D&D 5E Light release schedule: More harm than good?

[Hussar]

It is a good thing. But it is not entirely applicable. They are looking at the quality (as perceived and reflected in an online survey) of existing material.


This could certainly inform choices for new material. But it doesn't really do much to advance new content.

And if the lack of hype costs more fan attention than the theoretical improvement in revisions adds, it is a penny wise and pound foolish solution.

Oh, sure, none of this is guaranteed. Of course not. They're sailing some uncharted waters here, so, it does very much have the chance to go pear shaped.

OTOH, we know that banging out multiple supplements does not significantly extend the lifespan of an edition. I don't know if it shortens the lifespan, but, there's no evidence that numerous supplements extend it. I mean, 4e had what, 40 some hardcovers and didn't exactly manage much lifespan. 3e had even more books and only lasted a similar amount of time. 3.5 did manage 5 years, but, it was very lean by the end of those 5 years.

While 1e did manage to go about 10 years with about a quarter the supplements of any subsequent edition. Again, apples to oranges though. The market does change over time.

I'm just thinking that if they spend the time building up, say, the fixes for rangers, and everyone knows, because of play testing and whatnot, what those changes are going to be, then there is a greater chance that a ranger supplement will be well received. Rather than simply banging out book after book with "fixes" for rangers (or whatever element you wish to look at) in the hopes that one will gain traction.

Which means that instead of having stuff for rangers in five different supplements, you get one good supplement that everyone who is interested in rangers buys.

 

[Nellisir]

This is a VERY different approach than what we've had previously. Changes to classes were almost never done by asking us what we think. They just changed this or that and threw it at the wall and hope it stuck. This time around, it's a much slower process and much more involved.

It, and his commentary in other ways, makes me think that we ARE eventually going to see hardback books that are player or DM-oriented beyond adventures. There's a real emphasis in the UA column on being "rough-draft"/"playtest" material, so it's not the end of the line. The mass combat rules could fit into an adventure, but they could also fit into a DMG2 or Unearthed Arcana book. So I'm optimistic. My issue all along hasn't been the light release schedule per se; it's been the lack of knowledge about what sort of materials are being released. I still think 5e is abysmally light on support, but we're getting somewhere.

 

[Hussar]

It, and his commentary in other ways, makes me think that we ARE eventually going to see hardback books that are player or DM-oriented beyond adventures. There's a real emphasis in the UA column on being "rough-draft"/"playtest" material, so it's not the end of the line. The mass combat rules could fit into an adventure, but they could also fit into a DMG2 or Unearthed Arcana book. So I'm optimistic. My issue all along hasn't been the light release schedule per se; it's been the lack of knowledge about what sort of materials are being released. I still think 5e is abysmally light on support, but we're getting somewhere.

Oh, I'd agree with that.

I think that a Core Book 2 (name whatever) is going to come. But, instead of being pushed out the door, it's going to be gone over with a very fine tooth comb and much better received.

I wonder, perhaps, if the lack of knowledge is because they honestly don't know right now. What elements of the game need work? Well, that's what those surveys are for, aren't they? So, six months of surveys, playtests and feedback later, they'll announce a new hardback for, say, spring 2016 that includes all the stuff they develop for the first eight months of 2015.

Makes sense in my head anyway.

 

[BryonD]

Let me give you a little secret. Lack of communication DOES generate hype.

long term?

Look. How many pages and pages and pages of people complaining get about the release schedule? Granted it's not the positive hype they want (hopefully) but it is hype.

touché

I think this time next year we will still be talking about it.

Certainly. But next year is easy. People keep talking about 5 and 10 years from now....

 

[Hussar]

It's not like there's not going to be any releases though. We've still apparently got two per year. At least so far. They could always speed up later.

 

[PallyFire84]

long term?


touché


Certainly. But next year is easy. People keep talking about 5 and 10 years from now....

Why in the world would we want to be talking about 5th edition 5 and 10 years from now? Personally five years from now I want to be talking about the development of 6th ed.

One thing I genuinely don't get why people want a product to last that long. I loved odnd. I loved dnd 2.5. I loved 3.5. I liked 4th. I LOVE 5th. I want to play with 5th for a while. But I want something after 5th. And I don't want to wait 10 years for it.

 

[bmfrosty]

Why in the world would we want to be talking about 5th edition 5 and 10 years from now? Personally five years from now I want to be talking about the development of 6th ed.

One thing I genuinely don't get why people want a product to last that long. I loved odnd. I loved dnd 2.5. I loved 3.5. I liked 4th. I LOVE 5th. I want to play with 5th for a while. But I want something after 5th. And I don't want to wait 10 years for it.

I'm sure someone will come out with another different fantasy roleplaying game in the next 5 years or so. Maybe Paizo?

 

[SkidAce]

Why in the world would we want to be talking about 5th edition 5 and 10 years from now? Personally five years from now I want to be talking about the development of 6th ed.

One thing I genuinely don't get why people want a product to last that long. I loved odnd. I loved dnd 2.5. I loved 3.5. I liked 4th. I LOVE 5th. I want to play with 5th for a while. But I want something after 5th. And I don't want to wait 10 years for it.

I respect your position, and am not arguing with you in any fashion.

IMO, a 10 year run for 5e would be fantastic.

Actually, if I get psionics and a few other things, I may never upedition again.

 

[Iosue]

I was much more amenable to new editions when they were actually new editions, and not whole new games rebuilt from the ground up.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

I was much more amenable to new editions when they were actually new editions, and not whole new games rebuilt from the ground up.

When did that actually happen? Are you talking about Call of Cthulhu? Because it's the only example that springs to mind.