D&D 4E Grim Tales 2.0 and 4E?

[Flynn]

Wulf,

Do you have any thoughts on the future of Grim Tales, and whether or not it might be influenced by the coming Fourth Edition? I presume that, with the limited activity on Grim Tales over the last few years, there may be no plans for a Grim Tales 2.0, but if so, do you have any opinions on whether or not it'll involve 4E or remain v3.5?

With Regards,
Flynn

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Part of the problem for me with Grim Tales II is that there is already so much excellent d20 design out there, most folks' needs are already met.

It's pretty typical for me to see something like, "I just finished running my weekly Modern/Grim Tales/True 20/Conan game and..."

So publishing Grim Tales II would be pretty much an exercise in just giving a few (very much appreciated) fans a chance to buy a book full of stuff they probably already have, or could easily design on their own, just to give them the satisfaction of having a book with Grim Tales 2 on the cover.

And I think, to the extent that 4e must remain fairly specific to the D&D genre, you're going to see most of the best d20 design right there. Take all the good d20 stuff you've seen over the past 8 years, feed it through the WOTC design talent, and what do you get?

(EDIT: Maybe you get Fantasy Concepts: An OGL Fantasy Saga Project...)

Now... that being said...

4e definitely has me chomping at the bit to do something. In a perfect world I'd be working on 4e.

There will probably be ample inspiration and ample room after 4e is released for me to do something. Whether it will be GT2 or something more specifically "Fantasy Sweet Spot" I don't know.

I just have to make sure I am not so distracted playing 4e that I don't feel like doing any writing.

 

[Flynn]

Having read your commentary on "Sweet Spot" gaming, I'm sure that I would greatly appreciate picking up "Fantasy Sweet Spot" should you decide to create it, in whatever form it might take.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad to hear that you are feeling the drive to create, on some level or another. I've liked the work you've produced, and I have to admit that I've missed seeing more of your products in recent years. (Perhaps I just didn't know where to look, though.)

Enjoy,
Flynn

 

[jdrakeh]

I'm not certain that there is a need for GT2. The thing is, GT is really its own game (albeit one that builds on a d20 framework). It has its own fanbase because of what it does and because it does these things well (and, in many cases, better than the products upon which it drew inspiration). Moving GT to a D&D 4e model would be kind of like the ill-fated Champions move to Fuzion, I suspect.

 

[Henry]

I've just found it funny (ha-ha funny, not "they stole it!") that after all of Wulf's forum discussions on "preserving the sweet spot", that basic idea has lots of play in the new edition now.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I've just found it funny (ha-ha funny, not "they stole it!") that after all of Wulf's forum discussions on "preserving the sweet spot", that basic idea has lots of play in the new edition now.

I had my suspicions (and absolutely no inside knowledge, FWIW).

Anyhow, a good idea is a good idea. I don't think there is a better design house than WOTC right now-- the primary reason I never really pursued anything along those avenues. I assumed that WOTC would see the same things we all saw. There is no way I would want to jump the gun on Mearls & Co.

Plus, as you all know, I am congenitally lazy.

 

[The_Universe]

If there was enough innovation there, I'd buy GT2. I still love my GT1 book...I can't imagine you could do worse with whatever 4e gives you to work with.

 

[GlassJaw]

Plus, as you all know, I am congenitally lazy.

I can confirm this.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I can confirm this.

I meant to respond to this earlier...

 

[JoeGKushner]

Part of the problem for me with Grim Tales II is that there is already so much excellent d20 design out there, most folks' needs are already met.

It's pretty typical for me to see something like, "I just finished running my weekly Modern/Grim Tales/True 20/Conan game and..."

So publishing Grim Tales II would be pretty much an exercise in just giving a few (very much appreciated) fans a chance to buy a book full of stuff they probably already have, or could easily design on their own, just to give them the satisfaction of having a book with Grim Tales 2 on the cover.

And I think, to the extent that 4e must remain fairly specific to the D&D genre, you're going to see most of the best d20 design right there. Take all the good d20 stuff you've seen over the past 8 years, feed it through the WOTC design talent, and what do you get?

(EDIT: Maybe you get Fantasy Concepts: An OGL Fantasy Saga Project...)

Now... that being said...

4e definitely has me chomping at the bit to do something. In a perfect world I'd be working on 4e.

There will probably be ample inspiration and ample room after 4e is released for me to do something. Whether it will be GT2 or something more specifically "Fantasy Sweet Spot" I don't know.

I just have to make sure I am not so distracted playing 4e that I don't feel like doing any writing.

Sounds like the perfect time to finish that compendium of races/classes eh? I mean, there's not even going to be a gnome in the core book so you can bump him right out of the compendium without feeling bad and get to updating the human for 4e!