D&D 5E My Ideal Release Schedule

[BryonD]

Other than right here, on this very post:


They've released a pile of free products. Basic PHB rules. Basic DMG rules. A Web enhancement for Lost Mines, a Web enhancement for HotDQ and one for RoT. 10 pages of Eberon. Plus, they said the "cancelled" book is being released as a Web enhancement for Princes of the Apocalypse.

It isn't a complaint, it is a simple statement.

Reposting the content in the core books is a good thing. But when the topic is "more stuff", republishing stuff multiple times does not help.

 

[BryonD]

I agree with almost everything in your post, but...



At the moment, WotC get criticism for everything they do (even if that's nothing).

We would need to test your theory with something rolling out cleanly.
It is hard to get out of a cloud of negativity when they keep earning it.

Again, if they need to just shut down for 3 months, do it. People, including me, will complain. But if they are in chaos, they need to resolve it. If in September they are running reasonably smooth (in the Paizo ballpark, for example) for three months, the fact that they were silent for March through June will be forgotten. If they play catch-up through June and then keep playing catch-up through the summer, they will start to be forgotten.

 

[Zardnaar]

Throughout the playtest I was promoting content, and found it odd others wanted a slower release schedule, when the easy solution is curb your spending habits and choose what you like more carefully. I had no problems with the release schedule of any edition of D&D, except for 4E and 5E. The former had a problem with releasing quality adventures, and focused too much on crunch, where 5E is lacking in both. But I expect it is due to budget, and/or the hope that re-selling previous content (old adventures, etc.) will make up the difference. Since I have been playing the game for a while, the last thing I want to do it explore old content, like re-hashing previous adventures, or buying new ones that are a re-boot of a previous one.

It burns through an edition faster, quality goes down even if you are not buying books and you can get into arguments with players who have bought the latest and greatest XYZ book. Things started going down hill in 3.5 with the MMIV and the 2nd round of the complete books for example. If the MMIV was an AD&D book and it came out in 1987 towards the end of 1E lifecycle so be it but 3.0, 3.5 and 4E have all really been 4 year editions or less. Technically 3.5 was 5 years and 4E was 6 years but the last year and 2 years of 3.5 and 4E were really dead years.

Sick of the 4 year edition Churn they went through 3 editions of Star Wars as well form 2000-2007. Pulling the plug early on 3.5 more or less got them in the mess they are in now with a splintered fanbase and the rise of Pathfinder.

 

[Shasarak]

OH NO! THE CANCELLED A BOOK! ( That they never actually announced)

(AND THEY'RE GIVING US THE CONTENTS FOR FREE.)

So we are getting free contents from a book that they never actually announced?

Well that is reassuring.

 

[Shiroiken]

Perhaps the lack of announced product for the next 9 months?

So the problem is not the actual release schedule, which I highly suspect will be 1 product every 2 months.

You just want more communication. However, they were flamed to a crisp for "pulling" the Adventure's book for Elemental Evil, even though it was never "officially" announced, IIRC. I think they are far smarter to keep quiet and release good products in a modest schedule, rather than try to push out more (and likely shoddy) products, or cancel products that they can't deliver.

 

[BryonD]

So the problem is not the actual release schedule, which I highly suspect will be 1 product every 2 months.

You just want more communication. However, they were flamed to a crisp for "pulling" the Adventure's book for Elemental Evil, even though it was never "officially" announced, IIRC. I think they are far smarter to keep quiet and release good products in a modest schedule, rather than try to push out more (and likely shoddy) products, or cancel products that they can't deliver.

This is true.

But there is an even better option: Plan ahead, produce quality and then build hype leading up to that product, be planning ahead and prepping the next quality product. Repeat.
If there is a hiccup along the way, you say so. If you have established a pattern of good communication and decent products, you will get a lot of slack for the occasional misstep.
But you have to establish the pattern.

 

[Shiroiken]

This is true.

But there is an even better option: Plan ahead, produce quality and then build hype leading up to that product, be planning ahead and prepping the next quality product. Repeat.
If there is a hiccup along the way, you say so. If you have established a pattern of good communication and decent products, you will get a lot of slack for the occasional misstep.
But you have to establish the pattern.

In a perfect world, yes. Not gonna happen. Ever.

They are too far behind the 8-ball to try and establish said pattern (as seen by the general hate for WotC you can find on the internet). Spending time (and thus money) on such a futile effort is a waste of resources that will hurt the company (and thus the game). I suspect that WotC feels the same, which is why they're working as they are.

 

[HobbitFan]

In a perfect world, yes. Not gonna happen. Ever.

They are too far behind the 8-ball to try and establish said pattern (as seen by the general hate for WotC you can find on the internet). Spending time (and thus money) on such a futile effort is a waste of resources that will hurt the company (and thus the game). I suspect that WotC feels the same, which is why they're working as they are.

Surely there is some sort of medium between the ideal situation BryonD was talking about above and the minimal effort WOTC is attempting now?
There is always room for improvement. With the possible exception of the surveys, I don't see WOTc even making an effort.

 

[Nellisir]

The last time I saw this little communication or support regarding D&D was when TSR pretty much shut down and WotC took over (so...'98? '97?) I absolutely DO NOT think that's the case here, but it's a damn poor association to be making.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I just want electronic copies, a few more adventures, campaigns and campaign worlds basically - including those made by third parties. Oh and a fully interactive fold out map of Felicia Day……..um….