DMG2- will its rules appear in the SRD?

[Crothian]

actually there are some cool new rules in there. All they need to do is put up the framework of them so people can use them, that's all we want not for them to give away the book for free.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Gosh, I hope so. I haven't had the opportunity to purchase it yet. So if some of its contents are released into it, I'll be a happy camper.

 

[Rawhide]

My best guess?

There aren't going to be any more updates to the SRD. Wizards is working towards 4e (not this year or next, but before 2010), and they're moving away from 3e things already. The new stat block is a perfect example. It's not open, so no one can use it except WotC and it's partners (like Paizo).

4e won't be open. Specific partners will be allowed to provide support for it. It's going to be far enoughf rom 3.5 that it'll be difficult for companies to market to the current edition without paying a fee to wotC to do so, and only companies with a proven track record will be allowed to.

This is why Green Ronin and Monte Cook have been moving their game systems away from core d20. (Although the Advanced Gamemaster's Guide is open, and in my opinion a much better book than DMG II).

Mark my words. There are signs everywhere. You want new WotC rules, you'll have to buy them, and only they and their partners will be allowed to play with them.

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

I don't care about anything in the DMG2 being open, aside from the Mob template. I so want to use that in an adventure.

 

[Garnfellow]

The new stat block is a perfect example. It's not open, so no one can use it except WotC and it's partners (like Paizo).

Actually, I'm pretty confident that it doesn't matter whether the statblock is open or not . . . I don't think a particukar arrangement of stats can really be defended as IP. It wasn't like the old style statblock is detailed in the SRD.

 

[Garnfellow]

Well, up until GenCon I had shared the same sense that many posters here have: Wizards will no longer be adding to the SRD.

But in one of the GenCon panels (detailed here in an EnWorld thread), one of the WotC designers specifically mentioned adding content from the upcoming PHII to the SRD.

That's not a promise, of course. But it suggests that SRD updates might continue.

 

[philreed]

4e won't be open. Specific partners will be allowed to provide support for it. It's going to be far enoughf rom 3.5 that it'll be difficult for companies to market to the current edition without paying a fee to wotC to do so, and only companies with a proven track record will be allowed to.

For what it's worth, I think you're right.

 

[Maggan]

Mark my words. There are signs everywhere. You want new WotC rules, you'll have to buy them, and only they and their partners will be allowed to play with them.

Mark your words? Yeah, maybe. There are plenty of signs out there, but still all I can see is speculation from basically the same few industry people saying again, and again, that 4e will be closed.

Ryan Dancey and Clark Peterson thinks the opposite, and claim that there are many signs that support their opinion.

So for me, the thing is still undecided. And for me as a gamer, it won't change anything. I already buy the books I want and use, even though I use the Sovelior/Sage SRD for quick reference during play.

Cheers!

/M

 

[PatrickLawinger]

Mark your words? Yeah, maybe. There are plenty of signs out there, but still all I can see is speculation from basically the same few industry people saying again, and again, that 4e will be closed.

Ryan Dancey and Clark Peterson thinks the opposite, and claim that there are many signs that support their opinion.

So for me, the thing is still undecided. And for me as a gamer, it won't change anything. I already buy the books I want and use, even though I use the Sovelior/Sage SRD for quick reference during play.

Cheers!

/M

In order to close 4e they would have to be so different from 3/3.5 that it would hardly be recognizable as DnD. The magic system (and tons of variants), majority of spells, majority of monsters, AC system, base 20 rolling system, skills system, feat system, class system, level-based system, etc. are all open content. The cat is out of the bag.

Could they do it? Sure, they could try. Will they? I doubt it. They have been adding modern/future material to the modern SRD, they have plans to add further new DnD/fantasy material into the SRD, I just don't see them closing material.

Have people made "variant handbooks?" Yes. Is this a direct competition with WotC? No, I am willing to bet that 95+% of the people that have bought a "variant handbook" still own a copy of the DnD PHB (and/or d20 Modern-depending on the game).

They are the big boy on the block. The more people play RPGs (any RPGs) the better it is for WotC.

One thing that might happen is a more restricted d20 (or d20-type) trademark or license. In other words, they'll open up content but to indicate compatibility with a trademark symbol you might have to pay a license fee. Doing this would probably require WotC to institute some sort of review policy, this would be costly to them so I honestly don't know if they would bother with this.

Patrick

 

[Kapture]

Mark your words? Yeah, maybe. There are plenty of signs out there, but still all I can see is speculation from basically the same few industry people saying again, and again, that 4e will be closed.

Ryan Dancey and Clark Peterson thinks the opposite, and claim that there are many signs that support their opinion.

So for me, the thing is still undecided. And for me as a gamer, it won't change anything. I already buy the books I want and use, even though I use the Sovelior/Sage SRD for quick reference during play.

Cheers!

/M

Yeah, well, you'd feel differently if'n you'd see'd the same goat entrails I have.