Wizards and Open Gaming in 2004

[MerricB]

2004 has been the most significant year since 2000 for Open Gaming and Wizards.

Here are some of the highlights of Wizards' contribution to Open Gaming in 2004:
* Publication of Unearthed Arcana, a D&D source book that is 99% Open Gaming Content.
* Publication of d20 Modern Weapons Locker, where all the gun statistics and additional weapon rules are OGC

That's two hardcover books.

* Addition of the Expanded Psionics Handbook rules to the SRD
* Addition of the Deities & Demigods divine rules to the SRD
* Addition of the Epic Level Handbook rules to the SRD

* Addition of the Menace Manual monsters to the MSRD
* Addition of Urban Arcana material to the MSRD
* Addition of d20 Future material to the MSRD

There are also plans to add Planar Handbook material to the SRD. (I'd expect that in 2005 - Andy Smith is rather busy. ).

This has been a really significant year for Wizards and Open Gaming. I hope we see another like it next year - and the inclusion of a few monsters from the other D&D monster manuals in the SRD.

Why am I posting this? Because there are some really ill-informed people on these boards who think that Wizards doesn't care about the d20 System. Really? Why did they release so much material this year, then?

Many thanks to Charles Ryan, Andy Smith and the rest of the D&D team for this great year.

Cheers!

 

[JoeGKushner]

Maybe we'll see some more 3rd party designers take a whack at higher level adventurers now that the Epic Rules are SRD...

Anyway, I hope that Wizards has another book like Unearthed Arcana next year with some nods to the better 3rd party work out there and some more d20 Modern stuff updated and manipulated for D&D.

 

[Tav_Behemoth]

Hear, hear!

I wouldn't hold my breath for a lot of new epic level material, though; even if it is a relatively under-explored niche, it's also a ton more work to design than lower-level stuff (both in the time it takes to stat out any given NPC, and in the effort needed to be sure the scenario stands up to all the crazy things characters of that level can do).

 

[wedgeski]

Agreed! And well said. I know a lot of people think that Wizards should be leading by example and innovating a lot more with their rules and their approach to the market, but IMO a solid market *presence* is more valuable to the industry as a whole, and that is what Wizards has been this year. I hope '05 is at least as good for them.

 

[Gez]

Anyway, I hope that Wizards has another book like Unearthed Arcana next year with some nods to the better 3rd party work out there

I can see WotC publishing "Unearthed Arcana 2: Best of d20 Edition"!

 

[Garnfellow]

2004 has been the most significant year since 2000 for Open Gaming and Wizards.

[SNIP]

Many thanks to Charles Ryan, Andy Smith and the rest of the D&D team for this great year.

Yeah, I agree completely. The generosity shown by WotC in declaring so much of their content open is unprecedented, and I think it greatly strengthens the hobby.

 

[TerraDave]

Where does this fit in WotC bigger strategy? It may encourage more psionic, epic, and modern supplements from 3rd party producers.

Are they also trying to “field test” various mechanics, for possible use in future releases? For example, will weapons of legacy (which is a bit of an odd title, but anyways), use the open game mechanics from Unearthed Arcana for scion weapons (or whatever they were called)?

GEZ may be joking, but there could be something very much like a UA: best of in the future. But the real question is, is this to test material for 3.75, or the next edition of D20 Modern?

 

[Sammael]

I can see WotC publishing "Unearthed Arcana 2: Best of d20 Edition"!

I wonder if DMG2 will be a little bit like that...

 

[Qwillion]

Oh I don't know there is the epic level Immortal's Handbook and Mongoose has thier epic level immortals book and there is the epic monster pdf
Legends of Avandu

 

[Mark]

Many thanks to Charles Ryan, Andy Smith and the rest of the D&D team for this great year.

Hooray!