D&D 5E Will 5e D&D re-claim its campaign settings.

[RotGrub]

You don't have to be convinced. Just because you don't believe it doesn't make it untrue.

Yes, TSR used to publish a lot of stuff from a whole bunch of different settings each week back in the late 80s. Now WotC doesn't. They've changed their publishing strategy because the times have changed and they've stated their reason for doing so. And it's not because they're afraid of "competing against themselves", it's because they don't feel the need or desire to publish that much stuff that quickly and burn the game out that fast.

They've been pretty up front about it since the beginning, even if no one wanted to believe them.

The point isn't that they are not publishing the same number of books as TSR did, as I can tell no one is upset about that. The problem is that they are not focused on what people have been waiting for. I think they need to balance their publishing focus much more between modules, rules, and campaign settings. And if they really are making a ton of money from 5e, they can certainly afford to add more material to their publishing schedule.

I really can't wait for them to stop hiding being their "big stories". Hopefully, they will realize that they don't need to do that sooner rather than later.

Since WotC is viewing everything as licence / IP, I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to scale back the number of Brands in use (i.e FR, Planescape, Ravenloft, etc). That's why I said WotC seems to be afraid to compete against itself. Maybe they think too many brands spoil the strategy.

 

[RotGrub]

I think they want to only release modules that maximize the potential customer base.

Which basically is homebrew plus Forgotten Realms.

If a pitch for a module can't be sold to those, it's not going to happen.

The era of releasing half a dozen Greyhawk-only, or Birthright-only modules is over.

At least for official support.

Well my group is homebrew, but we haven't purchased a single module, and it's not like we don't have money to spend either.

 

[CapnZapp]

Well my group is homebrew, but we haven't purchased a single module, and it's not like we don't have money to spend either.

I think the idea is for homebrewers to see past the FR content and be happy with the crunch (and to be fair, most FR skinned ideas can easily be rescinded for a home game).

If your group is an exception this strategy might be working.

I think the idea is to minimize the number of supplements that only cater to a campaign world other than FR. If you subtract the Realmers and the home brewers there's simply too few customers left.

In previous editions decisions to publish was apparently too often based on other facts than business facts...?

 

[RotGrub]

I think the idea is for homebrewers to see past the FR content and be happy with the crunch (and to be fair, most FR skinned ideas can easily be rescinded for a home game).

If your group is an exception this strategy might be working.

I think the idea is to minimize the number of supplements that only cater to a campaign world other than FR. If you subtract the Realmers and the home brewers there's simply too few customers left.

In previous editions decisions to publish was apparently too often based on other facts than business facts...?

But what about the homebrew folks who make use of offical campaign settings, but not modules? Many people hate having players at the table who own or have played a published module.

If it wasn't for guys who put out Children of the Night, 5e Ravenloft would still have nothing.

 

[DEFCON 1]

The point isn't that they are not publishing the same number of books as TSR did, as I can tell no one is upset about that. The problem is that they are not focused on what people have been waiting for. I think they need to balance their publishing focus much more between modules, rules, and campaign settings. And if they really are making a ton of money from 5e, they can certainly afford to add more material to their publishing schedule.

I really can't wait for them to stop hiding being their "big stories". Hopefully, they will realize that they don't need to do that sooner rather than later.

Since WotC is viewing everything as licence / IP, I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to scale back the number of Brands in use (i.e FR, Planescape, Ravenloft, etc). That's why I said WotC seems to be afraid to compete against itself. Maybe they think too many brands spoil the strategy.

They've published four adventure books and an adventurer's guide. Just how spread out across their setting landscape did you think they were going to get? Every single adventure path book in a completely separate setting?

You're right that they're aren't focused on what some people are waiting for. Because they've probably had evidence from 4E when they published 3 settings in 3 years that those some people do not spend enough money on those setting books they did make to warrant doing the exact same publishing process again for 5E.

It's all well and good that you have money to give them. But they aren't making their publishing decisions based upon the cash in RotGrub's pocket.

 

[Azurewraith]

I find it amazing how people still question wotcs bussiness plan its almost like they don't want them to make money. Does it suck that the focus is on fr modules yep, does it suck that its slow churning content yep. Know what would suck more? Hasbro turning off the lights cuz the dnd team printed 10 different settings a month that not everyone could afford as well $500 is a lot to drop on a hobby in such a short time span

 

[RotGrub]

They've published four adventure books and an adventurer's guide. Just how spread out across their setting landscape did you think they were going to get? Every single adventure path book in a completely separate setting?

You're right that they're aren't focused on what some people are waiting for. Because they've probably had evidence from 4E when they published 3 settings in 3 years that those some people do not spend enough money on those setting books they did make to warrant doing the exact same publishing process again for 5E.

It's all well and good that you have money to give them. But they aren't making their publishing decisions based upon the cash in RotGrub's pocket.

There were other more grievous things going on with the way they marketed 4e, campaign setting support certainly wasn't one of them.

All I thought is that they would give us a little more of a balanced approach. I certainly have no interest in adventure paths and I wouldn't want one for each campaign setting. All I'm looking for are rules updates for the various campaign settings that fans love.

You can't tell me that a rules update wouldn't sell. There are certainly many types of non-"big story" books that will sell. D&D isn't only about the story / adventure path. Campaign settings are also huge part of D&D.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Azurewraith]

It's a classic business issue. See, here's the problem-

Consumers will always complain about things they don't have. Because that's easy. There is always something "more," you can put out. I am sure that, somewhere, there is a person who is refusing to buy any 5e product unless they release a new Lankhmar. Extreme example? Yes, but you get the idea. The reason why this will always be an issue is that, for the consumer, they can imagine a world where a) the product they want is made, b) the product they want is made in the way they want it to be made, c) they will end up buying the product, and d) of course it would be justified!

But as we've seen repeatedly in the TTRPG world, one major problem is oversaturation. Everyone wants more ... until there is too much. Because too much product can hurt a brand as well.

Is 5e doing the exact optimal strategy? Who knows? But it is working. TTRPGs are, decidedly, a niche market. And we are less than two years after the publication of the PHB.

I say all of this as someone who would never run a game in the FR. But that's okay. Enough people like it, and it's generic enough (like GH) that its material can be easily converted to other campaigns.

True enough the funny thing I find is we as the consumers me included is we think we know what we want when infact we don't know what we want until we have passed what we want or are shown

 

[RotGrub]

It's a classic business issue. See, here's the problem-

Consumers will always complain about things they don't have. Because that's easy. There is always something "more," you can put out. I am sure that, somewhere, there is a person who is refusing to buy any 5e product unless they release a new Lankhmar. Extreme example? Yes, but you get the idea. The reason why this will always be an issue is that, for the consumer, they can imagine a world where a) the product they want is made, b) the product they want is made in the way they want it to be made, c) they will end up buying the product, and d) of course it would be justified!

But as we've seen repeatedly in the TTRPG world, one major problem is oversaturation. Everyone wants more ... until there is too much. Because too much product can hurt a brand as well.

Is 5e doing the exact optimal strategy? Who knows? But it is working. TTRPGs are, decidedly, a niche market. And we are less than two years after the publication of the PHB.

I say all of this as someone who would never run a game in the FR. But that's okay. Enough people like it, and it's generic enough (like GH) that its material can be easily converted to other campaigns.

I don't disagree, I just think that a rules update for a few of the most popular campaign settings isn't that much to ask for. IMO, campaign settings have always been a major part of D&D. Two years in and fans of these campaign settings have not even been provided an indication as to what is going on.

My advice to anyone looking to convert to 5e is to wait and see. Don't buy the core books unless you are willing to spend the time crafting your own campaign setting updates.