Still no SRD for 3rd party companies

[delericho]

Throwing more resources at a late project tends to make it later. It applies in software engineering , and I wouldn't be surprised if it applies in game design, as well.

Absolutely.

In fact, everything we've been seeing lately (e-Dragon slipping to bi-monthly, Gleemax login problems, the delays in getting the SRD out, the PHB being slipped a month...) could very well have originated by a single problem cropping up just after the GenCon announcement, leading to management adopting an "all hands on deck" strategy of throwing everyone at the project... and making it much later and much less organised.

This is probably yet another case where we should not assume malice where another explanation entirely (poor fortune in this case) is more likely.

 

[Oldtimer]

I doubt Agile development and management techniques have reached into RPG design yet...

I think you're wrong there. Several blog posts have mentioned their use of Agile methodology for this project.

 

[The Little Raven]

This is probably yet another case where we should not assume malice where another explanation entirely (poor fortune in this case) is more likely.

plan (pln)
n.
A list of things that doesn't happen.

I'm a programmer and my superior has this on her wall behind her desk.

 

[Allensh]

Well, considering that Hasbro let the first OGL and SRD go through without issue, and the fact that Wizards still makes them gobs of money through Magic, I think this whole "Hasbro is meddling directly" line of thought has no basis in reality. A few people from Wizards have made it clear that while Hasbro does own them, they don't micro-manage them, since Wizards has proven themselves capable of success without it.

I'm fairly certain that Hasbro was not the owner of Wizards at the time that the first OGL was released. Not sure about the SRD.

Allen

 

[The Little Raven]

I'm fairly certain that Hasbro was not the owner of Wizards at the time that the first OGL was released. Not sure about the SRD.

Allen

Hasbro acquires Wizards of the Coast - September 1999 (this is just when the sale was completed, it was probably begun sometime in 1998)

Wizards publishes 3rd Edition and the OGL - September 2000

Hasbro owned Wizards for one full year before the OGL was released. So, again, this "Hasbro is against the OGL" argument has gaping holes in it.

 

[mhensley]

Well Agile Development has reached WotC and is being used in the Gleemax design, and we all see how well that is going.

 

[dmccoy1693]

However, that benefit comes with the drawback

No matter which way you go, there are drawbacks. If I freelanced for a non-OGL game (i.e. WoD), my system knowledge would be worthless if I suddenly wanted to freelance elsewhere (say ... Chaosium). The OGL was wonderful in that it provided a place for noob freelancers like me to find low-paying work and a place to grow as I got better (and find better paying work). Now that there's not going to be some kind of symbol of compatibility, I'm planning for the possibility that I might not find work in what was the d20 market and expanding to Mongoose's OGL games. Considering they were a 3rd party company once they would have a better understanding of what it is like as one of their 3rd party companies and (I hope) are better about being considerate about their 3rd party's needs.

 

[Stormtower]

Hasbro acquires Wizards of the Coast - September 1999 (this is just when the sale was completed, it was probably begun sometime in 1998)

Wizards publishes 3rd Edition and the OGL - September 2000

Hasbro owned Wizards for one full year before the OGL was released. So, again, this "Hasbro is against the OGL" argument has gaping holes in it.

I very much doubt Hasbro is meddling directly with the release of the SRD. It seems more likely that it's simply not ready for publication yet. If this playtest is the alpha, and the PHB is still undergoing the changes Miko suggests it is, the 3rd party developers will probably get the "beta" version as soon as said playtest/feedback changes are incorporated. I don't see a conspiracy here.

 

[The Little Raven]

I don't see a conspiracy here.

Word. It seems to me that WotC is busting their ass to get things ready so they can give the 3rd parties the best possible version of the rules, in order to assure a higher degree of compatibility in the first 3rd-party products. If that means taking more time to avoid things like the Creature Collection, so be it.

 

[Wolfspider]

Word. It seems to me that WotC is busting their ass to get things ready so they can give the 3rd parties the best possible version of the rules, in order to assure a higher degree of compatibility in the first 3rd-party products. If that means taking more time to avoid things like the Creature Collection, so be it.

I think that the Creature Collection is hardly the greatest evil of those early days, but I otherwise agree with your sentiment and hope you're right about WotC.