D&D 5E (2014) D&D Next Approximate Release Date?

[Mark CMG]

I say June 2014. If not, maybe Gen Con 2014 but I think they want to be in high gear through the whole convention season.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Also, the other reason it isn't unrealistic is that I suspect they will keep iterating their game well past when the book comes out. They've realized that with the internet being so common and the ease of issuing errata on their website that they don't have to be 100% perfect to release the game.

If anything, I think the opposite is true. Everyone hated the amount of errata for 4e, so they don't want that to be a problem for Next (and have publicly stated such).

Also, I don't think the game is going too be all that complex. I think people are hoping that there is 300 to 600 pages worth of rules that we just haven't seen yet and that there will be some grand version of the game that's super complicated. I don't think that'll happen.

Maybe not a grand complicated version of the game, but the entire DMG is supposed to be full of optional rules. Where are those going to come from?

 

[Jester David]

I dunno. Have you been reading the Dragon's Eye View columns? It seems like they're just finishing up concepts for creatures like goblins--how does that bode for other creatures? On the other hand, they do seem to have working models for the new ogres and orcs, which they've used in Dungeon Command.

This just means they *might* be holding off on art with goblins and other uncertain critters. They could have been commissioning art with orcs, ogres, trolls, and many more for months.

That just seems unrealistic to me. Large portions of core content are unstable (fighter, rogue), unfinished (monsters), or outdated (exploration, feats, skills). They have to implement the changes they've decided on, then test them and iterate on them, then polish everything.

Rewriting is slow. Revising is fast. Having to redesign the fighter class each package is time consuming taking days to write and plan and months to test. Tweaking a couple powers and editing powers takes hours and can be tested in weeks.


They seem like they’ve settled on the basic rules and concepts and are now working on fine tuning, which we’ll see come August (and they’re likely doing more behind the scenes already). Once they get the feedback post-GenCon they can release a revision in late September and November getting feedback from those allowing them to fine-tune and balance for the late December or early January date.


Very doable.

They can do things to expand this. For example, they could release something akin to the Rules Cyclopedia that has all the rules in one book reducing the content. Then follow that a couple months later with expansions giving them more time to playtest and revise that.

I'd rather have it be complete when it comes out, rather than releasing it unfinished just to hit an arbitrary date.

If they release a Rules Cyclopedia it WILL be complete... just not comprehensive. It’ll have all the content needed to play the game, likely from 1-10, and have multiple classes, races, and monsters.
This also means they won’t need to reprint the basic core rules (making checks, calculating attacks, building characters, etc) in the PHB saving several dozen pages for more fun content.


The big problem with D&D is the new player buy-in. Getting started with the game has required three pricey books and will likely cost at least $150 for all three. It’s hard to get into.
WotC has tried to skirt this with starter sets which, frankly, have sucked. They’re priced too cheap to provide real content, being useful for a couple levels (or a long weekend) and then you need to go buy the full books. So you end up paying much more and end up with redundant content.
Having an all-in-one rulebook alleviates this because the first product is no longer redundant and is eminently giftable. And it allows more time to work on the expansion content, buying WotC a couple extra months to balance and test modules. And people who want the simple game can get it without having a tonne of extra options and rules. And as experienced players know the rules, they don’t need to even bring that book to games, and can just carry around a PHB that’s not full of content they no longer reference.
The down side is it’s more costly for experienced players who now have to buy that extra book. However, since they’re the audience who would buy accessories, they’d spend that amount of money anyway. It’s just bundling the first accessory with the PHB and DMG and moving the core rules into another book.


I see the release schedule being the Rules Cyclopedia and expanded Monster Manual followed by either the Player’s Handbook or the Dungeon Master’s Guide.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Rewriting is slow. Revising is fast. Having to redesign the fighter class each package is time consuming taking days to write and plan and months to test. Tweaking a couple powers and editing powers takes hours and can be tested in weeks.

But they are redesigning the Fighter class. The current Fighter is not stable (and in my opinion, not good enough) to last til the next packet, and the idea of subclasses entails that there be multiple versions of the Fighter class.

If they release a Rules Cyclopedia it WILL be complete... just not comprehensive. It’ll have all the content needed to play the game, likely from 1-10, and have multiple classes, races, and monsters.
This also means they won’t need to reprint the basic core rules (making checks, calculating attacks, building characters, etc) in the PHB saving several dozen pages for more fun content.


The big problem with D&D is the new player buy-in. Getting started with the game has required three pricey books and will likely cost at least $150 for all three. It’s hard to get into.
WotC has tried to skirt this with starter sets which, frankly, have sucked. They’re priced too cheap to provide real content, being useful for a couple levels (or a long weekend) and then you need to go buy the full books. So you end up paying much more and end up with redundant content.
Having an all-in-one rulebook alleviates this because the first product is no longer redundant and is eminently giftable. And it allows more time to work on the expansion content, buying WotC a couple extra months to balance and test modules. And people who want the simple game can get it without having a tonne of extra options and rules. And as experienced players know the rules, they don’t need to even bring that book to games, and can just carry around a PHB that’s not full of content they no longer reference.
The down side is it’s more costly for experienced players who now have to buy that extra book. However, since they’re the audience who would buy accessories, they’d spend that amount of money anyway. It’s just bundling the first accessory with the PHB and DMG and moving the core rules into another book.

This is basically what they're doing: the basic rules will be a full game (presumably in a box with dice and character sheets) that's just called "Dungeons & Dragons," which is what new players and casual gamers will buy. The PHB, DMG, etc. will be branded as more advanced products.

With that in mind, we can look back to 4e Essentials to see what happens when you publish the beginner box before the rules are finished.

 

[Warbringer]

It will most likely be GenCon 2014 as most have commented. I think this is a hard product launch date, and I believe rules will be for the most part locked by October/November this year to start layout design, adventure writing and some other supporting products for launch next year, meaning at the printers by March/April on all products.

 

[Gorgoroth]

If anything, I think the opposite is true. Everyone hated the amount of errata for 4e, so they don't want that to be a problem for Next (and have publicly stated such).

Maybe not a grand complicated version of the game, but the entire DMG is supposed to be full of optional rules. Where are those going to come from?

Aye, as much as it pains me to defer delivery, I'd rather have a solid core that will sustain us for 15 years, than another 5 year (relative) flop.

People in 4e forums over at Wotc are STILL clamoring for TS to be nerfed. They had like, what, three months of playtesting? Then they rammed it out the door. To do that again would be to sacrifice long-term profits for short-term turnover, and since everyone and their grandma have the Net and will probably have access to the rules anyway, it doesn't make sense to release them prematurely. We will wait. It's D&D, it deserves a full term gestation period to be happy and healthy.

 

[Mercurius]

I'm guessing Juneish (2014) for a "red box" type release and Gen Con for the three books.

I'd be very surprised if we didn't see something, at least a red box type release, by next Gen Con.

 

[delericho]

Aye, as much as it pains me to defer delivery, I'd rather have a solid core that will sustain us for 15 years, than another 5 year (relative) flop.

WotC have never gone more than 5 years without putting out a revised set of Core Rulebooks. I will be stunned if they do so now, even if 5e is a runaway success.

 

[GX.Sigma]

WotC have never gone more than 5 years without putting out a revised set of Core Rulebooks. I will be stunned if they do so now, even if 5e is a runaway success.

I think Gorgoroth means a game that is balanced enough to hold together for 15 years--as opposed to 3e and 4e, which (to some people) showed their flaws more and more over time until people got sick of them.

 

[marleykat]

Maybe not a grand complicated version of the game, but the entire DMG is supposed to be full of optional rules. Where are those going to come from?

Most of them are going to be things already done in other versions of the game and done in books like Unearthed Arcana. Sidebars are not a big deal 2E was chock full of them.