When did We Stop Trusting Game Designers?

[Fifth Element]

No, it's like you already own a house, and somebody's selling other houses you don't care for. It doesn't affect you, the owner of a perfectly serviceable house, but when you talk to people who like those houses and people who are selling them, it annoys you that they boost them, or say bad things about your house. That's the difference between play and community discussion.

To be fair, there is at least one legitimate concern: if someone builds a new shiny house, and none of your friends want to come over and play at your house anymore; they want to party at the new house. Now, I don't think it's fair to blame the house builder for this, and if they're your friends then the house you party at shouldn't really matter.

If you normally party with people you would otherwise not spend any time with (ie, not friends), then you're pretty much stuck. Your best bet is to find some more people who also don't like the new shiny house, and party with them. Since you weren't partying with friends anyway, it shouldn't matter too much.

 

[Fifth Element]

It is interesting that I stumbled on this thread. I think my sig says it well enough for me.

What sig?

 

[Ydars]

Oh Goodie! ANOTHER edition wars thread! I just can't get enough of them these days. It is such a pleasant surprise when you can open a thread on seemingly ANY topic and find it has drifted down this road. I particularly enjoy the originality of the arguments as well.

 

[Lizard]

I think it was when game design articles started beginning with "According to our marketing surveys..." and began including bafflegab like "enhancing the core play experience".

Gary never felt like he was expecting to be taken seriously. He was the crazy old uncle ranting on about Gandalf and gunpowder and what not, and he was amusing, and then you ignored him and had orcs with machineguns and Ye Olde Shoppe Of Magicke ANYWAY. (And beardless female dwarves, the horror!)

I've actually come to like 4e and appreciate a lot of what it does, but it was a long fight through marketroid spew to get there. (Being told how much all the older editions sucked didn't help, either.)

 

[Aus_Snow]

My hope for 3.X is that either

1) Pathfinder will be good enough to carry the torch

or

2) the continued existence of the online SRD will make the fact that 3.X is no longer supported by WoTC less significant.

Now, don't get me wrong - I think the online SRD(s) and Pathfinder are both great things, but. . .
I just find it odd whenever I read these kinds of things. I mean, what happens with everyone's books? They don't work, all of a sudden?

Seriously, that whole 'supported' thing. . . I do find it odd that anyone at all requires it. The game (and tons of supplementary material) exists already, you've got what you need, you can still play it. Hm.

I certainly have enough 3.X stuff to play for years...definitely until 5E comes out!

Exactly!

Or longer, possibly.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

*snip*

For a moment I confused you with LostSoul, and expected a different "punch line". Might want to duke it out with LostSoul and the moderators if your names are to similar...

 

[ExploderWizard]

For a moment I confused you with LostSoul, and expected a different "punch line". Might want to duke it out with LostSoul and the moderators if your names are to similar...

Yeah that was weird. Before I checked the post count I thought our old buddy LostSoul had been hit with orbital mind control lasers.

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

It's not that _I_ need any more 3E books. I don't.

It's what happens when I get a new player for a game I am running, and they are either new to gaming, or they come from a Vampire or Gurps background or whatever, and they don't have the 3.X books as a result.

The first time that happens, I will probably have to restrict my 3.X game to core rules/SRD only, because it won't be fair to the new player to let the others use a zillion splatbooks that he doesn't have access to.

When 4E is dropped for 5E, 4E players will be in an even more difficult position, because there won't be an online SRD to fall back on as a rules reference.

Ken

Now, don't get me wrong - I think the online SRD(s) and Pathfinder are both great things, but. . .
I just find it odd whenever I read these kinds of things. I mean, what happens with everyone's books? They don't work, all of a sudden?

Seriously, that whole 'supported' thing. . . I do find it odd that anyone at all requires it. The game (and tons of supplementary material) exists already, you've got what you need, you can still play it. Hm.


Exactly!

Or longer, possibly.

 

[Umbran]

The first time that happens, I will probably have to restrict my 3.X game to core rules/SRD only, because it won't be fair to the new player to let the others use a zillion splatbooks that he doesn't have access to.

If I trust him or her enough to have them at my table, I trust them enough to loan a gaming book to them. It isn't like they need constant access to things outside the core rules every day between sessions, or something.

I find SHARK's argument about continuing support weak. The editions changed up because the revenue stream was winding down - the market was saturated with content, such that it was getting difficult to sell more content. Thus, the world has a surplus of support for the original system, sufficient for a lifetime of play, I should think.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I find SHARK's argument about continuing support weak. The editions changed up because the revenue stream was winding down - the market was saturated with content, such that it was getting difficult to sell more content. Thus, the world has a surplus of support for the original system, sufficient for a lifetime of play, I should think.

More than a lifetime. I think the greatest source of animosity towards the latest edition of any game is not so much the product support but rather the difficulty (real or imagined) of finding people to play the older editions.
Such players can be found but it increases the difficulty of the seach check.