D&D 5E AP vs CS: change in philosophy or marketing strategy?

[Stefano Rinaldelli]

Hello everybody.
What I want to enlight with this new thread is a precise element of change in D&D's business model.

It seem quite clear that publication priority has been given to AP then CS.

I'd like to have some question answered:

1. I have a black hole on 4ed period because of my work efforts: how was the situation during 4ed era in respect of the topic?
2. When happened and how that AP surpass CS?

In conclusion I want to leave my two cents about this change: I've played DND since 2 edition, about 1986 or so... What has ever amazed me was the power of CS to inspire my own adventure, giving me the little boost I need to transform myself from a sterile field to a little storyteller and worldbuilder.
This happened thanks to lore, adventure hooks and geographical maps.
CS have the power of suggestion that is more powerful than description as every horror writer knows well: It's better to let the reader imagine the horror starting from keyhole perception than describe every single blood drop.

It seem to me that AP preference is derived from a need to give public more "ready made" material minimizing the effort requested to DM to play.
This sacrifices lore and geography to save time to DM.

Starting from that I have a question:

This change is derived from a change in the antropology of players in this years? And if yes, why and how players are changed?

PLEASE, take in account that I'd like a serious discussion about that, avoid AP vs CS war or something. I do not prefer CS to AP since their release is balanced.

Thank you for your feedback and excuse my english.

Stefano Rinaldelli - AUSTERE TUTELAR of DARKPLANE

 

[delericho]

I assume that by CS you mean Campaign Setting? If not, my answers below are nonsense. Or, perhaps, even more nonsense.

1. I have a black hole on 4ed period because of my work efforts: how was the situation during 4ed era in respect of the topic?
2. When happened and how that AP surpass CS?

4e had two Adventure Paths: the nine published adventures that started with "Keep on the Shadowfell" and the "Scales of War" path that appeared in eDungeon. Neither was terribly well received, so thereafter they mostly stuck with standalone adventures.

That said, I believe there were some hints of 'storylines' in that they had several eDungeon adventures that were grouped under a banner (I forget what it was called) but which weren't a path as such.

But, really, this change of focus seems to have come about with 5e. I don't believe anything 'happened' as such - it's just a change in direction.

It seem to me that AP preference is derived from a need to give public more "ready made" material minimizing the effort requested to DM to play.

My feeling is that it's actually more about licensing. D&D, despite having 40 years of history, actually doesn't have a lot of recognisable characters. There are a few - Drizzt, Strahd, Lord Soth - but only a few. That makes it harder for WotC to license D&D out for movies, video games, etc than it would be if they had such things.

And so they're focusing on 'storylines' - which is not just an AP but also includes a season of Adventurer League adventures, NWN tie-ins, possibly novels, etc etc. This (hopefully) generates some of those iconic characters, plus scenes, locations, and plotlines, and thus gives them IP that they can license out more easily.

At least, that's the theory (I think).

This change is derived from a change in the antropology of players in this years? And if yes, why and how players are changed?

I don't think we've changed. Rather, I think they've finally recognised that the biggest group of players buys nothing at all, the next biggest buys just the PHB, the next buys just the Core Rulebooks, and then smaller groups buy PHB+splatbook or Core Three+campaign setting or Core Three+adventures, or whatever. Beyond that, there's a fairly tiny group that buys deeply into the line, and we're just not numerous enough to justify lots of releases.