D&D 5E Have you moved on yet? Has Wizard's handled this properly?

[dd.stevenson]

Right now I have gotten so intrenched in Pathfinder that it would take a lot to get me to take D&D back on as a second game.

Anyone else share my experience?

I'm pretty big into pathfinder at the moment as well, but as I play with that system I am constantly reminded of the underlying problems with its 3.x chassis. I don't think it's too much to imagine that in a couple years there will be a lot of pathfinder groups willing to give a new system a fair shot.

 

[Umbran]

But if they don't stop tweaking and tweaking and tweaking and move onto other projects they won't have the time before launch to test all the other needed content. Because they decided to completely change how fighters work they had to stop working on certain planned modules and possibly have not resumed work as they keep tweaking fights and now rogues. 1/4 of the way through the planned playtest period and they're already a couple months behind.

Yes. However, it doesn't serve them to put out a game that has chunks of it that stink, either. So long as they are being open in the playtest, folks will see that they're working in good faith, so delays will be far more acceptable than they'd be in the more traditional silence.

 

[DaveMage]

So long as they are being open in the playtest, folks will see that they're working in good faith, so delays will be far more acceptable than they'd be in the more traditional silence.

Delays are acceptable because fewer people care. (Or, more correctly, there's plenty else to play while WotC gets its act together.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

For me, 3.5Ed is still my D&D of choice, and I'm in an enjoyable 4Ed game...with at least 2 other solid 4Ed PCs created & ready to run.*

When 5E is released- and not a moment sooner- I'll decide whether to buy it.

But I don't see myself as "moving on"- not only do I tend to keep playing old games if given the opportunity, I think 5Ed has too big of a shadow to emerge from in the shape of 3.Ed.

That said, I'd rather they keep playtesting than release something incomplete, inconsistent, or incoherent, even if it means a year+ delay. Hasbro might not see it that way, though...








* not to mention a back catalog of 2Ed & 3.5Ed PCs as well

 

[Umbran]

Delays are acceptable because fewer people care. (Or, more correctly, there's plenty else to play while WotC gets its act together.)

Perhaps in the same sense as Diablo III, which, despite delays of many years, folks jumped on when it did finally come out. Now, WotC may not have the same reputation for holding on until they get it just right, but the general plan does seem to do well by a property. Folks allow you to take your time, if you do it right in the end.

Of course, the real problem here may be that there are too many visions of "right" for them to deal with. We shall see, I suppose.

 

[Shemeska]

Perhaps in the same sense as Diablo III, which, despite delays of many years, folks jumped on when it did finally come out. Now, WotC may not have the same reputation for holding on until they get it just right, but the general plan does seem to do well by a property.

It is very debatable if Blizzard got Diablo III right... I really don't think WotC wants the same level of harping on it that D3 has on its forums.

 

[Isaac Chalk]

It is very debatable if Blizzard got Diablo III right... I really don't think WotC wants the same level of harping on it that D3 has on its forums.

The first time I went into the Harmonix forums, I ran into someone complaining that YYZ shouldn't be in Rock Band since it was "racist against vocalists."

Video game forums, in general, should be avoided at all costs. If they were having fun, they'd be playing the game instead.

 

[FireLance]

Video game forums, in general, should be avoided at all costs. If they were having fun, they'd be playing the game instead.

And suddenly, the fundamental problem with the ENWorld D&D forum becomes starkly clear ...

 

[Kobold Boots]

1. WoTC is not going to intentionally put out a game that stinks.
2. "Stinks" is relative and entirely dependent on what the requirements of the project are.
3. Certain historical decisions create momentum in directions that are hard to recover from.

The above said, at the moment the decision was made to go 4e, the sane business approach is to accept losses, build on the successes of 4e, and continue to work on the parts of the game that provide an advantage to the brand, and the customers choosing to play it. It's important to recognize and own mistakes if any were made; but more important to learn from the transition and not make more mistakes.

1. Pathfinder is a fantastic game and has momentum.
2. 4e is a fantastic game and had momentum.
3. 5e moving away from 4e and towards older properties is dumb as heck, because the brand isn't in a position to compete with Pathfinder in my opinion. It'll waste a LOT of money to do so and the results won't be good.

I'm still asking myself these questions and it would do well for me to find answers to them:

1. I've played all editions and have the books. I really like 4th edition. Why would I buy 5th if I've already played it? What's so awesome that I couldn't just home-brew it using existing properties.

2. If it is going back to brass tacks.. why wouldn't I just play Pathfinder?

I'll figure out the answers, just like everyone else will soon enough. It'll be fun. I just hope to heck this product isn't the death knell for the D&D Brand.

 

[DEFCON 1]

3. 5e moving away from 4e and towards older properties is dumb as heck, because the brand isn't in a position to compete with Pathfinder in my opinion. It'll waste a LOT of money to do so and the results won't be good.

I would disagree with this.

There has been one overwhelming truth we have seen these past four years here on the EN World boards. A very large number of players who were pissed off about what was done to make 4E and who ended staying with 3.5 or moved to PF... always had a laundry list of things they shared with us that "had to happen" with D&D to make them switch back.

That told us all we needed to know. Most of them wanted to play 'D&D' but couldn't because of all the problems they had with the 4E system. But given the chance, they'd come running back once WotC got the system in order. The brand holds that much sway over us. 'D&D' is preferable over 'Pathfinder' for a good number of those players, if both games are comparable enough to get the gaming experience out of it that they want.

Never underestimate the power of the brand.