D&D General Why Editions Don't Matter

[Imaro]

So do the authority structures and procedures of play that shape and define trad play cultures.

Well those have to be defined in order to play the game, playstyle doesn't. Without an authority structure... nothing can be decided. Without procedures of play there is nothing happening. With these choices you aim for the biggest demographic and/or stick with what you have traditionally done (even better if both align) if your goal is to get as many of your past players of your various editions playing while bringing in new players as well... You also leave enough wiggle room that it's relatively easy to implement some outliers to that structure and procedures... like the player quests of 4e or skill challenges.

 

[Campbell]

Well those have to be defined in order to play the game, playstyle doesn't. Without an authority structure... nothing can be decided. Without procedures of play there is nothing happening. With these choices you aim for the biggest demographic and/or stick with what you have traditionally done (even better if both align) if your goal is to get as many of your past players of your various editions playing while bringing in new players as well... You also leave enough wiggle room that it's relatively easy to implement some outliers to that structure and procedures... like the player quests of 4e or skill challenges.

The medium is the message @Imaro . The authority structures, mechanics and play procedures define the play styles that the game can accommodate.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Cool... though I'd argue it's a little more nuanced than "you get what you pay for"... there are literally videos of the people who created a particular ttrpg running it. I'd argue that's probably a pretty valuable resource to explore if you're interested in a new game but to each their own.

Alright. The point stands: you asked whether anyone ever does this. I do, and have. It isn't something that can be treated as a bizarre non-existent position or something that ceased existing long ago, as your previous post clearly expected.

I don't think any game as complex as D&D could ever be considered complete. As far as youtube advice, one person's garbage is another person's gold. Even if I don't agree with things I watch or read, sometimes it can be useful to think about why I don't agree and try to understand why people post what they do.

Once you have an idea of what good practice is, such contrast can certainly be useful. When you are a neophyte who cannot tell the difference, however, such things are...less than useful. How do you separate gold from pyrite when you don't know what either one looks like? Particularly when so many are so eager to push their pyrite as real gold.

 

[Imaro]

The medium is the message @Imaro . The authority structures, mechanics and play procedures define the play styles that the game can accommodate.

I don't think they do... especially if the playstyle is not defined... the mechanics and procedures stay general and they are easily driftable. Which are all things, IMO, 5e has accomplished.

 

[Imaro]

Alright. The point stands: you asked whether anyone ever does this. I do, and have. It isn't something that can be treated as a bizarre non-existent position or something that ceased existing long ago, as your previous post clearly expected.

No... my previous post was me admitting I could be wrong and asking in general did people still do that... everything else is how you're choosing to interpret and read into it.

 

[EzekielRaiden]

I don't think they do... especially if the playstyle is not defined... the mechanics and procedures stay general and they are easily driftable. Which are all things, IMO, 5e has accomplished.

What does "driftable" mean?

 

[Oofta]

Alright. The point stands: you asked whether anyone ever does this. I do, and have. It isn't something that can be treated as a bizarre non-existent position or something that ceased existing long ago, as your previous post clearly expected.


Once you have an idea of what good practice is, such contrast can certainly be useful. When you are a neophyte who cannot tell the difference, however, such things are...less than useful. How do you separate gold from pyrite when you don't know what either one looks like? Particularly when so many are so eager to push their pyrite as real gold.

You think about what people say? Maybe try it out to see if it works and then ask for feedback. Sometimes we learn more from our mistakes than any other option.

I assume people are capable of considered thought and analysis.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Yes. I have.

I don't trust random YouTube personalities to give good advice. I trust Reddit threads even less. I've gotten piles of garbage advice on how to run/play games over the years. It's free advice and you get what you pay for, as they say.

Its even worse if you're prone in the direction of more obscure games. I was barely able to find any discussion on Fragged Empire when I started running it, and its more well known than some I own. And of course, as you say, if you find a random Reddit thread or the like, you may be trying to figure out how to run a game from how two random people do it, which can range from helpful to completely counterproductive.

 

[Imaro]

What does "driftable" mean?

Here's an example... traditionally D&D gives the narration of resulting fiction to the DM on both a failure and success... however I can drift narrative authority pretty easily so that players can have it on successful actions and it doesn't cause any major changes or problems with the game.

 

[Thomas Shey]

You think about what people say? Maybe try it out to see if it works and then ask for feedback. Sometimes we learn more from our mistakes than any other option.

I assume people are capable of considered thought and analysis.

If you don't think its possible to get advice that looks good on the surface but is terrible in execution, or that such events have a price in terms of players' impression of a game, I don't know what to tell you.