Predicting 4e- a betting pool.

[JonSetanta]

Sean K Reynolds doesn't work for WOTC any more so IMHO ANY new edition of D&D will by default suck.

And Gygax is a single-minded bastard. Not that he counts for anything in RPGs these days anyway.

[rapanui]

Gygax is working on 4th Ed? How do you know that?

I wager that Core 4th Edition will be playable from level 1 to 10 after which point the rules will suck. It will be released June 12th, 2008.

[PhoneLobster]

I'd suggest very closely watching the sales of this saga edition of the star wars role play.

If its not satisfactory enough expect to see 4th ed fast tracked.

If its highly successful expect to see 4th ed fast tracked.

If its juuust right expect to not see 4th ed fast tracked, but still probably OK to start holding your breath sometime soon.

[tzor]

I don't think Gary would touch 4E with a ten foot pole.

He's out of touch with modern designers. On the other hand modern designers are bringing you Gleemax. Perhaps it's good to be out of touch.

I think we need to think outside the box and increment the letter as well as the number. The next edition wil be 4F!

[User3]

4th Fvckup? Makes sense, considering it'll be related to D&D Myspace.

[Username17]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dn ... [br]People who predicted an earlier 4th edition release seem to be on the write track.

-Username17

[Jacob_Orlove]

Wow, how "clever". I expect hilarious review posts on here in no more than 20 hours.

[Interested2]

It's confirmed. There's an admin-only forum being set up for 4e on the WotC boards right now, it was briefly accessible to the public.

http://forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay. ... r][br]Game over man, game over!

[rapanui]

Oddly enough, I can't wait to see.

[cthulhu]

Yeah, i'll be intrested to see what they have come up with this time.

[PhoneLobster]

And there was me, just like YESTERDAY saying to some some guys...

"Weird that those world of darkness d20 books are turning up just now."

"I mean, White Wolf fans sorta hate d&d, and its not like d&d 4 isn't around the corner and the other d20 stuff seems to be drying up."

"Hey maybe white wolf figure WOTC is gonna stumble out of open license soon and want to be the biggest fish left in the d20 OGL?"

[Rob_Knotts]

From The Miniatures Page:

Dungeons & Dragons Flashes 4-Ward at Gen Con - 4th Edition

August 16, 2007 (Renton, WA) – Whether you storm a mad wizard's tower every week or haven't delved into a dungeon since you had a mullet and a mean pair of parachute pants, one thing is certain - millions of D&D players worldwide have anticipated the coming of 4th Edition for many years. Today, Wizards of the Coast confirms that the new edition will launch in May 2008 with the release of the D&D Player's Handbook. A pop culture icon, Dungeons & Dragons is the #1 tabletop roleplaying game in the world, and is revered by legions of gamers of all ages.

The 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons game includes elements familiar to current D&D players, including illustrated rulebooks and pre-painted plastic miniatures. Also releasing next year will be new web-based tools and online community forums through the brand-new Dungeons & Dragons Insider (D&D Insider) digital offering. D&D Insider lowers the barriers of entry for new players while simultaneously offering the depth of play that appeals to veteran players.

The 4th Edition rules emphasize faster game play, offer exciting new character options, and reduce the amount of "prep time" needed to run the game. D&D Insider includes a character creator that lets players design and equip their D&D characters, dungeon- and adventure-building tools for Dungeon Masters, online magazine content, and a digital game table that lets you play 24/7 on the internet — the perfect option for anyone who can't find time to get together.

"We've been gathering player feedback for eight years," said Bill Slavicsek, R&D Director of Roleplaying and Miniatures Games at Wizards of the Coast. "Fourth Edition streamlines parts of the D&D game that are too complex, while enhancing the overall play experience. At its heart, it's still a tabletop game experience. However, D&D Insider makes it easier for players to create characters, run their games, and interact with the rest of the D&D community."

Wizards of the Coast will release two 4th Edition preview books in December and January — Wizards Presents: Classes and Races and Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters. The first live demos of 4th Edition will happen at the D&D Experience gaming convention in Washington D.C. in February 2008. The full scope of 4th Edition books, miniatures, and adventures will be available in the spring and summer of 2008.

Since its first release in 1974, the fantasy roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons has taken millions of players on imaginary adventures of epic scale. Today, D&D is universally regarded as the original game that created the roleplaying game category, and the inspiration for generations of game designers. D&D is enjoyed by millions of players worldwide, while countless more remember it with fond nostalgia.

[Cielingcat]

So I only have to wait a year to see how much 4e sucks? I'm not gonna hold my breath.

[Jacob_Orlove]

You don't have to wait a year! There's plenty of info available right now:

http://www.kenzerco.com/forums/showpost ... unt=157[br]

While there are changes in play (such as incorporating "epic-level play," with 30 levels instead of 20), they are described as "evolutionary" rather than "revolutionary." Other changes include new power sources, changes in resource management, and new encounter design, and more clearly defined monster roles. Changes will speed play, make the game easier to learn, and make DM-ing easier. Concepts for 4th Edition gameplay were tested in the new Star Wars RPG, and the Book of 9 Swords.

Also, there will apparently be the three "main" core books (PHB, DMG, MM), and four "optional" core books (no info as yet).

[Rob_Knotts]

The preview books are already listed on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Presents- ... 0786948027

[bitnine]

Concepts for 4th Edition gameplay were tested in the new Star Wars RPG, and the Book of 9 Swords.

Really? The Bo9S was a really a focus group for 4e's combat system? I am shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

[Tokorona]

You know, it might just work out... maybe. (I liked some of the elements of Bo9S. Not sure about SW:SE.

[Leress]

Ask Wizards:

Q: Dear Sage
When is 4th Edition D&D going to be published?

A: The 4th Edition Player's Handbook comes out in May 2008. Various products between now and next spring provide previews and sneak-peeks into the making of the new game. Keep an eye on dndinsider.com for all the latest 4th Edition news.

About the Author
The Sage is a mammal classified in the bear family, Ursidae, native to central and southern China. Debate continues as to whether he is truly a bear or more related to the raccoon rather than the bear, or perhaps in a family of his own. When not eating bamboo and answering rules questions, he works under the nom de plume of Andy Collins as an RPG developer in Wizards of the Coast R&D, where his development credits include Complete Mage, Dragon Magic, and the Player's Handbook v.3.5. He can be easily recognized by his large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, ears and on his rotund body.

[Captain_Bleach]

I bet that within its release, at least ten of us will be able to find an incredibly broken/unbalanced rules inconsistency, and we will all whine and moan about the lack of internal balance.

[Cielingcat]

At least ten? Try "all", and I guarantee that the broken rule will be a core part of the game, like skills.

[MrWaeseL]

Nothing will change except that I'll have to buy new books.

[Draco_Argentum]

"The 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons game includes elements familiar to current D&D players, including illustrated rulebooks and pre-painted plastic miniatures."

Uh-oh for anyone who dosen't like to use minis

[Username17]

I think the point here is that unless WotC falls behind on their projected may Release date by 2 and a half weeks, I won the pool.

-Username17

[Maj]

Congrats, Frank. Congrats also to Count Arioch who guessed it would be announced at GenCon this year.

[JonSetanta]

"LOL" is all you shall read of me on this matter, and "LOL" is shall be.