist will be finished in 4E (I had pretty much assumed it would be so).

My question is how will this affect the release of Santiago? Are you now going to put this on hold? I am hoping the answer is no.

I have to admit I was tempted into a Silver Subscription by the Steam Punk aspects of Zeitgeist and War of the Burning Sky has been a very pleasant bonus (I am running both campaigns at the moment) but it was the thought of Santiago that pushed me over the top and had me upgrade my subscription.

That being said I suppose I would understand if you were hesitant to to release it under 4E (although I am assuming there has been a fair bit of work done and perhaps the 4E stuff that is done might eventually see the light of day).

 

[malcolm_n]

Santiago is still well under way at this time. There's actually a blog coming up about it soon.