So, will we see a rush of new (and mostly short-lived) gaming companies pumping out everything under the sun for 4e (assuming the OGL is even somewhat close to how the OGL is now)?  Mongoose has RuneQuest now, Green Ronin has True 20; what sort of division of labor do you think we'll see between companies' house systems and 4e products?  What about companies like AEG, Kenzer, (sans Kalamar now...), Margaret Weiss?  Come one, come all, play the guessing game!  Who's in, who's out, who's going it alone?

Necromancer Games is supposed to be making the change the 4E. However, I don't know if there will be much of an audience for 4E rules, 1E feel. It seems that a lot of the old-school D&Ders have found other systems or formats to suite their preferences (C&C, OSRIC, Goodman Games).

I'll probably make one or two.

If I do, they'll be worth looking at. I pay attention to this shit.

Yeah, I can easily see the dividing line of 3.5 and 4.0 turning into the point where a lot of people re-evaluate their preferences and say that they are not "evolving". Of course, the majority will go fourward, and judging by the "turn sacred cows into burgers!" mentality of the ENWorld opinion leaders, the hardcore inevitably will. But there's going to be fragmentation... and I am fairly sure those who are for the 1e feel will be among those who are more reluctant to switch. That's not looking too good for Necromancer and Goodman.

Any publisher who's been putting out a significant amount of stuff under the d20 licence - the one which lets you use the D&D trademark - will probably have to convert, so we can expect White Wolf's Swords and Sorcery imprint and publishers like that to convert. I think the only publishers who can afford not to convert are ones who only put out products under the OGL and not the d20 licence, and that will tend to be the publishers who've adapted the OGL to make new in-house systems like True20 and C&C instead.

I think we'll be seeing plenty of interesting 4e supplements from third parties. You know what I'd like to see? A big book of "micro-adventures". The per-encounter setup for adventurer powers lends means that I can see all sorts of possibilities for a publisher to put out a collection of one- or two-encounter adventures designed to last about an hour, which DMs can slot into their main campaign as side quests whenever they like. Alternately, if those microadventures come with pregen characters, they can be an opportunity for quick play for times when you don't have time for a full session - or handy tools for demoing the game to new players.

Quote from: MelanYeah, I can easily see the dividing line of 3.5 and 4.0 turning into the point where a lot of people re-evaluate their preferences and say that they are not "evolving". Of course, the majority will go fourward, and judging by the "turn sacred cows into burgers!" mentality of the ENWorld opinion leaders, the hardcore inevitably will. But there's going to be fragmentation... and I am fairly sure those who are for the 1e feel will be among those who are more reluctant to switch. That's not looking too good for Necromancer and Goodman.

I think it might end up looking damn good for the likes of C&C or FtA! though...

RPGPundit

Quote from: MelanYeah, I can easily see the dividing line of 3.5 and 4.0 turning into the point where a lot of people re-evaluate their preferences and say that they are not "evolving". Of course, the majority will go fourward, and judging by the "turn sacred cows into burgers!" mentality of the ENWorld opinion leaders, the hardcore inevitably will. But there's going to be fragmentation... and I am fairly sure those who are for the 1e feel will be among those who are more reluctant to switch. That's not looking too good for Necromancer and Goodman.

I'm not so sure.

It's quite possible that Goodman will adopt 4E as standard for their DCC line. After all, 3E wasn't exactly brilliant at emulating 1E, was it? Their aim has always been "First edition feel with current edition rules," and I don't see the new D&D game forcing them to change that approach.

QuoteAfter all, 3E wasn't exactly brilliant at emulating 1E, was it?

I beg to differ, 3.x was successful, BECSAUSE it was 1e turned to 110%
At least in regards to dungeoneering, they are basically the same. Only skill use is really different.

Quote from: SettembriniI beg to differ, 3.x was successful, BECSAUSE it was 1e turned to 110%
At least in regards to dungeoneering, they are basically the same. Only skill use is really different.

Really? With all those feats, extended tactical options and class variations? Not exactly how I remember it.

I'd say Castles & Crusades was far more successful at evoking the 1E play experience.

You are thinking it wrong.

I am talking about: Can I have the same kinds of situations and adventures?
And yes, 3.x supports all kinds of 1e situations and adventures, generally speaking. It doesn´t matter which dice you roll, or how many options your character gets.
3.x feats and options are a logical outcome of unearthed arcana-like character progression. The monk is a prime example.

Saying C&C is a better facilitator for 1e feel is emphasizing procedures instead of concepts.

Quote from: SettembriniSaying C&C is a better facilitator for 1e feel is emphasizing procedures instead of concepts.

And yet it's the procedures through which many of the concepts are expressed.

If 4E were to abolish, class, levels, hit points and magic then it would still be D&D, albeit in name only. That's what I'm getting at.

Now the changes from first to third editions were nowhere near as sweeping, but they did alter the tone of play. At least in my experience.

Further to that we've only just had a thread where Mike Mearls supports the idea of 3.x having problems enabling the kind of play that older editions did. It's not just me saying this.

The companies that rode the 3e wave, with the possible exception of Goodman Games and 'smaller fry', won't ride the 4e one, i think. Most of those involved in 3e now have their own OGL variations or their own games to support. I think 4e will result in a new batch of third party publishers releasing stuff under the new OGL.

It will be White-Wolf/Sword and Sorcery putting out the quality stuff. Hopefully they get Ravenloft back (if they even want it).

Not really, White Wolf retired its Sword and Sorcery line after they were bought out by that MMORPG company. This doesn't mean it isn't going to be resurrected, but right now, it just isn't an active label.

I believe if there is an opportunity, Paizo will be one of the key players. Mongoose could stage a return... and they could also make nice money on the side pushing 3.5 Pocket Player's Handbooks. Troll Lord Games and others with strong OGL systems will probably benefit, at least initially. I don't think the small companies will return; we will have entirely new ones with the same hopes and aspirations their ancestors had.

Well, I think... Fantasy Flight Games might put few 4e products out... Midnight update or something...

Green Ronin will probably follow, despite their effort to build True20/M&M line, they will at least initially make some income from 4e products.

Hopefully Kenzer will do some stuff...

Margaret Weis might get her Dragonlance back...

Mongoose will do 4e, I am sure.

White-Wolf will occasionally publish something or will help some other small publisher, but it will not be the good old Sword & Sorcery anymore.