3.0e was released one book per month. The first printing of the PHB included a small number of monsters (and, I think, magic items) to tide you over until the other books were out. 3.5e was released all at once.
And I remember that, and that they were removed from later printings, once you said it...post edited.
Well, provided we redefine 'began' - after all, 2nd Edition had splatbooks for each individual class and each individual race (except Gnomes and Halflings, who got half of one each).
True, dat (and edited) - sory, can't XP you for the fix.
I think 3e was the first edition planned for splatbooks, though. Even the OGL seemed geared at making others write those low-profit adventures.
It was, but it covered everything you needed for a set range of levels in each box - races/classes, monsters, magic items, DM advice, etc. Call it a "layered" approach where each release stacked on to the previous vs. AD&D's model (and the main one ever since then) of a "silo-ed" approach of separate books for players and DM's that covered all possible levels in each book.
It would be really interesting to try the BECMI approach today. Beyond just changing things up it would give the designers a chance to ensure that the basic mechanics were sound before moving to the next tier of play. I would love to see that.
Again, true, a different approach, and one meriting consideration. But still not an "all in one" release (the Rules Cyclopedia was). Being forced to buy the box also meant everyone had to buy the adventure module if they wanted the rules.
A further advantage of publishing the rules "level by level" - future releases could fix problems already discovered. As well, focused adventure releases would be practical. Tough on setting releases, though, since the NPC's would be constrained to published levels. But then, upgrading NPC's for new splatbooks is no mean feat either.
3.0 was one book a month. 3.5 may have been different, but 3.0 was staggered. It's debatable whether it began in 1E AD&D (Unearther Arcana? Survival Guides?) but splat books were all over 2nd Edition - see the "Complete Book of X" series that was all over the place back then.
I think 3.5 was all at once, but I may be misrecalling that as well. Those were more like reprints with errata though.
I don't consider the splatbook trend to be a 1st Ed thing. Those were more like rules expansions a lot of games published back then, not routine additions to the game mechanics. 2e, I think, is where the prospects started being perceived, so I was late on that as well. I think 3e would be the first edition designed to be splatbook-heavy, though.
Yes 4E gave us multiple PHB's and DMG's AND splat books for classes (well, power sources), continuing the trend from 3E. I expect we will see more of that with the new edition too.
Definitely - the hobby as a whole has evolved in that regard. Back in The Day, the game came in one box, typically with a Players Book, a GM's Book and an Adventure. If it did well, it got more adventure books, maybe setting books, and perhaps the occasional Rules Update book. AD&D was the notable exception.
But 2e brought the lesson that adventures sell to GM's, where splatbooks also sell to players. By 3e, that genie was never going back into the bottle. Many publishers minimize or avoid published adventures now, because they just don't sell as well.
Very true. I don't think we can tell form this discovery alone which approach is being used this time.
Agreed. Someone upthread noted the desirability of having the game released well before the big Cons. Having only a partial release to even sell AT the cons likely will not be a great result. This, I think, lends some credence to the "PHB" holding all rules needed to play, and maybe some sample monsters as well (or a sample monsters giveaway at the cons dovetailing with adventures used at the cons).
