Conversion of individual bits is easy. It's the interaction of converted bits that gets challenging.

I run OD&D and in theory, using anything from 2e should be a breeze. It's actually a bit of a hiccup in actual play. Conversion is actually a lot more than transposing numbers because different editions, even 1e vs. 2e are built on different expectations, goals and concepts.

However, if you fully understand the math of a system or an edition, you can do a good job of converting material.

Fortunately, if you are looking to convert 1e/2e/OSR adventures to 5e, you will have an easy time if you (a) just use the maps and concepts of the adventures and (b) replace any 1e/2e/OSR mechanics with 5e mechanics.

AKA, the same way you would convert a RuneQuest adventure to 5e.

@mikemearls recently said there would be a 3e -> 5e conversion guide. Will there be some for 1e, 2e, and 4e as well?
@mikemearls · yes

Pundit, drop a line to Mike and tell him about the Patent Troll.

Well good to see a few clarifications at last.

This bit though was a bit of a quirk. Story BIBLE? Minor quirk. But why give the fruitcakes ammo to shoot at you with? Didn't learn anything did ya Mikey?

Quote@Leonfeder Is a "story bible" an "adventure path"? If so why rename? If no, what is different? #dnd
@mikemearls The story bible is an overview of villains, events, and everything. You'd use it as the basis to then create an adventure path.
@Hutchimus any chance we'll ever get a look at these story bibles, at some point?
@mikemearls Probably not - you'll see the stuff they cover various games. The actual bible is more of a working/technical document.

Quote from: CRKrueger;758969@mikemearls recently said there would be a 3e -> 5e conversion guide. Will there be some for 1e, 2e, and 4e as well?
@mikemearls · yes

Pundit, drop a line to Mike and tell him about the Patent Troll.

Yeah. I read that and thought the same thing.

Quote from: Omega;758976Well good to see a few clarifications at last.

This bit though was a bit of a quirk. Story BIBLE? Minor quirk. But why give the fruitcakes ammo to shoot at you with? Didn't learn anything did ya Mikey?

That's just a developer term it came from MMPO type games.

Quote from: Spinachcat;758952However, if you fully understand the math of a system or an edition, you can do a good job of converting material.

Fortunately, if you are looking to convert 1e/2e/OSR adventures to 5e, you will have an easy time if you (a) just use the maps and concepts of the adventures and (b) replace any 1e/2e/OSR mechanics with 5e mechanics.

AKA, the same way you would convert a RuneQuest adventure to 5e.

Isn't that true of any game to any game?

I'm sure you could run a Shadowrun adventure in The Fantasy Trip.  Or Rifts using GURPS. Or even Keep on the Borderlands in Ars Magica.

Heck, you could play Risk using a Monopoly board.

But completely replacing the mechanics and such with ones from a new one doesn't mean it's compatible.

5E has vastly different attack progressions and hit points for monsters than any previous edition of D&D. Thanks to "bounded accuracy", encounters that would be a cakewalk for a mid-level party (like a bunch of kobolds) are now at least vaguely threatening. So adventure design has to be different.

Beyond that, 5e has to demonstrate a reason for wanting to convert. Why is it better than past editions? That doesn't seem clear at all, other than it being shiny & new...

Quote from: JeremyR;758988Beyond that, 5e has to demonstrate a reason for wanting to convert. Why is it better than past editions? That doesn't seem clear at all, other than it being shiny & new...

I can only speak for myself, but as a guy who stuck with 1e all this time, my reasons are:

* smoother and unified mechanic.  No more looking up tables for a different mechanic for everything (attack matrix, saving throw table, % skill table, etc).  I like the d20+modifier vs. DC rule for most everything without getting into the numbers bloat that was 3e

* plenty of character mechanical customization without the highly detailed skill/feat lists and trees of 3e

* 1st edition since 2e where I felt it lended to my playstyle (rulings not rules, no minis required, no battlemaps , quick combat, etc)

Quote from: Sacrosanct;758996I can only speak for myself, but as a guy who stuck with 1e all this time, my reasons are:

* smoother and unified mechanic.  No more looking up tables for a different mechanic for everything (attack matrix, saving throw table, % skill table, etc).  I like the d20+modifier vs. DC rule for most everything without getting into the numbers bloat that was 3e

* plenty of character mechanical customization without the highly detailed skill/feat lists and trees of 3e

* 1st edition since 2e where I felt it lended to my playstyle (rulings not rules, no minis required, no battlemaps , quick combat, etc)

This. My Dnd background is 2/3e but I prefer a 2/3e mix. For example FantasyCraft does 3e like nobody's business (no grid needed, quick combat, no LFQW) but it's still too heavy for my preferences.

Just give me  2e without the stupid racial caps but with feats/stat bumps and I'm good. I'm still not sure about 5e's multiclassing system but the more I read between the lines the more it sounds like something in between 2e and 3e in practice (not playtest).

And a 2/3e mix of multiclassing is EXACTLY what I want. Go for whatever combination you want but there will be tradeoffs, big ones.

Quote from: JeremyR;758988Beyond that, 5e has to demonstrate a reason for wanting to convert. Why is it better than past editions? That doesn't seem clear at all, other than it being shiny & new...

How 5e stacks vs. anyone's favorite edition is going to be more of a personal tastes than one based on game mechanic. Whether it will be worth your time or my time to convert stuff is unknown.

But for many online forum posters "shiny & new" is all they need to justify discussing conversions.

Quote from: Omega;758976This bit though was a bit of a quirk. Story BIBLE? Minor quirk. But why give the fruitcakes ammo to shoot at you with? Didn't learn anything did ya Mikey?

Story Bible is a Hollywood term. Every series has one. It basically breaks down the characters, motivations, backgrounds and the big Dos and Do Nots for the show. It is given to all the staff writers and agents who have freelancer writers who may work for the show.

I've had several story bibles over the years. For example, the Star Trek Next Generation bible had as Do Not stuff like not have the Enterprise break down and IIRC something about no xenophobia and no technophobia by the leads.

Type Star Trek Story Bible into eBay and you'll see a few for sale.

Quote from: JeremyR;7589885E has vastly different attack progressions and hit points for monsters than any previous edition of D&D. Thanks to "bounded accuracy", encounters that would be a cakewalk for a mid-level party (like a bunch of kobolds) are now at least vaguely threatening. So adventure design has to be different.

Beyond that, 5e has to demonstrate a reason for wanting to convert. Why is it better than past editions? That doesn't seem clear at all, other than it being shiny & new...

On top of what Sacrosanct and Marley said, the first bolded part answers the second bolded part for me.

The idea that low level threats in numbers can be genuine threats is a huge plus to me.

Quote from: Emperor Norton;759004On top of what Sacrosanct and Marley said, the first bolded part answers the second bolded part for me.

The idea that low level threats in numbers can be genuine threats is a huge plus to me.

that is something I found as a pleasant surprise, because I feel I'm really getting a bang for my buck re: monsters, so to speak.  Orcs are no longer fodder for mid to high level characters.  Monsters have a lot more feasible utility for a longer period.

for me, the positives outweigh the negatives.  I've houseruled every RPG I've played, so I don't mind that.  And honestly, there aren't a whole lot of houserules I do with 5e.  I tone down healing, ignore a lot of tactical stuff, and just threw out the death stabilization mechanic.  Too clunky IMO.  Go below 0 HP? You get one shot to stabilize, and if you're attacked while KO'D, end of story for you.

Quote from: Emperor Norton;759004On top of what Sacrosanct and Marley said, the first bolded part answers the second bolded part for me.

The idea that low level threats in numbers can be genuine threats is a huge plus to me.

Groups of low level monsters being dangerous is a feature not a bug to me. Think about the tactics and strategy you can introduce without going all 4e?

Also like Sacrosanct the healing and death mechanic are automatically houseruled without saying.

Quote from: JeremyR;758988Beyond that, 5e has to demonstrate a reason for wanting to convert. Why is it better than past editions? That doesn't seem clear at all, other than it being shiny & new...

There are people who enjoyed the unified attribute bonuses and mechanics of 3E but dislike complex char top. Who like skills and feats, but dislike bloat and dependencies. Who want the option for combat to involve more than 'I swing', but still want to play theatre of the mind without minis and a grid. In short, people who find B/X too basic, AD&D too baroque and wonky, 3E too hard to run, and 4E too focused on miniatures. 5E is the first rules-medium of D&D that can run old-school type play using streamlined modern mechanics.

Quote from: Haffrung;759104There are people who enjoyed the unified attribute bonuses and mechanics of 3E but dislike complex char top. Who like skills and feats, but dislike bloat and dependencies. Who want the option for combat to involve more than 'I swing', but still want to play theatre of the mind without minis and a grid. In short, people who find B/X too basic, AD&D too baroque and wonky, 3E too hard to run, and 4E too focused on miniatures. 5E is the first rules-medium of D&D that can run old-school type play using streamlined modern mechanics.

This is me, too.  Hopefully, anyway.

It'd be a kick if the system runs non-fantasy well, too.

Imagine a single rules-medium ruleset known (at least peripherally) by every gamer in the world.  Wouldn't that be a utopia...  

Quote from: mcbobbo;759126This is me, too.  Hopefully, anyway.

It'd be a kick if the system runs non-fantasy well, too.

Imagine a single rules-medium ruleset known (at least peripherally) by every gamer in the world.  Wouldn't that be a utopia...  

People have been asking are they going to do a suppliment or two on that very thing down the line. Like Modern or Sci-fi or even Horror.