Is it time for 5E?

[CleverNickName]

(Preface: this thread is meant to be optimistic.)

The game is changing. I mean, sure, it is always changing. But this time it feels like it's more than just the ebb and flow of popular opinion and personal preferences. Maybe it's all in my head, but it feels a lot like the days before 4E was announced. So I wonder...is the time ripe for 5E?

Understand, this has nothing to do with liking/not liking 4E. Trek with me for a minute.

Back in 2003-2006, 3E/3.5E had been out for a few years and the hobby was enjoying a new surge in popularity. New books were being released at a healthy rate, and the rules began to change with them. Psionics Handbook. Epic Level Handbook. Savage Species. The Book of Nine Swords. Games played with these "optional" books were completely different from "core only" games, and not just in the Look & Feel category. It was only a matter of time until all of these new rules split off from their parent game, and became something new.

And split they did. The best elements of all of the "optional" books were collected and compiled, and a lot of customer feedback was gathered and shaped. The 4th Edition of the rules was announced, then released. And whether you love it, hate it, or have never even played it, you cannot deny that it has been a success.

Well, it is beginning to feel like 2006 again, at least from my point of view. Each new book released by WotC seems to include new rules and different approaches to game mechanics, just like in the later days of 3.5E. Not just simple add-ons like new equipment and powers...the rules themselves are changing, evolving. I think the time might be ripe for these rules to follow 4E's fine example, and split off into a new edition. If not now, certainly soon.

Thoughts?

 

[ggroy]

Let's pull out the "magic 8 ball".

 

[Maggan]

So I wonder...is the time ripe for 5E?

No. WotC still needs to see how the combination of DDI and D&D Essentials plays out commercially. DDI would be such an integral part of 5E (at least that's what I would do) that they need to hammer that down before even thinking of changing to 5E.

I think we might see splinters of D&D4, like the Ravenloft RPG, that does experimentaion with mechanics, but no outright new 5e edition.

The 4th Edition of the rules was announced, then released. And whether you love it or hate it, you cannot deny that it has been a success.

Heh, you crack me up!

Cheers

/M

 

[CleverNickName]

Let's pull out the "magic 8 ball".

An excellent idea...

Interesting...

 

[delericho]

It's way too early for 5e.

And I say that despite also saying that nothing short of 5e can bring me back as a WotC customer. (I enjoy 4e... as a player. I won't run it. And I don't spend money on a game unless I intend on running it. And so, WotC lost the last of my custom when they ended SWSE.)

 

[Raven Crowking]

it's way too early for 5e.

And i say that despite also saying that nothing short of 5e can bring me back as a wotc customer.

+1.

They might have gotten away with 5e pre-Essentials, but they sure as heck should stay out of that water now. And, very likely, they wouldn't have done well with 5e pre-Essentials either.

IMHO, 5e is another 2-3 years away.


RC

 

[CleverNickName]

It's way too early for 5e.

But why? It doesn't seem terribly unrealistic to think that WotC is already developing a 5th Edition, given the amount of time that 4E has been on the market and the recent developments in game materials. It all feels familiar...and not in a bad way.

IMHO, 5e is another 2-3 years away.

If it comes at all. :-/ Still, I wouldn't be too surprised if it were announced later this year.

 

[Raven Crowking]

But why?

Consumer confidence.

If 5e came out soon, it would make too many folks imagine that 6e would come out soon as well, and simply wait for that edition.

IMHO, anyway. For what little that opinion is worth!!!


RC

 

[ggroy]

But why? It doesn't seem terribly unrealistic to think that WotC is already developing a 5th Edition, given the amount of time that 4E has been on the market and the recent developments in game materials. It all feels familiar...and not in a bad way.

It took them around 3 years to produce 4E from inception to the release date of the 4E PHB1. (This is documented in the book "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Presents-Classes-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/0786948019"]Wizards Presents: Races and Classes[/ame]" on pages 8 and 9).

In the case of 4E Essentials, it took them around a year from inception to the release date. (This is mentioned in the WotC D&D July podcast, at around 50 seconds into the podcast).


Based on these precedents, if 5E D&D turns out to be a drastically different design than any previous D&D editions, then most likely it would take around 3 years from inception to release date. If they're releasing such a 5E D&D next year (2012), then the design work would have started sometime in 2009.

If 5E D&D turns out to be a "rush job" and/or a small change from 4E or 4E Essentials (or any other previous edition), in principle they could possibly crank out a 5E D&D in a year's time, to be ready for release in latter half of 2011 or early 2012 (if they started right now, or a few months ago).

 

[delericho]

But why?

There needs to be a certain length of time between editions to allow the designers to see what works and what doesn't, what needs revised, and what new elements gain traction with the gamer public. Also, new editions really need to be 'different enough' to justify forcing people to buy the same stuff over again, and that also requires time and thought.

IMO, 8 years feels about right between editions (I would prefer 10, but 8's okay). There's room for a 'half edition' in between, whether that's Unearthed Arcana, Skills & Powers, 3.5e, or Essentials, but there does need to be time as well.

It doesn't seem terribly unrealistic to think that WotC is already developing a 5th Edition.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that Andy Collins, Mike Mearls, and others on the WotC staff of the time had folders of ideas for 5e even before 4e was released. Stuff that they thought would be cool, but didn't have time to flesh out, or stuff they wanted to try, but the team lead didn't go for.

As for whether serious work is being done in that direction... I don't know. I doubt it, at this time at least.