I might wait 3 years for v.4.5

[Thunderfoot]

There is the other possibility for hardback buyers too - the PHB II/III/IV/V that they will reportedly release every year. Should they follow this model in addition to the electronic copy (which will make the hard copy obsolete) for those unwilling to shell out the monthly fee, you get to pay on the yearly plan. As a business model, I have to admit, its genius.

The real question though, is will it be usable and will it be prudent. Also, after updating the electronic version so many times, it would be silly NOT to release an updated edition (not a 4.5 per se) but a second edition printing with errata and rules fixes. Face it, 1st edition had what nine re-prints; even though they differed very little, if at all from the first printing. I don't see a rules overhaul like 3.0 to 3.5, but I do see certain rules becoming the "grapple check" of 4e; a good idea, but poor execution, that will need to be fixed.

I for one welcome our new 4e overlords!

 

[sfgiants]

I enjoy how so many people take Scott Rouses' word that there will be no 4.5. Mr. Rouse only appeared here in recent months (presumably to soften us up for 4e) and yet he has a ton of credibility. I don't know but I think his word is kind of worthless (what is the life expectancy of the job over there?). There will be a 4.5 if they need money. If the Di flops 4.5 will be sooner rather than later. If it goes well, maybe 5-6 years from now we will see a 4.5.

 

[Ghendar]

It was confirmed at GenCon that 4th edition is just that - 4th edition. None of this .0 or .5 junk. I swear, it made D&D sound like software.

What's stopping them from changing their minds in a couple years? Just because they said it at Gencon doesn't mean it can't change. I think a 4.5 is a very real possibility.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

There is the other possibility for hardback buyers too - the PHB II/III/IV/V that they will reportedly release every year. Should they follow this model in addition to the electronic copy (which will make the hard copy obsolete) for those unwilling to shell out the monthly fee, you get to pay on the yearly plan. As a business model, I have to admit, its genius.

The real question though, is will it be usable and will it be prudent. Also, after updating the electronic version so many times, it would be silly NOT to release an updated edition (not a 4.5 per se) but a second edition printing with errata and rules fixes. Face it, 1st edition had what nine re-prints; even though they differed very little, if at all from the first printing. I don't see a rules overhaul like 3.0 to 3.5, but I do see certain rules becoming the "grapple check" of 4e; a good idea, but poor execution, that will need to be fixed.

I for one welcome our new 4e overlords!

And they could simply switch the "errata-ed" reprinted PHB I, DMG I and MM I into one of the slots a few years later instead of publishing PHB VI, DMG VI and MM VI that year, too.

 

[Tharkun]

I was very lucky in that I went straight from 2E to 3.5, so I don't have any 3.0 paperweights sitting around on my shelves.

I was fortunate that I skipped 75%+ of the 3.5 paperweights on my shelves.

 

[Tharkun]

I say it with a very straight face, 3.5 was not a new edition.

All changes were minor, core books were 80-90% identical, you could take a PC from 3e games and use it in 3.5e without almost any change.

Invoke Chuck Norris if you want, it doesn't change the fact that a goose isn't a duck even if they can look similar.

Because it needs to be said again.

 

[Maggan]

What's stopping them from changing their minds in a couple years?

Absolutely nothing. But then again, I prefer to take people's statements at face value until they are proved incorrect. Otherwise, nothing they say is worth discussing, since they could change their minds about everything.

And to me, if they do, that's not a big thing. It won't change my world.

/M

 

[Agamon]

I love how this post:

I enjoy how so many people take Scott Rouses' word that there will be no 4.5. Mr. Rouse only appeared here in recent months (presumably to soften us up for 4e) and yet he has a ton of credibility. I don't know but I think his word is kind of worthless (what is the life expectancy of the job over there?). There will be a 4.5 if they need money. If the Di flops 4.5 will be sooner rather than later. If it goes well, maybe 5-6 years from now we will see a 4.5.

comes right after this post:

There is the other possibility for hardback buyers too - the PHB II/III/IV/V that they will reportedly release every year. Should they follow this model in addition to the electronic copy (which will make the hard copy obsolete) for those unwilling to shell out the monthly fee, you get to pay on the yearly plan. As a business model, I have to admit, its genius.

The fact is, they don't need a 4.5E, not if they go this route, which appears to be the plan, and a good one at that.

 

[Glyfair]

Could you please? I'm not saying you're wrong on this point; I seem to remember something similar, but I don't know if it was a misquote like so many of the others floating around. I'm trying to accumulate the actual original quotes so that we can verify or debunk some of the stories going around about who said what.

I'm not going to look for the original post, but I can point to a recent post where Charles Ryan admits to having said it when he was Brand Manager. Here

The "one year's notice" statement came from me. When I was running the brand, that was the plan. But in business, as in all aspects of life, things change and plans change. I don't recommend getting bent out of shape every time a business (or anyone else) says something, then, three years later, deviates slightly from what they said.

 

[Thurbane]

I was fortunate that I skipped 75%+ of the 3.5 paperweights on my shelves.

Um, do you mean you skipped buying them, or that they are on your shelves?