Wizards Presents: Inside the making of 4th edition, plus new art

[TerraDave]

From the editor of Wizards Presents: Races and Classes, in her blog.

* It's all new art, from concept sketches to finished pieces.

* It's all new text, essays from the design/development staff about the making of 4E (including a design timeline) and the new status quo for races and classes. It's not a history of D&D as a whole, but an in-depth look at the making of this edition. This and the companion book, Wizards Presents: Races and Classes, give a complete picture of how we concepted, designed, and wrote 4th Edition.

* This new art and text? WILL NOT be repeated in the Player's Handbook as a whole. It's possible that, say, an unfinished sketch in the preview book might be finished and turned into a color piece later--but I've seen the PH art order, and that's all new too. Similarly, the races and class writeups ARE NOT what appear in the PH. How could they be? These essays were written months ago, and a few things have changed since then. But you'll be surprised by how much we're saying here...

...and by the new things exclusive to this book that no one's talked about yet. Occasionally, we DO manage to keep some secrets.

 

[Beckett]

Thanks! Any concerns that popped up because of the recent threads have been wiped away for me.

 

[Stormtalon]

Aye, THIS is more of how you want to position these books to get the, "OOOOOH, SHINY!" reaction from gamers.

*ahem*

OOOOOOH, SHIIIINNNYYY!!

 

[pawsplay]

So... you get a preview of races and classes.... that are wrong?

 

[Mieric]

So... you get a preview of races and classes.... that are wrong?

And the new exclusive [but unfinished pieces may be reused] art.

I don't need incorrect fluff... and google image search is useful for not repeating art.

 

[DaveMage]

So... you get a preview of races and classes.... that are wrong?

It must be mi-, er, um...someone else's.


Edit - based on the blurb, this seems like something that should come out *after* the new edition is out so those who like it can see how it was made. Kind of "the making of" 4E. People don't usually want to watch "the making of" specials until after they've seen the show.

Also, shouldn't such "essays" be "Design and Development" articles that appear for free on the website (or, alternatively, part of the DI that is supposedly the "special features DVD" they keep going on about)?

The whole 4e marketing has been a disaster as far as what effect it has had on me. Each new blurb makes me dislike 4E more and more. With 3E, each new blurb had me liking it more and more.

 

[Rechan]

I thought people on these boards were ASKING for the designers notes on why they chose what they did, when they did, etc.

No matter what's presented, someone's not going to like it.

 

[Mistwell]

I thought people on these boards were ASKING for the designers notes on why they chose what they did, when they did, etc.

No matter what's presented, someone's not going to like it.

Indeed.

I for one am looking forward to this. Designer intent and methodology is important to me.

 

[Sir Brennen]

And the new exclusive [but unfinished pieces may be reused] art.

I don't need incorrect fluff... and google image search is useful for not repeating art.

The point was the fluff won't be repeated in the upcoming PHB. And the google search statement doesn't even make sense.

 

[Mieric]

The point was the fluff won't be repeated in the upcoming PHB.

I know they aren't going to be repeated in the PHB (thank god).

These essays were written months ago, and a few things have changed since then. But you'll be surprised by how much we're saying here...

To me it sounds like they're pulling stuff off cutting room floor and selling it.