FATDRAGONGAMES
First Post
Kae'Yoss said:
Agreed.
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Where do you see the evolution of the D&D game heading?
- Thread starter Dragonblade
- Start date
Agreed.
delericho
Legend
4e will be somewhat rules-lighter and more streamlined. 5e will be more rules-heavy. The pendulum will swing back and forth.
The core game experience will remain mostly the same for most groups, but gaming online will become more and more common. (By 'gaming online', I mean playing D&D across an online link of some sort, rather than playing an MMORPG.) Eventually, we'll see a true VR tabletop, which will be quite nice, but that's a long, long way off.
Collectable elements will increase in number and acceptance. The next edition will have a collectable 'grimoire' of spells, with annual volumes collecting all the spells for the year's set in a single volume (in addition to the 'core set' in the PHB, and any spells they publish in the expansions), and collectable magic items under the same model. 5e will extend the idea of to collectable monsters (collected in the annual MM volume - and again in addition to the 'core set' in the first MM). The rules themselves will not be made collectable, and neither will 'big' character building options such as classes (base and PrC), or even feats. The key here is that the collectable elements will add things to the game, but they absolutely will not be required to play... Wizards know that requiring collectable elements will likely kill the game.
Oh, and there won't be a d20 license for the new edition. Instead, Wizards will probably look into favourable but closed licenses with Paizo, Green Ronin, and possibly a few others, to produce key support products that they themselves aren't interested in. There won't be a new SRD, but there won't need to be, as the existing OGL remains valid of course (and d20 now seems to be essentially dead).
(Oh, yes, I almost forgot: as time passes, it will become increasingly apparent that I'm guessing rather wildly. At least 55% of the predictions made here will not come to pass.)
The core game experience will remain mostly the same for most groups, but gaming online will become more and more common. (By 'gaming online', I mean playing D&D across an online link of some sort, rather than playing an MMORPG.) Eventually, we'll see a true VR tabletop, which will be quite nice, but that's a long, long way off.
Collectable elements will increase in number and acceptance. The next edition will have a collectable 'grimoire' of spells, with annual volumes collecting all the spells for the year's set in a single volume (in addition to the 'core set' in the PHB, and any spells they publish in the expansions), and collectable magic items under the same model. 5e will extend the idea of to collectable monsters (collected in the annual MM volume - and again in addition to the 'core set' in the first MM). The rules themselves will not be made collectable, and neither will 'big' character building options such as classes (base and PrC), or even feats. The key here is that the collectable elements will add things to the game, but they absolutely will not be required to play... Wizards know that requiring collectable elements will likely kill the game.
Oh, and there won't be a d20 license for the new edition. Instead, Wizards will probably look into favourable but closed licenses with Paizo, Green Ronin, and possibly a few others, to produce key support products that they themselves aren't interested in. There won't be a new SRD, but there won't need to be, as the existing OGL remains valid of course (and d20 now seems to be essentially dead).
(Oh, yes, I almost forgot: as time passes, it will become increasingly apparent that I'm guessing rather wildly. At least 55% of the predictions made here will not come to pass.)
Charwoman Gene
Adventurer
Next few years?
Wizards' Digital Initiative hits hard in 2009-2010.
Subscription D&D Virtual Tabletop, Character Tracking, full "RAW" software supoort for one low monthly fee. I see requiring a unique ID code to "unlock" supplements, or a small fee for each one. Designed to both supplement Tabletop and facilitate online play.
4e comes out in 2009-2010
--Heavy Mearlsation of D&D, Per-Encounter Balancing heavily Introduced.
--Full Professional Software Supoort from WDI.
--Backwards compatibility provided. LA/CR/Class Balance doesn't carry over, but very clear modifications on how to use 3.5 feats, prestige classes, et al. in 4e.
--SRD will continue, and be complete on day 1. OGL/D20 protects and aids Wizards MORE than the base copyright law so, it is in their best interest to keep it.
In 5-10 years?
The miniatures gravy train will have run out, so probably sold to Blizzard.
Wizards' Digital Initiative hits hard in 2009-2010.
Subscription D&D Virtual Tabletop, Character Tracking, full "RAW" software supoort for one low monthly fee. I see requiring a unique ID code to "unlock" supplements, or a small fee for each one. Designed to both supplement Tabletop and facilitate online play.
4e comes out in 2009-2010
--Heavy Mearlsation of D&D, Per-Encounter Balancing heavily Introduced.
--Full Professional Software Supoort from WDI.
--Backwards compatibility provided. LA/CR/Class Balance doesn't carry over, but very clear modifications on how to use 3.5 feats, prestige classes, et al. in 4e.
--SRD will continue, and be complete on day 1. OGL/D20 protects and aids Wizards MORE than the base copyright law so, it is in their best interest to keep it.
In 5-10 years?
The miniatures gravy train will have run out, so probably sold to Blizzard.
Simpler streamlined tabletop version for rules lite and younger crowds - check
Even more complex, recombinant advanced rules to take characters to 100th level easily - check
Collectible game components including battlemats, minis, dice, background/races, spells, talents/feats, abilities, stats, equipment, prestige classes - check
Online interface to MMORPG and interchangeable use between tabletop and online games - check
PDA and portable game system interface for PvP and Arena play - check
24/7 support from online communities with public domain content rampant throughout the game - check
A new and innovative game world that pushes the boundaries of fantasy, sword and sorcery, sci-fi, horror, and anime - check
Count me in? - check
Even more complex, recombinant advanced rules to take characters to 100th level easily - check
Collectible game components including battlemats, minis, dice, background/races, spells, talents/feats, abilities, stats, equipment, prestige classes - check
Online interface to MMORPG and interchangeable use between tabletop and online games - check
PDA and portable game system interface for PvP and Arena play - check
24/7 support from online communities with public domain content rampant throughout the game - check
A new and innovative game world that pushes the boundaries of fantasy, sword and sorcery, sci-fi, horror, and anime - check
Count me in? - check
Lord Zardoz
Explorer
I think that 4th Edition will be much like 3rd Edition, only more so. Specifically, I think they will try to make the game mechanics yet more unified.
- I expect that they will attempt to make the resolution for all combat maneuvers (Disarm, Trip, Bull Rush, Sunder) more unified.
- I expect that they will make an effort to have things scale better by having more opposed rolls.
- I would be surprised if the move towards Mini based combat slowed down.
- Feats will probably stick around and be reworked / rebalanced.
As for things I would hope for:
A simplified setup for buff spells (think summon monster spells type progression. One buff spell, pick the stat it kicks up).
A change to how Turn Undead works
Tweaks to the Saving throws so that multi-classing does not create a wonky spread of saves
Character power levels that aren't so dependant on magical items
Anyway, I am very content with the current edition.
END COMMUNICATION
- I expect that they will attempt to make the resolution for all combat maneuvers (Disarm, Trip, Bull Rush, Sunder) more unified.
- I expect that they will make an effort to have things scale better by having more opposed rolls.
- I would be surprised if the move towards Mini based combat slowed down.
- Feats will probably stick around and be reworked / rebalanced.
As for things I would hope for:
A simplified setup for buff spells (think summon monster spells type progression. One buff spell, pick the stat it kicks up).
A change to how Turn Undead works
Tweaks to the Saving throws so that multi-classing does not create a wonky spread of saves
Character power levels that aren't so dependant on magical items
Anyway, I am very content with the current edition.
END COMMUNICATION
Steel_Wind
Legend
Blackwind said:
I agree 100% with the above assessment.
D&D will evolve in a direction that permits the publisher to make more money.
Right now - that means more miniatures and battlemaps. [end]
ZeroGlobal2003
First Post
I think D&D going the way of the MMOG is fairly unlikely... however I think WotC will recognize that probably 50% of their target audiance has a laptop and would perfer to have 1 digital source for all there material then a collection of books that it would take a van to move around.
Also, 10-20 years out our electronic media will be insanely different... I can imagine having a Star Trek like "Pad" that held not just all my D&D books but also serve as a flat map display for the gaming surface.
Even without sci-fi type electronics, we could use existing technologies to create a better, more usable version of the multi-book system that we use today. I mean, I don't buy PDF books because even though I can carry around 1,000,000 of them I can't reference that material. Imagine if we had one "D&D Rules Base" program that displayed and crossreferenced all the core SRD. That alone would be a great step in the right direction. Now imagine that when you bought a new D&D book, you could type in an activation code (or some such thing) and all of the new content was downloaded into the rules base and integrated.... I mean browsing through your "Classes" chapter had having the fighter and wizard next to the psion and warlock.
That alone would make it worth it to me to pay the same for an electronic form of the book as I do for the book. As it stand now, even at a discounted price I still have no more usability then with a standard book (and less, because it requires a laptop).
I see electronic media as the thing of the future, but no in the MMOG style.
Zero
Also, 10-20 years out our electronic media will be insanely different... I can imagine having a Star Trek like "Pad" that held not just all my D&D books but also serve as a flat map display for the gaming surface.
Even without sci-fi type electronics, we could use existing technologies to create a better, more usable version of the multi-book system that we use today. I mean, I don't buy PDF books because even though I can carry around 1,000,000 of them I can't reference that material. Imagine if we had one "D&D Rules Base" program that displayed and crossreferenced all the core SRD. That alone would be a great step in the right direction. Now imagine that when you bought a new D&D book, you could type in an activation code (or some such thing) and all of the new content was downloaded into the rules base and integrated.... I mean browsing through your "Classes" chapter had having the fighter and wizard next to the psion and warlock.
That alone would make it worth it to me to pay the same for an electronic form of the book as I do for the book. As it stand now, even at a discounted price I still have no more usability then with a standard book (and less, because it requires a laptop).
I see electronic media as the thing of the future, but no in the MMOG style.
Zero
Nyeshet
First Post
2015 - Chainmail, 2nd edition [ie: D&D 5th edition] !!
Personally, I think it is headed towards a modern version of Chainmail - maybe computerized, but I doubt it, as Hasbro (and thus WotC) will see the advantage of requiring players to buy more and more minis for their battlemat fantasy combat battles. I intend to jump the D&D ship long before then, however, as I do not like the use of minis in play - let alone exclusive and required use.
Personally, I think it is headed towards a modern version of Chainmail - maybe computerized, but I doubt it, as Hasbro (and thus WotC) will see the advantage of requiring players to buy more and more minis for their battlemat fantasy combat battles. I intend to jump the D&D ship long before then, however, as I do not like the use of minis in play - let alone exclusive and required use.
Similar Threads
