Will anyone fill WOTC's shoes with 3E?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Don't get me wrong- I'm no luddite.

I fully understand that Gen Y and those behind them will be more comfortable with their computers than I'll ever be, and that technology advances at its own pace.

I have no doubt that at some point in human history and the new hardcopy book as we know it will be extinct- probably not during my lifetime, though.

Closer in time would be the dissapearance of new hardcopy books in certain niche markets, RPGs being one such niche. I won't be a buyer then, but that is completely OK. I'll still have my old games, and probably my old gamer buddies. Just because 12Ed D&D is out doesn't mean I can't run 1Ed tomorrow. I'll still be an active gamer, I'll just be an Epic-level Grognard.

 

[Scribble]

The poll doesn't seem to fit the title question...

In anycase... I'm not really sure what's going to happen.

When 3e came out, I bought the book at a convention I happened upon... I hadn't been gaming ina while, and the one game we did try to put together fell through. 3e sat on my shelf as an amusing oddity...

Then one day I read the rules and really liked them... And vowed to get a game together. So we started playing 3e.

Then I moved away...

When I got back and we started gaming again... a short time later 3.5 came out... I resisted switching at first, but eventually duid because

1. I liked a lot of the stuff 3.5 was offering.. and

2. 3e didn't seem like it really got too far before the switch...

At this point, 3.5 feels relatively "complete" to me. I really only ever buy things that add something unique to my game... (like magic of incarnum,... it might not be really "great" but it's a new idea...) which is probably half the reason they need a new edition.. people got burnt out on yet another book of feats...

That said... I would probably continue buying stuff that's 3.5 compatible... But with the same stipulation,.. It's unique and not just more of the same.

 

[Dykstrav]

I'd still play 3.0/3.5 if I could find players for it, whether or not material is being produced by any company. Hell, I've been really Jonesing for a genuine 1E game for over a year now, I just can't scare up enough grognards willing to forsake their fancy-schmancy attacks of opportunity and unified experience table and only three saving throws to do it. I've still never played through every 2E adventure I own. So yes, I'd be far more likely to play 3.5 if I could buy new products for it.

Even when 4E comes out, I'll probably stay with 3.5 until at least 2010 or so. Even if the system ends up being "better," 3.5 has the benefits of far more character options. I've still never gotten to play a swordsage or shadowcaster.

 

[jdrakeh]

I don't honestly know. That said, I think that there are enough large-ish publishers with product lines firmly entrenched in 3.5 that continuing to support 3.5 for those existing product lines seems like it would be a smart move. And, as a 3.5 fan, I'd sure like to see some of these companies move to do this.

 

[Mark Hope]

Well, I have so much damn stuff for 3e (which, through the magic of C&C includes OD&D, 1e and 2e as well, lol) that the gaming industry could go up in a puff of purple smoke and I wouldn't notice a thing for at least 15 years . I'm not done with 3e, it's that simple. And I have yet to see any compelling reason that I need 4e. So it's a bit of a no-brainer for me.

 

[TerraDave]

I don't need Paizo or Goodman to continue 3.x (though it'd be cool if they did). I've got enough of their stuff to play 3.5 until 5E comes out.

And this is the problem. If I am a 3rd party producer, 4th ed is a godsend. An excuse to reissue/revise old stuff and a new market for new stuff.

3rd ed seems like a dead end. Never has so much been released for an edition. And it will probably be cheap on ebay, and endlessly available in pdf. There is enough out there to literally play 100s of different kinds of charecters in 100s of adventures in dozens of settings for probably 100s of years.

If you like 3ed. Your set.

 

[prosfilaes]

I have no idea what the future will bring.

Cheers, -- N

I agree. I'm moving to Massachusetts, and if and when I find a gaming group, I'll see what they're playing.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

My understanding is that Paizo are going to think about the future of Pathfinder, and there's no guarantee it will switch to 4.0

Personally, I think they will switch, but I have no actual evidence for this.

I think so, too. I'd say it's financially more viable - and the guys from Paizo still have to get the filthy lucre. If the system turns out to be good, they'll be running out of reasons not to change.

That said, no one says that they will abandon 3e completely. There's already talk about Pathfinder conversions for C&D and True 20 (I think it was those two). No one says that there won't be 3e conversions for Pathfinder.

 

[kolikeos]

Even though D&D 3e is the only RPG I ever played, I would just as gladly stay with it as move to 4e or switch to a different RPG.
I don't need a company to support it, all I need are the core rules and I already have them.

 

[Khairn]

I'll definitely stay with a company who puts out good 3.5 products and hopefully does a better job of communicating and dealing with customers than WotC did. Can't really do worse.

But if none take up the challenge, then I'll happily play 3.5 until I've had my fill then move on to another game and company. WotC isnt the RPG industry, and D&D isn't the only game in town.

WotC is taking their customers along a costly journey in a direction that I don't believe will be fun for me and my gaming friends. After close to 30 years I guess its buh bye.