D&D General Explain 5(.5)e to me

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Where, exactly, do you think those videogames got their ideas for classes, levels and hit points from?

Keep reading my post, then you'll know what I believe. The answer might surprise you!

 

[AlViking]

Keep reading my post, then you'll know what I believe. The answer might surprise you!

You said it felt like a video game because of classes, levels, hit points. As far as Vancian casting, that has more to do with Vance's work and the idea that wizards were basically artillery, a hold-over from the wargames D&D grew out of. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying you put the cart before the horse. If felt like a video game to you because many video games take many of their ideas from D&D. D&D has, of course gone full circle and borrowed some ideas from video games as well.

Whether Shadowrun was more "advanced" than D&D is subject to opinion, I would say they just took a different approach. Much like some games have talent trees, others rely on gear for advancement, others remain committed to the idea of class levels being a big part of how characters grow. Meanwhile, as much as it is derided, hit points of some sort (sometimes split between regenerative armor and physical damage) are pretty ubiquitous to video* games that are combat oriented. Meanwhile I don't remember an FPS that didn't have some kind of healing potion by another name.

It was just an observation of the ongoing evolution of games of all sorts, not a criticism.

*EDIT - added clarification.