Took Enemy Fire in Edition Wars

[steeldragons]

Frankly, I think we've had it too good lately. We need some good old-fashioned persecution of role-playing to remind us that the real war is not between editions, but between gamers and non-gamers.

Very true!

Where's some good ole "geek/nerd/freak/demon-worshipper" discrimination, dammit! Where's the MAD[nD] love...er...hate?! lol.

--SD

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

The preceding has been said in 1983, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2010, and now in 2012. Replace edition names, company names, and expletives as necessary.

Can't XP you -- but you missed 1977!

 

[Agamon]

Can't XP you -- but you missed 1977!

Could throw in 1974, too, for the Chainmail purists.

 

[Abstruse]

Can't XP you -- but you missed 1977!

Intentionally. Grognardia hadn't set in yet. Only reason I left 1983 in was because of the D&D/AD&D split that caused friction mostly after that date.

For the record, here's how I see (or remember) the arguments starting in each year:

1983: 'Elf' isn't a class anymore?! They made it too easy!
1989: Assassin isn't a class anymore?! What's this THAC0 crap? Where's the to-hit table?! They made it too easy! I might as well be playing Basic D&D!
2000: You can make an elf paladin?! Ascending AC? No level caps for races? Skill points?! They made it too easy! I might as well be playing Vampire: The Masquerade!
2003: Oh, great, they went and nerfed fighters! And damage reduction's all scewed up now! They made it too easy! I might as well be playing Everquest!
2008: Powers? What's this crap? How many HP to starting characters get?! They made it too easy! I might as well be playing World of Warcraft!
2010: No powers for fighters anymore? What's this crap?! No more limits on magic item power uses? They made it too easy! I might as well be playing Pathfinder!
2012: They're trying to make an edition that's true to the original roots and feel of the game while streamlining the rules?! I can choose what rules modules I want to use?! They made it too easy! I might as well be playing GURPs!

(And yes, I missed 1991 that time because honestly, I don't know the differences between BECMI and Rules Cyclopedia...never played Basic.)

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Except the D&D / AD&D split occurred with the publication of the AD&D Player's Handbook in 1977 (or was it '78?), with the first Blue Basic book that year (or was it the year prior?). Anyway, at that point there are three versions -- OD&D (1974), AD&D, and BD&D -- all with greater or lesser differences.

Look -- an edition war about when the edition wars began!

 

[ExploderWizard]

Except the D&D / AD&D split occurred with the publication of the AD&D Player's Handbook in 1977 (or was it '78?), with the first Blue Basic book that year (or was it the year prior?). Anyway, at that point there are three versions -- OD&D (1974), AD&D, and BD&D -- all with greater or lesser differences.

Look -- an edition war about when the edition wars began!

AD&D MM 1977
AD&D PHB 1978
AD&D DMG 1979

Holmes Basic 1977

This means that from 1977 until 1979 there was a whole lot of mixing and matching between OD&D & supplements, Holmes basic, and AD&D hardback elements.

Until 79 there was no 'complete' AD&D system. IMHO its hard to wage a war between a hodgepoge of products that were all kind of compatible with each other.

The actual BD&D /AD&D product line split didn't happen until 1980-81 with the Moldvay basic rules. The 77 Holmes set was just kind of a bridging product serving as an introduction to what would become AD&D.

So until 79 there was only one actual complete D&D system which was OD&D.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Thanks for clarifying!

 

[JasonZZ]

Frankly, I think we've had it too good lately. We need some good old-fashioned persecution of role-playing to remind us that the real war is not between editions, but between gamers and non-gamers.

Can't XP, etc. And I hate to say it, but maybe the community does need an outside enemy to prevent us from making enemies of each other. Maybe we should collectively declare war against GURPs or something....

 

[mkill]

Less than 12 hours later in the Exhibit Hall, we’re talking to two D20 Girls and one of them takes a swipe at 4E. Now, I’m not gonna get into it with some girl half my age, wearing a miniskirt and cat ears, so I just told her we had a fun time with 4E, and if you’re having fun you’re doing it right, right?

No. She just kept comin’ at 4E. I don’t really remember what her problems were with it, but I asked about her modeling career and she forgot all about how bad 4E was.

There's a cute girl in cat ears and a mini skirt who plays D&D... but she likes the wrong version and so you get into an edition war with her?

Interesting priorities.

 

[objectsession]

Less than 12 hours later in the Exhibit Hall, we’re talking to two D20 Girls and one of them takes a swipe at 4E.

why is no one commenting on the fact that the OP was talking to 2d20 girls!? 2d20! (. . . oh, wait. only one was wearing cat ears. nm.)