Hey everyone! What's new?

[Nyaricus]

So, I've been very busy with my band and university and such, and 4e really turned me off of D&D, plus my group was getting kinda heated... so I basically have been completely avoiding everything D&D-related since last October or somesuch.

So, just wondering what's been happening since 4e hit us last year, how it's holding up to 3e, what's been happening in the industry and all that. A refresher, pretty much. I saw something on the forums about WotC suing people, and worried about their collapse and other such things, but I'm looking for the small and big news alike.

Also, hello to everyone with whom I haven't spoken to in a long time! Anyone is welcome to add me on MSN - it's Nyaricus [at] hotmail [dot] com if you so wish

cheers,
--N

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Now playing: Candlemass - Black Stone Wielder

 

[xechnao]

I think Wotc announced-acknowledged to public that virtual tabletop will be no more -I have read something like this around here.

Also it seems more day by day that the D&D hardcore market for the life cycle of 4e will be a divide among 4e and Pathfinder of Paizo. No thriving third party market around 4e. We will know better regarding Pathfinder after August.

No signs of Wotc collapsing or anything like that, aside from a grim Hasbro earnings report but we know nothing about the actual Wotc status.

People still play -or at least keep subscriptions- WoW by the millions.

 

[Starbuck_II]

WotC found some people who were very likely to have pirated some PDF of D&D. Since it is illegal, they are attempting to take them to court.

Possibly they doing this for same reasons people allow executions like National punishment (electric chair, lethal injection, etc).
1) It lets others know if found they too will suffer this to them.
2) It lets those harmed (WotC) feel better that they stopped the culprits.

Those who don't like 4th but like 3rd will likely say bad things about it.
The reverse will also happen.

Personally, I think they both have their good and bad points. I haven't played enough 4th to be sure, but seems like a good game to me. Still play 3rd because I lack a DM who runs 4th at moment (plus still so many clases I haven't played).

Some people think WotC will collapse because they think PHB 2 didn't sell enough copies: I don't really play attention to that stuff though. Not sure I really understand it.

 

[avin]

Susan Boyle killed D&D.

 

[DarkMasterBR]

WotC was found guilty of spreading cocaine in their books, to make that "new book smell" addictive. I should've known. That's why people are talking about suing people, cocaine is serious stuff!

 

[Piratecat]

Excessive dice cause swine flu.

Welcome back!

 

[armorclass10]

WotC was found guilty of spreading cocaine in their books, to make that "new book smell" addictive. I should've known. That's why people are talking about suing people, cocaine is serious stuff!

I got the special smokable version....it was nice. No talk of suing here

Here's some fun new 4th edition game news, hybrid/dual classing playtest, an Epic Tier module, Arcane Power (familiars, summoning, and the return of the iluusionist), PHB2, Open Grave, power cards, non random minis, the DM screen still hasn't been fixed, the character builder is a success for real, Monk playtest next month, MM2 coming (hopefully myconids are back), etc.

No more legal means to acquire WotC pdfs, even older edition stuff, etc.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

So, I've been very busy with my band and university and such, and 4e really turned me off of D&D, plus my group was getting kinda heated... so I basically have been completely avoiding everything D&D-related since last October or somesuch.

So, just wondering what's been happening since 4e hit us last year, how it's holding up to 3e, what's been happening in the industry and all that. A refresher, pretty much. I saw something on the forums about WotC suing people, and worried about their collapse and other such things, but I'm looking for the small and big news alike.

Also, hello to everyone with whom I haven't spoken to in a long time! Anyone is welcome to add me on MSN - it's Nyaricus [at] hotmail [dot] com if you so wish

cheers,
--N

----------------
Now playing: Candlemass - Black Stone Wielder

Welcome back! You have missed a lot, but some of it was admittedly the usual internet storm-in-a-waterglass. Most important things IMHO:

- Character builder is so awesome it makes you want to cry that you cannot have that for other games (god it WOULD play Exalted if it had something like it).
- DDI is suprisingly useful - the compendium takes the lead here, but Dragon is also a shining example. Dungeon can still not compare to adventure-experts Paizo.
- Still lots of flames about stuff. Wotc decision to act against pirates and copyright-infringers has be interpreted in the usual ways: / D&D too unprofitable / Hasbro a mindless moneyeating machine / end is nigh / Paizo buys D&D etc.

tl;dr version: 4e is still fun, awesome stuff is coming out, the ENworld community is still divided by flames. If you have some forum experiences, i thing you´ll be vastly unsuprised about who is in what camp and who stays neutral and stuff.

Happy gaming!

 

[Aus_Snow]

Hey there, Ny. Good to see you back. And your band's rockin' on? Awesome.

For the [D&D] industry, well, there's 4e, and there's Pathfinder. Oh, and the old school movement is stronger than ever. F'rex, retro-clones (starting with OSRIC, and leading to a bunch of others) are out in force, with their own (print) magazines, and all.

Dragon and Dungeon magazine both were pulled, but now exist in PDF form, if you subscribe to the D&D Insider thing, a monthly service for 4e fans what wants it. One alternative, mostly for 3e groups, is Kobold Quarterly.

There are plenty of people playnig 4e, and plenty of people playing 3e, as well as various d20 games, OGL games, and all the rest. Tough economic times, maybe, but I think the overall hobby will survive just fine. You shouldn't have any trouble finding players, if you need to, for instance.

 

[Mark]

Welcome back!