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<blockquote data-quote="francisca" data-source="post: 1423037" data-attributes="member: 9734">One aspect of the environment is very different now: Hasbro.&nbsp; Again, the D&amp;D business model is based around selling PHBs.&nbsp; Once that runs out of steam, they will need a way to revitalize sales, or a new business model.I don't think whether D&amp;D remains the &quot;same game&quot; matters to Hasbro.&nbsp; After all, it didn't matter to Wizards.&nbsp; 4E will be minis based, if current trends continue.&nbsp; These things we cling to as D&amp;D, classes, AC,&nbsp; alignment, can all be emulated with other mechanics.&nbsp; Ditch AC for Armor based DR, classes are templates that add powers with experience (like SKR stuff on the wizards site), alignment can easily be an optional system.Warning: Rampant Speculation follows:I'll further add to my speculation:&nbsp; Not only will there be no MM, there will be no DMG.&nbsp; Just 1 rule book.&nbsp; This will probably come with a coupon which gives you a discount on box of starter minis which has the stats for the monsters and a flavor pamphlet for the &quot;DM&quot; (if there even is a DM**).&nbsp; One rulebook will ease entry for the&nbsp; younger demographic, as one book for say, $50, is easier to get for your birthday than 3 books for $90-$100.&nbsp; Forget about the fact that they'll pay more in the long run for all of the minis, the CCG market has proven that this model is a good one (for sales).&nbsp; Hasbro needs the younger kids who love the plastic, collectible minis.&nbsp; That's where the money is in this area of the hobby.&nbsp;&nbsp; Whilst alot of old farts (like me) prefer metal, and don't like this current revision cycle, and are unlikely to buy into 4E anyway, so who cares?&nbsp; We're likely to stop playing soon due to life's demands anyway.**I further predict there will be no DM in 4E (since I'm really going off the deep end anyway).&nbsp; What is one of the hardest parts of getting a game going?&nbsp; Finding a DM who has and is willing to spend the time to do it.&nbsp;&nbsp; Then you hope the DM is good, and has a solid grasp of the rules.&nbsp; Isn't part of 3E's strategy to define everything so the DM has rules to go by, with less arbitrary rulings?&nbsp; Why not eliminate the DM altogether?&nbsp; So, you codify everything, and with each box of minis, you'll get a few &quot;adventures&quot;.&nbsp; Maybe we'll even see &quot;adventures in a box&quot; which have a battle map, minis, and a choose-your-own-path style adventure.Now, I'm not saying any of this is for the better, or that Hasbro is &quot;evil&quot;.&nbsp; They have the right to do what they want with the game, they own it.&nbsp; I hope I'm wrong, as &quot;no DM&quot; is heresy to me.&nbsp; I'm just looking at current market trends, what the 9-15 year olds in the FLGS are playing, and speculating.&nbsp; Maybe I need to get funding for a start-up to build an OGL based game which &quot;features&quot; no DM, collectible minis, canned adventures, and beat them to the punch.&nbsp; I dunno.&nbsp; Where's my Moldvay Basic set?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="francisca, post: 1423037, member: 9734"] One aspect of the environment is very different now: Hasbro. Again, the D&D business model is based around selling PHBs. Once that runs out of steam, they will need a way to revitalize sales, or a new business model. I don't think whether D&D remains the "same game" matters to Hasbro. After all, it didn't matter to Wizards. 4E will be minis based, if current trends continue. These things we cling to as D&D, classes, AC, alignment, can all be emulated with other mechanics. Ditch AC for Armor based DR, classes are templates that add powers with experience (like SKR stuff on the wizards site), alignment can easily be an optional system. [COLOR=Red][SIZE=6]Warning: Rampant Speculation follows:[/SIZE][/COLOR] I'll further add to my speculation: Not only will there be no MM, there will be no DMG. Just 1 rule book. This will probably come with a coupon which gives you a discount on box of starter minis which has the stats for the monsters and a flavor pamphlet for the "DM" (if there even is a DM**). One rulebook will ease entry for the younger demographic, as one book for say, $50, is easier to get for your birthday than 3 books for $90-$100. Forget about the fact that they'll pay more in the long run for all of the minis, the CCG market has proven that this model is a good one (for sales). Hasbro needs the younger kids who love the plastic, collectible minis. That's where the money is in this area of the hobby. Whilst alot of old farts (like me) prefer metal, and don't like this current revision cycle, and are unlikely to buy into 4E anyway, so who cares? We're likely to stop playing soon due to life's demands anyway. **I further predict there will be no DM in 4E (since I'm really going off the deep end anyway). What is one of the hardest parts of getting a game going? Finding a DM who has and is willing to spend the time to do it. Then you hope the DM is good, and has a solid grasp of the rules. Isn't part of 3E's strategy to define everything so the DM has rules to go by, with less arbitrary rulings? Why not eliminate the DM altogether? So, you codify everything, and with each box of minis, you'll get a few "adventures". Maybe we'll even see "adventures in a box" which have a battle map, minis, and a choose-your-own-path style adventure. Now, I'm not saying any of this is for the better, or that Hasbro is "evil". They have the right to do what they want with the game, they own it. I hope I'm wrong, as "no DM" is heresy to me. I'm just looking at current market trends, what the 9-15 year olds in the FLGS are playing, and speculating. Maybe I need to get funding for a start-up to build an OGL based game which "features" no DM, collectible minis, canned adventures, and beat them to the punch. I dunno. Where's my Moldvay Basic set? [/QUOTE]

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