WoTC products, going downhill?

[Baby Samurai]

Since late 2004, start of 2005, that nothing released by WOTC caught my attention, and those that did (SWSE, Bo9S, MoI, ToM,) deeply disapointed me.

I feel the exact opposite, those are four of the best d20 releases to date, IMO.

On the Saga tip, my group has ported over many of the changes (withdraw is a move action, charge is a standard action, no 5ft. step, no iterative attacks, skill system etc) to our fortnightly D&D (Planescape) campaign, and everyone loves it.

 

[Hussar]

Eberron is just a waste of resources and WOTC needs to use the money they're dumping into it to do other books.

At any rate, the quality is going downhill, fast.

Interesting how "I don't like this" suddenly means "I don't like this so it must be poor quality."

What about Eberron is poor quality? I can fully support not liking something. But, what quality issues do you have with Eberron?

And, just to answer the threadcrap - what does the cancellation of Dungeon and Dragon (Which aren't actually being cancelled, but, hey, why actually look at the truth) have to do with the quality of WOTC products?

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

Interesting how "I don't like this" suddenly means "I don't like this so it must be poor quality."

What about Eberron is poor quality? I can fully support not liking something. But, what quality issues do you have with Eberron?

And, just to answer the threadcrap - what does the cancellation of Dungeon and Dragon (Which aren't actually being cancelled, but, hey, why actually look at the truth) have to do with the quality of WOTC products?

I'm guessing your first paragraph answers your third, here...

 

[Imaro]

I voted for slightly downhill. I got SWSE and liked it, but as far as D&D goes...the last book I bought was ToB, I recently posted a poll about what "Expedition to" module to get, and the replies there convinced me to skip all three. MIC, Spell Compendium...are just reprints of already exsisting material, so I can't really give WotC props for them...I would love to see a feat compendium(actually feel this is needed more than those other two books). Really wasn't interested in the new line of complete books, and the only one I heard enough good things about to even consider buying, was Complete Scoundrel. All in all I'm way more excited about SWSE than anything for D&D that's been released in the past few months.

I'm curious...how "recent" is recent? I see people mentioning PHB 2 and ToB...are these recent? PHB 2 came out over a year ago and ToB is almost a year old. Recent books in my mind would be SWSE, The Expedition to Undermountain, Complete Champion, Drow of the Underdark, Monster Manual V, Dungeonscape, and The Sinister Spire(probably a few I missed). A few maybe's would probably be Complete Scoundrel, Barrow of the Forgoten King, The Red Hand of Doom, and a few others.

I really don't see too much I want now...adventures kinda meh on, I got a better deal on them with Dungeon magazine and after seeing some of the replies to my other thread on $30 plus adventures...let's just say my faith is a little shaky.

The new line of "complete books" is the same old, same old to me. I would really have too want more crunch in my game...and I''m past that point now. Haven't given the environment books a look, but I haven't heard anythig bad about them so I might be interested, but of course that means more rules.

I guess I just feel like D&D is kind of caught in a repetitive cycle...except for the adventures, which at their prices, I'm not willing to gamble on. I really wish that instead of continuously adding more rules, they'd maybe make a book telling you how to simplify the game in various ways...and what the effects would be(sorta like UA did). This is all very subjective...but then again so is the question.

 

[Odhanan]

what does the cancellation of Dungeon and Dragon (...) have to do with the quality of WOTC products?

It does affect the expectations of some of Wizards' customers. It does have to do with what these customers understand as "quality products" coming from Wizards, therefore it is relevant to the evaluations these customers have of the evolution in quality of Wizards' products.

Incidentally, this also addresses your questions about Eberron, by ripple effect, I believe.

 

[Fifth Element]

Even though it was not WotC who were publishing Dragon and Dungeon?

 

[Fifth Element]

Looking at the current poll results, 25% have indicated quality is going up and 36% say it's going down.

For an internet poll, I'd call that pretty even once you consider the self-selection bias and the bias towards negativity that exists online.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I keep reading either that SW Saga is amazing or its riddled with errors and mechanics issues.

 

[Odhanan]

Even though it was not WotC who were publishing Dragon and Dungeon?

Seriously, that's like saying that Dragon and Dungeon are not technically cancelled. That's beyond the point. WotC is responsible of not renewing the magazines licenses, WotC is the company deciding to recycle the magazines as "online content". Hence, it is WotC who's calling the shots on this decision for the customers mentioned above.

I think the cancellation of the magazines (and later "recycling as online content") has an obvious influence on the opinions some of Wizards' customers express regarding their products. Whether they are justified in so thinking is completely beyond the point.

 

[Belen]

(Which aren't actually being cancelled, but, hey, why actually look at the truth) have to do with the quality of WOTC products?

Online is not the same as print. The mags have been effectively cancelled. Wizards just wants to use their name to garner support for their new pet project.