How Would 3.75 Impact Your 4.0 Decision
Celebrim
Legend
I'd like to have a 3.75. I think there is room for a major update of 3.5 which is backwards compatible with 3.X (and even earlier editions) in a way that 4e doesn't look to be, and which isn't merely adding some errata (some of which is of questionable value) the way 3.5 largely is. I think I'd be happier with a game that fixed 3.5's problems, rather than reinvented the wheel. I know that some would rather have an all new wheel, and that's fine. It's just I'm not one of them.
I think that the biggest problem with a 3.75 though is that those that aren't happy with 4e are for the most part precisely those that are very opinionated about what they want from the game and are no more likely to well recieve a particular 3.75 revision than they are a 4.0 edition. So really, I'm in some way closer to 'wait and see' except that there is no chance at this point of me adopting 4e. Of course, realistically, even if a 3.75 was out there, realistically the chance of it being more the game that I want that 3.5 is pretty small (since 3.5 was actually less of what I wanted than 3.0 in many ways). So, even though I think there will be a lot of 'grognards' like myself that would rather play 3.X and are frustrated that 4e material is in no way compatible with our purchases of the last few years, no company can really expect any D20 variant to appeal to more than a subset of that group. If you could get the whole group behind one product, then it might be profitable. But you won't be able to do that, because different people who are mostly happy with 3.5 are annoyed by different things about it.
I think the result will be that you'll see alot of variation in homebrews out there compared to 3.X era, as the community forks again to a degree it hasn't since the 1st edition era.
I think that the biggest problem with a 3.75 though is that those that aren't happy with 4e are for the most part precisely those that are very opinionated about what they want from the game and are no more likely to well recieve a particular 3.75 revision than they are a 4.0 edition. So really, I'm in some way closer to 'wait and see' except that there is no chance at this point of me adopting 4e. Of course, realistically, even if a 3.75 was out there, realistically the chance of it being more the game that I want that 3.5 is pretty small (since 3.5 was actually less of what I wanted than 3.0 in many ways). So, even though I think there will be a lot of 'grognards' like myself that would rather play 3.X and are frustrated that 4e material is in no way compatible with our purchases of the last few years, no company can really expect any D20 variant to appeal to more than a subset of that group. If you could get the whole group behind one product, then it might be profitable. But you won't be able to do that, because different people who are mostly happy with 3.5 are annoyed by different things about it.
I think the result will be that you'll see alot of variation in homebrews out there compared to 3.X era, as the community forks again to a degree it hasn't since the 1st edition era.
Celebrim
Legend
Chocobot said:
I think that's the wrong question. I'd guess a well recieved 3.75 product might last a year or maybe two, if you mean by 'last' 'continues to be profitable enough to support a product line'.
But if by 'last' you mean, 'continues to have players', I think it can last indefinately. There are still OD&D gamers out there for crying out loud.
The real question is, "How many 3.5 gamers would find the 3.75 rules valuable?"
And unfortunately, I think the answer to that is, 'Not enough.' I think those that resist the 4e game are largely homebrewers that were taking thier game in a different direction than 4e goes and/or have alot of 3.5 material that they still want to use. Although alot of the 3.5 grognards want alterations in the game, if they are anything like myself, what they really want is pretty specific and not merely 'something new'.
Desdichado
Hero
I don't care about 3.75. If we're not on the 4e wagon, then stick with 3.5. Why buy a 3.75? I have yet to see what need that fills that wouldn't be better filled by remaining (temporarily) with 3.5.
Philotomy Jurament
First Post
No impact. I no longer run 3.0, never ran 3.5, and have zero interest in 3.75. I'm not interested in 4E as a replacement or upgrade for my current D&D game, but if 4E is different enough from traditional D&D, I might be interested in it as a separate game on its own merits.
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
3.75e is to gaming as Ron Paul is to the Presidency.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
I have absolutely no interest in a 3.75. I want a clean break and brand new things, I want 4e.
Hobo said:
If 3.75e was a version of 3.5e that didn't change anything but corrected everything and all the rules errors and problems, I'd upgrade in a heartbeat. I like 3.5e. It's too early to tell if I like 4e. But if somebody released an upgrade to 3.5e that didn't change the system but corrected those annoying problems, I'd be very happy with that.
Pinotage
Black Knight Irios
Explorer
3.75 makes me wanna laugh, but I can't.
Why?
-I think that idea is just too stupid.
I wonder what those guys will say, that always lament WotC publishes 4E just for the money.
Why?
-I think that idea is just too stupid.
I wonder what those guys will say, that always lament WotC publishes 4E just for the money.
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