Sean Reynolds Let Go

[Tewligan]

Hmm...I wonder if WotC's apparent clamping down on conversion/third party/ etc. material has anything to do with all of the creative talent they're losing lately. Seems like a good way to make sure that recognizable names don't steal too much of the D&D dollar now that they're freelance. Of course I could be (read: probably am) wrong, but the timing certainly is tight.

 

[Ranger REG]

Wow. Now who's taking over the Forgotten Realms product line?

Never did expect him to go. Then again, perhaps it is good thing for SKR to move on to bigger and better things like owning his own small publishing company or hook up with other former WotC employees.

It would be a kick in the crotch if he decided to join Palladium (another game company that uses a d20-based rules system) or Decipher (a TCG rival of WotC). Hehehe.

 

[MerricB]

Hmm...I wonder if WotC's apparent clamping down on conversion/third party/ etc. material has anything to do with all of the creative talent they're losing lately. Seems like a good way to make sure that recognizable names don't steal too much of the D&D dollar now that they're freelance. Of course I could be (read: probably am) wrong, but the timing certainly is tight.

I really doubt that. The OGL and related agreements are really still "works in progress" and the legal issues and wording take some time to finalise. This has been an ongoing process; they've started off with fairly loose agreements, and have been codifying them more and more as time goes by.

The conversion agreement is more than fair in what it allows, I'm hoping that the fans will gain more access to Wizards' trademarks and IP (i.e. Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms) for non-profit material. As the OGL currently stands, we can't create anything that uses a Wizards trademark without a separate agreement from them - and that hasn't happened yet.

I've got a Greyhawk module I'd like to release as an online document through Canonfire; as the OGL currently stands I must remove all Greyhawk references from the module and release it as a generic d20 module. It'd be very nice to be able to release it as originally conceived, but I certainly respect Wizards' desire to see their copyrights and trademarks protected.

As for SKR leaving Wizards... eep! What a shock!

Cheers!

 

[Simon Magalis]

Far be it from me to claim to understand this, but it seems to me, now that all the class books are out, most of the thunder I hear is for non-WOTC stuff like SSS and Malhavoc. I wonder if they are a bit worried about sales in the next year or so. I just haven't seen alot of excitement for their upcoming products with the exception of Deities and Demigods.

 

[jester47]

The D&D publishing landscape gets weirder and weirder.

WotC cutting Sean Reynolds is like Disney fireing Mickey Mouse.

Not meaning that sean is like mickey but rather the company ios going to hurt without him. But then again, bastion press does need someone to wite high profile FR adventures for Organised play. (heh heh heh)

Aaron.

 

[Sigma]

Hmmm...

I'm pretty picky about what I let into my game, and since I don't have a large budget or enough time to go through the d20 stuff, I generally limit my players' options to the WotC books. The only exception is stuff by Monte, which I basically view as official. He's also provided a nice counterpart to the sages more unusual rulings.

I suppose that if WotC were to suddenly become what TSR was in its final days, I think Sean/Monte/other core desigeners could easily use something like Malhavoc to keep the game going. Maybe even launch an unofficial 4e. With the OGL out, our hobby really isn't tied to the fortunes of one company anymore. I'd like to have a strong WotC leading D&D, I can't say how much I appreciate them for having the gumption (that's right, gumption) to make 3e (and make it good), but if push comes to shove, I'll choose the desigeners that built D&D over the company that publishes it.

 

[kenjib]

Far be it from me to claim to understand this, but it seems to me, now that all the class books are out, most of the thunder I hear is for non-WOTC stuff like SSS and Malhavoc. I wonder if they are a bit worried about sales in the next year or so. I just haven't seen alot of excitement for their upcoming products with the exception of Deities and Demigods.

I have to disagree here. There is some really strong stuff on the way. Look at the lineup: Monster Manual 2, Epic Level Handbook, Call of Cthulhu, Book of Challenges, Stronghold Builders Guidebook, d20 Modern, Tooth and Claw, Deities and Demigods.

That's one heck of a lineup - still far stronger than any 3rd party d20 company out there in my opinion.

 

[Largomad]

/Bruce Cordell is still and has been, without any breaks, a member of the WotC R&D RPG team. He does do some freelance work for Monte but then Monte does freelance work for us.

AV
/

Well whatever is Wizards strategy, if any except trying to make numbers go right jumping the best designers and creatives around is a strange way to do it.

But i don`t have any complain, these creatives works when not restricted by the burden of a huge company as Wizards are much better.

I don`t think that Wizards is going to care, after all if the main line of business is selling the Core Books the work is done already.

In a way making ppl like Monte Sean etc to work for freelance and in another companies.. thanks to the OGL means more profit for yourselves.

Well, just my two cents, and excuse my poor english.

Best regards
Largomad

 

[Sonny]

Maybe D&D was sold to another company... Who knows? (Well besides Sean). I don't know what else could cause a NDA for layoffs.

 

[Green Knight]

Damn, this sucks. With the exception of that little language tiff a couple weeks ago, I've always like SKR. It bites big time that WoTC let him go.