D&D General 50th Anniversary- Are You Not Entertained?

[JEB]

Those are already available on the DMsGuild, usually in nice PoD even.

Except for 1977 Basic (Holmes), for some reason. (Which is a shame since it's the first version of Basic, and the least in line with later editions.)

 

[TheSword]

Yes, I decided to invoke Betteridge's Law ... because, to date, I am decidedly underwhelmed by the 50th Anniversary of D&D.

Let me start by saying that I am most certainly not a hater of a D&D, 5e, or the planned revisions to D&D. I can certainly understand that there is a lot on their plate right now, from the upcoming major revisions to 5e to the D&D Beyond / VTT, and I am sure that this is consuming time and resources. And yet, as someone who previously speculated breathlessly about what we might see this year ... I am beginning to think that the ambitious plans for revamping 5e and the VTT this year have come at the expense of a once-in-a-lifetime* opportunity to celebrate the game.

*Speaking for you. As someone who still intends to live forever, I can't wait to see what they have planned for the 500th Anniversary!

Let's start with the ... if not great, then the not-bad. The announced books for this year (as of PAX Unplugged) include:
1. A new PHB. This will most assuredly drop this year, with the publication of the other core three being in the more ... nebulous categories.
2. Descent Into the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. The classic 1982 module updated, and will include a tournament-style scoring system!
3. Vecna: Eye of Ruin. You see, most APs, you know, will be playing at fifteen...Where can you go from there? Where? Twenty. This one goes to Twenty. That's five more.
4. Quests from the Infinite Staircase. A collection (eight?) of older adventures updated to 5e.
5. The Making of Original Dungeons & Dragons: 1970-1976. I mean, it's not like we don't have plenty of other great historical account already. Ahem.

None of these are bad, per se. Obviously, I am concerned that the history book will have to be "sanded down" and "corporatized" to make sure everyone is happy, and won't have the truly interesting (and controversial) information that you can get from other books like Game Wizards. I suspect it will be nice, pleasant, and redundant for those who are familiar with the history.

Two of the entries (Tosjcanth and Infinite Staircase) can basically be boiled down to, "Updating Nine Older Adventures." While I think that including tournament-style scoring in Tsojcanth is a great idea, I have a feeling that it will be a one-and-done; if they don't make further competition modules, what's the point?

So other than their plans to continue conquering the world (new 5e, VTT), we are left with Vecna. It's good to see Vecna, of course, but that's it for published materials for the 50th that aren't just rehashes of their old modules. Sure, I bet that there will be 50th merchandise or special covers, but ... that's not what I was hoping for.

Where is the setting? A reboot of Greyhawk? Or a real FR setting? Either with an actual map? Or something as simple as special, 50th Anniversary hardcover (or boxed) reprints of their classic rulebooks (such as 1e and B/X, or even all of them?). Heck, put those aside ... how about something that thrills and excites? I love Vecna as much as (if not more than) the next person, but Vecna is a well that they've gone to a lot. For the 50th, it's nine reprints, and Vecna. Yay?

Again, not trying to be a nattering nabob of negativism, but I've been decidedly unthrilled so far this year. Between the ad experience here (ahem) and the lack of exciting things, there just hasn't been much to capture the imagination and drive me to celebrate D&D. Maybe this will change when I see the products. Maybe I'm discounting the revision to 5e. Maybe I wanted too much for the 50th.

But overall, as I reflect on my level of interest ... I am, most decidedly, not entertained. What about the rest of you ... is the 50th Anniversary living up to your expectations?

What did we get for 25 years?

I recall a special edition of Dragon and Dungeon magazine but not much else? Is there prior form on these things?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

What did we get for 25 years?

Well, not that I subscribe to numerology, but the 50th is usually a big deal. People can (and do) make a big deal out of all sorts of anniversaries. For marketing reasons, for publicity. But it's hard for any company to miss out on a 50th ... Disney World (to use one example) practically shoveled two full years of stuff for the 50th. SNL had a nice 40th bash, but they are planning to go all out for the 50th (which is, apparently, the hardest ticket in entertainment). And so on.

For whatever reason, it has special value (including being called the "Golden Anniversary") that isn't shared by others, like the 25th. For those of you, unlike me (who will live forever), that are unlikely to make it to the 100th, this is the only big celebration you're likely to see.

Enjoy?

 

[TheSword]

Well, not that I subscribe to numerology, but the 50th is usually a big deal. People can (and do) make a big deal out of all sorts of anniversaries. For marketing reasons, for publicity. But it's hard for any company to miss out on a 50th ... Disney World (to use one example) practically shoveled two full years of stuff for the 50th. SNL had a nice 40th bash, but they are planning to go all out for the 50th (which is, apparently, the hardest ticket in entertainment). And so on.

For whatever reason, it has special value (including being called the "Golden Anniversary") that isn't shared by others, like the 25th. For those of you, unlike me (who will live forever), that are unlikely to make it to the 100th, this is the only big celebration you're likely to see.

Enjoy?

I don’t disagree. I’d happily see a year of D&D celebrations.

Just interested in what they’d done for previous biggies (less big than this ones)

I think I still have the 25 year Mags in a cupboard somewhere. I seem to recall it being quite good. The Dungeon Mag definitely had an adventure with an iconic dragon that my teenage self had never heard of

 

[DEFCON 1]

Chalk me up as someone who is more interested and excited for the date of the revised PHB book's release than I am with any anniversary year. To me, anniversaries are only as important as the events that get thrown "in honor" of that anniversary. If a married couple is thrown a huge anniversary party for their 49th year rather than their 50th... no one really cares that it seems "off" by our Base 10 counting human brains. What's actually going to be remembered is the party, not the year or date it occurred. And the same thing holds true for these next set of books in my opinion.

Do any of us remember anything from the "40th Anniversary" of D&D other than the release of 5E14? Can't speak for anyone else, but I sure don't. I don't even remember if there was any marketing events for the game's release. All I know is that GenCon was the giant event party for the PHB, and that the MM and DMG books were released a month plus after because those were the three things truly important. And anything else that may or may not have been done for the 40th Anniversary has left no memory in my head.

And I suspect the same thing is going to happen here. What's going to matter to me is the products themselves, not the date they were released or the "golden anniversary" flourishes that will surround them.

 

[mamba]

What did we get for 25 years?

a new take on the Dragonlance adventures, as one book, Return to the Keep on the Borderland, Return to White Plume Mountain, a new take on Against the Giants, Ravenloft Silver Anniversary, and a bit more

TSR Silver Anniversary

The TSR Silver Anniversary logo was printed on most of the D&D products WotC released during 1999. Some of these releases, such as the "Return to..." sequel adventures and the Silver Anniversary boxed set, were written specifically to celebrate the 25th anniversary of TSR. Other products...

rpggeek.com

 

[KYRON45]

Marketing has always been a big weakness with D&D.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Chalk me up as someone who is more interested and excited for the date of the revised PHB book's release than I am with any anniversary year. To me, anniversaries are only as important as the events that get thrown "in honor" of that anniversary. If a married couple is thrown a huge anniversary party for their 49th year rather than their 50th... no one really cares that it seems "off" by our Base 10 counting human brains. What's actually going to be remembered is the party, not the year or date it occurred. And the same thing holds true for these next set of books in my opinion.

Do any of us remember anything from the "40th Anniversary" of D&D other than the release of 5E14? Can't speak for anyone else, but I sure don't. I don't even remember if there was any marketing events for the game's release. All I know is that GenCon was the giant event party for the PHB, and that the MM and DMG books were released a month plus after because those were the three things truly important. And anything else that may or may not have been done for the 40th Anniversary has left no memory in my head.

And I suspect the same thing is going to happen here. What's going to matter to me is the products themselves, not the date they were released or the "golden anniversary" flourishes that will surround them.

Heck, the products might not even matter!

 

[Baumi]

What did we get for 25 years?

I recall a special edition of Dragon and Dungeon magazine but not much else? Is there prior form on these things?

The Silver Anniversary Box was a pure Treasure Trove!

Didn't know how great it was when I bought it back then, but now I love to take it of my shelf now and then because there is one great thing after another in there in a cool big Box ... Holmes Edition, Ravenloft, G1-G3, White Plume Mountain, Deep Dwarven Delve (i think this was new?), the Keep on the Borderland and a history book.

 

[billd91]

The Silver Anniversary Box was a pure Treasure Trove!

Didn't know how great it was when I bought it back then, but now I love to take it of my shelf now and then because there is one great thing after another in there in a cool big Box ... Holmes Edition, Ravenloft, G1-G3, White Plume Mountain, Deep Dwarven Delve (i think this was new?), the Keep on the Borderland and a history book.

There were also the various "Return to..." modules. Return to the Keep on the Borderlands, Return to White Plume Mountain, Against the Giants - the Liberation of Geoff. They were really interesting takes on what happens 25 years after the originals might have occurred.