The Escapist on D&D Past, Present, and Future

Morrus · Dec 28, 2011

The Escapist has published a series of articles on D&D's past, present, and future. In them, they briefly interview ex-WotC staff members (and, to be fairly transparent, current competitors) such as Erik Mona, Chris Pramas, Ryan Dancey, and Andy Collins.

So far, they've published The Ghosts of D&D Past and Present (so expect "Future" soon - heh. Witty pun).

UPDATE - Future is now published. They actually talk to present staff in this one (namely Mike Mearls).

UPDATE 2 - Ryan Dancey has expanded on his views here in a bonus column.

Klaus · Dec 28, 2011

The article offers some pretty broad generalizations, painting those who like 4e as young MMO-players, where those who like previous editions as old folk who played in the early 80s.

Both DMs in my group (me and a friend) have never played a MMORPG, have been playing since the early 80s, and 4e is our system of choice. I've liked 4e even before I started working on it in an official capacity. What I *do* believe is that its launch marketing was a big blunder.

Dexamalion · Dec 28, 2011

It's a fascinating read. I remember copying the OGL and showing it to our corporate lawyer at Electronic Arts and asking his opinion. He was not a table top gamer, but was still amazed that a company would divest itself of such rights.

It's sad that WoTC were so forward thinking and yet unable to continue to support it.

Derek
Dungeon Mapp

Lum The Mad · Dec 28, 2011

Klaus said:
The article offers some pretty broad generalizations, painting those who like 4e as young MMO-players, where those who like previous editions as old folk who played in the early 80s.

WTF? Generalization? How much in denial can you be?
Even Andy Collins, the head of development at WotC during the development of the 4e, admits that it has been designed with MMO-Players and their "attention span" in mind.
Generalization or not, these are the facts.

Andy Collins was the head of development at Wizards of the Coast during the design and release of 4th edition and told The Escapist back in 2010 that the changes he implemented in D&D were meant to catch the game up with the way that people played modern games. Collins believed players have a short attention span, and were, perhaps, "less likely [to be] interested in reading the rules of the game before playing." "I'm not just talking about younger players now, but anybody. We've been working to adapt to that, the changing expectations of the new gamer."

The Escapist : The State of D&D: Present

Klaus · Dec 28, 2011

Lum The Mad said:
WTF? Generalization? How much in denial can you be?
Even Andy Collins, the head of development at WotC during the development of the 4e, admits that it has been designed with MMO-Players and their "attention span" in mind.
Generalization or not, these are the facts.

The Escapist : The State of D&D: Present

First: be nice.

Second: *this* is generalization:

The new game has attracted a loyal audience, especially with younger players, but at the cost of alienating those who grew up with the game of Gygax and Arneson.

kitsune9 · Dec 28, 2011

Interesting article though it's hard to form an opinion on it without seeming that I'll end up taking a side. Therefore, I choose Stratego. Nothing is more frustrating than finding a bomb with a General or Marshal.

Mark CMG · Dec 28, 2011

Klaus said:
First: be nice.

Indeed.

Klaus said:
Second: *this* is generalization:

The new game has attracted a loyal audience, especially with younger players, but at the cost of alienating those who grew up with the game of Gygax and Arneson.

I think there is some confusion here in that some folks will say that "generalization" means something that only true if you don't look too closely ("a statement presented as a general truth but based on limited or incomplete evidence") while others will say it means something that is generally true ("a statement or conclusion that is derived from and applies equally to a number of cases"). It is true that D&D 4E was designed to attact the younger members of the gaming community and that the community of 4E gamers skews younger than the D&D community as a whole.

As to the articles, the first two installments don't really cover any new ground (except to plug Adventurer Conqueror King, which I already knew about and nearly tripled its Kickstarter goal, and seems a very cool project) so I can only imagine there must be some reasson to stretch them out that will become apparent in the finale.

SpydersWebbing · Dec 29, 2011

Lum The Mad said:
WTF? Generalization? How much in denial can you be?
Even Andy Collins, the head of development at WotC during the development of the 4e, admits that it has been designed with MMO-Players and their "attention span" in mind.
Generalization or not, these are the facts.

The Escapist : The State of D&D: Present

I find the whole ordeal insulting. As one of those "younger people", I have never touched an MMO, and the vast majority of people in my age range who have played DnD with me never have either. I started playing 4th edition because 3rd's level of brokeness, and because 4th is a combat beauty.

I don't like being pigeon-holed. By you or anybody.

Lum The Mad · Dec 29, 2011

SpydersWebbing said:
I find the whole ordeal insulting. As one of those "younger people", I have never touched an MMO, and the vast majority of people in my age range who have played DnD with me never have either. I started playing 4th edition because 3rd's level of brokeness, and because 4th is a combat beauty.

I don't like being pigeon-holed. By you or anybody.

I can't remeber writing something about you specifically.

But be it as it may, nothing you said changes the fact that 4e was designed with specific goals in mind. And I have already quoted Andy Collins on what those goals are. Nothing more to say, really.

ShinHakkaider · Dec 29, 2011

SpydersWebbing said:
I started playing 4th edition because 3rd's level of brokeness, and because 4th is a combat beauty.

I suppose the all of the people who are STILL playing 3.5 in some form or fashion (including Pathfinder) are playing a broken game?

Way to edition war there buddy.

The Escapist on D&D Past, Present, and Future

Morrus

Well, that was fun

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