Set up to use as in "Containing mechanics for" would be kinda shooting themselves in the foot, I think. Set up to use as in "You could take the setting book and run it in another edition" would be good, and I think it will be that, just like every other 4e setting book.
The 4e setting thus far contain mechanical elements, but rarely as world-rules(so to speak), and mainly as character rules. Feats, Paragon Paths, sometimes a Class. They're things that are meant to get the players into the world, not actually things that are needed to run it. If I wanted to run FR, or Dark Sun, or Eberron in, say AD&D1e, I'd just use my 4e books for the setting.
Sure, some editions would require more input then others, but I think they could do it. Maybe a book of just the descriptive stuff, and then a book for each edition with the crunch stuff.
No, yours does. You're the one begging the question, pretending this is financially viable. Prove it.
Well why didn't you propose that they sell a line of D&D themed afertshave? Or figure out a way to turn lead into gold? How about they create a form of D&D where gold pieces are measured in bitcoins? I mean IF there is money in it, why not?
Maybe go back and read what I said?
I never said anything would be financially viable- My question was
IF there is money to be made by selling to multiple editions then why not? Can you give me any solid reason aside from you assuming there is no money to be made?
For instance I can understand the argument Pour made- if they take resources away from the current edition the fans of 4e (myself) suffer.
But the argument there's no money to be made is a poor one unless you have figures to back that up, and since neither of us have those figures we really can't debate about the financial aspect.
Actually it's quite easy to 'know' and saying 'who knows' is just a crass way to pretend you aren't proposing something that would obviously never work.
It's easy to pretend or simply say you "know" something on the internet when you don't.
I'm pretty much done having a debate about any sort of financial aspect. As far as I'm aware neither of us have that info.
You can even give me a reason why you
think it's bad...
For instance you could say something like I think it might get too confusing especially for new players, if they sell multiple versions of the same thing at once...
But saying:
Because there isn't any money in it, and it would cost them money.
is a statement that demands some sort of proof.
Hey you could even amend it to "I don't think there would be money in it" and I would be cool with that as your opinion.