If Hasbro Pulls the Plug....

[mach1.9pants]

I wonder if there would be less wailing and gnashing of teeth if (in the far future with official DnD in hiatus) Paizo decided on a Pathfinder 2E. I would expect nothing like the jump from 3.5E to 4E and less sacred cows slaughtered but a lower emphasis on reverse compatibility and more on speed of play andprep!

The Pathfinder beginner box has taken the 4E ethos of all the info in the stat block monsters (for example) apart from a few bits and pieces in a couple of monsters.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I wonder if there would be less wailing and gnashing of teeth if (in the far future with official DnD in hiatus) Paizo decided on a Pathfinder 2E. I would expect nothing like the jump from 3.5E to 4E and less sacred cows slaughtered but a lower emphasis on reverse compatibility and more on speed of play andprep!

The Pathfinder beginner box has taken the 4E ethos of all the info in the stat block monsters (for example) apart from a few bits and pieces in a couple of monsters.

Having a year long public playtest will likely smooth things a bit... (Paizo does love the public playtest model.)

The Auld Grump

 

[William Ronald]

Having a year long public playtest will likely smooth things a bit... (Paizo does love the public playtest model.)

The Auld Grump

The feedback also would help in giving customers a feeling that they had an input into the game. Perhaps one thing that may not have been stressed enough is that gamers have a feeling that something is THEIR game. Getting people emotionally invested in a concept is often a good way to get them financially invested in something. (A sports team logo does not cost much to add to a T shirt, but it can add to the cost -- as people make an association with the team as part of their identity.)

 

[Dice4Hire]

I would like to see what Paizo could do with their own game system, but the smart move for them is to not change. At least not yet.

 

[mach1.9pants]

Having a year long public playtest will likely smooth things a bit... (Paizo does love the public playtest model.)

The Auld Grump

That is a very astute point

 

[delericho]

Having a year long public playtest will likely smooth things a bit... (Paizo does love the public playtest model.)

Indeed. How you roll out a new edition is almost as important as what changes you make.

However, it is perhaps worth noting that the result of the PF playtest was generally that proposed changes were rolled back. This does suggest that Paizo might well find themselves unable to do much by way of a second edition.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Indeed. How you roll out a new edition is almost as important as what changes you make.

However, it is perhaps worth noting that the result of the PF playtest was generally that proposed changes were rolled back. This does suggest that Paizo might well find themselves unable to do much by way of a second edition.

As a result of the year long playest of Pathfinder 2nd Edition the dragon that the heroes are fighting on the cover of the Core Rules is now green instead of red.... Thank you for your participation.

The Auld Grump

 

[S'mon]

Isn't that a somewhat stagnant business model, given that this pretty much means that Paizo is effectively bound to the 3e/d20 system of the SRD and OGL without being able to make more profound improvements?

As someone currently running a 1e AD&D campaign as well as 2 4e ones, I don't feel that you need constant rules changes to prevent 'stagnancy'. In fact I find the kind of 'continual crunch' approach WoTC have taken with 4e quite disconcerting. Paizo can make new games if they want, but I see no need for it.

 

[S'mon]

Even if Paizo became the undisputed front runner in the RPG industry after D&D got shelved, it would be an open question of whether it was truly the 800lb gorilla...or a 400lb gorilla in a slightly less culturally relevant niche hobby market.

When I said that Pathfinder would be the new 800lb gorilla, I just meant that it would have the same market dominance 3e D&D did, or 1e AD&D did, relative to other RPGs. I was not talking about market size, only market share.

Currently, as Auldgrump says, it seems there are 2 400 lb gorillas. Pathfinder is selling more than 4e via games stores/distributors and amazon; while 4e has the DDI income stream.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

When I said that Pathfinder would be the new 800lb gorilla, I just meant that it would have the same market dominance 3e D&D did, or 1e AD&D did, relative to other RPGs. I was not talking about market size, only market share.

Ah, OK- I can agree with that.

Though a TTRPG with a strong CRPG tie-in could change that calculus rather quickly...