Mercurius
Legend
(Inspired by the 4E Dragonlance thread)
Wizards has claimed that they plan on putting out one new setting each year, with Eberron up next in 2009. After that there is only speculation, with "old classics" likely as well as the likelihood of at least one new setting.
Given the previous spans between editions (1ed in '77, 2ed in '89, 3ed in '00, 4ed in '08), let's assume that 5E wouldn't come out until 2015 at the earliest. That gives six more settings for Wizards to give official treatment to after FR and Eberron, in 2010-15. The most likely "old classics" would be, in no particular order: Mystara, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Planescape, and Greyhawk. I see "secondary" settings such as Al-Qadim, Ravenloft, Birthright, etc, as less likely to receive full treatment; one would assume that Rokugan or Kara-Tur will be covered in Oriental Adventures, whenever that comes out; I would also scratch Planescape off the list, as it will likely (hopefully) be covered in this December's Manual of the Planes.
So we've got five old classics--Mystara, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, and Greyhawk--and six+ years. Is Wizards going to use up almost all of their "setting slots" on recycled settings? I certainly hope not...why not bring in something new? And even more so, why not bring out a setting that was designed around Points of Light rather than "pointsoflightified"? At this point it will already be two years (2010) before Wizards could put out a "true" Points of Light setting, if they follow their communicated schedule. I can see how, on one hand, they'd want to 4edify the two most popular 3.5 settings--FR and Eberron--before going forward with anything new, but with speculations of Dragonlance or Dark Sun in 2010 and/or 2011, it seems like it would be "missing the boat" if they really plan on putting off a new setting until 2012 or beyond.
What I'm hoping--and suggesting, if Mr. Rouse is listening--is to stratch the "one setting a year" plan and increase that to something like three per two years, even two per year, with one old classic being covered and one new setting, or alternating new and old every six to nine months.
It would be a shame, in my view, to focus setting attention on old classics. I would like to see 4ed versions of some of the old classics, but not at the expense of new settings. I mean, sometimes it is OK to just let these settings go and remain artifacts of older editions of D&D (if you dress grandpa up in the latest fashions he usually ends up looking kinda silly). There is something awkward about 4edifying everything; not only is it akin to fitting round pegs into square wholes but it smacks of a certain kind of creative lassitude.
My guess is that the schedule beyond Eberron is tentative and Wizards of the Coast is still trying to test the waters, see what people want; it certainly has seemed that Wizards, as a company, keeps an ear to the internet wind, and I give them kudos for that. If so, my vote is: Bring on the new, Wizards!
Wizards has claimed that they plan on putting out one new setting each year, with Eberron up next in 2009. After that there is only speculation, with "old classics" likely as well as the likelihood of at least one new setting.
Given the previous spans between editions (1ed in '77, 2ed in '89, 3ed in '00, 4ed in '08), let's assume that 5E wouldn't come out until 2015 at the earliest. That gives six more settings for Wizards to give official treatment to after FR and Eberron, in 2010-15. The most likely "old classics" would be, in no particular order: Mystara, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, Planescape, and Greyhawk. I see "secondary" settings such as Al-Qadim, Ravenloft, Birthright, etc, as less likely to receive full treatment; one would assume that Rokugan or Kara-Tur will be covered in Oriental Adventures, whenever that comes out; I would also scratch Planescape off the list, as it will likely (hopefully) be covered in this December's Manual of the Planes.
So we've got five old classics--Mystara, Dragonlance, Dark Sun, Spelljammer, and Greyhawk--and six+ years. Is Wizards going to use up almost all of their "setting slots" on recycled settings? I certainly hope not...why not bring in something new? And even more so, why not bring out a setting that was designed around Points of Light rather than "pointsoflightified"? At this point it will already be two years (2010) before Wizards could put out a "true" Points of Light setting, if they follow their communicated schedule. I can see how, on one hand, they'd want to 4edify the two most popular 3.5 settings--FR and Eberron--before going forward with anything new, but with speculations of Dragonlance or Dark Sun in 2010 and/or 2011, it seems like it would be "missing the boat" if they really plan on putting off a new setting until 2012 or beyond.
What I'm hoping--and suggesting, if Mr. Rouse is listening--is to stratch the "one setting a year" plan and increase that to something like three per two years, even two per year, with one old classic being covered and one new setting, or alternating new and old every six to nine months.
It would be a shame, in my view, to focus setting attention on old classics. I would like to see 4ed versions of some of the old classics, but not at the expense of new settings. I mean, sometimes it is OK to just let these settings go and remain artifacts of older editions of D&D (if you dress grandpa up in the latest fashions he usually ends up looking kinda silly). There is something awkward about 4edifying everything; not only is it akin to fitting round pegs into square wholes but it smacks of a certain kind of creative lassitude.
My guess is that the schedule beyond Eberron is tentative and Wizards of the Coast is still trying to test the waters, see what people want; it certainly has seemed that Wizards, as a company, keeps an ear to the internet wind, and I give them kudos for that. If so, my vote is: Bring on the new, Wizards!
