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  1. M.L. Martin

    D&D 5E (2014) I Hope I Hate 5e

    In my case, a hybrid of 1E tone and subsystems, Paizo preferences for monster choices, OSR playstyle advice and 3.5 magic, combat, monster design and system mastery will fill this niche quite nicely. :)
  2. M.L. Martin

    Monsters that have been degraded over time that need fixing

    *Shrug*. The "level-eating slap-fighter" model of the vampire was one of the things I was happiest to see gone in 4E. I don't mind them having the unarmed attack, but adding level drain to it . . . sorry, but it's the bite of the vampire that should be feared, not the punch or slap. :)
  3. M.L. Martin

    Is the D&D brand name really that important?

    The brand itself? It can be handed over to the OSR or 3.5E loyalists for all I care. :) The things I do care about enough to be interested are: 1. There's a lot of interesting creative material and lore developed for D&D, and a lot of it can only be leveraged by TSR/WotC/the rights holder...
  4. M.L. Martin

    WotC Seeks Unity with a New Edition

    I believe the quote actually says "drop in"--i.e., add them. To be precise . . . I've been pushing for something like this for at least two and a half years, and if they can pull it off (it's a big if, but they've got the people and resources to do it), it just might work.
  5. M.L. Martin

    Kickstarter-Style Preorders: The Future of RPGs?

    As a demonstration of how this can work, Hero Games just put their next supplement for Champions up on Kickstarter when it looked like they might not be able to publish it otherwise, and within two weeks they've managed to pull in 75% of the funding. (Including one fan who just contributed the...
  6. M.L. Martin

    Monster manual 1 and 2 errata

    The Monster Update articles are actually free to download, so you can get them even if you're not a DDI subscriber. (I've been downloading them regularly since they started, and I'm not a subscriber. I am considering it, though. :) )
  7. M.L. Martin

    D&D 5E (2014) What big thing is supposed to be next week?

    My wishful thinking? Restoration of the PDFs.
  8. M.L. Martin

    D&D 5E (2014) What big thing is supposed to be next week?

    You're getting them, but in a different format: July 17th: Dungeon Command: Heroes and Dungeon Command: Drow August 21st: Dungeon Command: Goblins
  9. M.L. Martin

    The Escapist on D&D Past, Present, and Future

    OTOH, the OGL seems to be the only thing he's managed to make successful in this hobby--and whether it's 'successful' really does depend on your point of view. Additionally, I believe he's been doomsaying pretty much constantly since he parted ways with WotC, and his behavior when campaigning...
  10. M.L. Martin

    The Escapist on D&D Past, Present, and Future

    I was looking through Worlds & Monsters a few months ago, and that phrase comes across as Wyatt summarizing the objections to including fairy folk in D&D--not necessarily endorsing the position himself.
  11. M.L. Martin

    The Escapist on D&D Past, Present, and Future

    If I were in charge of D&D, I'd stick with the 4E direction, put most of the backstock up in PDF/PoD format, do a "Classic/Collector's Edition" reprinting of OD&D and/or 1E with the best of the old adventure modules, and accept that most of the fans who could have been brought back with a more...
  12. M.L. Martin

    D&D 4E Reply if you love 4e

    I don't know if I'd say 'love', but a chance to play some sessions of Encounters this summer, picking up several products (including the excellent Monster Vaults) during Borders' closeouts and word of mouth (especially from Ethan Skemp) has me moving back towards very positive feelings about it...
  13. M.L. Martin

    The Escapist on D&D Past, Present, and Future

    It's things like this that make me feel like the best move would be for WotC to just put everything up on PDF, maintain DDI, and otherwise kill the game and use it for IP fodder.
  14. M.L. Martin

    Why Aren't RPGs in Public Libraries?

    I've actually seen an upswing over the past decade or so, similar to the rise in comic TPBs on library shelves. Curiously, the Rochester MN Public Library has managed to hold onto a copy of the 3.5 PH2 for several years without it getting stolen. :)
  15. M.L. Martin

    Design & Development: BoVD

    Yes, well, you could argue that D&D isn't really built to sustain good games either. :) Star Wars, Pendragon, many superheroic games, (EDIT: forgot Call of Cthulhu, in the mode promoted by Ken Hite, at least), even a couple of the settings like Dragonlance and Ravenloft--those seem oriented...
  16. M.L. Martin

    George R.R. Martin talks GURPS

    They've been made into game products twice--originally for GURPS, and only a couple years back for M&M 2E. (Unfortunately, you just missed the big Green Ronin Warehouse Blowout where you could get all the supplements dirt-cheap.) His Song of Ice and Fire series has likewise been adapted to...
  17. M.L. Martin

    August 2012--Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue

    Just spotted this on Amazon. The new setting hinted at at GenCon 2011, or just a supplement?
  18. M.L. Martin

    Legends and Lore 11/22/2011 - A Different Way to Slice the Pie

    Prima facie rationale? Simple. Gamers who've reached higher levels have enough experience to have mastered the basic options and can thus include more extensive rules. Contraindicating this is that groups may be experienced players starting new games at low levels, or new gamers who want to...
  19. M.L. Martin

    Legends and Lore 11/22/2011 - A Different Way to Slice the Pie

    Actually, when it comes to Dragonlance, the games have never driven changes to the fiction--it'd be more accurate to say the opposite, although even then, not strictly true. The Fifth Age and the 3E relaunch were both given the go-ahead after Dragons of Summer Flame and the War of Souls...
  20. M.L. Martin

    New SRD Site for Mutants and Masterminds 3E

    Be careful--power points and hero points are explicitly designated Product Identity, and that may extend to anything that refers to them, which would include the cost structures.
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