D&D General Does D&D (and RPGs in general) Need Edition Resets?

[Thomas Shey]

That's the core issue.

An RPG doesn't have to reset. However without resets, it won't be able to grow nor keep up with the changes in the RPG market.

Especially after the invention of the internet.

CoC doesn't need to reset. But CoC is niche and small in the market.

And even CoC had some relatively radical systemic changes, they just came kind of slowly at first. But compare the current edition to CoC 1e and you'll see some sharp systemic changes in some spots.

 

[Lanefan]

Congratulations.

Every PC in AD&D is 2-3x stronger and more imbalanced because feats weren't accounted for when designing classes.

If the PCs' foes also get access to these feats the relative balance remains much the same.

The DM's workload, however, increases sharply.

 

[Thomas Shey]

If the PCs' foes also get access to these feats the relative balance remains much the same.

The DM's workload, however, increases sharply.

Its not a given that's going to be symmetrical. After all, classically you didn't consistently run into NPCs with the density of spellcasting you found in PC groups.

 

[Minigiant]

If the PCs' foes also get access to these feats the relative balance remains much the same.

The DM's workload, however, increases sharply.

Causing call for a new edition.

Its not a given that's going to be symmetrical. After all, classically you didn't consistently run into NPCs with the density of spellcasting you found in PC groups.

And that's where the calls of the "baby D&D" start.

Because if the world uses the same stuff the PCs have without design for it it creates a world that cannot handle the PCs.

And if both sides use all these new mechanics without design for it, then the DM workload will chase DMs to new systems.

Really I can't believe the same people who say TSR died because "it added to D&D way too many systems it was not designed for" are saying that you dont have to reset a RPG if you just "add to D&D a bunch of systems it was not designed for".

Bloat is bad.
But
Bloat is good?

 

[Thomas Shey]

Bloat is bad.
But
Bloat is good?

In some senses, I think this is an accurate statement, even if "bloat" is connotationally loaded here. The same things that attracted me back to D&D during the 3e era also drove me away from it the end; sometimes you just can't make the pieces of string meet.

 

[mamba]

To be honest...I think it could be even better than it is now, without the problems caused by decades of product confusion.

we will never know, but given the trajectory of BECMI, 1e, and 2e sales, I doubt that

 

[EzekielRaiden]

Where is this "second place armour" and "first place armour" piece coming from?

That is literally what Gygax meant by armor class. "First-class armor," "second-class armor," etc. That is very literally why AC1 was better than AC2. It was ordinal. That's the entire reason why AC used descending values rather than ascending ones.

It's just more natural to speak of moving up "places" in a race than moving up "classes." Especially since "class" is something of a loaded term in D&D.

 

[Parmandur]

we will never know, but given the trajectory of BECMI, 1e, and 2e sales, I doubt that

Well, but that's part of the point: 1E AD&D and BECMI are already when the mistakes were being made.

 

[mamba]

Well, but that's part of the point: 1E AD&D and BECMI are already when the mistakes were being made.

I see what you mean, but I am not sure the trajectory would have been all that different if they had only had one game and not the D&D / AD&D split. The two were largely compatible and you could play the adventure of either. The same is still true for 2e as well

 

[Parmandur]

I see what you mean, but I am not sure the trajectory would have been all that different if they had only had one game and not the D&D / AD&D split. The two were largely compatible and you could play the adventure of either. The same is still true for 2e as well

Yes, but the customer base already split and being confused actively.

I am not saying it would have necessarily been steady growth...but a lot more commercially stable over time, maybe even enough to have prevented TSR dying.