Quote from: Windjammer;752904Why on earth WotC would stage the release of a new edition by a mix of (1) cryptic Twitter remarks by designers deciphered by (2) a person with partial knowledge parading as 'not a PR spokesperson but in the know', is beyond me. It's quite hysterical, and I must honestly say I'm looking forward to the rest of this PR 'campaign'. It's slowly getting towards 4e times, but I'd prefer if they could revert to doing Youtube interviews and find someone as inept as GamerZer0.

Because people like us will tell every gamer they know, for FREE!

Quote from: JasperAK;752909If they end up offering a print version of this (maybe after the three core are out?) it will be more than I was asking for. I was only hoping for 1-5 or maybe even 1-10 or so. A complete basic game this is. For free. That is a very bold move.

I agree though that the PR campaign sucks. I don't think they need to drum up interest on the net with cryptic bullshit.

everyone in the online rpg community has been reading and talking about it and no publicity is bad publicity so ....

It strikes me that we may be mistaking their "cryptic bullshit" on the net for just actual leaks because the online rpg community is pestering and speculating so hard. They've been leaking out dribs and drabs of information to this community, and, yes, not doing it so well. But this isn't the actual marketing campaign for the actual market. I think we have yet to see that at all. Thusfar, we only know what we do because we're on here caring about it, which pretty much no-one else is. There are vanishingly few of us, after all, compared to the chunk of the gaming population that WotC actually want to sell this edition to, ie, millions of "casual" gamers. They are actually the norm. We aren't. We're doing this to ourselves ....

Quote from: elfandghost;752882Great plan.

Also, the artwork is very AD&D:

The alt-text on the Wizards page says that art is actually from the Starter Set, but yeah, that's a fun picture.

All they (WotC) need to do now is say they are also bringing out a print version of Dragon magazine!

Quote from: elfandghost;752882Also, the artwork is very AD&D:

And so very Dragon Age:



And so very Dungeonslayers:



What a luck that it probably won't be the cover - I'd prefer something more original, or iconic to D&D.
(Like, a red dragon, or a red idol...)

Quote from: GameDaddy;752893Basic D&D has been available for some time now as a System Reference Document released under the OGL.

Not really. The SDR doesn't tell you the basics of how to play the game, or (more importantly) how to create and advance characters. It's a reference for people who already know the game.

Now that is a bold move. Bravo.

I think it's pretty clear to me now that the Starter Set is not what I thought it was. I've pre-ordered it and will use it (and the new Basic) to give the finalised 5e a whirl with our group. With any luck, WotC will have a batch of new (returning) customers, and the Starter Set will be good enough to gift to younger prospective players.

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;752923And so very Dragon Age:
... And so very Dungeonslayers:
...What a luck that it probably won't be the cover - I'd prefer something more original, or iconic to D&D.

Actually, the image did remind me of the cover art for the revised FR box, if only for the blue-ish background swirl:

Quote from: elfandghost;752882Great plan.

Also, the artwork is very AD&D:

Yes, this is the kind of cover I wanted to see on the new PHB! Nice.

This approach to a Basic set is pretty cool, actually. I love the idea of a version of the game that will retain a narrow, focused approach to classes (and presumably rules). It is basically an anti-bloat insurance policy. Three years from now, when the inevitable 5E Complete Guide to Dragonborn Spell-Slinger's comes out, I will still have a bunker of sanity I can crawl into, and, miraculously, it will involve an in-print game. Someone on this team has their head screwed on straight.

Quote from: Warthur;752920The alt-text on the Wizards page says that art is actually from the Starter Set

Ah, rats.

Quote from: Dirk Remmecke;752923And so very Dragon Age:



And so very Dungeonslayers:



What a luck that it probably won't be the cover - I'd prefer something more original, or iconic to D&D.
(Like, a red dragon, or a red idol...)

With some of this:



...and a dash of this!



Not bad!  Not bad at all!

Quote from: Marleycat;752864Mearls already said it's possible they sell it in book form. Which means it will happen in no less than 2-5 years maximum. Basic will be available when the starter set is. I'm even thinking of downloading it and printing it off.

Actually only character creation will be available with the launch of the starter set. Other content will be added as the core books are released, more play rules in Aug with the PHB, monsters with the MM and DM material with the DMG.

Slow release of digital material is worth it if that's what it takes to ensure compatibility with the hardback versions.

The basic content outlined in the announcement is more than I ever thought would be release as free demo material. The intent has the potential to generate a lot of goodwill, but the execution will be everything.

The WOTC track record with digital content isn't very good. When Dragon magazine first went digital things started going to shit. No print needing to get out the door meant later and lazier offerings. Eventually, the idea of a cohesive online issue was dropped and content was just sprinkled here and there whenever and collected once a month. Keep in mind this was content that customers were paying for. How much care and consistency can be expected of a digital "product" that generates ZERO revenue?

Quote from: Bradford C. Walker;752853Okay, now I'm interested.  This new Basic D&D, as described, is what I've said should be the core of the game for years; four classes, four races, up to 20th level, stripped of setting stuff, mission-critical rules only.  That WotC will give this away (in PDF) ensures that skeptics like me will download it and try it; smart move.

yep, agreed :hmm: