D&D 5E Light release schedule: More harm than good?

[bmfrosty]

Right now their release schedule, or absence thereof, raises some legitimate questions on how much WotC wants our money. Last I heard money helps make a profit and profit is life, profit is love.

Pretend that they don't want make money on the D&D TTRPG. Might they have some other goal?

 

[Trickster Spirit]

And that is great news for me and on the other hand I also know that the Warforged was supposed to be released in the DMG too so I am not exactly expecting a release in time for my Thursday game.

And yet Warforged weren't introduced until Eberron came out four years into 3.5 and a year into 4E.

If they were doing the traditional splatbook and campaign sourcebook model, you wouldn't be seeing 5E Warforged until the Eberron book came out a year or two from now.

(At least a year or two, since they'd have to do a FR campaign book first, and this time around they'd probably go with Greyhawk, Dragonlance or Planescape next, since those are the non-FR settings they've stressed the most so far.)

 

[Nergal Pendragon]

No one is contesting that point.

Sailor Moon is contesting that point.

What is contencious is the decisions they are making with that data. 4e was made with a lot of data only they had. No need to go into further details about that little side trek.

I don't remember them claiming this. I do remember them claiming that they were responding to forum criticisms of game design up to that point and something about broader appeal. Could you link me to the statements behind this? I might be remembering wrong.

Right now their release schedule, or absence thereof, raises some legitimate questions on how much WotC wants our money. Last I heard money helps make a profit and profit is life, profit is love.

Their release schedule at current is on par with several other RPG makers. Announcing only when within a few months of completion actually is a release schedule that some have made work for them.

The interesting part is, we don't know if this current lack of information is long-term. What I can say is that it's a good thing. 3E rushed out with a mad release schedule, and they had to produce so much errata to fix the mechanics problems of that edition that they had to completely redesign several mechanics and release 3.5E. 4E also rushed out with a hefty release schedule, and look at how that one turned out.

They've had two editions in a row that were, in some form or another, a disaster. The fact they are being cautious this early in the edition is a good sign. Now, if they continue to be this cautious in six months? Then, I'll agree you have a point. Until then, all I can say is that this is a vast improvement on how they handled 3E and 4E.

I'm really curious to know what metric suddenly materialized that made them realize the market is already saturated with their books. Cause about two weeks ago the Adventurer's Handbook was still being made (as they sent the cover art to online retailers).

They didn't cancel it. They decided to make it a free download instead.

That's not deciding the market is oversaturated; if anything, that sounds like they're using it as a test run for 5E PDF products. And, if anything having it free will likely increase its distribution.

So, they're still releasing the same amount of books. They just decided not to charge for one of them.

 

[pkt77242]

The slow release schedule isn't a problem in and of itself.
In light of WOTC also being uncommunicative and their 4E history....I can see why some people are raising doubts.

They don't have to start pumping out products on a monthly basis to succeed.
They DO have to start talking to the community, escpecially if they are going to be experimenting with how the game is presented and delivered.

So far they haven't done much taliking about what they are doing and want to do.
And they haven't done anything about managing expectations either. If the "consumptive" model of game support is going away, the public needs to know what it's going to be replaced with. The community has gotten used to certain things and a certain way of doing things. If you make changes you have to educate the public or yo run the risk of 4E level disconnect eventually.

That they follow up the good communication of the playtest period with this stonewall activity is perplexing....
and they haven't done anything but the bare minimum with their website.

The problem with talking about future endeavors is that if it doesn't come to fruition or it gets delayed people go nuts. Just look at what happened when they "cancelled" the Adventure's Handbook, many people freaked out. While I would enjoy more communication from them about upcoming projects, it also has to be balanced with not disappointing the fan base if things change.

 

[Shasarak]

And yet Warforged weren't introduced until Eberron came out four years into 3.5 and a year into 4E.

Or to put it another way, I have been able to play Warforged for over 10 years so why stop now?

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

I may not agree with the premise of this thread, but let me play Devil's Advocate a bit. There may be potential harm in not feeding the more dedicated fans some of what they want. We are quite important in spreading love for role playing and D&D. I don't think that means a faster release schedule, or that we need it right now, but we do thrive off of new content.

Personally, I think the best balance would be to get some form of subscription based content going. Something that goes straight to the dedicated fans and doesn't create a barrier to entry for newcomers.

 

[pkt77242]

Or to put it another way, I have been able to play Warforged for over 10 years so why stop now?

So you are ignoring the fact that you are getting what you want "warforged" in a timelier fashion then the previous edition and for cheaper. Yet you have still found a reason to complain about it. What am I missing?

 

[Mistwell]

Also, Sailor Moon/Foreverslayer,

Why did you call Sailor Moon "Foreverslayer"? Were you referring to two different posters, or saying Foreverslayer changed their name to Sailor Moon?

 

[Shasarak]

So you are ignoring the fact that you are getting what you want "warforged" in a timelier fashion then the previous edition and for cheaper. Yet you have still found a reason to complain about it. What am I missing?

I guess the main fact that you are missing is that I am just talking rather then complaining.

 

[Kramodlog]

Pretend that they don't want make money on the D&D TTRPG. Might they have some other goal?

Spread satanism.