Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 7358214" data-attributes="member: 37579">I this case it's a study conducted by Columbia University and repeated numerous times. So it's not just randos throwing together a paper. You do need a viable amount of content to be sure. A reasonable amount of content beyond the core can make a game. (As I say thing, I'm gagging for the next two books for Star Trek Adventures, because that game does feel content lite.)2e is actually an interesting example as it's bloat was mostly confined to settings, and easy to ignore of you just focused on the generic RPG books. Until the black border era in the late '90s, there was only a couple expansion products plus the optional softcovcers. There was decent delineation between what was "core" and what as "optional". But the catch was they just kept churning out those softcovers and campaign settings...Which is where I tend to sit as well. I like content and love new RPG books, but I'm happier to pick-up two or three different lines and have a modest release scheduled rather than focusing on a single RPG line with a robust schedule where it's impossible to use the content as fast as it's released.  The catch is, most RPGs hit a point when they're "done". When they've covered all the must-have options and everything else is largely superflous or super niche. I'd argue Pathfinder hit that in 2012, which is fairly quickly for a non-licensed RPG. With the first three Bestiaries, Advanced Player's Guide, NPC Codex, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Advanced Race Guide, and Ultimate Equipment the game was pretty much complete. (Sure, there was some neat stuff after like Occult Adventures, but then we're getting into the niche stuff.)But had they instead spaced that content out with a 1.5 books each year rather than 3 a year, the game would have been going strong well into 2014. And, if said books had been a little more content light, with more story and flavour, the content they had released would have been tighter and more well developed and there would have been more desirable content left for the next couple years. This feels like a false dilemma. I don't think I've ever seen anyone seriously ask for splatbooks to be eliminated altogether. And some new content is required to justify having staff and maintaining the product line. But I don't think we need new class content every four months. Or even once a year. Since people don't make and use the content that fast. Honestly, I think Starfinder is currently going at a reasonable pace. Soon to be monthly adventures, of varying lengths, with new monsters and lore and PC options in the back. And a hardcover maybe once a year expanding the setting. And in 2-3 years they could do a compilation expanding and updating the material from the APs with some additional content. That feels like a solid release schedule that's sustainable. This is really a message board perspective. People were really down on 3rd Party content following the 3e glut. And that attitude remains with Pathfinder to some extent. And yet 3PP continues to be released and sell decently well, even for PF. Because there's nothing magically about WotC or Paizo that makes their content somehow intrinsically better. A well down 3PP can be just as good as an official release. 5e has show that 3PP are great for supplementing a slow release schedule, as it's perfect for that niche content. (As has Starfinder for that matter.) We don't need endless released on super specific archetypes and subclasses, when a focused 3PP can do that just as well (if not better since they don't have to compromise the focus and can instead double down on the theme). There's a lot of love for 3rd Party stuff for 5e, showing that the new generation isn't as jaded over 3PP, and that when you release high quality content it will sell. Plus, homebrewing seems to be super common among new players. There's just something about falling in love with a game that drives people to make their own content. And too much official content really hinders that creativity, because there's less gaps to be filled and enough choices already...</blockquote>

Verification