RPG Codex Interview w/Mike Mearls
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Weak stomach? Or can you be more specific?
n00bdragon
First Post
Mostly this gem:
It's astounding. Truly astounding on levels I find difficult to describe.
It's astounding. Truly astounding on levels I find difficult to describe.
GX.Sigma
Adventurer
I find your reaction disturbing. Do you feel that by sharing his impressions of what was going on around the office, he's insulting your favorite game, and by extension you? Because that's a very poisonous way of thinking.
n00bdragon
First Post
No, it really just heaps confirmation onto my suspicion that 4e failed not because it's a bad game but because the man placed in charge of it hated it. He's just spouting off the same tired long-since-rebutted-a-thousand times edition war cries. If he actually believes what he's saying I think less of him as a game designer. If he's just saying it to win over the disaffected pathfinder players who refuse to play Babby's First Paper MMO because it's "Not my D&D" then I think less of him as a product lead and figurehead.
I don't feel personally insulted by it. I've been personally insulted plenty over my edition preferences by people with far less eloquence that this is peanuts. It's just the shock that the MAN IN CHARGE OF SELLING 4E would debase himself with this kind of rhetoric.
I don't feel personally insulted by it. I've been personally insulted plenty over my edition preferences by people with far less eloquence that this is peanuts. It's just the shock that the MAN IN CHARGE OF SELLING 4E would debase himself with this kind of rhetoric.
I'm confused. The 4E designers specifically cited MMOs as inspiration for 4E... Why is this astounding to you?
GX.Sigma
Adventurer
When was this rebutted? Do we have a quote from the lead designers saying it isn't true? The fact that you perceive this as an attack is what disturbs me.
ExploderWizard
Hero
A WOTC designer taking a big old dump on a previous edition while talking about the latest edition.
I'm shocked. Truly shocked. This has never happened before.
I'm shocked. Truly shocked. This has never happened before.
Ahnehnois
First Post
I also found this one rather informative:
I don't think Mearls is all that responsible for the current state of 4e as a business (I'm pretty sure the substance of the game is important too) or for the quick transition to 5e. But I do think he might be responsible for 5e's ultimate failure, if that's what ends up happening. Hopefully things will take a turn for the better.
As to the MMO thing, why wouldn't you want to take a few lessons from such a big trend? Just because 4e didn't go about it the right way doesn't mean it can't be done, and without losing D&D's soul. Certainly, the MMOs have taken plenty from D&D.
Homogeneity. Nice plan there.
I don't think Mearls is all that responsible for the current state of 4e as a business (I'm pretty sure the substance of the game is important too) or for the quick transition to 5e. But I do think he might be responsible for 5e's ultimate failure, if that's what ends up happening. Hopefully things will take a turn for the better.
As to the MMO thing, why wouldn't you want to take a few lessons from such a big trend? Just because 4e didn't go about it the right way doesn't mean it can't be done, and without losing D&D's soul. Certainly, the MMOs have taken plenty from D&D.
TrippyHippy
Hero
I think the interview is a fair reflection on the situation facing the designers from somebody who is 'in the know'.
If you react negatively to it, it tells us more about where you are coming from than anything else.
If you react negatively to it, it tells us more about where you are coming from than anything else.
