D&D 3E/3.5 3.5e Publishing Models in a 4e world

[RangerWickett]

OTOH, my group is sticking with 3.5, and we haven't gone anywhere near EN Publishing's stuff (PDFs suck), and while huge adventure path fans, wouldn't touch War of the Burning Sky with a ten-foot pole. But Paizo (and little less so Goodman) are now getting a fair chunk of change from me - more than in the past, even.

I'm not sure if you're saying you wouldn't touch it because it's pdf, or because you don't like the idea, but we also sell print copies: http://stores.lulu.com/enpublishing


Really, WotBS was doing well until 4e was announced. We had what people had long been asking Paizo to put into their next adventure path, namely villains who weren't extraplanar demon lords, and an overarching plot that the PCs could be aware of from the beginning (i.e., the PCs know they're fighting a war in WotBS, but in Savage Tide they don't know they're messing with a 'savage tide' until something like the 5th adventure).

I like to think of us as sort of like Dragonlance, updated for modern sensibilities. I mean, I marvel at the fact that WotC or Paizo hadn't already released an 'epic fantasy war' saga. It seems like the sort of stuff D&D is made for, especially if you look at its roots in Tolkien.

I personally don't think publishing 3.5 after 4e comes out is going to be profitable, just like 3e wasn't profitable after the update to 3.5. If we had the $5000 to spare to get in on the early releases for 4e, we would love to do a conversion of WotBS to 4th.

I'm happy that Paizo at least has better sales. I do hear that most pdf publishers aren't selling too well, and though the correlation between the drop-off and the 4e announcement seems pretty strong, I can really only just speculate from the very limited data I have. Maybe if we had print distribution we'd be doing better.

 

[freyar]

Really, WotBS was doing well until 4e was announced. We had what people had long been asking Paizo to put into their next adventure path, namely villains who weren't extraplanar demon lords, and an overarching plot that the PCs could be aware of from the beginning (i.e., the PCs know they're fighting a war in WotBS, but in Savage Tide they don't know they're messing with a 'savage tide' until something like the 5th adventure).

Well, not that I'm likely to sell many copies for you or anything, but I subscribed to WotBS in Dec with some holiday money, and I'm quite happy with it so far. So, seriously EN Worlders, give your own publishing house a chance!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Glad to hear that EN World's 3.5Ed publishing numbers are up (in general), especially in light of the 4Ed announcement.

Given that Paizo and apparently Green Ronin are not exactly fully satisfied that they're going to be able to publish quality 4Ed material right out of the gate, that means 2 and possibly more 3rd party publishers will continue supporting 3.5.

Talk about a grand experiment! Will shiny new 4Ed be able to match the power of 3.5, warts and all?
<cue techno music>
MORTAL KOMBAT!

 

[jmucchiello]

If 4E is so-so, well, ask again in September.

No, most small time 3.5 publishers (which includes ENPub if they don't plunk down the $5k) will be locked out of 4e until January '09.

 

[Vascant]

I really do wish EN Publishing would have kept doing the Arsenal series, I still get good use out of them. There are very few releases that cover a topic as well as they did. (Same with Joe's Book of Enchantment as well) For me material like these are proving to be most useful as I step away from WotC products and start creating my own world for campaigns. Thanks guys!

 

[DaveMage]

No, most small time 3.5 publishers (which includes ENPub if they don't plunk down the $5k) will be locked out of 4e until January '09.

Yeah, but by then you will have seen the rules and heard the opinions on the merits of 4E and can decide whether it's something you want to support or not.

 

[EP]

Even then, you're looking at the "progress" of 4E for the next year or so as groups try it out, adjust their campaigns or start new ones, and put in some real gametime into 4E before making a final decision. There's also the matter of publishers/players picking aspects of the game that scream 3rd party products (just look at how many feats have been released for 3E over the years, including an entire book of 1000+ feats alone from Mongoose). I think most publishers will support 4E in one way or another initially, and may play around with 3.5 until there's no reason to touch it all again until 4-5 years from now when the "old school" kick returns.

 

[Morrus]

Yeah, but by then you will have seen the rules and heard the opinions on the merits of 4E and can decide whether it's something you want to support or not.

Well, yes, if we survive the year and a half of being pretty much closed for business (Aug 2007 - Jan 2009).

 

[DaveMage]

Well, yes, if we survive the year and a half of being pretty much closed for business (Aug 2007 - Jan 2009).

If you focus only on D&D 4E, that's true.

However, even if you think the 3.5 well has dried up for your company, there's True20, C&C, M&M, and probably other OGL systems out there I'm forgetting for which products can still be made.

And, of course, there's always "system neutral" material.

 

[Morrus]

And, of course, there's always "system neutral" material.

Yeah, that's the direction I'm thinking. FANTASY MONEY did really well, and we have a novel trilogy out (well, two of three).