D&D 5E What is WotC actually working on?

[Dungeoneer]

...since Gamma World seems sadly perceived as a flop ...

???

The last Gamma World got two expansions. Seems unlikely they would have done that for a product that flopped.

 

[sunshadow21]

If the team has been cut back so far that they can't even create rough plans or schedules for future products beyond the current cycle, this system is going to have challenges. Farming out a certain amount of material is doable, but they aren't going be able to do that with everything, and anyone expecting to see anything beyond FR before the system has been out at least a couple of years is going to likely be disappointed. For there sake, I hope that once the licensing agreements are worked out, they are able start planning out at least roughly products beyond the current focus. The brand can afford a bit of a slow start, but I don't think it can afford that the kind of release schedule we are currently seeing over the long term.

 

[GrumpyGamer]

D&D Adventures League is up to 10 adventures for Tyranny of Dragons, although they are not all released yet, with another 4 TBD. I am not sure how active WoTC is with these modules, but it does seem that a lot of licensed work is in progress.

List of available modules and release dates here:
http://dndadventurersleague.org/tyranny-of-dragons-premier-adventures/

 

[delericho]

It's worth noting that, while they've outsourced the writing of the adventures, they've been creating the story bibles for each arch themselves...

You know, I kinda wish they'd make one of those story bibles available in some form. I know they're not generally intended for publication, but something like that would make a great example for DMs intending to craft their own campaigns.

(I do, of course, appreciate that that might not be possible for various reasons.)

If the team has been cut back so far that they can't even create rough plans or schedules for future products...

Don't mistake a lack of word for an inability to make such schedules. IIRC, Mearls was recently quoted as saying he had several really cool things he wanted to talk about but wasn't allowed to share. I'm sure they know exactly what the next project is, they just aren't ready to let us know just yet.

 

[sunshadow21]

Don't mistake a lack of word for an inability to make such schedules. IIRC, Mearls was recently quoted as saying he had several really cool things he wanted to talk about but wasn't allowed to share. I'm sure they know exactly what the next project is, they just aren't ready to let us know just yet.

We'll hope that's the case, but it's still problematic. D&D is a major brand; for them not to be even able to make basic announcements of the types of things coming immediately after what promises to be a successful launch indicates there are problems somewhere. Whether it be too small of a team, not enough confidence in the system to make long term plans, or something else, complete silence about the crucial 3 months after the release aside from a couple of adventure arcs is not a good start. They still have till the DMG is out before people should panic, but it's not also not a good sign for the long term health of the system to have no major announcements at all at the biggest convention of the year that could build on what has been an amazing release of the PHB.

 

[Lalato]

I was originally going to snark and just say... YOUR MOM!

And while that may also be true... I hope that they are working on getting some form of magazine (or other avenue for regular content) that includes adventures and other fluff for use in a campaign. I've said it before... I don't want the magazines to become crunch factories... unless it's the type of stuff that doesn't affect power creep... like new backgrounds. So fluff over crunch in the magazine (or whatever form it takes).

 

[Mercurius]

OK, so it seems clear that we're not going to see anything like the hardcover-of-the-month approach of 3.5 and 4E, but do people think we're going to see anything? Meaning, hardcover sourcebooks - not only adventures and adventure supplements, but campaign settings, splats, etc.

I guess I'm just a bit puzzled considering two relatively recent news developments: One, that there is not Forgotten Realms campaign book in the works (which makes me think they might not be planning any campaign books), and two, that what people thought was the first splat, the "Adventurer's Handbook," is actually a supplement for a mega-adventure.

I'm all for quality over quantity, but I'd like to see some regular products.

 

[drjones]

Reading about the Dungeonscape plans I kind of get a feeling that it may be the way Dungeon Magazine style small non-AP adventures get distributed and maybe Dragon style articles as well. If they were digital only they would not be showing up as future product releases.

But it might be that part of their Don't Spam Out Books deal is avoiding the constant mixed quality production that we saw in the magazines and their digital equivalents.

And we have not heard about new Boardgames which we know is part of their plans. Not sure how Neverwinter is doing money-wise but it is certainly a flop with the MMO players I know. A new CRPG, hell even an indi retro Bauldurs Gate like on a small budget seems really well suited to 5e. But that's all just blue-skying. None of us know, or if we do we will not say.

 

[GMMichael]

I was originally going to snark and just say... YOUR MOM!

I have a better one:

6th ed.

But I have to say, although the paperback handbooks were a little weak, I really appreciated a lot of the 3rd ed. splat books: the Complete books, the environment books (e.g. Stormwrack), and the Heroes of books. I really hope WotC can provide books of this caliber for 5th ed. as well.

As long as there's no Incarnum, prestige classes, or warlocks, I'll be happy.

 

[beej]

6th ed.

NOOOOOOoooooooo~!!