The Future of D20 Modern

[NMC]

As reported out front, Chris Perkins has made some interesting comments about the future of D20 Modern on the WotC message boards:

"At some point, I want to talk more about the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, and what we're planning to do with it after the launch of 4th Edition. We've had conversations. Good ones. One thing I know we're doing is planning d20 Modern content on D&D Insider. A good number of folks have asked for it. Frankly, we could use a few more good article and adventure proposals, too."

And so, for those of us who have been lamenting the recent lack of support for Modern, the onus falls on us to do something about it.

-Nate

 

[Wraith Form]

I read the (entire) article too, and am encouraged by the news.

However, aside from.....just talking....I really don't understand why there was a mention of Spectaculars in the same blog article. Was that a tease? Was it foreshadowing of prducts to come? Or was he just bragging about his good taste in TV (some of us who've been watching it since day 1)?

 

[Roudi]

Maybe he just wanted to let us know why it got canned (since an official reason never came out, and there was a lot of speculation then, with Hasbro and Marvel just entering a licensing agreement).

 

[Kheti sa-Menik]

WOTC has made promises..or teases..in the past that never panned out. I am going to try to not get my hopes up for D20 Modern but be pleasantly surprised if anything comes of it.
Really, I'd be happy with keeping the same core rules and get a new book every once in while. Campaign settings, more talent trees, niche books like Critical Locations or Weapons Locker, adventures, "plug-in" style books that let you play in a variety of settings and genres.

 

[Rabelais]

I read the (entire) article too, and am encouraged by the news.

However, aside from.....just talking....I really don't understand why there was a mention of Spectaculars in the same blog article. Was that a tease? Was it foreshadowing of prducts to come? Or was he just bragging about his good taste in TV (some of us who've been watching it since day 1)?

Spectaculars? Some sort of strange foreign broadcast picked up on the Etherscope?

 

[Arkhandus]

D20 Spectaculars was a planned and partially-finished book, AFAIK, that WotC ultimately cancelled rather than releasing, which would have provided a superhero-genre addition to D20 Modern. But with heroes gaining powers or power-improvements through level advancement and such. And yeah, I figure it was probably because of Hasbro and Marvel. Plus the fact that it was chancey to begin with, since Mutants & Masterminds was already very popular at the time and from a different company.

 

[Ranger REG]

D20 Spectaculars was a planned and partially-finished book, AFAIK, that WotC ultimately cancelled rather than releasing, which would have provided a superhero-genre addition to D20 Modern. But with heroes gaining powers or power-improvements through level advancement and such. And yeah, I figure it was probably because of Hasbro and Marvel. Plus the fact that it was chancey to begin with, since Mutants & Masterminds was already very popular at the time and from a different company.

Perhaps, but considering WotC's history in the past 7 years, they're usually not shy about launching a specific themed product even though there is a flood of similar-themed third-party products already in the market. For example, even though there were the Seafarer's Handbook, Seas of Blood, and Skull & Bones, WotC did published Stormwrack with its own rules on naval combat and adventuring.

If by "canned" you mean "shelved," then it's possible that d20 Spectaculars would be one of the products to promote d20 Modern v2.0 in 2009.

 

[Roudi]

You'll also note that the article states why d20 Spectaculars was shelved, and it had nothing to do with the Hasbro/Marvel deal or the existence of similar products.

4e demanded attention.

 

[Ganeldil]

Well nothing is going to sell as many copies as the Core D&D books for 4e, once those are all out I think we will see 4e Modern stuff as resources become available to work on them. Modern core stuff will sell quantities on par with D&D supplements books (I think) so at that point they can be given some project priority.

 

[Bretbo]

You'll also note that the article states why d20 Spectaculars was shelved, and it had nothing to do with the Hasbro/Marvel deal or the existence of similar products.

4e demanded attention.

Oh great, now I'm going to have to start disliking 4e. I really didn't want to go down that road. If Spectaculars gets published for Modern 4e, then I suppose I can be more understanding.