More upcoming titles has been released at the WotC site

[Kafkonia]

No see, that would be 'impotent rules'.

Are you kidding? Who has resistance lemon meringue 10? It's the culinary equivalent of vile damage!

 

[Monte At Home]

Could this be any more vague?

'important rules'?

Like what? Feats? PrCs? Swift and Immediate Actions? New uses for skills?

Well, if they're smart (and they are), it'll be a big book organized encyclopedia style. It will have all the rules of the game, but it won't tell you how to play. For example, there won't be a combat chapter and a magic chapter. If you want rules for Grapple you look under G and if you need information about Evocations you look under E.

That, anyway, is a product that Jonathan, Skip, and I proposed while still working on 3E. It would be nice if it FINALLY came out.

What I find most curious is that none of these titles has Mr. Mearls as an author.

They don't put developer names on covers, which I sure is officially explained only as "well, we had to draw the line somewhere or we'd have too many names on the cover," and not as a reflection of the hard work the developers do. (The designer/developer system was not used in my years there for which I'm grateful--it's not a system I care for, professionally--but that doesn't mean I believe that the developers don't work just as hard as the designers, or contribute just as much, or deserve special recognition just as much.)

Mike's a developer, not a designer.


Speaking solely as a gamer, I think this product lineup looks particularly strong. That's probably the result of them being so DM-oriented, though.

 

[Mouseferatu]

but that doesn't mean I believe that the developers don't work just as hard as the designers, or contribute just as much, or deserve special recognition just as much.)

Indeed. I hope nowhere in my summary did I suggest that I felt developers were less worthy of recognition. Personally, while of course I don't agree with every change ever made to my material, I'm exceedingly grateful to have the safety net of knowing that someone else is looking over my mechanics before they go to print. I'm confident in my design abilities, but I'd be a fool if I pretended that I never make mistakes, or that some of my mechanics couldn't use tightening or improvement.

Speaking solely as a gamer, I think this product lineup looks particularly strong. That's probably the result of them being so DM-oriented, though.

It's funny. I don't know how many of the forthcoming books will see use in my game, but there are more books coming out that I'm looking forward to reading, and seeing what sort of inspiration they offer, than there have been in a long time. Personally, I'd much rather a book that sees no direct use, but inspires a great many cool ideas, than one that I can translate directly into game but doesn't spark the imagination.

(Obviously, the Holy Grail of RPGs would be a book that does both, and there have been some. But if forced to choose one or the other...)

 

[MerricB]

Well, this is a bit of an oversimplification, since the two duties overlap, but:

To hear Mark Rosewater talk about it (as a Magic designer): the designer comes up with all the wacky, fun and downright bizarre concepts. The developer then has to make them all work. Of course, Mark is an untrustworthy guy, so take that with a large handful of salt.

Cheers!

 

[JoeGKushner]

Well, if they're smart (and they are), it'll be a big book organized encyclopedia style. It will have all the rules of the game, but it won't tell you how to play. For example, there won't be a combat chapter and a magic chapter. If you want rules for Grapple you look under G and if you need information about Evocations you look under E.

Hmmm... The problem with that is the page count at 160 doesn't sound like it'll allow for such an expansive sounding product, especially if it has designer's notes in it.

 

[Mercule]

Well, if they're smart (and they are), it'll be a big book organized encyclopedia style. It will have all the rules of the game, but it won't tell you how to play. For example, there won't be a combat chapter and a magic chapter. If you want rules for Grapple you look under G and if you need information about Evocations you look under E.]

Interesting idea. I started saying how tricking that'd be and that it'd be better to just organize it thematically, like I'd suggested early. But, as I typed, I realized that an encyclopedic reference really would be pretty useful.

 

[Zaukrie]

Thanks for the clarification on roles. That makes sense. I share Monte's hope for the rules compendium, it would certainly simplify my life, and I'm sure many others' as well.

 

[Ashardalon]

Option 2: (cough)Coffeetable book(cough)

According to the RPGSite, that's what it is.

* Dungeon Survival Guide:
* Aimed at NON-D&D players who enjoy the fantasy genre.
* Explores the classic dunegons graphically.
* A visual guide, gift item, cofee table book.

 

[JoeGKushner]

* Incorporates the most current and problematic rules and situations and breaks them out into easy to handle chunks. Encyclopedic format.
* "One rule per page"
* Also incorporates stuff from the FAQ and the Sage
* Sidebars from the designers on some of the rules.

No way is that Rule Compendium going to have feats in it.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

According to the RPGSite, that's what it is.

That's a really interesting thread; some cool scoops from Abyssal Maw.

I actually don't mind the "coffee table book" idea; I think it would be cool to have, essentially, an "art of 3E" type of book. There are some really good artists working right now who haven't had much of a chance to be showcased like some of the old "art of" books did for earlier editions and artists (Caldwell, Elmore, Easley, Parkinson, Brom). Then again, some of the current artwork doesn't particularly appeal to me either (there's one picture in Complete Arcane that is just such a blatant copy of an earlier picture in the same book of the warmage- same pose, expression, activity, just a different angle and artist) that it really rubbed me the wrong way.

I'll have to see it before I decide to buy it, but I think it would be kind of cool to have some new pieces by some good artists in classic settings. (Especially if they incorporate "classic" characters, rather than just the current Iconics. I'd love to see some Warduke, Morgan Ironwolf, Emirikol, etc. in classic settings.)

Here's crossing my fingers for a "Many Deaths of Black Dougal" piece.