Jester David
Hero
Trevor Kidd has confirmed on Twitter that the rules will come with the Encounters adventure and not be a seperate purchase.
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D&D 5E Next D&D Next Adventure Scourge of Sword Coast will be PDF Only
- Thread starter Plaguescarred
- Start date
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
I'm wondering if this approach isn't a deliberate experiment by WotC:
1. Release two adventures in print-only format.
2. Release the next two adventures in electronic-only format.
3. Monitor sales vs. costs and fan reaction carefully, and use that as a basic for deciding how best to release supplements for D&D Next.
We know from recent WotC statements that PDF sales on DNDClassics have been much stronger than they anticipated, but as has been pointed out in this thread, most of the releases have been of material for previous editions, so those sales could be misleading.
Still, two of the three current top sellers seem to be D&D Next products (Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and Vault of the Dracolich), which is interesting. Experimenting with the format of D&D Encounters releases strikes me as a good way to do some live market research ahead of D&D Next's release.
1. Release two adventures in print-only format.
2. Release the next two adventures in electronic-only format.
3. Monitor sales vs. costs and fan reaction carefully, and use that as a basic for deciding how best to release supplements for D&D Next.
We know from recent WotC statements that PDF sales on DNDClassics have been much stronger than they anticipated, but as has been pointed out in this thread, most of the releases have been of material for previous editions, so those sales could be misleading.
Still, two of the three current top sellers seem to be D&D Next products (Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle and Vault of the Dracolich), which is interesting. Experimenting with the format of D&D Encounters releases strikes me as a good way to do some live market research ahead of D&D Next's release.
Teataine
Explorer
Yeah, that's what I was going to say. What if this is not, you know, a desperate and fumbling move by the WotC, but simply an experiment. Because they are doing well enough that they can afford experiments. Like, not apocalyptic at all, for a change?
Lots of people run games off laptops or tablets these days, maybe they're just trying trying to see how well a purely digital product will go over.
Either way it takes the cost and hassle of shipping and handling off their hands for a short while. One adventure won't wreck anything. Some people loathed Murder in Baldur's Gate, saying it was the worst ever, it meant Next was finished etc. Then by the time Crystal Shard rolled around that was forgotten, and LotCS turned out to be a different take and a nice product. They're experimenting. Let them get on with it.
Lots of people run games off laptops or tablets these days, maybe they're just trying trying to see how well a purely digital product will go over.
Either way it takes the cost and hassle of shipping and handling off their hands for a short while. One adventure won't wreck anything. Some people loathed Murder in Baldur's Gate, saying it was the worst ever, it meant Next was finished etc. Then by the time Crystal Shard rolled around that was forgotten, and LotCS turned out to be a different take and a nice product. They're experimenting. Let them get on with it.
mcmillan
Adventurer
Not that it contradicts the possibility that this is an experiment, but Chris Tulach posted on twitter that printing with the newest playtest rules would have needed a delay in starting the adventure.
https://twitter.com/christulach/status/413090360080883712
https://twitter.com/christulach/status/413090360080883712
Jester David
Hero
Which is true except they're using the playtest rules from October. It'd have been close but they could have gotten those into print. OR they could go digital and upgrade the rules, which would be even better.
Twizz Stonefist
First Post
Personally think they were going to release this module as a 1st to 3rd level module like the last 2. Then they got so much feedback that everyone wants higher level modules. So they switched gears at the last minute. Wouldn't have time to print the modules. And based on the success of the 2 pdf products they have put out. They figured lets try the pdf format for a new product instead of missing the february window for the next D&D encounters event.
Twizz Stonefist
First Post
Not the only one for me but another one.
Warunsun
First Post
For me the most disappointing thing about this is the price. They want $18 for an e-adventure. I paid only a little more for Legacy that came with a great DM screen and full color printing. It could easily cost $15 to print this and another $4 for an economy binder to hold it all together (and you get no DM screen). $37 is more than the full retail price of Legacy of the Crystal Shard or Murder in Baldur's Gate.
Mistwell
Crusty Old Meatwad (he/him)
Earlier in the thread it was stated that no price has been announced for this. Has that changed, or are you making an assumption based on something similar?
