How do you feel about the future of D&D after the official announcements?

Umbran · Jan 11, 2012

Steerpike7 said:
Does anyone else remember how condescending and insulting toward 3e players the 4e team was when it released?

I remember many people feeling the 4e team was condescending and insulting. But that doesn't mean they intended to come across that way, or that they actually felt condescension towards the audience. In any communication, there's what was intended, what was said, and what was heard. Sometimes, they don't all match up.

We cannot have everything. Developers are developers, and they may not be masters of communication. If we want direct contact with the dev team, we ought to cut them some slack, and accept that the communication is going to be lumpy. If we want sterling communications, then we need to accept they'll be laundered, bleached, starched, and pressed between the developers and the audience.

sheadunne · Jan 11, 2012

Neutral.

Unless the books are available for PDF purchase, I won't be experiencing the game, regardless of what it looks like. I don't buy hardcopy books anymore (haven't for years now). And I don't pay for subscriptions to games.

Asmo · Jan 11, 2012

I´m chaotic neutral.

Asmo

OpsKT · Jan 11, 2012

Negative.

I just don't think a modular, please everyone style game is possible. At least not on the scale that Wizards/Hasbro is hoping for. The so called 'universal' systems are popular, but not near to the scale that D&D has been over the course of it's life. People know D&D, even those that don't play, but those same people do not know about GURPS, Savage Worlds, BRP, or even Palladium.

Also, as pointed out earlier, the open playtest sounds good on paper, but how likely is it to bring back sacred cows better left dead? I don't want an army of zombie critical confirms, or lich 1.5 diagonal movements. And to be honest, I really don't want people like them involved in deciding the direction of the game now.

Ahnehnois · Jan 11, 2012

Cautiously optimistic.

At least people are talking. There's plenty of flaming and general foolishness, but there are in some cases positive developments. New ideas, new understanding.

I'm very skeptical of WotC, but at least something positive is happening.

autumnfyr · Jan 11, 2012

Very Positive

I am feeling very positive. When 4E came out I was all over it. As a DM in 3.5 I was past the point of frustration. Had a few players who only wanted to see how they could "break" the system with character concepts, and I am all about story.

The feel of 4E was exciting, and the game balance was dead-on. Love the idea of Defenses instead of saves and love the way creatures are developed in 4E, using powers instead of lists of spells and spell-like abilities.

However, after a few years of playing, I started missing some things about 3.5. I like the fact that all combats may not be balanced, love throwing random encounters, smaller skirmishes at my players, but that didn't work well with the 4E ruleset. I guess I like the simulation aspects of 3.x best. I was just starting to try and convince my group to head back to PF after this campaign. Scratch that for the time being.

A system that takes the best of both could be incredible, though I would still be a loyal Paizo fan for storylines, settings and adventures, quite a few of which I converted for the 4E campaign I now run.

Thyrax · Jan 11, 2012

so far i get the feeling there heading in the right direction. We will see in the later months if it's what we all are hoping for or not.

TheYeti1775 · Jan 11, 2012

Neutral for myself.
I never made the jump into 4E. Tried it, was blah for me.
I'll just do the same, I'll check out the books. If they appeal enough I'll buy them. If they appeal further I might play it regularly.

Now I will admit, I've been watching for the coming lowering of prices on the 4E stuff. Cause even though I don't play it, I wouldn't mind it for the library of RPG stuff I have.

Another big factor is my group, I'm quite sure we will look it over. But if even one of us doesn't get the warm fuzzy, the main group will continue playing 3.5. Many play multiple games, but everyone is in our Friday night group.

Either way I hope it's a success for WotC, cause I want the hobby to continue to thrive.

kunadam · Jan 11, 2012

Positive
I love new systems. They are entertaining to read.
I had very high hopes for 4E till I could have hoped for a D&D3.75. I do not like the actual 4E. It has amazing elements (creature design for example), but the PHB was. Well. Not for my taste.
I know editions come too rapidly. At our gaming community 3.5 just gets widely accepted instead of 3.0. So there is no immediate need to change.
I will follow the news closely

Many other game I know had more editions in less time. My problem with D&D editions 2 vs 3 vs 4, that they changed too much. And it is not only rules (that should evolve), but story elements were also very much updated. Sometimes too much. Time of troubles in FR was one thing, the new bleak FR is yet another.
The last time I checked Call of Chtulhu was 5th edition (which is wrong, they are at 6th+ editions), yet the Mythos did not changed.
Ars magica is at 5th edition, and there were some changes in they was the Order of Hermes is portrayed, but still the game I know from 3rd edition had a consistency to it.
I miss that consistency from D&D.

(thanks ENWorld for collecting info!)

Agamon · Jan 11, 2012

Reading through this thread has been confusing. Some people are answering the OP (How do you feel about the future of D&D?) and some people are stating how the news affects them personally.

Then again, I'm sure that's never happened before in an internet poll.