OD&D 4E and its effect on 1E/OD&D

[Samnell]

One reason 3.5ers might like AD&D is the ability of not having so many options (across the board). Once everything seems to be like everything else (the MU with armor, the fighter with spells) a desire to get back to archetypes could occur, and AD&D D&D are better suited for this.

Fewer options makes a game inherently less fun and less interesting to my play tastes, whichever side of the screen I'm on. So while I have concerns about 4e, I can't see me going back to any previous version of D&D.

 

[Midknightsun]

While I think 3.5 players are more likely to stick with 3.5 if 4e sucks, than to switch to earlier editions, its not implausible that a few may go back to older systems. I myself have had an urge now and then to play a B/X game, but I'd never go back to 1e (MPO). The kind of simplification 4e seems to be aiming for is not the same as the simplification found in earlier systems.

rant/

Though I really roll my eyes when I see all the vitrol being spewed about this edition, vs. that edition, etc.


Its a game. Please chill.

The preceeding comes from an ubergeek who plays in/runs and average of two games a week. Yes, I need a life, I know. But if I don't get all bent out of shape if someone doesn't like "my" game edition, I can't fathom why everyone else does. However, I do start to get annoyed when I see thread after thread of arguments about it. Our hobby is far to niche to be gettin' all upidy about what system could "beat up" whatever other system. This is why I generally shy away from discussing different systems on this site, or any other. It gets to feel like you just told someone that their kid was the most godawful ugly spawn in existence if you express a negative about their pet edition, even if you gave several things you liked about it in the same paragraph.

/rant

 

[ruleslawyer]

Simpler, maybe. Completely stupid? yes.

There is a stick of butter on the table, a firball (hot enough to melt gold) goes off. The butter melts. But wait, someone picks the butter up. The fireball goes off. They have 3rd degree burns. The butter does not melt. Um, huh?

Explain to me how this makes less sense than having some spell effects trigger a save vs. crushing blow whereas other (seemingly more potent and destructive in all other respects) do not.

And actually, it does make sense because it doesn't work in the manner you described. I pick the stick of butter up. The fireball roars in. I dodge the fireball. The stick of butter remains unharmed. Or, worst case, I fail to dodge the fireball, but the stick of butter, which I've presumably kept somewhere secure, remains unharmed by a stroke of luck. Not so counterintuitive, hm?

The point is pretty simple. The stick of butter is sitting on the table. Unattended, it doesn't stand much of a chance of being proof against a fireball. In my pocket, OTOH, and if I'm trying to dodge the fireball, it deserves a fair chance of surviving unscathed. I fail to see how this is anything CLOSE to "completely stupid."

 

[diaglo]

I fail to see...

you should have stopped there. it makes the most sense for you.

 

[Desdichado]

I agree, on my part this is wishful thinking. But so what?

So nothing, I guess, other than that you're not likely to find a lot of people agree with you in general, I guess. If you make predictions based on wishful thinking, folks will scratch their heads and wonder what you're talking about.

One reason 3.5ers might like AD&D is the ability of not having so many options (across the board). Once everything seems to be like everything else (the MU with armor, the fighter with spells) a desire to get back to archetypes could occur, and AD&D D&D are better suited for this.

It seems very much like the trend is exactly the opposite.

Anyhow, everyone should try AD&D at least a few times (if for no other reason then to see what Gygax was thinking). And if they haven't in a while they should try it again. Thats all I'm going to say.

That seems like an odd reason to do something. Honestly; I respect the guy and all that, but why do I care what Gygax was thinking?

Maybe I'm in an unusual place; it was 1e that turned me away from D&D for over ten years, so going back to "see what Gygax was thinking"---which I did plenty in the 80s and wasn't entertained with his concept of what gaming was---why would I revisit it?

 

[Gentlegamer]

In my pocket, OTOH, and if I'm trying to dodge the fireball, it deserves a fair chance of surviving unscathed.

And this makes the stick of butter immune to the fireball's effect? In each case, the stick of butter ought to be subject to a saving throw (or the referee can simply rule that the butter is melted).

 

[Desdichado]

Not to distract from the thread here, but who cares if the stick of butter is covered by the rules or not? Surely nobody's wizard is casting fireball as a means of cooking for the adventuring party? And even if they were, do we really need the rules to cover that eventuality? And even if we do, wouldn't the Profession (cook) or Craft (sumpteous meals) or something like that cover it better anyway?

 

[thedungeondelver]

Snarky comment not needed, and removed by admin. Dogpiling is not something we encourage.

 

[raltgaither]

Comments removed.

 

[Flynn]

Personally, I don't think we'll see an appreciable resurgence in the older editions of the game when 4E comes out. I think we are more likely to see more people leave D20/D&D all together, if there's something new that looks shiny and cool at about the same time 4E is released. Those players may or may not return to D&D, but I still think we'll see some leave for various personal reasons.

The wise game development shop would probably want to time a release of their new fantasy product line within two months, either way, of May 2008, and then push the "we're not going to pull the ol' 4E switch-a-roo on ya" card, with appropriate good taste and decorum, of course.

Still, I think you might see a few come back to the fold, just as you might see a few leave the fold to try out this new 4E thing because of something they've read or what someone's said about it.

Just a thought,
Flynn