Where do we go from here..?

[d20Monkey]

Hey all,

As I sat in front of the computer last night (or actually early this morning) working away on new d20 goodness, a thought crossed my mind. So much ground has been covered since the release of 3E and the d20 system. Race books, new settings, spells, feats and everything else in between has seen the light of day in one form or another. So where do we go from here? Now I realize that the full scope of material to be covered has been nowhere near covered, but what is next?

For example, Elements of Magic is taking a new spin on the magic system and Malhavoc is working on a variant PHB, is this the next sign of things to come? Are variants to the existing rules the topic of the day?

On the other hand, there is D20 Modern (a great read IMO) and the new areas of possibility that are created by the system. Will D20 Modern make a significant impact and will third-party publishers support it? Is D20 Modern just another Alternity?

I guess the real question that comes to mind is where are publishers heading? There are only so many different ways to describe Dwarves, Orcs and new campaign settings filled with prestige classes. So where do we go? More importantly, what do we all want to see?

 

[RangerWickett]

Did you also post this on the publishers' board? It'll prolly get more replies there than here, but here goes.

Settings = they won't sell.
Adventures = they'll barely sell.
New rules in the same system (like race/class books) = they'll sell okay.

People will see this and think, okay, time to come up with stuff that will stand out on the market, and seem really cool in gamers' minds.

So we'll see more new rules in entirely new systems. We'll see odd gimmicky books like "Chicken Soup for the Raging Barbarian's Soul." We'll see gaming advice books (at least I hope so); there really needs to be more of a critical look at the artform that is roleplaying games. There will be 'culture' books, instead of race books, to help you add non-Europeanesque cultures to your games. And people will try to tackle some of the harder motifs in fantasy literature, like playing as gods, or as faeries, or adventuring in a world of dreams, and so on.

And yeah, people will go nuts with D20 Modern. I can't wait 'til we see Syndicated TV D20. It will happen.

So yeah, I can see some of that stuff happening. But this thread still oughta just be in the D20 Publishers forum.

 

[2WS-Steve]

Not so sure about the "settings won't sell" part. We've had Nyambe, Judge Dredd, Slaine, Oathbound, Swashbuckling Adventures, and T20 in just the last few months. All campaign sourcebooks at their core but with lots of game mechanics.

It's hard to sell your particular version of a medieval era fantasy world, though even those can do okay with a good hook. For instance, Midnight from FFG sounds like it'll be medieval fantasy but with its own twist.

 

[Darrin Drader]

I really think that one area that publishers should be covering are places of interest (POI's). Of the many DM's I know, most of them at least have their own homebrew setting, and many of them prefer to use their own over published settings. In some cases the ones I have seen have been fleshed out to the point where they would be smart to try and publish them, but with many others, they may know where cities are and what they're called, but little else about them untli they are forced to visit them. Same with deserts, forests, ruins and other sites. The idea is simply that you produce the supplements and the DM is then able to drop it directly into their campaign settings with only minor modifications.

And before Hal chimes up, I know that's exactly what they're already doing. Mongoose is already doing this as well. I think that we'll probably start seeing a bit more of this type of product in the future.

 

[davewoodrum]

I'd love to hint at what we've been working on, but Tensen (my publisher) would probably cut my head off....



No, I see some new rules modifications from different companies possibly on the horizon. Also, I feel that there will still be a great number of tack on sourcebooks to come... new things for the game and so forth... monster manuals, additional spells, more prestige classes, etc. etc. etc. Some of these may not sell as well as hoped... hey, many of them may not, but if a publisher can get the right angle and go for something really original, chances are that they might see a nice little return from such a venture.
I think the originality factor will be a major key for the next little while though... it might be better to go against the grain of "guaranteed popularity" when choosing subject matter. Sometimes it's the venture into the not yet explored territories that make for some of the most popular books in the long run.

 

[talmar]

I'm not a publisher or know the waves of the marketplace. I can only vouch for me and my group.

Epic stuff.

There has been so much stuff and 3e has been around for quite a while now that I would imaging many people have epic level characters, campaigns etc. But there is nothing for epic stuff out there other than the ELH.

I understand there can't be until the ELH and the Epic Rules are released under d20/OGL, which is why there isn't anything out there yet.

Like I said though, this is just my opinion.

 

[MEG Hal]

And before Hal chimes up, I know that's exactly what they're already doing

*blush* Thanks Darrin!

And Ilove that the term I coined POI is catching on, it felt right when I did it, and as far as settings go I think they are doing well. Adventures are doing well from us, I have heard some horror stories, and alternate stuff may also sell we have an alt.magic creation system due out in Feb/March 03 called Artificer's Handbook. We are always looking for the next best thing and so far we have been blessed that we are always aon a track that seems to be popular.

I wish Monte the best of luck.

 

[davewoodrum]

Hmm... Epic will probably sell pretty good for the next year and then I figure there will probably be a branch between stuff for new lower to mid level characters (for those who retired) and then "god quest" style products for the characters that were not retired.
Truthfully, though I can probably admit that I've done a bit of this variety of tinkering around and crunch designing for Dark Quest myself, I'd like to see a bit more fleshing out for 1st to 2nd level adventurers. I know this is a pain in the butt for many and there are quite a few gaming groups that start out mid to higher level, buy I've always been a purist as far as starting characters at level 1 and making them advance in a normal fashion... the hard part though with this is the manner of 1st impressions. There's not a huge amount currently to throw at 1st level characters that won't flat out kill them. And admittingly, on the adventure side of things, there's not a great deal of 1st level introductory modules.
I don't know, maybe I get bored with yet another kobold/goblin/skeleton hunt... with little to no sense of traps. Maybe if there was some more material on "little things..."

On the note of new stuff going against the grain, as far as the products of the other d20 companies go I'm particularly fond of Blight Magic from Mystic Eye Games, Myhic Races (the races were just so different... yet usable) from Fantasy Flight Games, and Relics And Rituals (for the true rituals in particular plus other elements) from SSS. Truthfully, there's several others too that I would like to mention but those particular products are still on my wish list and have not come in yet... so it would be unfair to jump up and clap for them yet.

 

[jgbrowning]

We are always looking for the next best thing.....

Come now Hal, we all know your looking for the best thing, not the next best....



joe b.
*maybe i shudda been a reporter?*

 

[MEG Hal]

Come now Hal, we all know your looking for the best thing, not the next best....



joe b.
*maybe i shudda been a reporter?*

So true, so true Joe!

We have some great stuff coming and some ideas we can't talk about yet but I am looking forward to 2003.