What do you think WotC should be making?

[Ry]

I think that WotC should put out a high-production-values rules-light dramatic game based on the d20 ruleset. I think it would make a good test baloon for some really great design work they could incorporate, and good market research to get them out of the tweaker / rules-heavier mindset that I think their forums and articles really encourage. Further, I think there's demand for such a product, but the existing market is scattered. It would be an opportunity for them to say "Hey, we know that lots of people drift in and out of D&D because of its complexity - let's make sure that when they drift they drift to one of our own products."

 

[TerraDave]

Sorry if someone already said it but

OK,

A few people have missed the point...adventures are pretty much right out.
Jack

Uh, actually Jack adventures are right in right now.

And I see that as a good thing. Overall I like the direction WotC has taken. And its profitability is there problem, not mine.

I do think they are oversaturating the 6-12 level "sweet spot". It is a sweet spot, but at some point somebody is going to want to play those charecters beyond level 12.

EDIT: "From a pure bussiness point of view" would only change one small part of my answer. But that is it. Otherwise I stand by it.

 

[Odhanan]

What roleplaying products do you think WotC should be producing over the next year or so from a business point of view?

My first thoughts:

Dungeon Master's Guide III, with a particular focus on high-level play: how to handle it, what to look out for, variety of options for high-level threats, advice on creating plots for high-level characters, sample high-level NPCs, the works.

An iconic High level adventure (and I mean high: level 16-20) developed in a hardcover, a la Expedition to Castle Ravenloft. Includes maybe some pre-generated characters if the players don't want to bother with creating 15ish level characters (or as a web enhancement, cf. characters for the D&D event at GenCon). Something that is clear, streamlined, that would give a shared experience to fans of the game regarding high level play.

 

[solomoncane]

I think that WotC should put out a high-production-values rules-light dramatic game based on the d20 ruleset. I think it would make a good test baloon for some really great design work they could incorporate, and good market research to get them out of the tweaker / rules-heavier mindset that I think their forums and articles really encourage. Further, I think there's demand for such a product, but the existing market is scattered. It would be an opportunity for them to say "Hey, we know that lots of people drift in and out of D&D because of its complexity - let's make sure that when they drift they drift to one of our own products."

They are doing this.
It's the Star Wars Saga Edition.

 

[heirodule]

Heroes of Repartee, a book similar to Dynasties & Demagogues that contains hard and fast rules for running a negotiation like a combat. Then you can provide an EL to your roleplay/negotiation encounter.

Heroes of Dynasty, a birthright type book dealing with running kingdoms and politics

Complete Negotiator, a book that deals with more options for PCs with verbal skills.

greyhawk hardback with cool greyhawk PrCs (including all the ones from dragon plus some more), greyhawk regional feats, but more and better ones.

Powers of greyhawk compiling the core mythologies info from Dragon and adding some non-core greyhawk gods, plus a few demon lords demonomicon style.

D&D miniatures sets that provide themed armies, particularly those based in greyhawk, but others would be fine. Like "Keoish commander" "Keoish fighter" "keoish scout" and "keoish knight errant" that all have similar styling and look like they belong in an army together (like the madalorians in the newest Star Wars minis set) All the D&D mini human so far look like each one comes from a completely different culture and society. I want themed forces.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

A nice deluxe version of Dark Sun 3.5 with a large foldout map and nice city maps . Just this one book .

I think I might stand in line overnight for this one. If it was done well....with a Brom cover.

 

[Denizen]

Dark Sun 3.5 Boxed Set

I think WotC should do a Dark Sun Boxed Set with a hardbound Dark Sun Player's Handbook, Dark Sun Campaign Setting and Dark Sun Monstrous Manual and a poster size map of the geographical region and a poster size map that has all of the city-states on it. Maybe even a real ceramic piece included for fun.

WotC just needs to do away with the half-giant concept from XPH and include a Athasian Half-Giant race that is more in line with the original and it would be sweet.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

Complete Epic
Manual Of Planes II
Heroes of Intrigue
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting II-New and Updated material for the years that have passed.
Heroes and Villains of the Realms
Forgotten Realms Monster Compendium II (gathers and updates monsters from all FR sources)
SpellJammer 3e
Planescape 3e
More Faerun Regional Books!!!!!!
Spell Compendium Volume II
Arcadia-Fey monster book and campaign option book!
Races of Savagry-gnolls, Goblinoids etc...
Fatihs and Pantheons II-Details how the major religions Clergy and temples of Faerun operate in greater detail. With 3.5 Deity creation rules.
Unearthed Arcana II
MOnster Manual 5-Old stat blocks please!
Forbidden Power-Campaign Option for FR playing in the Time of the Nethril empire and true 10th level + spells and even bringing such magic back, the reasons and the how of it.
d20 Fantasy-Earth based Fantasy d20 modern game. Alternate base classes based on the Six ability scores. This should be a large 224 page book.
d20 Horror-96p. Book for running games that fit into the Slasher genre and other Horror movies.
d20 Modern Fantasy-A companion book for d20 Fantasy details how history might be different had our fantasy past actually existed. Fantasy creatures are not as prolific as in the Urban Arcana CS.
d20 Menace Manual II
d20 Vehicles-Military and Civilian Aircraft, Sea Ships and land vehicles from cars to tanks. And rules for building your own. With Military Artillary.

 

[Rhada]

Generic D&D
- Races of the Underdark.
- Races of Savagery. (Orcs and Goblinoids)

Eberron
- a book like Five Nations, but focused on the other territories of Khorvaire (New Nations?)
- Planes of Eberron.
- Mysteries of Eberron. A book giving a lot of possible answers for the many mysteries of Eberron, like de Mourning Day, the Draconic Prophecy, the creation of the Warforged, etc.
- a book detailing how to run a world shattering campaign in Eberron, and possible "endings" for the setting. For example: How to run a new war between the nations of Khorvaire, What would happen if Sarlona and the Dreaming Dark invades the continent?, What if a Rakshasa Rajáh is set free? or if the Mourning Day happens again?

Forgotten Realms
- the Swordcoast.



Off Topic: excuse my poor English, I´m not very good at it, but I do my best.

 

[00Machado]

I would also vote for the linked series of adventures and not the pissy little 32 page ones either. Ones with substance.

As far as adventures go, I like the 32 pagers.

I want one of two formats when it comes to adventures.

32 pagers that are relatively fast to read. They can be linked or not, but of course should be way fun either way.

Red Hand of Doom length that provide a story arc covering 4 or 5 levels. Expedition to Castle Ravenloft is a bit lengthy for me to read and navigate in terms of raw page count (though admitedly with the two page encounter format it might really be closer to RHOD length than I realize).

I think in terms of playability, an ideal structure for me would be something like

32 pager level 1

RHOD length levels 2 - 5

32 pager level 6

32 pager level 7

RHOD length levels 8 - 10

and so on...

I don't want what they seem to be doing, which looks more like

Expedition to Castle Ravenloft 6 - 10
Expedition to the Demonweb Pits 10 - whatever

The puplished adventures should be created to allow for short arcs (or homebrew) to be inserted in between the longer arcs.