I'd like to be excited, but...

[3catcircus]

Then why have a new edition?

The issue to me isn't a new edition. The issue is a new edition so quickly. Fourth Edition will come out five years after 3.5e which came out three years after 3e. By contrast, 3e came out 11 years after 2e which came out 12 years after the original Advanced game. In two-thirds the time between earlier editions, we've had two editions. Maybe 11-12 years was too long between editions, but 3-5 years is too short.

The *only* reasons that any new editions are released is to increase profit.

Those of us who started out with BD&D or 1st edition would be happily playing that edition to this day if 2nd/3rd was never released.

As a comparison - let's look at Monopoly.

First released as "The Landlord Game" in 1904. Revised in 1924. Twenty years later. In the 1930's, Parker Brothers released their version of the game. Its been pretty much the same since then, with the only differences being the types of properties on the board (Here and Now Edition, various country-specific editions).

With the exception of variants and house-rules games, the rules have pretty much stayed the same for over 70 years...

 

[Azgulor]

Right, so that means there will be a 4.5E. Good to know.

I think WotC has learned something from the fallout of the 3.5 announcement. The wrong lesson, I fear, but a lesson. I think the safer bet is that the cycle between 4e and 5e will be shorter than any 1e-2e, 2e-3e, or 3e-4e. The result will be the same, unfortunately, but WotC will claim its different since they didn't name it 4.5. By tying in the DI, as technology changes they could try to argue that advances in technology warrant an overhaul of the DI offerings. By bundling that with rules changes, they could try to argue the scope of changes combined warrants a new edition sooner.

And the wheel turns again.

 

[Mythtify]

I don't hate WoTC for releasing 4e. I simply won't buy it. I just added up the face value of the D&D books on my bookcase : WotC $1,776.40, third party 1,461.11. Thats $3,237.51 in just physical books. Most of my collection is 3.5. This dosn't include money I spent on PDF's, software, and minis, templates, cards, ect. I have to much money invested in 3.5 to move on to 4.0.

They may be taking it to the "next level"; but I am sure that they are already thinking about the level after. In two years, they will start planning for 5th edition, and all the money they make when everybody switches over again. Not me. I am getting off this money train now.

 

[Einan]

Likewise, as many people have stated, I may not switch. My gaming group and I will be discussing the prospect and it may be that we stick with 3.x.

However part of what bugs me is the long wait. If you're going to do 4th edition, announce it at Gen Con and sell it no more than 2 months later. Or keep your mouth shut until you have the product ready to sell. Don't tease me for nine months. That doesn't build excitement, it builds disgust. Especially since the website is going to be constantly teasing this for the entire time.

I'm not sure I completely buy the money arguement. I believe that WOTC employees are good people who are doing their job the best way they know how. So far I've respected their choices and ideas, even if I've not purchased all of them. But this decision just doesn't inspire me, not yet. The previews are too teasy, and the Digital Initiative smacks of another revenue stream and not necessarily anything I'd be willing to pay $x per month for. I think they've got their work cut out for them in building excitement for this.

However, the bright side of all of this is I finally grok Diaglo.

EInan