Ok, now i'm REALLY CONFUSED. AKA, do any of you think you know what WotC is doing?

[Grimstaff]

BBM? Bad business model? I'm not sure.

BBM = bolding by me

 

[Lidgar]

Color me a pessimist, but would they need to cancel a product just to have it shift to PoD?

It seems like it would just be an option at first (to test it in the market), versus cancelling future products and going all in.

I agree with other posts that speculate WotC may be shifting to boardgames, cards, and boxed sets for RPG content (ala Red Box), all which use the D&D license. Things like:

- Expert Set (Blue Box)
- Decent Into the Depths of the Earth Board Game
- Baba Yaga's Card Game

etc. Time will tell. In the meantime, keep gaming!

 

[CleverNickName]

Not if they shut down DDi and the CB. Without those I would no longer want to play 4E.

I don't play 4th Edition at the moment, even with DDi and CB. (shrug) I was just saying that there would still be lots of people who do.

 

[Glade Riven]

Something that I didn't see mention (but possibly implied?) was this. I'm sure it has it's own thread by now, but it seems relevant to the discussion. WotC is increasing the frequincy of updates with weekly columns. What I find most intriquing, however, is this lead:

We feel we can do a better job communicating more consistently.

Seems to be on par with sentiment towards WotC for several years. It's nice that they recognise the need.

 

[jbear]

I admit I am surprised at the cancellation of the books as well. I was very curious to know what the 4e to Essentials link product was going to be like.

I also agree with the idea that recent issues with the Cbuilder etc and the current vibe of insecurity is not good for the brand.

I don't think WotC is giving up on D&D or 4e. I think we'll get a better picture of their plans after the next big event (end of January??).

Because I don't think they are committing suicide or selling out I guess I think that ... I hope that the post mudbunny quoted here is going down the right lines of thinking.

 

[JoeGKushner]

As I mentioned upstream, I think WoTC is opening themselves to Paizo.

But I noticed that the OSR community is going to have a booth at Gen Con.

If things aren't to the point where fans, older fans or fans who want to know what's going on or want to know that they're dealing with a company that's small enough to communicate like, you know, people, I suspect that the OSR will have a fantastic year.

And that WoTC won't be able to work those fans that they bent over backward with Essentials and the various Encounter seasons to get ever again.

The OSR publishers are filling a void and WoTC is, through hook or crook, encouraging everyone who wants just an excuse to leave their game, that excuse.

 

[Chainsaw Mage]

True. But not everyone can afford the costs of that much printer ink. I know I can't.


It's an intersting idea with a lot of possibilities if the functionality can be incorporated into DDi. The software design would be complex and WotC has always had trouble with software design.

Still,

DM's could print their own DDi-based monster books. Or a "Dungeon" adventure book. Or print out a Scales of War adventure path book.

Players could print out DDi-based class or races books. Their own Power books.

And once the software has been improved on, DDi members could share their "designed" books with other DDi members as suggestions for POD options. DDi members could band together to build the perfect player or DM resource and suggest their creations to WotC to become "official" D&D books that are sold to brick and mortar stores.

The sky would be the limit.

The process would be daunting and have a lot of growing pains, however. Yet, I think D&D fans would love the idea. Plus, it would offer the best of both online content and print products.

Imagine being able to print your own Monster Vault boxed set. Or a compiled book of Forgotten Realms, Eberron, or Dark Sun articles into one POD book.

You could choose softcover or hardcover format, or even digest format. You could choose black & white or color. You could customize the art you want in the book from WotC's online art gallery.

You could choose font type and print you're POD books in a style that matches the classic look and feel of old school products from the BECMI or 1e/2e era.

How cool would that be?

Man, the more things change . . .
http://www.fast-autos.net/diecast-c...dium-volumes-1-2-3-in-binder_380276928193.jpg
. . . the more they stay the same.

 

[Beginning of the End]

I was not aware that the rulebooks had issues . . . Are they worse then what we normally live with for normal games (like Axis and Allies, for example).

Considerably worse. My DM blogged a summary of the problems based in part on our play-thru last night.

Up until this point I was following and mostly agreeing with your post. But you've lost me here - what have you got in mind (assuming it's not just a generic spray at 4e)?

That comment had pretty much nothing to do with 4e. The boardgame may have some vague similarities to the 4e ruleset, but plays fundamentally differently. And it would actually benefit greatly from some of the precision to be found in, for example, 4e's precise, mechanical definition of conditions and key words.

Man, the more things change . . .
http://www.fast-autos.net/diecast-c...dium-volumes-1-2-3-in-binder_380276928193.jpg
. . . the more they stay the same.

Man, I loved the idea of being able to organize my monsters in any order I wanted... And then I saw that they printed different monsters on each side of the sheet and I was like, "TSR is run by a buncha morons."

("Were they supposed to just leave the second side blank?" Maybe. Or they could have put something useful back there, like a map of the creature's lair; or adventure seeds involving the monster; or variant stat blocks; or any number of other things.)

("They couldn't do that! It would cost too much!" Okay, fine. Then you give up on the product design that you just admitted can't be done and settle for publishing it as a book.)

 

[caudor]

I'm beginning to think the thrashing about by WotC is less of a financial problem and more of a corporate politics problem.

 

[JeffB]

I had a strange thought...

Perhaps WotC is considering a Print on Demand option for D&D. People could compile the content they want for their games from DDi and pay to print their own "official" house-ruled books.

That would be wild.

A few months back I started a thread & posted a link to LULU where there were several WOTC D&D items available for POD. IDK if the products are still there-have not looked- but would kinda tie in together.

Someone who has access to the search function could find my thread (I believe I posted it in the 4E forum).