D&D 5E Wanting more content doesn't always equate to wanting tons of splat options so please stop.

[Maxperson]

Regardless of how many want "general release content", you've indicated that you would want more frequent release of such material. That you would not be enticed back to the game by the release of one source book unless you knew another would be coming shortly thereafter. Correct?

First, more frequent than what? The nothing put out so far? Yes. More than 1 book a year? No. Second, I have not said that I would not be enticed back by one source book. I said it would depend on how much longer they make me wait, and how much is in the book.

You want a "general" release...so not setting specific would be my guess on what that means, or perhaps a specific setting book that's not already been done. There are folks that consider SCAG and the upcoming Volo's Guide to be the kind of book you're looking for. I know you don't see it that way, and I understand why...but your requirement is more specific than that of many others.

The Sword Coast is a place in the Forgotten Realms, so it's very clearly setting specific. Volo's is also setting specific, but probably more easily used elsewhere since it consists of monsters. It really depends on how much setting content is in it.

And then you also expect them to continue with such material at a faster pace than they currently are doing. Again, that's a pretty hefty expectation. That'd would dramatically multiply their workload (1 source book a year would increase their workload by about 50%) or require them to hire on new designers or a significant amount of freelancers. Either of those has the possibilty to yield positive results...but each also has the risk of affecting the quality of all of their products, and the risk of affecting their profits.

No. 1 book a year is not a hefty expectation. They were putting out 30 books a year during 3e. Adding 1 book a year to 5e raises the number to about 7-8 annually.

 

[Azzy]

No. 1 book a year is not a hefty expectation. They were putting out 30 books a year during 3e. Adding 1 book a year to 5e raises the number to about 7-8 annually.

Then take that up with Mearls & Crawford—they're the only ones that have any say in the matter.

 

[Azzy]

I think 4e falls into this camp for me, too. Too many options, too much stacking, too many moving fiddly bits....

Ain't wrong to love that stuff (and if Paizo can meet that niche, great!) but I think you hit a broader audience when your game isn't all that concerned with it.

Agree. I believe the more rules-intensive or fiddly a system is, the more niche it becomes—hence the HERO system (and the like), while extremely flexible and customizable, has a very small market.

Personally, 5e is what I wish 3e had been.

 

[delericho]

Maybe the tipping point is not supplements, it is sales of core books. People like Ryan Dancy have always said that most money comes from the core books.

Yep. As long as the PHB continues to fly high in the Amazon charts (and, one assumes, continues to sell elsewhere in large numbers), 5e will continue. Once it starts to slip, we'll start to see either 6e gearing up or a cancellation.

However...

What's less clear is how the production of supplements affects PHB sales. It appears (again from Dancey's analysis) that at least some supplements help to drive PHB sales, and so are a net good for the line. But, equally, I suspect [MENTION=22779]Hussar[/MENTION] is right that too many supplements has the opposite effect - that they serve to drive people away from the PHB rather than helping.

Where I think I disagree with Hussar, though, is that I think it's probably not the simple number of supplements that is key, but more likely the rate at which they are produced. (And it also matters a great deal which books are produced, as well as the simple numbers.)

But that's just a best guess. Nobody knows exactly what the answer is - even WotC, who have the best available data, only know that some specific approaches don't work for them and that some other specific approaches are working... for now.

 

[Maxperson]

Then take that up with Mearls & Crawford—they're the only ones that have any say in the matter.

Hey, you're right. What's the point of discussing anything here! This place should be shut down! Or........we can have a discussion about this without Mears & Crawford.

 

[delericho]

Hey, you're right. What's the point of discussing anything here! This place should be shut down! Or........we can have a discussion about this without Mears & Crawford.

Wait... I thought you were Crawford? Or is that me?

 

[Maxperson]

Wait... I thought you were Crawford? Or is that me?

I want to be Crawford. He has a better name than Mearls

 

[delericho]

I want to be Crawford. He has a better name than Mearls

Jeremy?

 

[Maxperson]

Jeremy?

Mikey has to like it, and I don't like everything.

 

[Chaosmancer]

It's not a book I can get in a store.

I'm looking for a book. Stuff I have to print out looks crappy and gets ruined very easily, and a tablet is not a easy to use, so PDFs do me no good during a game.

So… you’ll only be satisfied with a hardcover book? I mean, I can’t help you if your printer makes everything look crappy, but I’d almost guarantee printing out the entire 30 page Elemental Evil and buying page protectors and a binder is going to cost you less than the $40 to get the information from Princes of the Apocalypse.
You must be very rough on your papers too, I printed out pages from Elemental Evil almost 2 years ago and they aren’t in the best shape, but they are far from ruined.

Volo is Forgotten Realms specific. Elemental Evil is not a book as far as I've seen on the shelves.

Have you been reading the previews? I have not seen a single thing that screams “FOUND ONLY IN THE FORGOTTEN REALMS^tm” From any of the preview material. Unless… I suppose you could count the gods? Maybe the fact that the Yuan-Ti used to have an empire?

But you know… that makes it sound like you are being really nitpicky about what you want. You want a hardcover book, in your gaming store, of the size you think preferable, with not a single mention of a single setting? Heck, even the MM and PHB have some setting fluff in them, at some point you’ve got to compromise your position, because I imagine if you went talked to WoTC, they'd probably give you what I gave you.

Core Books in year 1

Elemental Evil is general Release (Year 2?)

Volo is essentially general Release with a light sprinkling of the Realms (Year 3?)

Crunch book is a-coming in year 4 (?)

1 general release per year, just not the hardcover books with zero reference to any setting ever that seems to be what you want.