D&D 4E 4E is coming!

[Akrasia]

There's a difference.

Rules Bloat is what happened with oD&D and AD&D ....

Options Bloat is what happens with Prestige Classes and Feats...

Bloat is disgusting and annoying, no matter its form.

 

[Treebore]

They changed to 3.5 mid stream so why would they wait on 4e? Oh yeah, so they can reprint all of this product and have us buy it again to be 4e compatible.

 

[Sammael]

I've reached the same conclusion as Merric. The sheer number and diversity of products for 2005 is pleasantly surprising.

 

[Akrasia]

Shame on you Merric!

The title of this thread is most misleading.

It should be: are you excited about all this new upcoming [insert tedious crap title here]?!?

 

[Li Shenron]

Weapons of Legacy is the first of the D&D Magic Series
Battlefield Adventures is the first of the D&D Genre Series

It's supposable (but not strictly necessary) that a series has at least 3 books, so I'm curious to know which following releases they have planned for these 2, especially the first one: this WoL seems to me the most different product from the WotC standards, because it seems to have more flavor material than crunch.

Codex Anathema continies the Ecology series (though it doesn't have a formal name, to my knowledge), and the D&D Environment Series continues with Sandstorm and Maelstrom.

In the article you linked, it is called Creature series. I don't see the deviation you speak about... in that article the Genre series was already mentioned for 2004.

So, where does this leave 4E? Given the product plan through 2005, it seems that Wizards should be well set through 2006 and possibly the early part of 2007. Perhaps we'll see 4E in 2007 or 2008...

However, because of this wealth of material, it becomes less and less likely that the d20 System will be abandoned or seriously modified in 4E. Aspects of it might be changed, of course, but the core balances are likely to remain.

Well, one year ago before the plan for 2nd quarter 2004 we could have thought the same, that there wasn't much left to publish. I don't remember exactly, but we didn't know if Complete books were possibly going to be only 3, we didn't know how many books about the newcoming campaign setting were going to be done, we didn't imagine an Environment series at all, and not even a Genre series or a Magic series, right? We didn't think we were going to see a Planar Handbook because MotP didn't really need a 3.5 update either, and Draconomicon sounded more like a one-shot prestige book rather than the start of a series.

This is just to say that IMO WotC was pretty able to surprise us last year, why can't it do so again for a long time? Eventually there will be a time when ideas will run short, but who knows when? It's also possible that some 3ed versions of other old settings will be published, althought I doubt they will be fully supported like Eberron or FR, instead more like it was done for Dragonlance.

However, as a general opinion, I don't think the RP publishing should be treated as computer software production. D&D is not like Windows which can receive infinite updates, because the Windows updates have the point of following the progress of PC hardware and commercial software, which may know no limit (at least in some mid-term perspective...), but that's not the same with a RPG. There could be improvements over the rules of the game, but at some point it won't be possible to make it any better.

 

[Thanee]

I hope that with 4E they finally decide on a basic ruleset, which they do not have to break with every other expansion that gets published.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Ranes]

I seem to remember 2e following hot on the heels of 1e's MM2, WSG and DSG. With next year's third edition releases starting new series of supplements (genre series et al), I expect we'll see new 3e books appearing right up to the moment when 4e is released. I'll guess on 2008.

Then the whole cycle can start again.

Even if 4e is only a slightly modified 3.5, there will be a lot of people who change to the new system, because there always is. It's inevitable. I would really like to see the current system stay in publication for a long time, with reprints containing errata being the only new publications. But we're more likely to see the invention of zero point energy motors and the arrival of ETs from Zeta Reticuli III.

I can't say what my reaction to 4e will be, until I see it. 3e brought me back into the fold. Now I'm here, I'm not looking for a new edition. I guess it all depends on the covers.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I never thought that 4e would come out for awhile due to the success they are having with the current line. The 3.5 was a little on the shady side, in my opinion but it is not as frustrating to gamers as they do not HAVE to get 3.5 (I never did) and continue to blissfully play 3. If 4e comes out in 2008 it is far enough along for me to consider it but if 3 works well enough for my purposes, I won't switch.

 

[diaglo]

when is the Map Folio 3-D to be released?


4ed is already here btw... it is called Hackmaster. just read their GMG.

 

[DaveMage]

I firmly believe that 4E was delayed due to the success of the miniatures.

Should the popularity of the miniatures decline, then you can start to look for 4E.

Unfortunately, I expect the miniature popularity to decline this year as (according to the ad copy for the upcoming sets) the mini sets veer away from the traditional (i.e. Monster Manual minis) to less tradtional (Eberron, Book of Exalted Deeds) minis.

Now, if they get back to doing more huge minis from the MM, then all bets are off, as IMO, those are the best they've done to date.