Pre-Gen Con WotC Press Conference

[SavageRobby]

They'd be better off tossing the Gleemax server into a large vat of acid.

Didn't they do that already? Isn't that where the color scheme came from?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I just got the invitation on my mail. After much digging among my pals who work for WotC (as freelance artists, not game designers), I've managed to get the following confirmed:

WotC is releasing a new license, to complement the d20 license. For a fee, any company which passes a quality review, will be able to put "Compatible with the D&D roleplaying game. Requires the Player's Handbook, published by Wizards of the Coast" on certain types of products: adventures, monster books and gaming aids that support D&D Minis.

No campaign worlds, no "core" rule expansions, no splat books.

This will also give each participant a certain amount of exposure in Dragon Online, and Dungeon Online, as well as on Gleemax.

Since the license will only appeal to a few publishers, this is an invitation only event, open to those that are considered to be both solvent enough, and interested enough, to sign up for a license.

Apart from Goodman Games, Paizo, Necromancer Games, Sword & Sorcery Studios, Privateer Press, Green Ronin, Mongoose and surprise participant Malhavoc Press have been confirmed as having been sent an invitation.

Sounds good to me. It'd be nice if this could spur Monte (or Sue) to do a compilation of the non-Eldritch Books of Might and maybe a hardcopy Secrets of the Delver Guild. (Although the latter wouldn't fall under this new D20+ license, or whatever they call it.)

 

[Maggan]

Maggan- my BS detector caught fire a while back, so I have no idea if you're pulling our collective leg here.

I'm glad to tell you that your BS detector isn't quite on its last leg yet. I have no inside info on the press conference. I'm just a random gamer from Sweden. I do know one artist who works for WotC, though.

I'm not used to fibbing, so I wanted to give it a try. Although I do think that it would be totally rad if WotC did announce a new license!

To all who are disappointed that I wasn't at all clear that I was not truthful, I apologise.

/m

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I'm glad to tell you that your BS detector isn't quite on its last leg yet. I have no inside info on the press conference. I'm just a random gamer from Sweden. I do know one artist who works for WotC, though.

I'm not used to fibbing, so I wanted to give it a try. Although I do think that it would be totally rad if WotC did announce a new license!

To all who are disappointed that I wasn't at all clear that I was not truthful, I apologise.

Damned Swedes!

 

[Athenon]

So what would be the most likely purpose of said press conference?

I can tell you that if I was WotC I would be announcing 4E. If they're not doing that, then launching the DI to replace Dragon & Dungeon, releasing an utterly weak-ass product schedule, and pulling back all kinds of licenses would all be very poor business decisions. ...unless you were doing these things to build up to a big payoff...

 

[Kunimatyu]

If I was WotC, I'd announce the DI with a bunch of fanfare, and for the hook, mention that the DI will be the exclusive place to go for 4E news and information, and the way to playtest 4E before the release of the printed edition. The next D&D XP will be the place where designers talk about 4E in person, and run some sample games in preparation for the Big Online Playtest. That's what I'd do.

 

[Athenon]

Me too Kunimatyu. Can you imagine how much the old Winter Fantasy would grow if that was known in advance?

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

Apart from Goodman Games, Paizo, Necromancer Games, Sword & Sorcery Studios, Privateer Press, Green Ronin, Mongoose and surprise participant Malhavoc Press have been confirmed as having been sent an invitation.

Wow, you just named all of my favourite companies. I'd be down with that. The big surprise for me would be the inclusion of Sword Sorcery Studios - I thought they were finished.

I can understand why they would restrict the splatbooks - once WotC releases an equivalent product, the 3rd party sourcebook tends to stay on shelves. Wizards wants products that complement their lineup, not fragment it. Third party race and class books have a heavy presence in the discount bins right now.

Monster books, on the other hand, "bolt on" - they can be added with little conflict against any future WotC releases. A rule against campaign settings is kind of odd - the OGL was meant to fill in the gaps left behind when Wizards slashed their campaign settings in 1999.

If Wizards is requiring a fee and limiting product options, I hope they in turn allow the licensees a broader use of the D&D ruleset - like the monsters from later Monster Manuals.

EDIT: You're a bad, bad man. I still like the idea.

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

I'm glad to tell you that your BS detector isn't quite on its last leg yet. I have no inside info on the press conference. I'm just a random gamer from Sweden. I do know one artist who works for WotC, though.

I'm not used to fibbing, so I wanted to give it a try. Although I do think that it would be totally rad if WotC did announce a new license!

To all who are disappointed that I wasn't at all clear that I was not truthful, I apologise.

/m

Your fake scoop made the front news page. Prepare to devoured by the moderators!

 

[Morrus]

I'm glad to tell you that your BS detector isn't quite on its last leg yet. I have no inside info on the press conference. I'm just a random gamer from Sweden. I do know one artist who works for WotC, though.

I'm not used to fibbing, so I wanted to give it a try. Although I do think that it would be totally rad if WotC did announce a new license!

To all who are disappointed that I wasn't at all clear that I was not truthful, I apologise.

/m

Yeah. It sat on the news page for a while until I saw your later admission that you'd made it up. I'm glad I told people to treat it as unsubstantiated rumour.

There is a private event (dinner) taking place on the Wednesday night, which is why you caught me out. I know, because I've been invited to it - but I don't know the agenda.