D&D 4E 4e like WoW? Nope, Wrong Game

[Nightchilde-2]

I would like to see more 4E elements designed around Frogger.

I'm a Q-bert man m'self, and with all the shifting and such around the battlefield, well..I'm a happy camper.

 

[Cadfan]

"has some similar traits" /= "is like"

Falling Icicle is just like Hitler. Falling Icicle has a nose. Hitler has a nose. Falling Icicle has feet. Hitler has feet! The list goes on...

 

[Bugaboo]

In designing 4th ed, they kept an eye toward the creation of computer games based on the paper/pen rules. It's not that they wanted to emulate WoW or D2, per se, but rather that they realized previous editions were damned difficult to adapt to PC.

So I think a lot of the comparisons noted here are valid, but not in the most obvious direction. It's not a matter of retroactively pushing D&D into a Diablo-mold, but rather creating a new D&D that will more easily lend itself to D2-like PC products down the road. A teensy bit of retro-engineering now to ensure ease of future development.

 

[Protagonist]

"has some similar traits" /= "is like"

Falling Icicle is just like Hitler. Falling Icicle has a nose. Hitler has a nose. Falling Icicle has feet. Hitler has feet! The list goes on...

oh my godwin

 

[Wormwood]

4e is essentially a Rorschach test.

Everyone sees what they want to see.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

4e is essentially a Rorschach test.

Everyone sees what they want to see.

But this mean we can psychoanalyze people based on what they say!

 

[Doc_Klueless]

But this mean we can psychoanalyze people based on what they say!

I think we've been doing that all along. Or at least I have...Ya Weirdo!

 

[evildmguy]

Hmmm.

Having played WoW and now LotRo, I don't think DND is like them and I hope 4E will not be like them.

In LotRo, there is some overlap of special class abilities. Unfortunately, these abilities work regardless of type. So, if classes have a stun ability, it works on ALL creatures! If it's a ghost, a flying creature, a drake, whatever, it works. There is an ability to slow creatures. Several classes have it. So, the loremaster slows people with wind. The hunter does it with an arrow. But, again, this works on anything regardless of type. So, I amused when my arrow slows the ghost, wolf, wight, hawk and drake all the same!

I am sure they did that for game balance within a computer game. I am hoping 4E doesn't do that and that eventually, if not right off, there are some things that have weaknesses and strengths that certain classes will be better at.

Hmm. I guess we will see. Maybe this is what 3E did but it got complicated and they are looking to remove that?

edg

 

[Wormwood]

But this mean we can psychoanalyze people based on what they say!

Wait. You don't?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Hmmm.

Having played WoW and now LotRo, I don't think DND is like them and I hope 4E will not be like them.

In LotRo, there is some overlap of special class abilities. Unfortunately, these abilities work regardless of type. So, if classes have a stun ability, it works on ALL creatures! If it's a ghost, a flying creature, a drake, whatever, it works. There is an ability to slow creatures. Several classes have it. So, the loremaster slows people with wind. The hunter does it with an arrow. But, again, this works on anything regardless of type. So, I amused when my arrow slows the ghost, wolf, wight, hawk and drake all the same!

I am sure they did that for game balance within a computer game. I am hoping 4E doesn't do that and that eventually, if not right off, there are some things that have weaknesses and strengths that certain classes will be better at.

Hmm. I guess we will see. Maybe this is what 3E did but it got complicated and they are looking to remove that?

edg

I think different weaknesses and strength is the "point" of the roles. A Defender simply does different things then a Wizard.

A big difference to Diablo also seems to be that Diablo was a single-player game. All classes had to balanced as single characters. IIRC, it also allowed PvP in online games, which means the classes also need to be able to face each other. World of Warcraft supports teamwork more, but it still has to face the possibility of players playing wide parts of the game alone.

4E is team/party oriented (that was also true for 3E, but 4E focuses even stronger on that aspect). You need a party for successful play. The different classes need and supplement each other. If a party doesn't cover the neccessary role, it will have a harder time.