WotC_PeterS talks about his "aggresive playtest" (with Le Rouse, SKR, & Noonan)

[Tharen the Damned]

OK yes when you say External playtesting 3e likely got more external testing. The jump from 2nd to 3e was massive. This jump is big but not that big.

Come on Mr. Rouse, this statement does not match well with some of the other statements.

We were able, with some work, to transfer our beloved PCs from 2nd to 3rd edition.
But, and I am sorry that I cannot quote here, it was said more than once, that it is too difficult to transfer your 3rd PC to 4th?

 

[Scott_Rouse]

<spit-take>

It is all relative. The 4e jump is still significant enough to warrant a new edition but what I was trying to convey is that there are core elements (like core d20 system rules) that make it different than the jump from 2nd to 3e.

SWSE is still D20 in certain ways but it is also not 3.0 or 3.5 in many others.

Does this make sense?

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Come on Mr. Rouse, this statement does not match well with some of the other statements.

We were able, with some work, to transfer our beloved PCs from 2nd to 3rd edition.
But, and I am sorry that I cannot quote here, it was said more than once, that it is too difficult to transfer your 3rd PC to 4th?

and the the transfer was a total disaster from what I understand.

 

[Voss]

I hope this answers your questions.

Thank you for responding to the concerns. I do realize there are limits to what you can say.

On another note, from the looks of them, I would guess your 'playtest team' would be quite comfortable with repeating a 'prison break' scenario over and over again.

 

[The_Furious_Puffin]

I think Kaydark draws a very good point though - with M:TG they hire tournament winning players/constructors to assess rules mechanics and individual cards. I would not be a satisfactory replacement for these people, so doing the same testing with me (an 'average gamer') at the helm would not be as valuable. Nor are the designers suitable, as they are 'inside men'.

So the question is, are people of the sort who enjoy breaking rules systems, identified rules issues with 3/3.5 ed etc, as opposed to the people who currently write the rules or what I might call 'conventional gamers', being used to play test for edge cases specifically? This question was asked before and was responded to in a light hearted manner, but I do actually think it's a serious question, the song and dance that is made about it for M:TG illustrates both its importance and effectiveness in the mind of WOTC and others.

It's a reasonable question, and should expect a reasonable answer - especially when the same company pimps its capability in that exact area in a different business line in the same division.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

Funny. After they told us for years "There is no 4E" and similar crap, now we learn they *would* have been playtesting it from 2006?

Your company would do well to quit spreading bs and other undemonstrable statements; one reason why people have serious doubts about new products while you are repeating "it is all perfect!" over and over again is that you lied too much, too many times.

I know, I know.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

Thank you for responding to the concerns. I do realize there are limits to what you can say.

On another note, from the looks of them, I would guess your 'playtest team' would be quite comfortable with repeating a 'prison break' scenario over and over again.

LOL.

They are writing a new module called "Expedition to the Pawn Shop of Horrors".

 

[Wanderer20]

I'm inclined to report this, but I'll try to be polite first.

WotC never said "We have no plans for 4e." What they said (in early 2006!) was: "We have no plans to release 4e anytime soon." That was misrepresented by many people outside of the company as "no plans for 4e," but if you go back to the source, that's far different from what was actually said. Since then, when cornered, the designers have said things like "I'm not working on 4e, and even if I was, I couldn't tell you."

Now, you can claim that two and a half years off meets your definition of "soon," but that's your issue. Personally, I think it's unfair to accuse WotC of lying because you think of "within 3 years" as "soon." Two and a half years from that statement meets my criteria of the game not being released "soon."

I'm frankly getting sick of people levelling these kinds of nasty accusations at WotC and I don't even work there. I guess those who do are just thicker-skinned than I am. And I respect their ability to be civil in light of comments like these.

First of all, report everything you want.

Second, the "No plans for 4E" statements are not a joke or a forgery, at the point that a large number of people had the specific quotes in their signature in the WotC board; it is hard to believe you never saw any of them unless you did not read the abovementioned boards.

There are no issues of mine. I'll repeat one significant quote: "We are not working on 4E"; if anyone reads that and thinks that playtesting it could be considered as not-working on it I think he must have big grammar issues.

If you get sick when you see a quote and written conclusions different from your point of view, prepare to be sick many times (at least in this board when the subject is WotC and 4E).

And by the way, as long as there are no insults or flames, you should respect the other guys' opinions and their right to write theirs.

 

[Elrith]

the designers have said things like "I'm not working on 4e, and even if I was, I couldn't tell you."

And if they hadn't said that, they might have lost their jobs. People who haven't been told to be careful with new products, or worked under NDAs should be very kind to those who do. Professional etiquette should prevent people from asking questions like "when is 5e coming" because there are probably a hundred questions we would all have to be evasive about. It is not an easy way to work. Especially when it's your passion.

 

[Tharen the Damned]

and the the transfer was a total disaster from what I understand.

Ok, there you have me. It was....akward somtimes.