Eric Noah's Info

[I'm A Banana]

My idea for "More like an MMO" + "Little bite-sized supplements, but more of them" = "Expansion Packs". You play D&D for a while, and then you get to take it to a New Continent with New Classes and New Monsters and New Rules!

....the problem with that is that we get into the whole "fragmenting the marketplace" thing that was a problem in earlier editions. If they keep it to one-offs, no problem, but we see already how tempting it is to go back to good ideas from previous books.

 

[Nightfall]

KM,

There were good ideas in Planar Handbook and Races of the Dragon?!

 

[Vrecknidj]

This one I've heard absolutely nothing about. I know that the power house is still Magic, but I can't believe that Chainmail alone accounts for a larger haul than, or that it would be able to survive without the RPG. It might be that the cost of producing adventures isn't as lucrative as the core material, but ditching all of it and focusing only the minis would be like the auto industry deciding to stop making cars because people buy more wheels. Why would they still be going to press with new material, and even with a new updated core system if they were planning to sell it all off? Maybe it's an inter-Hasbro shuffle?

Chainmail?

Okay, I'm really hoping here that I missed something else in the previous 13 pages. Someone tell me that this isn't right. Chainmail, I'd guess, accounts for almost no business today. Surely what is meant is the DDM line. But if that's so, why the word "Chainmail"? Are there insiders who still call the minis line "Chainmail"?

Please tell me that it's me, and that I read something wrong.

Dave

 

[pogre]

I'm pretty sure that I have read here on EnWorld a post from some WotC official that we would get at a "warning" at least a year before 4E is released.

This was at least a year ago, and I don't remember any more details, but am sure about the one year's notice part.

I believe that was Charles Ryan, the D&D Brand Manager. Let's hope he will chime in...

oh wait, nevermind....

 

[genshou]

I believe that was Charles Ryan, the D&D Brand Manager. Let's hope he will chime in...

oh wait, nevermind....

 

[jeff37923]

I just purchased the Miniatures Handbook and the last chapter on Dungeon Delving sounds a lot like what has been proposed for 4E. Opinions?

 

[babomb]

So, when will Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D Fourth Edition News open?

 

[rounser]

Speaking as someone who's worked in publishing in one capacity or another for almost a decade, while there are pamphlet / small paperback houses that do just that and do fine (on a small scale), big publishers don't think in terms of 64 p. $10 pamphlets. The amount of effort into a 64 p. booklet is not half the effort of a 128 p. booklet - it's still a good chunk of writing, editing, layout, publishing, marketing, distribution... The margins (profit, not page) would probably be better off of the 128 p. book. I doubt we'll see $10 booklets/pamphlets about a cluster of feats or a single class anytime soon.

You're assuming a book, though. What can fit on something the size of an M:tG card, more or less?
A spell.
A feat.
A monster (definitely stretching it with stat blocks the size they currently are).
A magic item.
There's one heck of a lot of scope right there. Standardise the layout like in M:tG and I don't see there being much more overhead than requiring new artwork for every card, and if randomly distributed, there's the publishing/marketing/distribution problem solved.

 

[sullivan]

(Seriously, though, I agree with you that WotC seems to be de-emphasizing the role of the DM, lately.)

I for one love that direction. I'm more than a little fed up with the God-syndrome for whoever is behind the screen. I don't think flat out getting rid of the DM is really a feasible option at this point, or anytime in the foreseeable future. But I'm for reducing the burden on the DM and dropping the text and tone like that "advice" in the DMG that assigns the role of Dictator For Life to the DM.

In fact dropping the current split of a Players Handbook and a Dungen Master Guide and instead having core rule book(s) that are all for everyone at the table would be a huge step forward. Treat everyone at the table like responsible humans instead of having the parent at one end and all the little kids at the other.

Tear down the screen!


P.S. Yes, I am a sometimes DM.

 

[yipwyg]

I think that the new Star Wars RPG might be a good way to see where D&D is heading. The Saga edition is supposedly a revised version of the old rules, and is more focused on minatures.
I might be totally wrong, but we will see.