What do you expect from WotC?

[Umbran]

In fact, an easy case could be made that IF you believe that 'rules are not important', than why do you bother buying, then reading closely those 500 pages of rules?

IF rules aren't important, and role-playing is the only point, than why bother with stat-blocks, attack boni, etc?

Hm. An easy case can be made for a position. You cannot "make a case" for a question, so I'm not sure what you're trying to say.

You pose questions of the form "If you think X then why such and such?" I cannot address those questions when I don't think X. I didn't say that I believe rules are not important. I didn't say that role-playing is the only point. Nor do I see how those things could be reasonably extracted from what I did say.

Yes, many people play such that the details of what the rules say is an integral part of their experience. However, it does not matter if those rules have the "Official WotC D&D stamp", or are written by a 3rd party publisher, or are house rules.

Putting out errata, or an FAQ which clears up the comparably few rules questions that people have, would be painfully simple for a company like WotC.

Um, yeah. That's why the do have errata and FAQs.

Official Errata
Offical FAQs

So, you are complaining about the non-existance of things that do, in fact, exist?

You shouldn't need to interpret and guess-Rule the base rules set of D&D.

Yeah, and you shouldn't have to wait in line for hours at the DMV, but most of us still have to. Perfection is a very nice goal, but few (if any) ever reach it. Until Universal Utopia finally sets in, I'm afraid your going to have to face the occasional inconvenience.

 

[spunky_mutters]

I'm glad for the errata and the FAQ. The problem I have is when a FAQ response will directly contradict something which is explicitly spelled out in the rules, and yet no errata has been released that would make you expect such a ruling. This makes it difficult to determine what the "official" stance is on side effects of the FAQ question.

 

[sfgiants]

A point that is of interest to me came up in another thread concerning Ghostwalk. Some felt it was a little strange and maybe progressive...Some felt that Wizards should stick to safe products that most people will buy. Personally, I hope they push the envelope a bit...The leader of the industry shouldn't always be outclassed by innovative smaller companies (I am glad that companies like Green Ronin, and Necromancer etc exist though)...

 

[spunky_mutters]

I think they are trying to walk the tightrope between being innovative and still producing products that will sell. I think they've been pretty clear that they're going to put out the odd product like Ghostwalk, but they won't be supporting it beyond the setting book. It's a sound idea to keep building up IP that they can either license out or develop on their own if it proves popular enough. I agree about the 3rd party products; it should help keep them honest. If they come out with a new Top Secret for d20 Modern or something, it will have to compare with Spycraft. Any time they want to enter a new niche, their will already be a benchmark for what they will need to try and beat. Competition creates choices.

 

[shilsen]

I don't expect anything from WotC, or for that matter, any other company. If their products are any good, I might buy them. If not, I don't. Simple.

 

[Sanackranib]

WotC expectations

I expect wizards to put out products that don't contridict eachother