1) The starter set order is different than we expected.

We don't have an official order for when we release starters or huge sets. It's entertaining to watch the speculation from my POV. Rest assured: there is a starter set in the very near future. You heard it from me first!

Deserts of Desolation is almost assuredly a starter set, to help introduce the new mounted rules in rule-book form.

What mounted rules? I heard a rumor about some kind of mounted rules - do you have a link to something substantial?

(I'm guessing they'll have creatures that have the "Mount" special ability. What a boon to LG it may be!)

Mount rules were mentioned at the seminar at D&D eXPerience. Beyond that, there is no other source. However, since the source was WotC, I think you can accept this tidbit as "true".

--sam

It was revealed at XP that Desert of Desolation will not be a starter set. I'm almost 100% certain that Wooden War Wagons of Wood will be a starter. Almost.

Hmm, I seem to remember that discussion being about the Night Below set. Fading memories...

I'm unaware of anything more specific than the announcement that DoD will have rules for using mounts.

And I don't have much more on it than that. Shoe did speak to me at length about DoD, but it never occurred to me to ask if it would be a starter set or not. He did however tell me that they would probably not be updating old printings of creatures to become mounts - that is, the old Deathknell Griffon and Angelfire Celestial Pegasus probably won't receive errata-style updating.

He also mentioned that most likely, riders will be taken off-map and placed atop the stat card of the creature they're riding. This was not a final answer, just a 'this is very likely' response from him; it seems that there weren't many ways to get rider minis onto mount minis that were affordable and look decent.

Just to stress...those weren't final answers, just what Shoe indicated at XP were fairly likely outcomes on both of those aspects of the set.

I'd have thought that set would have been all but completed at teh time of XP. Seems they are running on a shorter schedule than I thought.

It was revealed at XP that Desert of Desolation will not be a starter set. I'm almost 100% certain that Wooden War Wagons of Wood will be a starter. Almost.

I know flaming is in there somewhere. I think it was Flaming Wooden War Wagons of Wood.(with wheels!)

I have a feeling it's the end of Skirmish as we know it. They are either preparing for a drastic simplification next year, or are abandoning it altogether for lack of interest (and to focus on Dreamblade).

Thank you I needed cheering up and this made me smile.

There's nothing wrong with DDM we're actually increasing coverage and focus trying to broarden the success we've had. Just check out the new feeder events on the website from across Europe 8-)

Hopefully the mount changes will work out better then it did for mage knight.

Ahh, that figures.

Ian and Linea had to pipe in with facts to our rabid speculation. Sheesh.

More seriously, though, I thought that Shoe had indicated that DoD would not be a Starter set...If it will be a Starter, WotC have either simply changed their collective mind or something else is in the works.

[SPECULATION]
A Starter box independent of the current DDM set? Would that even be possible?
[/SPECULATION]

Great I cant wait to get my hands on Wood. I've been waiting for so long. And no Gravestone it wont be out by sat but it would have been nice. Having it out within the next month would still be very useful though.

Great I cant wait to get my hands on Wood. I've been waiting for so long.

Best line it this thread so far

The best idea I have seen in a long time was on the WotC boards. It was a boxed set for ~$30 with rulebook, Maps, and some predetermined minis that would have been difficult to release otherwise (G-Cube was the idea there)

I think that would be a spectacular idea, personally.

Or Starters with a bunch of reprints in them from earlier sets. How nice would that be?

Or Starters with a bunch of reprints in them from earlier sets. How nice would that be?

The best idea I have seen in a long time was on the WotC boards. It was a boxed set for ~$30 with rulebook, Maps, and some predetermined minis that would have been difficult to release otherwise (G-Cube was the idea there)

I think that would be a spectacular idea, personally.

In response to Jeff & CotCB, I hope so. Especially since the Reaper announcement.

It's not that DDM minis aren't grand, it's that acquiring the right DDM minis is sometimes a chore. WotC knows that, and I'm hopeful/confident that as the market changes, they'll provide some nice options for that.

Linae, before the Reaper annoucement I had a few suggestions for the Icons packs. While I still think some of those are fun, I think that now more than ever I'd like to see some "set" packages of DDM. People are always asking for uncommon fire/frost giants and ways to get access to a large red dragon. This is the kind of thing that would be nice.
Maybe Reaper won't impact things as much as I think they will, but regardless of what happens with Reaper, their set pack idea seems like what the RPGers want.

Now, whether or not it's marketable is another question.

As to Fantastic Locations, I've now purchased all of them, but here are my problems with them which, since WotC already uses them, they're probably well aware:

1. They're too delicate without some kind of protection.

2. Acquiring protection for the maps requires me to go to a third party who, more often than not, botches the job. Thus, I only go to ONE Kinko's that never messes up my maps. However, it costs me $18/map at that Kinko's, which is why I've been holding back (that's $15 for the set, + $36 for lamination, which comes out to $41 per map set). If WotC could somehow make a tougher product, it would be awesome. Dungeon Tiles is an example of something exceptionally durable AND affordable. Don't know how the maps could be improved at reasonable cost, but that's my main concern.

3. The content within seems kind of "bleh." I understand that it helps sell it to the RPGers, but I imagine most of them would rather spend the $15 on a module or one of the Hardcover "Expedition" adventures, which are really sleek. After all, there is a finite amount of time for gaming in any given week. If you're running Red Hand of Doom, do you have time for Fane of the Drow?

That said, and though they've cost me a buttload, I've had fun using the maps for RPG. I just have to remind myself that they're there and I should use them. Once I do that, I find great ways to use the maps, in particular:
King's Road
Keep of Fallen Kings
the waterfall one

The city ones will prove the most useful for our RPG experience. In general, the outdoor ones seem to be the ones we use the most, and I'm very glad to have them.

Thus, I only go to ONE Kinko's that never messes up my maps. However, it costs me $18/map at that Kinko's, which is why I've been holding back (that's $15 for the set, + $36 for lamination, which comes out to $41 per map set).

Good night you are getting savagely violated. I'm sure you've heard this before but is there a school supply store anywhere on your radar ? Even a custom signage shop ? I can get a FL laminated at a local Atlanta chain school supply store for about $3.00 and there is nothing to screw up, they just leave a bunch of extra edging that I have to cut off when I get it home. This actually works out perfect as I can leave some slack to protect the edges from fraying. Sounds like it would be cheaper to have one of us (like myself) buy the FL for you laminate them and ship them media mail USPS to you.

Ned, maybe that is what I should do next time a FL product comes out.

I kid you not-- I own no less than THREE f-ed up copies of Fane of the Drow, where there is warping, bubbles, creases, you name it.

A year ago, I got tired of paying the big bucks, so I went to OfficeMax and stressed to them that I really needed them to do a good job, that it wasn't a print out but a product I had purchased, etc. They ran out of laminate in the middle and botched my Field of Ruin. So I went back to Kinko's.

I've been considering trying to get the cheap deal one more time on the Frostfell Rift I have coming in the mail. If they botch that, I'll definitely be taking my City of Peril (which I ordered with it) to Kinko's, as that's a map which stands to see heavy use in my RPG.

2. Acquiring protection for the maps requires me to go to a third party who, more often than not, botches the job. Thus, I only go to ONE Kinko's that never messes up my maps. However, it costs me $18/map at that Kinko's, which is why I've been holding back (that's $15 for the set, + $36 for lamination, which comes out to $41 per map set). If WotC could somehow make a tougher product, it would be awesome. Dungeon Tiles is an example of something exceptionally durable AND affordable. Don't know how the maps could be improved at reasonable cost, but that's my main concern.

Dramma! are you insane $41.00 dollars a map at Kinkos!
Have you ever heard of teacher supply store or know someone at a school-Around here the Teacher supply store will laminate DDM maps for like $4.00 dollars a much better quality then kinkos! look into it save them dollars for other more useful things.

Ned, maybe that is what I should do next time a FL product comes out.

I kid you not-- I own no less than THREE f-ed up copies of Fane of the Drow, where there is warping, bubbles, creases, you name it.

A year ago, I got tired of paying the big bucks, so I went to OfficeMax and stressed to them that I really needed them to do a good job, that it wasn't a print out but a product I had purchased, etc. They ran out of laminate in the middle and botched my Field of Ruin. So I went back to Kinko's.

I've been considering trying to get the cheap deal one more time on the Frostfell Rift I have coming in the mail. If they botch that, I'll definitely be taking my City of Peril (which I ordered with it) to Kinko's, as that's a map which stands to see heavy use in my RPG.

Dude - get some poster-sized top-loaders. They're about $8 each and you can switch maps in them if your collection of maps ever gets too big.