Wizards and Open Gaming in 2004

[johnsemlak]

Why does WotC have to or need to add anything to the SRD?

Anyway, I'm not totally sure I understand what WotC's gameplan is for releasing material. Is their priority to release stuff that d20 publishers can use to create supplements (and drive sales of the PHB)? Where do they draw the line between their 'valuable' IP and stuff they consider ok to label OGC?

For example, I was really surprised when they released the Soulknife and the (can't remember) classes from the ExPsiHb to the SRD. I had had the impresstion that WotC only wanted 'core classes' in the SRD, and the supplementary classes would be kept off-limits. Does this mean there are plans to release classes like the Swashbuckler, the Favored Soul, Warmage, etc?

Also, might releasing OA stuff be difficult because of some agreement WotC and AEG have?

Finally, I'm not sure WotC would consider low sales a reason to release material from book liek the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook. Putting the material out for free might eliminate whatever (however few) potential sales are left for that book. And again, what is WotC's strategy for releasing material to the SRD? Rules on strongholds are not really essential for most people's games.

 

[MerricB]

Anyway, I'm not totally sure I understand what WotC's gameplan is for releasing material? Is there priority to release stuff that d20 publishers can use to create supplements (and drive sales of the PHB)? Where do they draw the line between their 'valuable' IP and stuff they consider ok to label OGC.

That's a very good question.

My impression is that they'll release material that provides subsystems (or capstone systems) that expand the game and lead back to more sales of the core book or supplemental books.

For instance, releasing the Psionics material fuelled 3rd party Psionics books - and that led back to sales of the Psionics Handbook.

Andy mentioned that the Planar Handbook was coming up - this is probably because it includes a few systems (especially planar touchstones) that could be expanded on in 3rd party books (and probably improved upon, but using the basics of the PlH). However, the interest in the planes leads back to the Planar Handbook (to some extent) and the Manual of the Planes (to a greater extent).

Cheers!

 

[Gez]

Why does WotC have to or need to add anything to the SRD?

Because I demand it.

Rules on strongholds are not really essential for most people's games.

Maybe, but having a base of operation is a staple of the genre. There are building rules in books as diverse as the Quintessential Fighter (and Quint. Wizard, etc.) and A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe. There are adventures which let the PCs acquire a fortress. A standard, and presumably balanced, baseline and rule for those would be a nice addition to the SRD.

 

[Staffan]

They still need to add Oriental Adventures (probably without the Rokugan-specific stuff), Manual of the Planes + Planar Handbook, Vile Darkness and Exalted Deeds.

A lot of the MotP stuff that would be a candidate for inclusion in the SRD already got there by way of 3.5e, namely the planar rules. I do not expect WOTC to add the planes themselves to the SRD.

 

[Mokona]

It seems like Wizards of the Coast has released almost every single D20 Modern supplement into the SRD while they have only released a small fraction of D&D books into the SRD.

Someone asked for material in the SRD because it was out of print and not v.3.5 compatible. I can't see them doing that since they're not supporting previous editions simultaneously anymore.

Instead of the old Oriental Adventures in the SRD I'd like to see a new, better, Supersize (aka Expanded) Oriental Adventures for v.3.5. It would be great if it was more similar to the old AD&D OA.

If more prestige classes were in the SRD perhaps someone would be kind enough to convert them to D20 Urban Arcana.

 

[Knight Otu]

A lot of the MotP stuff that would be a candidate for inclusion in the SRD already got there by way of 3.5e, namely the planar rules. I do not expect WOTC to add the planes themselves to the SRD.

Well, there are a number of bits still to include (travel speed on the Astral, for one). They certainly won't include the Outer Planes themselves, and I fear the variant cosmologies would not be in either. There's also the spells, PrCs and monsters, most of which could be included (not that there is much hope that they would include the yugoloths, even as daemons/daimons).

Merrics idea on how books to be included are chosen is propably correct - it does not really seem that the material has to be "obsolete." The Modern books have been pretty fast being included into the MSRD (as compared to D&D books), as has been the Expanded Psionics Handbook (and once it actually happens, the Planar Handbook may be in the "pretty fast" category as well).

 

[TerraDave]

Why does WotC have to or need to add anything to the SRD?

.

To rephrase what others have said, they add things to the SRD to get others to make related suplements. If they want to sale core books on psionics, planes, etc, then they want 3rd parties to make supplements for these things.

But they also seemed to use the SRD to update 3.0 material they didn't want to rerelease (epic, diety specific). But why do that, or make UA all open content? To repeat my past post, the more interesting question is if they have a strategy to test material by making it open content and seeing market and player reaction, and if this will in turn influance there own releases in the future.

 

[Ranger REG]

Instead of the old Oriental Adventures in the SRD I'd like to see a new, better, Supersize (aka Expanded) Oriental Adventures for v.3.5. It would be great if it was more similar to the old AD&D OA.

* ponders *

Nah. I still prefer OA be added to the SRD. As for the revised OA, I'll only buy it if they get rid of Rokugan. Let that be AEG's problem now, assuming they still want to continue that line (heard rumors to the contrary).

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Oh, AEG's no longer supporting the d20 System in Rokugan, and they're working on a Third Edition of their own roll-and-keep Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game.

 

[Arnwyn]

Oh, AEG's no longer supporting the d20 System in Rokugan, and they're working on a Third Edition of their own roll-and-keep Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game.

Is Way of the Thief the last Rokugan book with d20 mechanics?