D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 is the REAL reason everyone is angry

Gargauth · Aug 16, 2007

At least that is what still sticks in MY craw. If there hadn't been -that- revision, which amounted to utterly miniscule changes just three years ago, then I would be much more amenable to the idea of 4th edition. The release of 3.5 not only reeked of profit over common sense (let alone neccessity) but also all but destroyed some 3rd party publishers.

During times like these, I still hold out hope that SURELY Bill Gates played D&D at some point and will just buy the thing and let designers run it for no profit.

F4NBOY · Aug 16, 2007

I usually don't talk about OD&D

, but i think the 3.5 episode could have served as a lesson to them.
Many fans got pissed off, so something tells me that this time, with all the new media they are implementing, if they think a 4.5 is going to be needed at some time, I don't think a new core book labelled 4.5 is the way they are going to choose to introduce it to the community.

Korgoth · Aug 16, 2007

I must admit, as I was considering buying a 4E PHB for at least curiosity's sake, the spectre of 4.5E appeared and menaced my imaginings.

I think WOTC probably lost some serious cred with the 3.5 move. Coupled with the rather misleading statements from the Feb DDE, it makes it hard to believe that an investment in 4E books will remain "current" for more than a couple years. It's just a trust issue, really.

Glyfair · Aug 16, 2007

Gargauth said:
If there hadn't been -that- revision, which amounted to utterly miniscule changes just three years ago, then I would be much more amenable to the idea of 4th edition.

I agree with this. I won't necessarily agree with your suggestions of motives, but the 3.5 revision was poorly handled and far too soon. 4E would be right on time if it weren't for 3.5.

That's why I suggested in another thread that one of the Q&A questions should be "when is 4.5?" Get the frustration out in the open and let WotC address it.

Of course, at this point I don't trust anything WotC says because of their outright lies earlier in the year ("All big D&D announcements will be made at the D&D Xperience," "4E is a long way off," etc.) Still, others might want to hear what they have to say about a possible 4.5 update.

That doesn't mean I'm not interested in 4E. I just am going to not trust any statements they make such as "4E should last for 'x' years" and will take that into account. I will be very wary about any 4E choices (if I choose to go that way), assuming the next edition is around the corner. As far as my buying habits are concerned, 4.5 will be released in 2009.

Ruin Explorer · Aug 16, 2007

F4NBOY said:
I usually don't talk about OD&D , but i think the 3.5 episode could have served as a lesson to them.
Many fans got pissed off, so something tells me that this time, with all the new media they are implementing, if they think a 4.5 is going to be needed at some time, I don't think a new core book labelled 4.5 is the way they are going to choose to introduce it to the community.

Your name is inconcievably awesome. The sig, the pic, I love you, whoever you are (and on some level I pray you are Bugaboo).

w_earle_wheeler · Aug 16, 2007

I agree with this.

Anyone who played D&D RAW couldn't use a mix of 3.0 and 3.5 PHBs at the table. Also, the amount of conversion between 3.0 and 3.5 materials was an extra drain on DM resources (again, mostly for those who play RAW).

Learning a set of rules is kind of like learning a new language. Once you've mastered that language, if the language makes a thousand miniscule changes, you have to learn it all over again if you want to use it "properly."

Now, many people don't play RAW (rules as written). That's fine -- but every group I've been in finds that having a standardized ruleset that everyone understands helps the game be more enjoyable. Otherwise, you've got someone playing checkers in a chess game.

Maggan · Aug 16, 2007

Gargauth said:
If there hadn't been -that- revision, which amounted to utterly miniscule changes just three years ago

Four years ago. Over four years ago, actually. When 4e hits the streets, 3.5 will be five years old.

/M

Odhanan · Aug 16, 2007

What's annoying me with the announcement of 4E is the D.I.

I feel like I would have to take a subscription to virtual content on a platform I know nothing about to be able to get the whole package, the complete "deluxe DVD" experience I want. But I got an old computer. What if the platform just doesn't run on my computer? I have to buy a new one too? What if I just don't like to have part of my RPG experience on computer? Etc etc... I know, these things have been said over and over. But whatever people might think of all these fears, unfounded though they may be, I am still feeling very uneasy right now.