I love D&D!

[Aberzanzorax]

I'll be the jerk.

YES! I absolutely love D&D.

I love it as my favorite hobby.

I care how it is treated by those in control of it (WotC), those who add to it (3pp), and those who detract from it (pirates, trolls, and publishers of poor material).

I loved second edition, loved third more, and find fouth a good direction, and a quality product (though not for me, sorry).

BUT... I'm saddened and frightened by where the captain of the ship has been steering it (possibly drunk?) lately. (pdfs, D&Di materials promised in July for August, but still not out, the direction of the e-mags, the business model, the change of the WotC website away from web enhancements, the delays of the GSL, the lack of emphasis on 3pps, and so on).

I wanted to post this, not to threadcrap, but to emphasize that one can ABSOLUTELY LOVE D&D while still feeling the effects of the recent situations. I'm not a glass half full guy...I wish I could be, I'd be happier.

So, yeah, I LOVE D&D (I likely spend 20-40 hours a week on the hobby, unpaid...I own several bookcases full of books...I frequent multiple message boards). That only means that the recent events are that much more grave for me.

Sorry to bring down the joyride with my "negative vibes"...but they're real, and the OP did ask what we thought.

My thoughts, in a nutshell: I love D&D, and I hope it can recover from its present state.



EDIT: And I'll add: D&D is so many different things to me. Green Ronin's Freeport, Paradigm Press's Arcanis, WotC's Eberron, Privateer Press's Iron Kingdoms, the online conversions of Dark Sun and Ravenloft, etc.

Nothing is going to take away those things from me.

 

[BryonD]

I love RPGs and particularly fantasy RPGs.
The name D&D has no special meaning there beyond historic significance.
I play the best game. Not whatever game had the D&D label slapped on it.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

How about, "I love D&D's community!"

Seriously, I think this is the ONLY time I've ever seen a "why is everyone so negative" thread get a positive reception Any other community and this thread would be nothing but cynicism. (Source: Every forum ever)

 

[Mallus]

If my friends and I didn't love D&D we wouldn't do such horribly things to it every other Friday night (like spend an entire adventure inventing the Bollywood musical...).

 

[Daern]

I'm DMing tomorrow for the first time in months and I'm psyched. "...there is a light that never goes out"

 

[Kinneus]

I just have to chuckle at all this doom-and-gloom, "D&D is dying!" stuff. Maybe it's because I just started playing in December. And maybe it's also because I've managed to get all of my friends from high school playing it, friends who used to consider it social poison. Friends who now all but beg me to run a game when I'm in town.

Fine, D&D might be in a death spiral. Whatever. It's still my favorite new hobby, and one I plan on enjoying for a good, long time, and sharing with lots of new friends.

 

[Foundry of Decay]

I'm definitely with the OP. I love the game, I love playing. I always will.

 

[sirfredrick]

I had a taste of D&D around high school, but never got involved with a group to play. Now I have found (2) great groups to experience D&D 4th with and I'm enjoying myself immensely.

I too love D&D.

==== Sir Fredrick =======

 

[Weregrognard]

I played D&D last weekend with my friends. It was as awesome as it has ever been.

Count me in on the D&D love!

 

[Knightfall]

While I can't say I love 4e, I will say that it seems like an interesting game that has potential for all gamers. It takes the game I know in an entirely new direction. I'm not likely to DM 4e but I might play it at some point. Anything is possible.

I love 3rd Edition! 3e is my favorite edition by far. It suits my need to create and create and create. I love its complexity. I love its insane scope. I love its ability to become anything under the OGL.

I still like 2nd Edition. It's like an old girlfriend that you remember fondly and would like to have a fling with again but without the baggage of your past relationship.

And I'm learning to love 1st Edition and BECMI. I'm fascinated by the old school. I'm enjoying my look into the game's history. Will I play 1e? Not likely. (OSRIC maybe). Would I play BECMI? I think I would if I could find local people who are interested. I'm not sure. I'm more likely to play BECMI online.

Now if I could only find a copy of the D&D Rules Cyclopedia and Wrath of the Immortals (and maybe Creature Catalog).

In the last few months I've bought over a dozen used, Old School modules as well as Domains of Dread for 2e Ravenloft, the 1e Dungeon Master's Guide, and my lastest purchases -- the Champions of of Mystara boxed set and the D&D Basic Set (the purple box version).

I just bought those last two today. (See this thread for more details.)

I also bought the 4e Manual of the Planes, which is fascinating. I'll likely take a look at DMG 2 (for Sigil) and The Plane Below when they come out.

Right now I'm reading Domains of Dread, The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun, the 1e Dungeon Master's Guide (*), and I just started reading the rulebook from the D&D Basic Set and "The Guide Book to Taladas" from the Time of the Dragon boxed set.

*I haven't gotten very far with this book yet. Gygaxian prose is good.. but it's a little strange.