1E DMG vs. 3E DMG vs. 4E DMG

[Nebulous]

If they took the utility and advice of 4e, mixed it with the random chart goodness and quirkiness of 1e, added the visual flair of 3e, and THEN i think you would have the best DMG ever made.

As is, they all have flaws and strenghts. I do think the 4e DMG is good for prep work for monsters, and that's about it.

 

[Holy Bovine]

You think the 1E DMG has the worst function? Really? When was the last time you read it? I still find it the most useful of all the DMG's. All the information packed in there is still useful. Random encounters, random character traits, useful herbs, properties of gemstones, etc... I use all of it at one time or another.

While I do agree with you that the 1E DMG has a ton of info in it that is awesome at enhancing a game it is the accessibility of that info that makes the 1E DMG a bit of a failure. It is a damned hard book to find the right piece of info in. A helluva a lot of fun to read though and is still my favourite RPG book that i own.

 

[Mallus]

While I do agree with you that the 1E DMG has a ton of info in it that is awesome at enhancing a game it is the accessibility of that info that makes the 1E DMG a bit of a failure. It is a damned hard book to find the right piece of info in.

That's my feeling too. The 1e DMG is a terrific resource for experienced DM's, but it's organization varies between "bad", "entirely random" and "this would make a good example of a new pathology for the DSM-V".

 

[Wootz]

I like the 4e DMG because for me, it acts the way it should, as a guide. Sometimes just so much as reading the page that talks about what a good adventure should have helps keep me going in the same direction. From there I can just use my imagination to come up with things I'd want to throw into my campaign. Granted, it should give at least a sense of direction in terms of making traps and hazards, but I'm new to DMing and even I can figure it out (just decide what skill has to be used to avoid it, then use the table to determine how much damage it should do according to level)

 

[Treebore]

I read it about a year ago. For the first time, mind you, so no feelings of nostalgia mixed in. So many people here recommended it, that I was greatly disappointed in it after reading. Nothing useful for a 3e game. No useful tips on gamemastering.

I hate being told what to do (Myers-Briggs ENTP ) and Gygax has a writing style that is very... directive. I just constantly think either "why?" of "you're wrong" after reading a "you must" or "take care to". Add onto that lots of tables with details my players never want or need (gemstone traits? herbs? Really?) and it was simply not useful to me.

In the 5 years I ran 3E I used the 1E DMG far more, the 1e DMG is still my "go to" DMG. No advice on running games? You need to read it again.

 

[Treebore]

While I do agree with you that the 1E DMG has a ton of info in it that is awesome at enhancing a game it is the accessibility of that info that makes the 1E DMG a bit of a failure. It is a damned hard book to find the right piece of info in. A helluva a lot of fun to read though and is still my favourite RPG book that i own.

I agree the organization/layout has serious issues. After so many years/decades using it I have become very comfortable with it, so I forget how difficult to use it can be.

 

[Gentlegamer]

Which DMG has the random Harlots table?

Yeah, that one.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Which DMG has the random Harlots table?

Yeah, that one.

You meet a *rolling* Slovenly Trull!

 

[Ravellion]

In the 5 years I ran 3E I used the 1E DMG far more, the 1e DMG is still my "go to" DMG. No advice on running games? You need to read it again.

I did not say there was no advice. I simply stated my opinion on the usefulness of that advice. It is advice for a very specific kind of campaign - one my players and myself are not interested in running.

For me, the guides can be summarized as such:
1e DMG: "do this and this, and you will have a good game"
4e DMG: "find out what you and your players think is fun, work towards that idea, and you will have a good game"

Of course, I don't think it is particularly fair to hold today's standards in RPG design up to an early product like that. But if I look at it as something specific for 1e, or an old gem of a product, that still does not increase the usefulness of the 1e DMG. I am sure the original master tapes of Frank Sinatra's songs would sound great. But the songs would be infinitely more useful to me on my iPod, as compressed MP3 files.

Also, I'll fork the thread with a question about the 1e DMG so as to not (further) derail this thread.

 

[Treebore]

I did not say there was no advice. I simply stated my opinion on the usefulness of that advice. It is advice for a very specific kind of campaign - one my players and myself are not interested in running.

For me, the guides can be summarized as such:
1e DMG: "do this and this, and you will have a good game"
4e DMG: "find out what you and your players think is fun, work towards that idea, and you will have a good game"

Of course, I don't think it is particularly fair to hold today's standards in RPG design up to an early product like that. But if I look at it as something specific for 1e, or an old gem of a product, that still does not increase the usefulness of the 1e DMG. I am sure the original master tapes of Frank Sinatra's songs would sound great. But the songs would be infinitely more useful to me on my iPod, as compressed MP3 files.

Also, I'll fork the thread with a question about the 1e DMG so as to not (further) derail this thread.

Maybe I need to read it again, I could swear the 1E DMG says what the 4E DMG says according to you. The presentation is very different, maybe thats it.