D&D 5E D&D Next Release Date Set -- Summer 2014

[Mercurius]

I think there's a rather significant misunderstanding going on. They don't have to "pull it off" as if they made the announcement and then said, "OK, we better start working on this." We shouldn't judge the readiness of the game based upon a playtest update a couple months ago which, like technology, is not the most recent iteration, just what they're releasing to the public.

Remember folks, they've been working on this for two years - and that's only the active phase since announcement. My guess is that all of the text and art is already done; what remains is formatting and edits based upon last minute adjustments to the rules.

In fact, the bulk of the text could have been finished months ago. A larger percentage of it is has nothing to do with the mechanics of the specific edition and is about the game as a whole, the fluff of monsters, classes, magic items, how to play the game, etc. They've been working on that stuff all along and now probably just need to make some final rules tweaks, formatting, maybe wait for a few pieces of art, and then its off to the printers.

I suspect that, over the next few months, we're going to see previews of stuff that is already finished now, and that has been finished for some time.

 

[Dausuul]

This worries me. According to Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle, that book took 4 months between being sent to the printers and being on sale--and that was just a limited Gen Con release. It must take more time for a huge international release, but let's just say 4 months.

GenCon is in August. That means that everything has to be finished by April. That's 4 months between now and the deadline. The playtest (as of 2 months ago) still had big problems, and as shown by today's D&D Q&A, they haven't really figured out how modularity is going to work. How are they going to pull it out within 4 months?

According to the press release, the rules are complete. Let's remember that what we saw in the playtest did not represent the current state of the rules at the time of release.

And I don't see anything in today's Q&A (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dndqa/20131220) that indicates trouble with the concept of modularity. It talks about how they're approaching modularity with regard to sorcerors and point-based casting methods, and it sounds as if they've settled on how they want to handle it.

 

[TerraDave]

Winter Fantasy is Feb 6-9 this year.

While no longer d&d eXperience, based on past, er, experience, more details, like particular products and dates, will be announced there.

 

[DaveMage]

Anyone else notice the e-mails given on the announcement page (...@360pr.com)? First time I notice WotC using an external PR company.

So we're better be prepared to a tsunami of marketing-speech.

WotC in-house marketing didn't do such a hot job last time a new edition came out.

Probably wise to let others handle it.

 

[Warbringer]

It's worth noting ...

After nearly two years of an open public playtest and more than 175,000 playtest participants, the rules are complete.

(Emphasis mine)

Now, is he talking about the "core" rules (beginners) or the main ruleset (advanced)? I think its the former ...

 

[DEFCON 1]

In terms of the whole "modularity" thing... we might also probably going to see two separate layers of modules-- the modules that adjust the rules of the base game (like the feat system and alternative healing methods), and the modules that are larger game subsets you layer on top of the game (like the gridded tactical combat rules.)

The former might easily already be completed as part of the base rules and thus could appear in the first DMG at the time of release (and allow you to modulate the base game)... and the latter might be saved for an 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons' type book that isn't necessarily going to be a part of the initial release. So if those rules are still being worked on (and based upon some of the L&L and Q&A columns, they might be)... the upcoming four month window need not apply to them.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

Multiple platforms? Maybe we'll see a virtual table-top? Or maybe they just mean you can buy it in hardback or PDF/other digital format.

Nah, it's WotC. The multiple platforms they're referring to are the tables we play on and chairs we sit in.

 

[Trickster Spirit]

Must spread XP around, etc., etc., but this precisely what I've been thinking for months now.

In terms of the whole "modularity" thing... we might also probably going to see two separate layers of modules-- the modules that adjust the rules of the base game (like the feat system and alternative healing methods), and the modules that are larger game subsets you layer on top of the game (like the gridded tactical combat rules.)

The former might easily already be completed as part of the base rules and thus could appear in the first DMG at the time of release (and allow you to modulate the base game)... and the latter might be saved for an 'Advanced Dungeons & Dragons' type book that isn't necessarily going to be a part of the initial release. So if those rules are still being worked on (and based upon some of the L&L and Q&A columns, they might be)... the upcoming four month window need not apply to them.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

My guess is that multiple platforms is print on paper and one or more electronic formats.
Although Turbine could probably knock out a DDO implementation of it in pretty short order. It is not so different to 3rd edition from a programming perspective. Different combat script, the really tricky would be creating the enhancement table to give one the 60 or so ranks, Not sure is the audience would be there for that though.

I do not believe that WoTC have the management skills to manage a VTT in such a way that makes them any money.
I do think that DDI could be leveraged to booost the D&D profile if it would allow user generated content and better social interaction and they could facilitate that would out backing any particular VTT horse. Just allow and encourage the uploading of content for VTT use. Even go as far as allowing file for 3D printing of custom minis but again I am not sure if WoTC manage can pull that off.
They are very conservative on IP ownership issues and I do not see people uploading stuff if WOTC is going to claim ownership of their content.

So I guess we are going to see D&D in print and eformat as well as more boardgames and maybe a movie if the licence dispute is resolved.
Console and pc games by licence. They sould licence some of the boardgames as table games. The random dungeon games would work well that way.

 

[GX.Sigma]

According to the press release, the rules are complete. Let's remember that what we saw in the playtest did not represent the current state of the rules at the time of release.

I can't find it, but Mearls (or someone) said when the next-to-last playtest packet came out that they had implemented everything they wanted to do (with character rules, at least), and any further changes would just be responses to feedback.

And I don't see anything in today's Q&A (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dndqa/20131220) that indicates trouble with the concept of modularity. It talks about how they're approaching modularity with regard to sorcerors and point-based casting methods, and it sounds as if they've settled on how they want to handle it.

Doesn't sound like it to me. The question was pretty direct, but all Rodney says is that a spell point system "could be something you use to replace the traditional spell slot system," and talks about the sorcerer "as currently designed." Neither of those indicate to me that they have a solid groundwork, and it sure doesn't sound "complete."