What are your current feelings about D&D 4E?

Calithena · November 03, 2007, 09:59:19 PM

We're all free now. D&D (the game we all play together) is dead, long live D&D (the game we make up for ourselves using something or other with the D&D name on it as a basis).

J Arcane · November 03, 2007, 11:58:29 PM

Quote from: HaffrungYeah, I know. Just alluding to the bitter attitude in common, where a new edition wounds like a personal attack.

A new edition is not a personal attack.

Actual personal attacks are. David Noonan made it pretty plain the game they're playing over there, and I want no fucking part in it, or anything to do with such a condescending asswidget.

Caesar Slaad · November 04, 2007, 08:01:19 AM

Did my part in spreading my disdain for the 4e marketing model at the D&D gameday yesterday. Nuturing that "future installed player base". :win:

Koltar · November 04, 2007, 08:33:15 AM

Yesterday I asked my co-worker Noelle this same question based on how our customers reacting. What has she noticed from the shifts that she works when 4th edition D&D gets mentioned in conversation. Her answer?

"Annoyed, they seeme annoyed." she continued, "They just spent all this money on 3.5 3.o D&D books for the past several years, and now Wizards expects them to spend money replacing all of that. "

Don't remember her exact words after that, but she also some of them are a bit angry about it.

She's been with our store since this past June.

- Ed C.

Drew · November 04, 2007, 12:33:06 PM

Quote from: Koltar"Annoyed, they seeme annoyed." she continued, "They just spent all this money on 3.5 3.o D&D books for the past several years, and now Wizards expects them to spend money replacing all of that. "

Bizarre.

John Morrow · November 04, 2007, 12:41:02 PM

Quote from: DrewBizarre.

It's pretty much the reaction that a lot of people had about 3.5. The important question is whether they are annoyed enough not to buy 4E.

Drew · November 04, 2007, 12:58:25 PM

Quote from: John MorrowIt's pretty much the reaction that a lot of people had about 3.5.

Yep. I found that bizarre, too.

QuoteThe important question is whether they are annoyed enough not to buy 4E.

Most strange of all is that the majority of them probably will. They'll bitch, they'll moan, and a year from now will be quietly playing it regardless.

It's an attitude I've never really sympathised with, to be honest. It implies that Wizards are casting some kind of preternatural compulsion to update. Either you buy it or you don't, and that's cool, but please stop telling me that your arm is being twisted.

Seanchai · November 04, 2007, 01:01:59 PM

Quote from: John MorrowIt's pretty much the reaction that a lot of people had about 3.5. The important question is whether they are annoyed enough not to buy 4E.

This is a drop in the bucket compared to the outcry raised by 3e. People bitched, then switched. Shrug.

Personally, I don't care who is bitching or how many. I care about what kind of game 4e is - I won't be playing it angry geeks on the intraweb, I'll be playing with my own group.

Seanchai

Ian Absentia · November 04, 2007, 01:14:50 PM

Quote from: Koltar"Annoyed, they seeme annoyed." she continued, "They just spent all this money on 3.5 3.o D&D books for the past several years, and now Wizards expects them to spend money replacing all of that. "

WotC/Hasbro is really only interested in you, the gamer, spending your money on their products. They are not interested in pleasing you as a gamer. They are interested in creating the perceived need to buy more of their products at whatever price they set.

Make no mistake -- theirs is a business, not a hobby.

!i!

Drew · November 04, 2007, 01:32:59 PM

Quote from: Ian AbsentiaWotC/Hasbro is really only interested in you, the gamer, spending your money on their products. They are not interested in pleasing you as a gamer. They are interested in creating the perceived need to buy more of their products at whatever price they set.

What flummoxes me is how many people this strategy actually works on. I suppose the call to conformity mixed with the shininess of the new is too much for some.

QuoteMake no mistake -- theirs is a business, not a hobby.

Agreed.

James McMurray · November 04, 2007, 02:07:07 PM

Quote from: DrewWhat flummoxes me is how many people this strategy actually works on. I suppose the call to conformity mixed with the shininess of the new is too much for some.

Because it couldn't be that tons of people are actually having fun with WotC's games. Right?

Drew · November 04, 2007, 02:16:29 PM

Quote from: James McMurrayBecause it couldn't be that tons of people are actually having fun with WotC's games. Right?

I'm not talking about them.

J Arcane · November 04, 2007, 02:20:15 PM

Quote from: James McMurrayBecause it couldn't be that tons of people are actually having fun with WotC's games. Right?

Someone's out there having fun with 4e? I don't recall seeing it on the shelves anywhere, and even my pathetic LGS would at least stock a few copies of that I should think.

James McMurray · November 04, 2007, 02:32:11 PM

I said WotC's games, not 4e. Nobody is buying any 4e, shiny or not, so if we're only allowed to talk about that you can nullify the post I was replying to as well.

But apparently there are people having fun with it, since we're getting playtest reports from people who sound really excited.

jgants · November 05, 2007, 10:58:31 AM

Quote from: James McMurrayI said WotC's games, not 4e. Nobody is buying any 4e, shiny or not, so if we're only allowed to talk about that you can nullify the post I was replying to as well.

But apparently there are people having fun with it, since we're getting playtest reports from people who sound really excited.

I'm sure there are plenty of people liking the products, and that will like the new product.

That said, I think Drew's point was there are a lot of people who say things like "Well, I don't really like the direction they are heading but it's the new edition of D&D so I'll probably still buy the core books" OR "I just spent a ton on 3.5 and am still having fun with it, but now that 4e is coming out I guess I'll have to re-buy everything".

Clearly there are a not-insignificant number of people out there who feel compelled to buy the new edition, regardless of whether or not they actually think they'll like it or really even want it right away.