4e/WotC: Pro- or Anti- why do you care?

[IronWolf]

I would wager that for many gamers and most gamers here at En World, D&D *matters* -- it was probably their first and possibly their favorite game. How D&D does in the marketplace, how it is perceived, but mostly how it fits with what we, individually, feel it should be matters to us, and so we "care".

I was a 4E "hater", and then I gave it a shot, and in so doing became a 4E "meh-er". I don't like it for the most part (though there are a couple of cool ideas in there) and it is significantly enough "not D&D" for me to hope it doesn't do that well in the long term in hopes that will inspire WotC to make a version that is closer to what I feel is D&D. It's part and parcel with being a gamer.

In the meantime, I have Pathfinder and retro-clones. As I have stated before, it is pretty sad that in order to get my "D&D fix" I have to give money to companies *not* the one that produces D&D, but there you go.

Is it silly? Probably. But geeks like us care about what Lucas does with Star Wars and how badly JJ Abrams messes up the Trek Universe, so why would D&D be any different?

"You must spread Experience Points around...."

Agreed. We all hang out on a message board to discuss D&D/RPGs when we can't be playing or preparing for a game. Of course we are going to be a bit opinionated and really want to discuss the finer points of various editions and the pros and cons to each.

 

[RangerWickett]

How dare a car company create a new product that tries to fix some of the flaws of an older model, but has some flaws of its own, as well as many features whose appeal depends on an individual's tastes? How dare they force me to throw away my now useless car? Sure, I still enjoy driving it, but it's like the car company is saying that my current car is no good anymore. I am offended! Now I am forced to either buy a car that I don't like, or stop complaining about this new car. And I refuse to stop complaining!


and


You still drive a car from 2000? What's wrong with you? I mean, I drove the same model for 8 years, but I hated doing it. Sure, both your car and mine both drive the same roads, but mine has a DVD player! It is clearly superior! How could you possibly disagree with my opinion -- MINE? -- as if somehow different people can like different things. Your refusal to have the same preferences as me enrages me, because if you still like your car, then I must immediately stop driving my car, or else stop antagonizing you by criticizing your -- clearly wrong -- opinion. And I refuse to stop antagonizing!


That's what edition wars threads feel like to me.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Camps?

You're making the same mistake they make on those political talk shows.

There are no camps. There are just people trying to do their best to have a little bit of fun playing make-believe. Sometimes, people disagree over what, specifically, is fun in that context. Some versions of the game serve different levels of different sorts of fun.

There's no black and white. We're all shades of gray.

"The concept of portraying evil and then destroying it - I know this is considered mainstream, but I think it is rotten. This idea that whenever something evil happens someone particular can be blamed and punished for it, in life and in politics is hopeless."

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

At best there are skirmishes but even those seem to go in circles pretty quickly.

Then give them their skirmish, and walk away and ignore them as much as you wish they would ignore the edition war.

 

[Fifth Element]

There are no camps. There are just people trying to do their best to have a little bit of fun playing make-believe. Sometimes, people disagree over what, specifically, is fun in that context. Some versions of the game serve different levels of different sorts of fun.

Make no mistake, there are definitely camps. It's more apparent on other messageboards, but they're there.

However, similar to your point is that the vast majority of gamers are not in either camp. Most of us can discuss our favourite games with insulting others' preferences. It's the vocal few that cause the troubles.

 

[jaerdaph]

In war, it's always the children that suffer.

In edition wars, it's always the children that participate.

 

[El Mahdi]

...let's face it, the Edition Wars are over...

I agree! And I keep waiting for an anouncement on the News page declaring who won!

 

[Azgulor]

I have a question for you: why do you care to the point you create a whole new thread asking people feedback about it? It seems kind of counter-productive, because it gives people yet another occasion to rant a little more, to take a little more offense, and to throw snarky comments at each other in the process, until the thread finally falls apart under the weight of its own ineffectuality.

I'm curious as to the reason why you created this thread in the first place?

'Cause I was genuinely curious?

How about because the wife was watching a TV show that didn't hold my interest and I was bored and posted a thread on the basis of "I wonder why..."?

And if "Thread Effectuality" is a new benchmark for starting new threads I guess I missed the memo.

Seriously, dude. Sometimes a duck is a duck, a tree is a tree, and you can just move on to the next thread...

 

[Fifth Element]

I agree! And I keep waiting for an anouncement on the News page declaring who won!

You know the answer...we all lost.

 

[malraux]

However, let's face it, the Edition Wars are over. At best there are skirmishes but even those seem to go in circles pretty quickly.

The shooting war is over, but the edition wars at this point is really a cold war, so lots of vehement speeches by self-appointed representative, battles by proxy involving other RPGs, and occasional escalations with the main power.