Eric Noah's Info

[Vigilance]

Assuming there's a book to buy anymore...

There will be SOMETHING to buy I assure you

Just pointing out what I think we've all seen in the past on different levels: some early adopters buy game, act as "mavens" for said game, social networking does the rest.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

One thing I think WotC really needs to pay more attention to is the actual GAME DESIGN. I am still very unhappy with the fact that they have to release errata for so many of their products.

The fact that they release errata at all distinguishes them from most other game companies. At least they acknowledge they have mistakes. I doubt anyone believes that all those other games and game products by other publishers that never release errata are perfect.

 

[Scribble]

I keep seeing blatently stupid stuff like this, stat scratch cards... come on guys, use your heads. You cant HONESTLY think crap like this would fly.

Why not? If the cards were integrated into the system, it would work just fine.

Also why release a PHB at all. Release a book of rules for things like combat, and how the dice work, and how stats work.

Character classes are just a new miniature of a "x character class" it comes with the stats already built into it.

Instead of rolling up stats, you get a number of points and "buy" your character like assembling a warband in D&D minis. Higher stats = higher point cost. Things like feats and spells and such cost more points. So, as your character levels up, you collect more points to buy more options.

DM would work the same. Challenge rating translates into a certain point cost for the DM. (if there even needs to be one anymore!)

Monsters are just more minis with a point cost and stats on a little card.

DM's job becomes assemble a warband for players to fight.

RP aspect of the RPG can be passed onto someone else.


Ok, enough spewin doom for me!

 

[Arnwyn]

Thus, you are stupid for wanting something if you aren't in the majority, because you won't receive it and so deserve to be mocked for having the gall to express a desire for it. That seems to be the thinking involved.

And remember: you aren't allowed to dislike it, and you must support it - because it's for the hobby. Won't anybody think of the hobby?

 

[Perun]

I think 4e, when it eventually comes, and I don't think it will before 2009 or 2010, will be substantially different from 3(.5)e, with much less sacred cows. Why do I think that?

When there was some discussion about psionics (might be related to the release of CPsi), one of the designers of 3(.5) psi rules (it might've been Bruce Crodell, I don't remember really) said that one of the main reasons why post-2e psionics were so successful was because the designers were not restricted by sacred cows, and were free to tinker and tweak the system as they saw fit. This gave us 3.0 psi which, although flawed, were a signifficant improvement over the clunky 2e psi mechanics, and finally the XPH which is an almost fully integrated psionic system for D&D game.

Then there are various "testing ground" (as I like to call them) accessories, like MoI, ToM, ToB, etc. I suspect more and more books will offer variant subsystems or changes to the existing system. Then there are the changes in stats: monster stat blocks, spell descriptions, now there's a new (and improved ) magic item stat block.

This seems like it spells an end for some of the sacred cows in D&D,like the strict division in character roles, along the fighter-wizard-cleric-thief lines, or arcane-divine spell distinction, and opening doors to new, more "versatile" types of characters, which will probably suit youger audiences more (who are more drawn, IME, towards quicker-flashier-stronger-cooler characters).

I just hope they simplify the process of creating mid- and high-level (N)PCs (especially spellcasters). That's my gripe with 3e. I'd actually like to see a general simplification in the rules for 4e (like 3e has been made simpler compared to 2e).

 

[BlackMoria]

The burning question for me is how far do changes go before it is no longer D&D?

Each edition of the game has left part of its fan base behind (staying with the previous edition) because for those individuals, the new edition no longer makes it 'D&D' for them.

Diaglo and his OD&D rants are a case in point. Each one of us has our own definition of what D&D is for them.

Now, some speculation has made some posters conclude that 4E may be more like DDM on steriods or that it will be some DDM/card game hybrid. For me, I hope not, because from my view in the cheap seats, that is not D&D for me - the game becomes just a new fangled MageKnight or DDM type game.

I guess we all will have to decide for ourselves where that 'line in the sand' is that we will not cross. Based on the original rumors, I am not comfortable ( I will avoid the term 'dreading' since it is only rumors so far) with the direction the game may be going because if 4E is more like a DDM style wargame, I know where the line in the sand is for me.

 

[BryonD]

Now, some speculation has made some posters conclude that 4E may be more like DDM on steriods or that it will be some DDM/card game hybrid. For me, I hope not, because from my view in the cheap seats, that is not D&D for me - the game becomes just a new fangled MageKnight or DDM type game.

Yeah.

I pretty much find those speculations to be wild extrapolation off a tangent of an unsupported rumor.


Seriously, I can easily see them doing card games or god knows what under the D&D brand. But DDM is under the D&D brand. It is doing very well. But I don't recall anyone every claiming it would or should replace the D&D roleplaying game.
I'd expect to see more of the same.

 

[just__al]

Who owns chess, poker, baseball, etc...?

I live in Chicago. Bleacher seats for the Cubs at something like $30 bones.

Chess? Well, it's not quite the same type of game, but I've owned about ten different sets based on where I was living, free space, quality of the pieces, etc... Chess, and Monopoly, and to a lesser extend Risk, are games that are continusouly being updated, but their changes are visual no?

And poker? Man, how many variants do we need? How many different styles of cards? How many different styles of chips? How many different options or buy ins or gaming guides?

6 years ago before we got married my wife and I paid nearly 500 dollars for this

and I spent weeks sniping eBay options to get about 1000 generic but good quality chips in nice carrying cases.

About 2 years ago (maybe 3) poker EXPLODED. Now our single table hold-em tournaments we run monthy usually are double table tournaments. I didn't go out and plop down another 600 odd dollars for a table and chips. I spent arount 40 dollars and got a foldable table top and more chips. I am seriously annoyed with the bandwagoneers.

I don't know what any of that has to do with 4E, but I felt the need to rant.

 

[Scribble]

Yeah.

I pretty much find those speculations to be wild extrapolation off a tangent of an unsupported rumor.


Seriously, I can easily see them doing card games or god knows what under the D&D brand. But DDM is under the D&D brand. It is doing very well. But I don't recall anyone every claiming it would or should replace the D&D roleplaying game.
I'd expect to see more of the same.

I make no claims other then my speculation being indeed wild speculation!

But, as opposed to it being about replacing D&D, perhaps it's about how to integrate the two into one product.

Hasbro sees the success of the minis and card games, so how do you use the concepts that make those games sell, to sell the main RPG. Morph them into one.

Card and CMG's sell because in order to make sure your warband is a good one, you need to collect the newest and best cards and figures. D&D has that cap, where new stuff comes out, but you don't need to buy it to stay "competitive."

So integrate the two concepts somehow. My posts were my own, as you said, wild speculation on how to do that.

 

[morbiczer]

Just some thoughts

A)

We can be 99% sure that 4E won't come out in the next 12 months, not only because I take it as granted that it will debut at a GenCon, but because the new Adventure Path starts in Dungeon next month. Having 12 installments it will end in August 2007. And I don't think that a new edition would come out in the middle of an Adventure Path. So we are "safe" for at least a year.

On the other hand, this also means that the Savage Tides AP ends August 2007. The first 4E issue could come out in September 2007, right after GenCon. Coincidence? Maybe yes, maybe not.



There are two things I don't get. I thought about opening a new thread for it, but since I'm basically only a lurker, I didn't dare to open a thread on 4E.

B)

What does "more miniature centric" mean? Even under the current 3.5 rules it is quite difficult - at least in my experience - to play without some sort of battlemat/grid paper and miniatures/something else representing characters and monsters (dice, pennies, paper counters, etc.).

* What rules could there be that would increase the need for miniatures even more?
* What could force us to play with miniatures produced by WotC instead of dice, counters, gummibears, LEGO men, whatever? Not at places like the RPGA, but in your own livingroom?

C)

I really can't see how a "collectible" element could be added to a roleplaying game. Would someone care to elaborate how they imagine this?

To me playing an RPG is all about liberty, especially 3.5 D&D. I can more or less play what I want. (Or better, what my DM allows.)

Do you really think that a game could be successful where the character I could play or the enemies our DM could throw at us were determined by what I found in my booster? I know this works in other games, but I fail to see how this could work out in an RPG. Would I only be allowed to play a Fighter if I had the necessary "Fighter" card or mini? Would I have to open booster after booster just to find that "Cure Light Wounds" spell for my cleric? To me such a game wouldn't be an RPG, it would be a glorified miniatures game at best.

And this would not be something I would be interested in.

Everything IMHO of course.