Eric Noah's Info

[Lanefan]

The day you need online access to be able to play tabletop D+D is the day the game dies.

And I don't think the intent is to kill it, hm?

Lanefan

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Resistance is futile, you will be assimilated.

 

[Zaruthustran]

The day you need online access to be able to play tabletop D+D is the day the game dies.

And I don't think the intent is to kill it, hm?

Lanefan

I doubt online access will be a requirement. Books are profitable and people certainly like buying them. But I do hope they make online tools and electronic books a well-supported, integrated option.

-z

 

[Markn]

One thing I would like to add about a 4th edition. Dungeon magazine is about to begin its 3rd Adventure Path, starting next issue I think and I believe it runs for 12 issues. I suspect that a 4th edition will not debut during its course. That would seriously kill the magazine and tick people off causing many to not renew their subscription.

Make no mistake about it, regardless of what WotC does, they will inform those that need to know about a new version and IMO this includes the people running Dragon and Dungeon. Based on that alone we have 12 months at least prior to a 4th edition announcement.

If anyone else mentioned this already, then please accept my apologies.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I'm an even smaller minority.

While I'll gladly play 3.5 I refuse to run 3.0/3.5 so when it's my turn to GM our group, it's 1E ADnD or Castles and Crusades.

Nah, we're in the same small minority. Like you, I'll play 3E, but I don't run it anymore. I'm running C&C as my preferred system. I'd run B/X, BECMI, or 1E, too, if requested.

 

[dcas]

Make no mistake about it, regardless of what WotC does, they will inform those that need to know about a new version and IMO this includes the people running Dragon and Dungeon. Based on that alone we have 12 months at least prior to a 4th edition announcement.

No, it means we have 12 months prior to a 4th Edition release. An announcement could come before then.

And it's quite possible that Dungeon and Dragon could run 3e and 4e adventures and articles side-by-side.

 

[Markn]

No, it means we have 12 months prior to a 4th Edition release. An announcement could come before then.

And it's quite possible that Dungeon and Dragon could run 3e and 4e adventures and articles side-by-side.

I agree whole heartedly. You'll notice that I didn't say 4e wouldn't be announced. I said it wouldn't debut for at least a year. Having said that, I think an announcement on 4e may have some detrimental effects on the magazine as well. Therefore, IMO, we won't even get an announcement until next year which then would likely place 4e 2 years off.

As for running 3e/4e articles in one mag? No, that would kill the mag. By trying to support 2 versions and making everyone happy they would end up making no one happy. They will only support the current version. Don't quote me on this but I think Erik Mona even stated as much - I just can't think of where I saw it.

 

[Arnwyn]

A note about all the people saying they will just continue playing 3E/3.5: I've heard that before. 'No, we won't go to 3.5'. Well, the majority of you will, in fact, go to the next edition. The FLGS has a five-foot-wide nine-foot-tall bookscase full of 3.0 stuff - a lot of it good 3.0 stuff, not the cheap quickly-prduced garbage - at 75% off that has maybe moved one or two books in the last year that says otherwise.

If that's the best evidence you've got, ignoring all other factors and the situations of the people who posted in an online forum... you'll probably want to revise your statement.

 

[WayneLigon]

If that's the best evidence you've got, ignoring all other factors and the situations of the people who posted in an online forum... you'll probably want to revise your statement.

I consider it a vastly better indication of the likely buying patterns of the general gamer population. I beleive I've seen it said here that ENWorld is more heavily skewed towards older set-in-their-ways gamers who are unlikely to change quickly. I think the huge shelf of unmoved product shows us what happened elsewhere: people moved on to 3.5 and left 3.0 by the wayside, just like they left 2.0 and 1.0 by the wayside. If companies don't prepare for 4.0, then we'll see the same thing when people switch to 4.0: tons of unsold 3.5 product.

Only a tremendous screw-up on WOTC's part can prevent this, something on the level of the stupider theories of collectable rules or chargen-by-random-miniature.

 

[Arnwyn]

I consider it a vastly better indication of the likely buying patterns of the general gamer population.

That I absolutely agree with. WotC knows their market well - when 4e comes, the general gamer population will eat it up.

I beleive I've seen it said here that ENWorld is more heavily skewed towards older set-in-their-ways gamers who are unlikely to change quickly.

Which I believe to be reasonably true - which is why I took issue with your particular post.