D&D General Kobold Press Going Down a Dark Road

[jerryrice4949]

I have been a loyal KP Kickstarter backer however this advertisement for Black Flag seems a little misleading. Is there really any indication that WoTC only plans to have core D&D material available electronically. I really see myself not supporting KP as they separate themselves from D&D.

1) 5th Edition Core Rulebooks are going away. The 5E Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide will not stay in print. New players must either use purely digital rulebooks (which works for some people) or find a new version.

We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.

We want to keep 5E vibrant and strong at the heart of a community of players and publishers. Your investment in 5E will be supported by Project Black Flag because it is compatible with the game you already know.

 

[Scribe]

1) 5th Edition Core Rulebooks are going away. The 5E Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide will not stay in print. New players must either use purely digital rulebooks (which works for some people) or find a new version.

I mean, they clearly will go away, once the 2024 version is released.

 

[bedir than]

I have been a loyal KP Kickstarter backer however this advertisement for Black Flag seems a little misleading. Is there really any indication that WoTC only plans to have core D&D material available electronically. I really see myself not supporting KP as they separate themselves from D&D.

1) 5th Edition Core Rulebooks are going away. The 5E Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide will not stay in print. New players must either use purely digital rulebooks (which works for some people) or find a new version.

We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.

We want to keep 5E vibrant and strong at the heart of a community of players and publishers. Your investment in 5E will be supported by Project Black Flag because it is compatible with the game you already know.

Are you quoting them? If so where is this from?

 

[Burnside]

I'm p sure the 5E core rulebooks will indeed go out of print once the One D&D versions are published. I am also sure that they will still be widely available for purchase in print for years to come. My local Barnes & Noble still has some 4E stock on their shelves.

 

[darjr]

I'm p sure the 5E core rulebooks will indeed go out of print once the One D&D versions are published. I am also sure that they will still be widely available for purchase in print for years to come. My local Barnes & Noble still has some 4E stock on their shelves.

This. WotC has done this with other books. Also I used and new old stock will be around for a while.

 

[Morrus]

They won't continue printing the current core books, of course. They'll print the new revised core books.

 

[dave2008]

I have been a loyal KP Kickstarter backer however this advertisement for Black Flag seems a little misleading. Is there really any indication that WoTC only plans to have core D&D material available electronically. I really see myself not supporting KP as they separate themselves from D&D.

Are you saying this is what KP is claiming:

1) 5th Edition Core Rulebooks are going away. The 5E Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide will not stay in print. New players must either use purely digital rulebooks (which works for some people) or find a new version.

We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.

We want to keep 5E vibrant and strong at the heart of a community of players and publishers. Your investment in 5E will be supported by Project Black Flag because it is compatible with the game you already know.

If so, that isn't just misleading it is a lie.

 

[jerryrice4949]

I mean, they clearly will go away, once the 2024 version is released.

That’s not what they are implying though and I am certain you know that.

 

[jerryrice4949]

Are you saying this is what KP is claiming:


If so, that isn't just misleading it is a lie.

Yea it is from a Facebook post about Black Flag. Also here:

Project Black Flag - Kobold Press

What You Need To Know What is Project Black Flag? Project Black Flag is a code name for a larger series of efforts by Kobold Press to update, streamline, and publish a core fantasy RPG based on 5E Dungeons & Dragons SRD 5.1. This includes the new Core Fantasy Roleplay rules released and...

koboldpress.com

 

[Parmandur]

For me, it's less the claim that the 2014 books are going away (because they are, at least), but the disingenuous claim that Black Flag is more backwards compatible than Oje is shaping up to be. Because from what we have seen...they are about the same in terms of compatibility, with Black Flag actually changing more of the math if anything. In fact, many of the changes even seem to be the same changes.

I like what I'm seeing, game wise, but the rhetoric is very off-putting to me as an interested customer.

 

[Alzrius]

Are you quoting them? If so where is this from?

It's from the Project Black Flag page on Kobold Press's website:

 

[Parmandur]

Are you saying this is what KP is claiming:


If so, that isn't just misleading it is a lie.

He's not claiming it, thst is a direct quote from their Black Flag design blog. It's very hostile and weird.

 

[mamba]

Are you saying this is what KP is claiming:


If so, that isn't just misleading it is a lie.

Not sure I even would call it misleading, the 5e books are going away, replaced by the 1DD books.

5th Edition Core Rulebooks are going away. The 5E Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide will not stay in print. New players must either use purely digital rulebooks (which works for some people) or find a new version.

so find 1DD, or Black Flag, or ...

 

[Scribe]

That’s not what they are implying though and I am certain you know that.

I think it is what they are implying. They are not implying that the books will deleted now, I dont think.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I have been a loyal KP Kickstarter backer however this advertisement for Black Flag seems a little misleading. Is there really any indication that WoTC only plans to have core D&D material available electronically. I really see myself not supporting KP as they separate themselves from D&D.

1) 5th Edition Core Rulebooks are going away. The 5E Monster Manual, Player’s Handbook, and Dungeon Master’s Guide will not stay in print. New players must either use purely digital rulebooks (which works for some people) or find a new version.

We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.

We want to keep 5E vibrant and strong at the heart of a community of players and publishers. Your investment in 5E will be supported by Project Black Flag because it is compatible with the game you already know.

One of those technically true things depending on your views on what is 5e and whether it includes the 2024 revisions.

 

[jerryrice4949]

They won't continue printing the current core books, of course. They'll print the new revised core books.

True but that is not what this implies. They are implying WoTC is moving all digital.

‘We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.’

 

[darjr]

True but that is not what this implies. They are implying WoTC is moving all digital.

‘We aim to keep the spirit of tabletop alive by producing beautiful, inviting versions of the core rulebooks for those who prefer to play face-to-face and those who don’t want to pay a monthly subscription to play.’

No. It isn’t. I think you have to take that stance by purposefully ignoring everything else that’s happened. Why would anyone do that?

 

[Parmandur]

No. It isn’t. I think you have to take that stance by purposefully ignoring everything else that’s happened. Why would anyone do that?

Kobold Press does seem to be pushing a weird "OneD&D isn't backwards compatible, while we are" narrative, which...seems to require not having read either set of playtests to conclude.

 

[Burnside]

I do expect OneD&D to be digital-first - in other words, I expect WotC to prioritize digital products over print ones. However, we've seen nothing so far to suggest that there won't be print products. If anything, the advent in recent months of their digital/physical bundles suggests the opposite.

 

[jerryrice4949]

No. It isn’t. I think you have to take that stance by purposefully ignoring everything else that’s happened. Why would anyone do that?

I am going to try and be respectful in my reply which is more than I can say for yours. But WoTC has not indicated they are moving to digital releases only and this certainly implies that but doesn’t say so directly.