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<blockquote data-quote="Rechan" data-source="post: 5758774" data-attributes="member: 54846"><p>Instead of cut-posting my response I do for every single one of these threads, I'm going to go with something a little more utilitarian.</p><p></p><p><strong>1. Playtest More</strong></p><p></p><p>3.0 had to be reprinted with fixes 3-4 years in. Well before 4e had Essentials, there were a slew of feats trying to fix The Math, and pages after pages of Errata. To the point that players needed to take feats just to keep up with the errors in the system. Skill challenges. The utter confusion of skill challenges.</p><p></p><p>I do not enjoy this. Figure out the math from day 1 and repeatedly test it. Do not let the books out of shop without The Fundamental Core of the System being wrong. </p><p></p><p>Furthermore, playtest it more. Playtest It More. <em>Playtest it more</em>. It should be a well oiled machine. And look past your own biases - Mike has said that in-house WotC cared more about accuracy than anything else, thus the reason Sure Strike etc was included. Get more playtesters to get outside feedback, on why they choose something and why they don't.</p><p></p><p><strong>2. Take your PR Seriously</strong></p><p></p><p>Eberron was exciting and refreshing. But, before Eberron was released in 3.5, the previews actually caused some confusion and satisfactions. The previews were all "Magic trains! Halflings on dinosaurs!" The response was "Wait, what?" Those were the wrong things to emphasize. They weren't what the setting was about, and really, aren't what people talk about now. In a lot of ways it was like advertising a movie by discussing the catering. </p><p></p><p>That is similar, but worse, for what happened with 4e's previews. While @<u><a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=90804" target="_blank">OnlineDM</a></u> has a much <a href="http://onlinedm.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/a-plea-for-good-pr-for-dd/" target="_blank">much more in-depth explanation of this</a>, I'll sum it up:</p><p></p><p>A lot of damage was done to the image/expectations of 4e because of things the designers said and the things they emphasized during its pre-release prieview stage. There are <em>still</em> people who are offended over things that the designers said about 3e. The complaints of others come down to how the actual 4e books are laid out and read. This convinced so many to not like 4e before they ever saw it, based on what they were suddenly associating it with. </p><p></p><p>Don't just hand the devs a blog and say "write things" - the devs aren't journalists or marketing guys. Put the best foot forward about the system, and put effort into <em>how it is said</em>, not just what is revealed. Your goal is to excite <em>and</em> convert old players.Yes. There will always be people who hate what is being said and who you can't counter. But don't <em>add</em> to their grievances. You're posting your previews to the net and using the internet to spread the buzz - the internet is the only place that message is getting picked up. Don't shoot this effort in the foot with poor comments or focusing on the wrong things.</p><p></p><p><strong>3. Earlier Focus on New Players</strong></p><p></p><p>I really appreciate what Essentials is trying to do. But a way to get new gamers in 2 years into D&D is a little late. The info should be more accessible early on. While <em>I personally</em> have little problem with a lack of info in the MM, it is not that useful for newbies. Bringing in new blood, and making it accessible for old <em>and</em> new, should be higher on the priority list.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rechan, post: 5758774, member: 54846"] Instead of cut-posting my response I do for every single one of these threads, I'm going to go with something a little more utilitarian. [B]1. Playtest More[/B] 3.0 had to be reprinted with fixes 3-4 years in. Well before 4e had Essentials, there were a slew of feats trying to fix The Math, and pages after pages of Errata. To the point that players needed to take feats just to keep up with the errors in the system. Skill challenges. The utter confusion of skill challenges. I do not enjoy this. Figure out the math from day 1 and repeatedly test it. Do not let the books out of shop without The Fundamental Core of the System being wrong. Furthermore, playtest it more. Playtest It More. [I]Playtest it more[/I]. It should be a well oiled machine. And look past your own biases - Mike has said that in-house WotC cared more about accuracy than anything else, thus the reason Sure Strike etc was included. Get more playtesters to get outside feedback, on why they choose something and why they don't. [B]2. Take your PR Seriously[/B] Eberron was exciting and refreshing. But, before Eberron was released in 3.5, the previews actually caused some confusion and satisfactions. The previews were all "Magic trains! Halflings on dinosaurs!" The response was "Wait, what?" Those were the wrong things to emphasize. They weren't what the setting was about, and really, aren't what people talk about now. In a lot of ways it was like advertising a movie by discussing the catering. That is similar, but worse, for what happened with 4e's previews. While @[U][URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/member.php?u=90804"]OnlineDM[/URL][/U] has a much [URL="http://onlinedm.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/a-plea-for-good-pr-for-dd/"]much more in-depth explanation of this[/URL], I'll sum it up: A lot of damage was done to the image/expectations of 4e because of things the designers said and the things they emphasized during its pre-release prieview stage. There are [I]still[/I] people who are offended over things that the designers said about 3e. The complaints of others come down to how the actual 4e books are laid out and read. This convinced so many to not like 4e before they ever saw it, based on what they were suddenly associating it with. Don't just hand the devs a blog and say "write things" - the devs aren't journalists or marketing guys. Put the best foot forward about the system, and put effort into [I]how it is said[/I], not just what is revealed. Your goal is to excite [I]and[/I] convert old players.Yes. There will always be people who hate what is being said and who you can't counter. But don't [I]add[/I] to their grievances. You're posting your previews to the net and using the internet to spread the buzz - the internet is the only place that message is getting picked up. Don't shoot this effort in the foot with poor comments or focusing on the wrong things. [b]3. Earlier Focus on New Players[/b] I really appreciate what Essentials is trying to do. But a way to get new gamers in 2 years into D&D is a little late. The info should be more accessible early on. While [i]I personally[/i] have little problem with a lack of info in the MM, it is not that useful for newbies. Bringing in new blood, and making it accessible for old [i]and[/i] new, should be higher on the priority list. [/QUOTE]
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