D&D 4E Will the 4E books be "square" like Star Wars Saga?

[Nebulous]

SWSE is a solid system, but i really hated the square book. Didn't like the internal layout a whole lot either, but good enough.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

SWSE is a solid system, but i really hated the square book. Didn't like the internal layout a whole lot either, but good enough.

I haven't had much problem with the layout. The shape of the book is really an afterthought. I literally picked it up and went "huh, square" and immediately started digging into it.

That said, they had the Saga artwork on Amazon a few months in advance, and the image was square then. Given the artwork proofs we've seen for 4e, looks like we'll be getting standard oblong books.

 

[Henry]

So far, I've had no problems with the Star Wars SE format; it's been easy to read, hold in one hand, and sits on my shelf when not in play like all the rest of my books. However, I don't think I'd like it for D&D - the traditionalist in me wants it "traditional" shaped. Though if future books were cut such it wouldn't bug me too much.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

Dear Thrice-Headed Simian God,

Please don't let Wizards of the Coast publish sourcebooks in a different physical format than the core books, as Henry seems to be suggesting.

Your devoted fan,
S.S.


EDIT: Unless they're 5.5" x 8.5", in thematic pairs (for stacking at the table). Using the 3.5 examples, Complete Warrior and Heroes of Battle would sit nicely together. Just a random thought, might not be viable at all.

 

[Galethorn]

I want my books in mobius-strip form, to be stored in a klein-bottle. That way, they don't need double-sided printing.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Don't make them into books at all. Make them into scrolls instead.

 

[Reaper Steve]

No square D&D books , please!

I didn't mind it with SWSE...at first. But then I realized I was duped. You may recall, when it became known that SWSE was square, the party line answer was "Yes, but we did it for you...it takes up less space and it lays flat. What an awesome idea we had to help out your gaming experience." And I bought it, hook, line, and sinker.
But then I just recently saw WotC admit that the *real* reason was to set it off from del Rey books. Oh. You know, if they'd have just said that, I wouldn't have cared. But to make up some BS about it helping me game and then later admitting that had nothing to do with it...

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Oh. You know, if they'd have just said that, I wouldn't have cared. But to make up some BS about it helping me game and then later admitting that had nothing to do with it...

Um, how is the following duping you?

WotC_Pub: "Hey, guys - we need to make the book distinct from the Del Rey books."
WotC_Dev: "Hmm. What if we make it square? Then it'd take up less space and lay flat. It'd be an awesome way to help out the gaming experience. Does that differentiate it enough?"
WotC_Pub: "Why, yes, it does. Two birds!"
WotC_Dev: "One stone!"
Both: "High Five!"

 

[IanB]

But....it's hip to be square.

Well that's going to be in my head for a day. Jerk.

 

[RodneyThompson]

No square D&D books , please!

I didn't mind it with SWSE...at first. But then I realized I was duped. You may recall, when it became known that SWSE was square, the party line answer was "Yes, but we did it for you...it takes up less space and it lays flat. What an awesome idea we had to help out your gaming experience." And I bought it, hook, line, and sinker.
But then I just recently saw WotC admit that the *real* reason was to set it off from del Rey books. Oh. You know, if they'd have just said that, I wouldn't have cared. But to make up some BS about it helping me game and then later admitting that had nothing to do with it...

Wait just a minute, now. I've always said that it was to differentiate the line from other RPGs and Star Wars books, to give the Star Wars RPG its own unique style and help show that this book isn't "D&D in space." Those are all true. The fact that it also makes a nice, comfortable shape when held open is still true (or, rather, true to me), and something I've said in the past.

Never once have I said "we did it for you!" or any such nonsense, and though you may have interpreted "the new shape is nice for keeping the book open" as "we did it because the new shape is nice for keeping the book open" that doesn't mean we said any such thing. As probably the most vocal spokesman for the Saga Edition RPG (and my goodness how scary that is for me to be typing) I've always been committed to being honest with the players and GMs who are interested in Saga Edition. If I've led you to believe otherwise, it was by mistake...though I don't recall ever having said that it was the reason for the square book, just a consequence.

As for the topic at hand...I won't let them use the square shape for D&D. That's our style!