Info from the WotC 2007 January to April Catalog

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I don't think this is anything to worry about. I suspect the increase in adventures has more to do with a new edition than anything else.

How so? They're still giving us rules updates, which would suggest they haven't brought all those folks in to tinker with 3.5 extensively.

New adventures would also have a limited shelf life if 4E is looming on the horizon.

 

[Merifluous]

I am also upset at the lack of FR regional books, or any FR book outside of FR adventures. I know the gripe has been "We need for FR adventures" and it seems like they're doing it. But I hope Cormyr is the last one for a long time because I really would like to see more non-adventure FR books. Specifically more regional books.

Is it me or does it seem like the number of FR books (outside of all these announced adventures) has been slowly decreasing? It makes me wonder if the setting is slowly on its way out...

 

[DaveMage]

Well, poot. Nothing I worked on after Complete Mage and Frostfell Rift is coming in the first quarter. Guess I'll have to wait that much longer to talk about CENSORED, CENSORED, and CENSORED.

Psht.

I can't believe they're making a CENSORED, CENSORED, *and* a CENSORED. What a sucky product line...

I expected better from you, Ari!

 

[cybertalus]

Is it me or does it seem like the number of FR books (outside of all these announced adventures) has been slowly decreasing? It makes me wonder if the setting is slowly on its way out...

2005 had 4 FR sourcebooks and 1 adventure, up from 3 sourcebooks and no adventures the previous two years. 2006 dropped back down to 3 sourcebooks and 1 adventure, but none of them were regional books, which does make 2006 seem a bit light compared to 2005.

In the whole 3E era there has never been more than one FR sourcebook released in the first quarter of a year. I wouldn't be concerned now except for the line about the Cormyr adventure being the first of a three parter.

 

[Dav]

Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition
Owen K.C. Stephens and Rodney Thompson*

This new edition of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game encapsulates all six feature films while presenting a thorough revision of the rules, making the game easier to learn while improving the overall play experience. The new 288-page core rulebook includes new character abilities and options, a streamlined skill system, a revised combat system, new feats and Force powers, a world gazetteer, statistics for key characters from all six Star Wars films and the Expanded Universe, and guidelines on how to use Star Wars Miniatures and battle maps in play.
*Based on the Star Wars Roleplaying Game Revised Core Rulebook by Bill Slavicsek, Andy Collins, and JD Walker

Key Selling Points:
This is the first official Star Wars Roleplaying Game product to include Episode III content.
The core rules have been revised and streamlined to make the game easier to learn and more fun to play.
This new edition of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game is more miniatures-friendly than previous editions and includes a battle map and guidelines for using Star Wars miniatures in play.
Fans of the Star Wars Roleplaying Game have been anxiously awaiting a version of the rulebook that includes updated information on all six feature films.
March 6, 2007
288 page Hardcover
$39.95/$49.95 CAN

Am I the only one worried about the page reduction in this Revised RCR? The RCR was 384 pages, and now we only have 288? I find it rather surprising that they'll be able to add all this new stuff AND drop about 100 pages. :\ I'm excited in general, but worried about this.

 

[cybertalus]

I don't think this is anything to worry about. I suspect the increase in adventures has more to do with a new edition than anything else.

I can't decide if I want you to be correct or not here. If you are correct it means a new edition is close enough on the horizon that it's impacting WotC's release strategy already. If you're not correct, my favorite setting might be in trouble. Of course FR could still be in trouble even with a new edition on the horizon.

I'd like to think the increased adventure output is part of the same strategy as the Basic Game and Player's and DM's Kits to make the game more accessible for new players. Afterall for people who are brand new to DMing, using a published adventure is typically easier than creating their own. Problem is, large and complicated adventures don't fit in with that notion very well.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'd like to think the increased adventure output is part of the same strategy as the Basic Game and Player's and DM's Kits to make the game more accessible for new players. Afterall for people who are brand new to DMing, using a published adventure is typically easier than creating their own. Problem is, large and complicated adventures don't fit in with that notion very well.

The GDQ and similar supermodules worked just fine with new DMs back in the day, and people new to 3E jumped all over RtToEE the same way.

I suspect WotC just looked at Shackled City and the Drow War and Age of Worms and said "we need to get us some of that."

I think this is a good thing for FR fans: For years, the Greyhawk crowd had the great common ground of the GDQ and other classic series. Creating a strong storyline/epic for the Forgotten Realms is the chance for the Forgotten Realms to get in on that in the 21st century.

And remember, the last mega-adventure from WotC is the Red Hand of Doom, which is pretty well-regarded, dragonspawn and all.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I feel for you, Ertan.

lmao!!

Whiz, was this deliberate, or just the funniest typo I've seen in a long time?

Seriously, Eytan, my sympathies. You'd be amazed how many people mispronounce "Ari." You wouldn't think it'd be that hard, especially after hearing it a time or two, but...

 

[ericlboyd]

As Aitaen's co-author on Dragons of Faerun, I can confirm that Eitienne is very easy to work with. Unfortunately, I did have a hard time remembering Iten's email address, which kept bouncing back as "unknown user". Even Eyetun's IM rarely seemed to work. I never could figure out why, but it was probably my editor's fault.

;-)

--Eric

 

[BlakeT]

Some interesting things on the horizon, thanks for the list. The Star Wars release sounds especially good to me, as I missed out on the d20 thing that came around the first time.