Your opinion of D&D 4E (so far)

James J Skach · August 20, 2007, 11:39:17 AM

Quote from: jrientsI voted 'undecided' but I share a lot of J's concerns here, even though I am a Mearls fanboy and even though I like both 9 Swords and Star Wars Saga. Everything I hear indicates that Wizard's may be shutting the door on the casual Bob the Fighter player and also on strategic level thinking. I want regular guys who don't eat this shit up 24/7 like I do at my game table. And I want party's to cheese it because they're out of spells, to return to the dungeon another day. And I wonder if the 20 level megadungeon makes no sense, mechanically, in a game where resources are allocated per encounter.

I want parties to cheese it too. I just wonder if the fact that I know what cheese it means is just another indication of how old I am. Is that still an understood term?

Otherwise, I agree. That's one of my concerns about the per-encounter stuff. There are probably plenty of people, possibly a great majority given Wizards direction, who enjoy that. It's another possible break point for me.

jrients · August 20, 2007, 11:55:50 AM

Quote from: James J SkachIt's another possible break point for me.

Yeah, that's my real concern. Everything I hear sounds like a good approach to building the D&D that WotC wants. I just wonder whether it will also be the D&D that I want. I already lean pretty heavily towards older editions and retro stuff like C&C. This may be the edition where I make the leap to no longer following the latest version of D&D.

Haffrung · August 20, 2007, 12:12:43 PM

Quote from: WarthurNow, however, it looks like they've conceded that they've lost the hardcore old schoolers - C&C and OSRIC cater to them perfectly happily - and are tackling sacred cows like Vancian magic and whatnot in order to appeal to the new audience. As such, I'm optimistic about 4th edition - even though the game that currently calls itself "D&D" probably won't resemble older editions anymore, a) there's C&C out there to cater to the old guard, and b) I still have my 1st edition books too, so that's fine.

Astute analysis. I don't play 3E either, but I'm curious about 4E. Like you said, it seems that by abandoning the old ways it may end up a more attractive option for those who are still comfortable with playing earlier editions, C&C, etc. It certainly won't be my familiar D&D, but it may be a different enough game that it has its own appeal.

Melan · August 20, 2007, 12:47:03 PM

Meh. More meh. Good for them if they have fun, I guess. :what:

On the other hand, I wrote my first megadungeon last week, and I am proud as heck. 87 pages of city adventuring and dungeon crawling goodness! Ha ha ha ha!

KenHR · August 20, 2007, 01:11:02 PM

Sounds awesome, Melan. Congrats! Good megadungeon design, I'm starting to find, is quite the challenge.

Pierce Inverarity · August 20, 2007, 01:25:24 PM

You wounldn't consider publishing this, would you? I have quite the Melan collection.

Akrasia · August 20, 2007, 01:58:32 PM

Quote from: Pierce InverarityYou wounldn't consider publishing this, would you? I have quite the Melan collection.

:ditto:

Haffrung · August 20, 2007, 02:35:35 PM

Me three. If Melan was writing his stuff back in the glory days of Judges Guild, he's be right up there with Paul Jaquays as the top author in the fold.

Calithena · August 20, 2007, 02:45:42 PM

Me four, duh.

Melan, I think you're at the point where you could start picking up some coin selling print on demand or pdf products, if you were so inclined.

I'll happily keep taking them free in exchange for my sterling advice though.

Bradford C. Walker · August 20, 2007, 05:47:40 PM

Undecided.

So far, what's in the books seems to be okay but the entire online component is way too much of a sign that this is all about fighting with WOW over hegemony.

Zachary The First · August 20, 2007, 10:40:44 PM

Melan, seriously. Find a pdf or print publisher or something, and get busy. We need to see this stuff. Goodman Games, Flying Mice, I don't care, just get it done.

Melan · August 21, 2007, 02:05:18 AM

Well, I think I just usurped the attention from 4e, eh? :v:

Playtest comes first, and I'll see afterwards how to proceed. Until then, take a look here. I am ambivalent about for sale publication, as
1) it could actually limit the audience,
2) may be more trouble than it's worth,
3) there is no way in hell I am parting with my IP, no matter what the industry standards are today. Real authors don't do it, and if I'm not paid very generously, why should I?
Still, I can't say it isn't a tempting thought. :raise:

Drew · August 21, 2007, 04:10:06 AM

That looks exceptionally cool, Melan.

I really like the name Khosura, btw. Mind if I steal it for a forthcoming Exalted (True20) session? I ask out of politeness and the possible AP thread that will follow.

KenHR · August 21, 2007, 08:43:31 AM

That's a mighty impressive bit of work, Melan.

I'm taking next week off work to de-compress (on the job and at home stress are robbing me of sleep) and hope to get a chunk of work on my own dungeon campaign done. I can only hope that my work is half as cool as what you've done in five days.

Bravo, sir!

Melan · August 21, 2007, 09:18:14 AM

Quote from: DrewThat looks exceptionally cool, Melan.

I really like the name Khosura, btw. Mind if I steal it for a forthcoming Exalted (True20) session? I ask out of politeness and the possible AP thread that will follow.

Feel free to, it's not like I don't steal shamelessly.