How do fans of OTHER RPGs handle new editions?

[Shortman McLeod]

White Wolf's Vampire: the Masquerade and other titles had new editions every other year or something in the early days. I don't remember shouts and complaints at the time. Sometimes it seems like only D&D fans are annoying.

This raises the question of what an "edition" is. Many companies use the term "edition" as synonomous with "printing." The best example is Call of Cthulhu which is, I believe, in its sixth "edition"--yet between the first and sixth editions there are almost no significant rule changes.

These are not "new editions" in the D&D sense.

 

[Odhanan]

There were screams aplenty in the hidden nests of the Camarilla fan club

Likewise, around the time of WoD revised, I remember many gamers of France really into the Camarilla and White Wolf games who started to state clearly that clanbooks were a money-grab, that supplements were getting thin in terms of revelations, that the whole company stank of greed.

 

[Odhanan]

There were screams aplenty in the hidden nests of the Camarilla fan club

Likewise, around the time of WoD revised, I remember many gamers of France really into the Camarilla and White Wolf games who started to state clearly that clanbooks were a money-grab, that supplements were getting thin in terms of revelations, that the whole company stank of greed. It only grew louder, until nWoD came out.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In contrast, check out Citizens of the Imperium, a Traveller site.

Hey, thanks for the heads-up! I hadn't even thought of checking out the internet for Traveller websites.

 

[Visceris]

I use to do GURPS and WoD but there constant changing of the rules and "updates" made me sick so I no bought their books and moved on. I like a stable gaming platform. Good clear cut rules that are consistant but expandable. A rules system that can last more than 10 years. I thought 3.5e was pretty solid. I guess I was wrong. So, I guess DnD will go into the closet next.

 

[D.Shaffer]

I think it depends on the game. Some games I've seen, the fanbase has taken quite well. (CBT's switch to its new edition. Contrast this with, as previously mentioned, the fanbases reaction when Clickytech was announced.

I'd say the reaction depends on how many apparent changes there are and how dedicated a fan base it has to begin with. Look at the fan bases reaction to the reenvisioned Battlestar Galactica or Transformers.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

OWOD was way better story wise and mechanics wise to NWOD. Course thats one fan opinion. However, you could use almost all OWOD incarnation with each other. Try using NWOD w/ OWOD.

I think the problem with D&D is that they have more books. More money is sunk into it and more prep time is necessary though I never had that problem. So I guess most of the angry fans would rather see a revision or fixs than makes us throw away all our old books. I know if I cant be backwards compatible then Im not playing 4e, though im willing to keep and eye on it just in case.

Personally I quite like the nWoD. Mortals were never totally acceptable PC choices in the first. Like you said though, just my opinion.

As far as your second point... I couldn't agree more. Generally, while playing Vampire: The Masquerade I never really went crazy with buying books. You only needed the core book for the rules and character creation. With very few exceptions the other books were just "_______ by Night" setting books with very little crunch. I never felt like I needed any more books than the minimum ones I originally bought to get into the game.
Therefore, when a new edition came out I really didn't mind. I replaced the core book that contained the crunch but held onto all of my fluff books.

With D&D 3X going the way of the dinosaur I'm looking at a huge loss of my gaming investment. In addition to the PHB, DMG, XPH, and the various MMs there are the "Complete _______" books, the PHB2, and the DMG2 in addition to the fluff books. While I know nobody is saying that I HAVE to get rid of them, they are more or less worthless. It is always easier to find groups playing the current edition than the older editions. If I want to play then I'm afraid that I'll have to suck it up and purchase the new edition.

 

[billd91]

In D&D messageboards I see the most baseless and pedantic attacks in the edition wars. In contrast, check out Citizens of the Imperium, a Traveller site. All editions are supported, even those versions that some would say are "not Traveller." You can even, shock, call something silly in an old edition and not ignite a flame attack, but rather explore others house rules that "fix" it and hear reasoned arguments seeking common ground that say it is not broken. Respect and a productive discourse are common. Caveat, still be careful when in the area of near-c rocks.

I think for a good many old Traveller players (for the record, my favorite version is MegaTraveller), looking into each new edition has become something of a game in and of itself. It's gone through so many iterations, some really mystifying like TNE and T4, that we all start to wonder "How will it be re-invented this time?"
I believe I have copies of every main edition, at least the core rule book. My major collections are of Classic and MegaTraveller versions (back when it had the best support). Some good stuff there. But I'm still interested in seeing the new edition on the horizon...

 

[Imperialus]

I for one didn't complain about the edition changes to Shadowrun, they were needed. With SR4, now I would start complaining. SR4 is the most solid set of rules yet. Not perfect, but solid enough to tweak to my satisfaction.

You may not have but you should have seen the vitrol flying around Dumpshock.com this time two years ago. Heck, the 3rd ed and 4th ed forums are still segragated and about once a month or so someone will cross into the other editions "turf" and spark an edition war.

I have to say that SR4 seems to me to be nothing more than a pathetic, money-grubbing marketing tactic. I am absolutely convinced that there was more than enough life in SR3 to run another two years at the very least. There was direction for ongoing plots, there was room for rule development and there was ample scope for development of the game world.

snip

I'm posting to express my disgust. In my view this marks the first (very large) step in FanPro becoming like so many other gaming companies, in being more interested in getting the cash in quickly than supporting existing games, releasing quality product and maintaining a fan base. FanPro is doing nothing more than forcing existing players to shell out for a new edition and multiple follow-on sourcebooks if they want to remain current in the plot lines and development of the game. New players to the game spend the same cash as old players and it is obvious that FanPro simply wants the cash in the door and doesn't care what it needs to do to get the cash in. For the first time in my entire SR fandom I question whether I want to continue my investment in this game.

The following post has been edited to censor his use of language.

I actually like *everything* about SR3.

Most especially:

I *like* the Matrix and...

I *like* cyberdecks.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS.

FanPro can get blank bent, as can all who have anything to do with this abominable incarnation of the rules, as can anyone who wants me to take my blank elsewhere.

...good gods, people...

(SIDEBITCH: They'll take the blank time to revamp the goddamn rules, but they won't take the blank time to reprint blank Sprawl Sites.)

Ohmygod. I wish I could just open-handed slap the party responsible for this.

.|.. ..|.

(look at those as middle fingers and go blank yourselves)

edit: Though the best part of the entire thread is when one of the developers offered to accomidate the above poster's threat of an open handed slap if he came to Gen-Con. /edit

a response to the above post, again edited

I'm just curious, here, but where are you...where are you even getting that your insane little rant has anything at all to do with the changes they're making in the game? You're making blank up and then complaining about the blank you just made up (and doing so in an extremely annoying fashion). What makes you think you've got any idea at all what you're talking about?

 

[Mark Hope]

How do fans of OTHER RPGs handle new editions? If you are a Torg fan like me, you wait... and then you wait some more... and then you wait even longer... and then you get all bitter and twisted and start trying to convert all your other games over to the Torg rules and evangelise about it at great length, much to the derision of your friends. And then you go back to waiting.

D&D 4e? Luxury.