Discussion - LEW 4th Edition

Phoenix8008 · Aug 17, 2007

Well, the 4E announcement blindsided me completely. I really didn't expect that. Makes sense in retrospect now after seeing the Gencon and Wizards sites with "INDI4N4POLIS" & "4DVENTURE", but I really didn't grasp what it meant until after the announcement. Not to mention why the Wizards site was down and ENworld was so slow last night that I couldn't open it.

As it relates to LEW, I agree with most that when/if the community decides to switch it should all switch over together. Maybe we can even work it into the storylines and make the change happen 'in-story' for all of LEW? I know that this could really screw up the proposed big series of linked adventures that were just around the corner, unless those become the world shaking events that lead to the 'world conversion'? Kinda like the 'Apocalypse' module/adventure that TSR put out at the end of 2E/begining of 3e? Could be neat maybe?

Patlin · Aug 17, 2007

Well, as long as we're still speculating...

If we eventually decide to switch over, I think we may want to use some variant of our 'retirement' mechanic, and create all new 4th edition characters.

Velmont · Aug 17, 2007

First thing I would like is to see 4th edition before making my mind. But I agree with KO, it is 4th or 3.5, but not a mix of both. Also, we should wait for a website with all SRD rule to be avalaible before doing the switch if we do so. SRD need to be avalaible and easily navigated.

Someone · Aug 17, 2007

Patlin said:
Well, as long as we're still speculating...

If we eventually decide to switch over, I think we may want to use some variant of our 'retirement' mechanic, and create all new 4th edition characters.

I tend to agree. And I don't see that bad to mix 3.5 and 4e for a while - we could allow current adventures for 3.5 to continue, but not to start new adventures; the characters in these adventures would be adapted/retired when the adventure finishes. That will/would ease the work on character judges a lot, while at the same time not paralyzing completely the boards for weeks.

Trouvere · Aug 17, 2007

I really don't see much reason to switch LEW to 4e, especially not right out of the starting gate before the inevitable errata, unless it turns out to be an astonishing gameplay improvement over 3.5 (and a sizeable majority of active LEW players agree that it is!). It's not as though LEW really needs to keep 'current', since as it is we use only a tiny fraction of the 3.5 material that exists.
There's a good chance from what little I've read about 4e that it might not be possible to convert existing 3.5 LEW characters meaningfully. If 4e melee classes go ToB-style, for example, converted fighters won't retain much more than their names.
I fear that requiring the retirement of current characters would really knock LEW on the head. Part of the attraction (and frustration!) of the world is that some people here have spent 3 or 4 years building up a character from 1st level to the dizzying heights of... well, 6th or 7th level, mostly. If we re-start with 1st level 4e characters, all that effort gets wiped out. Some people just won't be able to be bothered doing it all again (and eventually we'll just have the same restart problem 5 years down the track when 4.5 or 5e comes out). If the 3.5ers retire from adventuring and we start over with higher level replacement characters, we lose the L from LEW, that sense of ongoing continuity, even if some characters can be more or less converted and still feel like the same people.

Knight Otu · Aug 17, 2007

Retirement should not be mandatory in any way. But conversion of characters, if it happens, will be more of a re-creation by theme rather than a "follow these 100 easy steps."

orsal · Aug 17, 2007

I'm strongly opposed to conversion, largely for the same reasons as Knight Otu. Our game works fine as it is. No doubt some characters would be quite recognizable in 4e-form, but others (dropped races/classes, anyone) won't, and I don't think we should require anyone to change their character beyond recognition mid-stream.

If people want to play a 4e living system, let the next living game to be started on ENworld be a 4e game.

If the community does decide to make the switch, I think the smoothest way to do it would be to have all characters converted when they end their current (at the time of the conversion decision) adventure. Of course, if the community does make that decision, I'm not promising I'll remain involved.

The one main drawback to keeping the old rule system: as it becomes obsolete, recruiting new members will be harder. I'm willing to take that chance.

Bront · Aug 18, 2007

I'm of the opinion that LEW should remain 3.5E as is.

If we want to take it to 4E, I would more likely suggest a reset, or a branch off where the world fluff remains in tact, and splits off from the old 3.5E version.

Now, a year or two after 4E comes out, we can reexamine our position, but I think we need to wait at least that long before thinking about converting.

Rae ArdGaoth · Aug 24, 2007

I'm back, but my posting rate will not quite return to normal for a while.

On the conversion to 4e: I think it's way too early to say much, but as of right now, I'm pro-3.5, for the same reasons as Trouvere. Also, I really don't feel like learning a whole new set of rules and approving 100 new characters.

On a related note, I see that the character approvals have been ridiculously busy in my absence. Thanks for putting up with my absence, I'll try to review everything that's happened and contribute some this weekend.

Velmont · Aug 27, 2007

Hi Creamsteak, long time not seen.

LS judges are actually:

Hero4Hire
Salix
Velmont

I must tell i'm surprise that LS is still living, but it has never the same vitality then LEW or even LEB have.