D&D 4E The still "complete" list of official 4E products, now with 2011!

[TerraDave]

News on Heroscape over in general. Line is being cancelled, with a last release this month:

The next and final Heroscape expansion, Moltenclaw’s Invasion, will be released on November 16, 2010. This final assortment, which is playable with the Heroscape D&D Master Set, will include the best and most iconic creatures from the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons. Orcs, bugbears, dragons and frost giants will all come together to join the greatest battle of all time.

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/296413-cancellation-heroscape.html

 

[evilref]

News on Heroscape over in general. Line is being cancelled, with a last release this month:



http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/296413-cancellation-heroscape.html

I don't know what Heroscape's sales were like over the past couple of sets but, to me, this doesn't bode well for D&D Miniatures. While LoM appears to have done pretty well if heroscape's vanishing as well then I can see DDM getting dropped as a followup.

I'd like to be wrong but i'll be unsurprised if there's nothing released for it in 2011

 

[ggroy]

Just saw a copy of the WotC summer 2011 catalog, which covers May to August 2011. (Most of the information is already known via amazon).

The only 4E splatbook not mentioned on amazon yet, is the "Neverwinter Campaign Guide" which is a 224 page hardcover book with an August 16 release date. It mentions it will incorporate material from RA Salvatore's "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Gauntlgrym-Neverwinter-Book-R-Salvatore/dp/0786955007"]Gauntlgrym[/ame]" novel.

 

[Matt James]

Matt, is there anything you can tell us?

How about: where most of the monsters pre-selected, or could you pitch in some of your own.

EDIT: I guess not!

Some were already included in the outline but honestly only had a general blurb. They gave me plenty of room as a designer to creatively fill in the blanks. Other monsters were created on the fly to help support existing content in the product.

 

[TerraDave]

Thanks Matt. Pretty much anything you can share given the usual restrictions would be great.

 

[TerraDave]

Just saw a copy of the WotC summer 2011 catalog, which covers May to August 2011. (Most of the information is already known via amazon).

The only 4E splatbook not mentioned on amazon yet, is the "Neverwinter Campaign Guide" which is a 224 page hardcover book with an August 16 release date. It mentions it will incorporate material from RA Salvatore's "Gauntlgrym" novel.

ggroy, thanks as always (someone give this poster some XP).

So Neverwinter yes and Nentir Vale, not as much?

 

[Camelot]

ggroy, thanks as always (someone give this poster some XP).

So Neverwinter yes and Nentir Vale, not as much?

Looks like it. I'll have to read up on it.

I hope it lives up to the standard that Dark Sun set. So many new and original mechanics and story in there (original for 4e, mind you), like defiling and themes. I hope the next campaign setting can bring just as much.

 

[ggroy]

So Neverwinter yes and Nentir Vale, not as much?

The earlier "Nentir Vale Gazetteer" is not mentioned at all.

Looking at the "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Conquest-Nerath-Wizards-RPG-Team/dp/0786958499"]Conquest of Nerath[/ame]" boardgame, there's some more information which has not shown up on amazon yet. The blurb from the Summer 2011 catalog is:

"War has come to the Dungeons & Dragons world! In the north, the undead legions of the Dark Empire of Karkoth march against the fragile League of Nerath, determined to sweep away the human kingdoms forever. To the south, the infernal Iron Circle launches its own goblin hordes in a campaign of conquest against the elves and corsairs of Vailin. From the snowy expanse of the Winterbole Forest to the sun-warmed coasts of ancient Vailin, four great powers struggle for survival.

Master armies of footsoldiers, siege engines, monsters, and dragons to attack your enemies. Fight across the waves with fleets of warships and raging elementals. Plunder ancient dungeons with bands of mighty heroes, searching for magical artifacts and awesome treasures that might tip the scales of battle in your favor. The fates of empires is in your hands!"

 

[ourchair]

I'm interested in this Neverwinter book/box/whatever. My introduction to D&D and the Realms came from Baldur's Gate I and subsequent related games. To this day, the Sword Coast is the only part of FR that I find especially interesting.

Yeah, from what I read, it sounds like the book is dead, but that the material (and maybe similar material for other races) will likely still make its way into a different book format. They made it clear that it was a format problem for retailers, rather than lack of interest from consumers.

If you ever looked at those thin little Player's Handbook Races books on a store shelf, it's clear what the problem is: this product has no visibility. It's so thin that the spine doesn't even have room for a label, and so on the shelf it just looks like some dinky adventure or folio tucked between hardcovers. If a player/customer even notices these books on the shelf, it's too easy to mistake for any other thin product that fat fingers might pull out along with it. All in all, these books had no way of getting customers' attention from the shelf, and sales almost certainly suffered because of this.

It's too bad. I actually liked those Races books because they worked well for newer players or younger people -- essentially the innocent demographic -- who are more inclined to latch onto a race they think is cool. (Imagine the 7 year old who's all like, "I wanna be a dragon, RAAAA!" and then wants to read all about Dragonborn and have Dragonborn pajamas.) I know my girlfriend loves tieflings.

Were these issues ever discussed outright by a WotC rep?

Anyway, I agree with your point and I honestly thought that these books were a bad business decision from the very beginning. Pamphlet-thin with zero visibility for even those interested, and upsetting for grognard-esque types who like their shelves to have well-lined up hardcovers and awfully specific content. At least the Power Source books were hardcover and carried a lot of content to be broadly appealing.

Also, I was looking forward to the sidebar "How to Speak Like a Human." Lord knows, some gamers could use that advice.

 

[Klaus]

The earlier "Nentir Vale Gazetteer" is not mentioned at all.

Looking at the "Conquest of Nerath" boardgame, there's some more information which has not shown up on amazon yet. The blurb from the Summer 2011 catalog is:

"War has come to the Dungeons & Dragons world! In the north, the undead legions of the Dark Empire of Karkoth march against the fragile League of Nerath, determined to sweep away the human kingdoms forever. To the south, the infernal Iron Circle launches its own goblin hordes in a campaign of conquest against the elves and corsairs of Vailin. From the snowy expanse of the Winterbole Forest to the sun-warmed coasts of ancient Vailin, four great powers struggle for survival.

Master armies of footsoldiers, siege engines, monsters, and dragons to attack your enemies. Fight across the waves with fleets of warships and raging elementals. Plunder ancient dungeons with bands of mighty heroes, searching for magical artifacts and awesome treasures that might tip the scales of battle in your favor. The fates of empires is in your hands!"

D&D Risk! :win: