Jonathan Tweet talks "13th Age"

Transformer · May 18, 2012

Could you explain briefly what makes this a more significant release than any other relatively obscure OSR-type system? Maybe I'm just very ill-informed.

Doug McCrae · May 18, 2012

Transformer said:
Could you explain briefly what makes this a more significant release than any other relatively obscure OSR-type system?

That it's by Jonathan Tweet and Rob Heinsoo.

I believe it's only partly old school, it pulls in ideas from all over.

ForeverSlayer · May 18, 2012

Doug McCrae said:
That it's by Jonathan Tweet and Rob Heinsoo.

With those two at the helm, I am definitely going to try it.

B.T. · May 18, 2012

From what I've read about 13th Age, it's very storygamey and pushes hard for more Precious Snowflake Sue characters, so I'm not interested in it.

Transformer · May 18, 2012

That it's by Jonathan Tweet and Rob Heinsoo.

Indeed, I just noticed that. Makes sense.

I believe it's only partly old school, it pulls in ideas from all over.

"They all say that," is what I'm tempted to think, but they're great designers, and I'll have to keep an eye on this.

Anyway, I don't think any system is going to take a significant chunk of 5e's market share all by itself. Pathfinder rode a perfect storm in taking away so much of Wizards' market share. Any other circumstance, or any other company besides Paizo in the same circumstance, probably couldn't have done it.

thzero · May 18, 2012

KesselZero said:
Not gonna lie-- this sounds pretty cool to me.

Not going to lie, this sounds horrific to me. Perhaps I'm just a gronard that has been playing AD&D+ ON BATTLEMAPS since the early 80s, but this thing sorta irks me right off. "Players spend more time imagining the battles in their heads and less time counting squares." That is just closed minded in its own way. If they are so interested in just allowing me and my gaming group to have fun, why are they forcing us to play in their style? Because of it, I'll just stick to 3e/Pathfinder/M&M/GURPs/etc.

Yes, I have played in plenty of games without maps and in general the combat goes to hell in a hand basket quit quickly, and without fail. Even a simple map with simple markers just helps things quite nicely. Why put some much time and effort into interesting combat, but don't bother to account for spatial relations between the combatants and their environment? That is just as important as some fancy move with a sword or a spell.

Umbran · May 18, 2012

This thread is apt to be far more about 13th age than it is about D&DNext. So, moved to General

Crothian · May 18, 2012

Neechen said:
How many of you will give "13th Age" a try?

If someone is going to run it and teach me the game at Origins, Gen Con, or a Game day I might it a try. But I doubt I'll buy it without playing it unless it gets same damn good recommendations by some of the gamers I know and trust.

Jools · May 18, 2012

I know a little bit about this for, err..., some reason (I'm keeping this as vague as I can!) and let me just say this: It really is pretty cool. B-)

wingsandsword · May 19, 2012

Neechen said:
D&DNext is an attempt to provide all D&D players with one rule set/game that all D&D players...past and present can play and enjoy together.

"13th Age" seems to be targeted to players and DMs who favor an old school, theater of the mind, less standardized, less balanced, more free form D&D gaming experience.

When I look into my crystal ball, I see more fragmentation of the D&D playing (and buying) community.

How many of you will give "13th Age" a try?

I hadn't even heard of 13th Age before this thread. The Internet can provide the illusion that a niche product is a much bigger deal than it really is.

Heck, I remember certain ENWorlders swearing up and down that Castles and Crusades was such a big hit that it was making a big dent on D&D sales.