WotC, 3PP and quality level

[catsclaw227]

- Expeditious Retreat: the Magical Medeival society books
- Fantasy Flight Games:
- Green Ronin: Advanced Bestiary, Holy Warrior's Handbook, Psychic's Handbook, Shaman's Handbook, Witch's Handbook, the Freeport books, the Mythic Vista books
- Malhavoc: Beyond Countelss Doorways, Book of Iron Might, Book of Roguish Luck

Fantasy Flight Games had their Legends & Lairs series with some very good books in it like: CityWorks (Mike Mearls), Monster's Handbook, Portals & Planes (Mearls), Traps & Treachery I & II, Necromantic Lore, Wildscape (also Mearls), as well as many others.

 

[Greg K]

Fantasy Flight Games had their Legends & Lairs series with some very good books in it like: CityWorks (Mike Mearls), Monster's Handbook, Portals & Planes (Mearls), Traps & Treachery I & II, Necromantic Lore, Wildscape (also Mearls), as well as many others.

Oops, I accidently skipped over FFG for examples. I meant to include several of the books you mentioned- especially Portals and Planes and Wildscape.

 

[Ranger REG]

Sometimes I read in these forums that the new GSL will avoid one indesirable effect the d20/OGL licenses had: the 90% of crappy books that flooded the market. I know the vast majority of 3PP supplements were terrible, although 90% of published fantasy literature, even mainstream literature, is also crap.

Perhaps, but despite the flood of mediocre products, that didn't stop the success of 3e and the movement toward royalty-free open gaming licensing.

So, while the GSL may do what you pointed out, many 3PP who were successful during the 3e Era find it too restricting.

Then there are folks like me who liken to d20 over D&D may have to wait until the next GSL will come out to see if this new system is as solid as the old system when it comes to multi-genre RPGs.

Besides, just because the GSL will prevent mediocre product flood from 3PP, that doesn't mean it will prevent mediocre product flood from WotC themselves, since they're above the license that they created (unless they use someone else's material).

 

[ProfessorCirno]

The splatbooks will inevitable come and consume every edition like so many langoliers (God I hated that book), regardless of what the edition is. Happened to 2e. Happened to 3e. 3.x got hit too. You're fooling yourself if you think 4e is safe.

 

[Filcher]

Do we have some official release dates on the DCCs? And will they be in PDF immediately.

I am also interested in their "Points of Light" supplement. System-neutral and good for homebrewers or home-goulashers.

Gen Con release. So probably late August in stores. Don't know about the PDFs. Seems like they usually follow a week or so after the print release.

 

[CleverNickName]

The splatbooks will inevitable come and consume every edition like so many langoliers (God I hated that book), regardless of what the edition is. Happened to 2e. Happened to 3e. 3.x got hit too. You're fooling yourself if you think 4e is safe.

WotC (or maybe just Hasbro) seems to be bracing themselves against this eventuality, though. The new GSL has the potential to keep quality high and saturation low.

But you are right: that doesn't mean that 4E will be immune to the phenomenon. I suspect that power-creeping splatbooks will continue to pop up like mushrooms...but instead of having the word "Complete" in front of the title, they will have the number "2" behind it.

 

[gdmcbride]

It is simply wrong to paint all 3PP with the same brush. Oh, yes, some have shovelled dreck. No doubt. But also 3PP produced some of the greatest supplements of the 3.x era.

For example:

Ptolus (Malhavoc)
A Magical Medieval Society: Western Europe (Expeditious Retreat Press)
Vault of Larin Karr (Necromancer Games)
City of Brass boxset (Necromancer Games)
The Book of Fiends (Green Ronin Publishing)
Tome of Horrors (Necromancer Games)
Pirates Guide to Freeport (Green Ronin)
Shackled City Adventure Path HC (Paizo)
J1: Entombed with the Pharoahs (Paizo)
Midnight 2nd Edition HC (Fantasy Flight Games)
DCC #51: Castle Whiterock (Goodman Games)
Six Arabian Nights (Open Design)

These are twelve great products. Some of those are better (IMHO) than anything WotC put out. Some of them are at least equal.

I am certainly glad I own them all.

Gary

 

[Filcher]

These are twelve great products. Some of those are better (IMHO) than anything WotC put out. Some of them are at least equal.

I am certainly glad I own them all.

Gary

I envy and salute you, sir.

 

[Mark]

I believe that Greg K and gdmcbride might have forgotten about a few of the Atlas Games books, no?

 

[Greg K]

I believe that Greg K and gdmcbride might have forgotten about a few of the Atlas Games books, no?

I have heard good things about some of their books. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to check them out. I am still trying to finish up the books that I listed (all of which I have seen even if I don't own each and every one of them).