Where Are The D&D Conversion Guides? Delayed For Jury Duty

[Fanghawk]

Where Are The D&D Conversion Guides? Delayed For Jury Duty

Those Dungeons & Dragons conversion documents have to wait until Wizards of the Coast's approvals person wraps up a real-world courtroom drama.

<a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/tabletop/reviews/12103-D-D-Player-s-Handbook-Review-A-Greatest-Hits-Collection>Dungeons & Dragons' Fifth Edition has been out for half a year, and has <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/139537-Dungeons-Dragons-Announces-Elemental-Evil-as-Next-Storyline-Gives-Release-Dates>all kinds of new adventures still on the way. But for many fans, the really exciting release will be conversion documents, helping Game Masters bring countless adventures and campaigns to the new system. The only problem is <a href=http://suvudu.com/2014/07/interview-with-dd-lead-designer-mike-mearls-gamers-wanted-5e-to-be-fast-flexible-and-easy-to-play.html>most of these were supposed to be out last fall. What's the delay? It's actually beyond Wizards of the Coast's control - the responsible party rolled a one on the jury duty table.

The detail was revealed earlier this week when <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-escapist-on-the-road/9672-Interview-with-Dungeons-and-Dragons-Lead-Designer-Mike-Mearls>D&D Lead Designer Mike Mearls was asked about the matter on Twitter. "The person who needs to do the final approvals on them is serving on a jury that will take another 4 or so months," Mearls confirmed. "Sorry!"

That's a completely reasonable hiccup in development, even though four months feels like a long time to wait. At least <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/139678-Dungeons-Dragons-Eberron-Setting-Updated-To-Fifth-Edition>releases like the Eberron update guide will give players a place to start for now. Hopefully by the time we're all finished with <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/140064-Wizards-of-the-Coast-Releases-Dungeons-Dragons-Elemental-Evil-Players-Companion-For-Free>the Elemental Evil campaign we'll be able to dive into some classic D&D worlds.

Well, unless your GM gets called away as well.

Source: <a href=https://twitter.com/mikemearls/status/577581910840373248>Twitter

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[the December King]

Conversion rules?

Like, just from 4th ed to 5th ed, or are we talking some sort of super updater? Cause if we are, I just might try 5th ed with some of my older D&D characters...

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

And... they can't have someone else do it? I mean, sheesh, what if this person died?

 

[tippy2k2]

And... they can't have someone else do it? I mean, sheesh, what if this person died?

The same thing that happened when Coca-Cola and KFC's recipe creators died; the company went under since they couldn't make their product anymore. Duh!

 

[saphirekosmos]

And... they can't have someone else do it? I mean, sheesh, what if this person died?

The same thing that happened when Coca-Cola and KFC's recipe creators died; the company went under since they couldn't make their product anymore. Duh!

Fun fact: If I remember correctly only 2 or so people in each company actually knows the entire recipe for their product and they are not allowed to travel at the same time in case something happens to one of them.

 

[frizzlebyte]

Fun fact: If I remember correctly only 2 or so people in each company actually knows the entire recipe for their product and they are not allowed to travel at the same time in case something happens to one of them.

That's what I've heard, though whether it's true or not is up for debate, I guess.

I'm just trying to figure out what needs "approving." I'm not that big into P&P RPGs, so this is probably a painfully obvious question to the more knowledgeable Escapists.

 

[conmag9]

Come on, people, Protection from Law is a spell for a reason! What, does Wizards of the Coast not employee one mage at level 1?!

Then again, if "Conversion Rules" means having to work briefly with the Edition That Shall Not Be Named but Rhymes With North, I suppose I can understand failing your save for Jury Duty and jumping at the chance to get away. /s

 

[chimeracreator]

Come on, people, Protection from Law is a spell for a reason! What, does Wizards of the Coast not employee one mage at level 1?!

Unfortunately they forgot to port the spell over in 5e. So all of the accumulated jury duty time showed up at once.

 

[Rawbeard]

Wait, you can be on jury duty for half a year and longer and are not allowed to work?

 

[truckspond]

Wait, you can be on jury duty for half a year and longer and are not allowed to work?

AFAIK it's actually a legal requirement that you not work lest you pick up information from a source outside the courtroom which impacts on your judgement

 

[CrystalShadow]

And... they can't have someone else do it? I mean, sheesh, what if this person died?

The same thing that happened when Coca-Cola and KFC's recipe creators died; the company went under since they couldn't make their product anymore. Duh!

Well, fortunately the recipe for coke is an open secret.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula

of course, we don't know if that's quite accurate, but a taste comparison would certainly give you a decent idea... XD

on topic, I do have to wonder why that one specific person is so crucial to getting this done...
Who is he? Why is his opinion on things so important that they are willing to delay it by that much just because he isn't around?

 

[frizzlebyte]

Wait, you can be on jury duty for half a year and longer and are not allowed to work?

AFAIK it's actually a legal requirement that you not work lest you pick up information from a source outside the courtroom which impacts on your judgement

In the USA there's no legal requirement that you not work, and in fact many people have to keep working their job after the jury takes off for the day unless their shift prevents it, because the employer won't let them get time off for jury duty.

The only exception is when the jury is sequestered, in which case the juror cannot be fired in most states for not showing up for work due to jury selection.

 

[Bryan Davidson-Tirca]

Honestly I think 5ed need a conversion guide much less than any other edition. It would be a nice tool on the side but from what I am experiencing all the older systems seem to be plunging in to the current edition quite splendidly.

I'm more interested in a well balanced guide books on thing not covered, yet. A balanced look at psionics for example.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

And... they can't have someone else do it? I mean, sheesh, what if this person died?

The same thing that happened when Coca-Cola and KFC's recipe creators died; the company went under since they couldn't make their product anymore. Duh!

Fun fact: If I remember correctly only 2 or so people in each company actually knows the entire recipe for their product and they are not allowed to travel at the same time in case something happens to one of them.

For Coke two people know the recipe, but as CrystalShadow pointed out there's almost certainly more people who know the recipe, if only for production reasons, though Coca-Cola waves off anyone who presents a version.

For KFC, what happens is that half of the secret spice is made in one place, half in another, and they are combined at a third location.

OT: This is really weird to me. You'd imagine that Mearls would have the final approval as lead designer, and that even if it's some suit above the actual design team that needs to sign off that they would be able to move on; I can't imagine Hasbro would be too happy about D&D getting tied up in nonsense. Maybe it's someone from the TSR days who still has some rights to the stuff they want to convert?

 

[thehorror2]

What's likely is that they want more time to work on it and this makes for a perfect excuse. For those who work in software or any R&D department, really, if even the flimsiest excuse came along that let you push back your deadline with no downsides, wouldn't you seize it?

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Really rolled a 1 there, then another 1 for time!!!
10 months or so total?! Why in the seven hells didn't they task someone else to replace them?

 

[Quellist]

Heh, I read this article and all I could think of was https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRukOo6-v4M

Funny. Jury Duty is no big deal over here, you get your wages paid by the state and you can't be fired. At least that's how it was 10 years ago when i got called up

 

[RoBi3.0]

It is understanding that the conversion guides will be free. Wizards has a pretty corporate structure where everyone has a specific job that most be done. This usually works really well and allowed them to put out tons of product a year. They rarely if ever mess Release dates for Magic anyways.

I can completely understand if they do not want to pull another employee off a paid product and potentially have to push that release back to finish up a free product. It doesn't make much business sense to me.