Mercurius
Legend
In another thread I briefly bemoaned the lack of old fashioned 32-page modules, feeling a bit of nostalgia for leafing through dozens of them in a game store, back in the 80s and 90s. It got me thinking of an ideal publication structure - not one that makes optimal sense financially speaking, but what I, as a consumer, would enjoy seeing on the shelf. I'm basically happy with what WotC is doing, especially since they've become more settings-happy, but it is fun to play make-believe.
So that's the point of this thread: what is your "dream scenario" for WotC publication? What would most please you, personally, regardless of whether or not it is a smart business plan for WotC? While I want the emphasis to be on dreaming, maybe some tethering to possible realities is preferable.
My first impulse is "the more options, the better," but I actually like the conservative approach to supplementation that WotC has taken. While I miss 1E modules and 2E settings, I don't miss 2E or 3E rules bloat, so I have an eye for the long-term health of the line (although was rather fond of the 3.5 theme books, like Magic of Incarnum and Elder Evils). So in my ideal world, the yearly publication schedule would be something like so:
So it isn't hugely different, just a little fleshed out, and without bloating the rules.
What about you?
So that's the point of this thread: what is your "dream scenario" for WotC publication? What would most please you, personally, regardless of whether or not it is a smart business plan for WotC? While I want the emphasis to be on dreaming, maybe some tethering to possible realities is preferable.
My first impulse is "the more options, the better," but I actually like the conservative approach to supplementation that WotC has taken. While I miss 1E modules and 2E settings, I don't miss 2E or 3E rules bloat, so I have an eye for the long-term health of the line (although was rather fond of the 3.5 theme books, like Magic of Incarnum and Elder Evils). So in my ideal world, the yearly publication schedule would be something like so:
- 1 new rules supplement, expansion, or theme book (e.g. Volo's, Xanathar's, psionics, epic handbook, etc)
- 1 story arc (as they've been doing) - possibly in two books, especially if a new region or world
- 1 new setting book (Magic, etc)
- 1 legacy setting book or deluxe box set with tons of material, cloth maps, special dice, etc (Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Greyhawk, Planescape, etc)
- 3 short modules (maybe 2 32-pagers, and 1 64-pager)
- Every 2-3 years: New game/genre (e.g. science-fantasy, space opera, post-apocalyptic, super-heroes, etc)
So it isn't hugely different, just a little fleshed out, and without bloating the rules.
What about you?