D&D 5E D&DNext - Frankenstein or Butterfly?

[Mercurius]

I've been busy with work, life, etc, and not paying attention to the development of D&D Next for the last few months (since about July). Can someone give me a short update? Where is the game going? Any news as to when it will be published?

From briefly browsing this forum my impression is that A) talk has died down and B) people are beginning to sour on Next. What I'm wondering is if WotC blew it or if this is a case of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" or "Can't please everyone, especially gamers."

I suppose my biggest question is if WotC has kept their original primary goals in mind - that of making a core simple rule system that serves story rather than the other way around, and can be adapted to different game styles and complexity levels, etc. In other words, are we going to see a truly new iteration of the game that represents an actual transformation to a higher level of design (thus the "butterfly"), or have they already gone the other way and are in the process of creating another Frankensteinian monster ala 3.x and 4E?

So what's new with Next? Thanks.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Caterpillar!

 

[Riley]

I suppose my biggest question is if WotC has kept their original primary goals in mind - that of making a core simple rule system that serves story rather than the other way around, and can be adapted to different game styles and complexity levels, etc.

Hard to say. The first playtest suggested that they had such a thing.

Recent playtest packets have been more complicated, but the develpers have made comments that they feel that they have the streamlined core of the game figured out, and that the stuff we are testing now is some of the more complicated stuff that can get added on to that stripped-down core.

 

[Jester David]

We're still two years from having the rules in our hands, and a year before they start writing the books, so it's still too soon to say. Things are getting more complicated, but as noted that's because they're testing some additions. And we haven't seen any modules yet.

 

[Blackbrrd]

I really like the flat-math concept for attack/defense, but I don't like the skill lists or most of the classes except for the fighter. I think they have a long way to go. I think it's looking like the ugly duckling at the moment.

 

[Jeff Carlsen]

The sour feeling seems to come predominantly from the latest playtest, for various reasons.

First, all of the classes got a bit of the nerf hammer, though it feels like people are over the initial response to that.

The big factor is that they've altered the general structure of class mechanics and presented us with an early draft of these ideas. Response to these changes is mixed, in part because they deviate from what were distinct and functional classes. Mostly, though, because they're controversial and filled with the small problems of an early draft.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I really like the flat-math concept for attack/defense, but I don't like the skill lists or most of the classes except for the fighter. I think they have a long way to go. I think it's looking like the ugly duckling at the moment.

Yeah, same impression here - I really like the high-level design decisions behind D&D Next (flat math, expertise dice, advantage/disadvantage, focussing on fast gameplay, the occasional nod to "simulationism", mechanically distinct class stuctures)... but it still feels to much like a re-hash of previous editions without much unique material, not having a distinct identity for the classes and not having the mechanically well-oiled play of 4E (in 4E, especially a year or two in, the math just worked pretty well).

If they manage to flesh out the classes and have 4E's razor-like focus on getting the numbers right, then I have much hope for this incarnation of D&D.

 

[DEFCON 1]

From briefly browsing this forum my impression is that A) talk has died down and B) people are beginning to sour on Next. What I'm wondering is if WotC blew it or if this is a case of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" or "Can't please everyone, especially gamers."

C) People seem to have no idea what actually happens during a playtest and are panicking... making absurd declarations about material 95% of which will not even appear in the final document two years from now.

 

[Stalker0]

Caterpillar!

Absolutely right, way too early to tell one way or the other.

 

[Leatherhead]

C) People seem to have no idea what actually happens during a playtest and are panicking... making absurd declarations about material 95% of which will not even appear in the final document two years from now.

It's like they don't understand you are supposed to break stuff on purpose!

I blame video game betas being little more than glorified "early access" promotions.