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5e's big problem - Balancing "Being D&D" versus "Being Not D&D"
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<blockquote data-quote="billd91" data-source="post: 5885420" data-attributes="member: 3400"><p>Actually, I think this question is an important one to analyze. Not because we want to promote factionalism but to figure out why there is factionalism around different flavors of the game. To many fans of particular editions, when faced with an update or redesign, there are always the lurking questions "Well, if you weren't satisfied with D&D before, why stick with it and change it? Why not play something that fits your needs better?"</p><p></p><p>This isn't all players, clearly, but there are always some for whom those questions are important. And who's to say they're wrong? If D&D isn't scratching your itch, why continue to play it? Why demand a new edition other than reprints? For some, the answers to these are - "I like the system OK, but tweaks here and there would make it even better." That's an argument for evolutionary revisions and development. Call of Cthulhu and Champions fit into this model pretty well for most of their histories. The update from 1e to 2e AD&D also fits this model pretty well. Games that answer the progressive players in this mode are generally quite backward compatible.</p><p></p><p>But what happens when the game goes from one edition to another with major restructurings? What if there are a few big structural changes? How about many? What if the restructurings wipe out nearly all backward compatibilities? At that point, doesn't pushing the initial two questions become relevant? Why are you a D&D player if you wanted changes this massive? Why not play another game that fit your desires better?</p><p></p><p>I think that's a relevant question. And I suspect part of the reason is product identification. D&D is a big identity. It's a huge geek/nerd/fanboy(girl) flag. People want to identify with the big dog, get on the big bandwagons, even if it's within a niche population. It gives them geek cred. It's a sub-cultural marker. This is why people get so upset about changes, from 2e, 3e, and 4e. They identify with the D&D they played and preferred. This is why 4e fans are getting so upset about changes away from their platform. It's messing with their identity, even telling them that their identification with 4e will not be supported. And this is why people demanded changes to D&D in the first place rather than play something else. They saw themselves as D&D players but wanted D&D to better support their tastes rather than adjust their identity as players of X game instead.</p><p></p><p>So, yeah, I think the question is relevant. It doesn't need to be asked in a rude fashion, but I think it really needs to be examined.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="billd91, post: 5885420, member: 3400"] Actually, I think this question is an important one to analyze. Not because we want to promote factionalism but to figure out why there is factionalism around different flavors of the game. To many fans of particular editions, when faced with an update or redesign, there are always the lurking questions "Well, if you weren't satisfied with D&D before, why stick with it and change it? Why not play something that fits your needs better?" This isn't all players, clearly, but there are always some for whom those questions are important. And who's to say they're wrong? If D&D isn't scratching your itch, why continue to play it? Why demand a new edition other than reprints? For some, the answers to these are - "I like the system OK, but tweaks here and there would make it even better." That's an argument for evolutionary revisions and development. Call of Cthulhu and Champions fit into this model pretty well for most of their histories. The update from 1e to 2e AD&D also fits this model pretty well. Games that answer the progressive players in this mode are generally quite backward compatible. But what happens when the game goes from one edition to another with major restructurings? What if there are a few big structural changes? How about many? What if the restructurings wipe out nearly all backward compatibilities? At that point, doesn't pushing the initial two questions become relevant? Why are you a D&D player if you wanted changes this massive? Why not play another game that fit your desires better? I think that's a relevant question. And I suspect part of the reason is product identification. D&D is a big identity. It's a huge geek/nerd/fanboy(girl) flag. People want to identify with the big dog, get on the big bandwagons, even if it's within a niche population. It gives them geek cred. It's a sub-cultural marker. This is why people get so upset about changes, from 2e, 3e, and 4e. They identify with the D&D they played and preferred. This is why 4e fans are getting so upset about changes away from their platform. It's messing with their identity, even telling them that their identification with 4e will not be supported. And this is why people demanded changes to D&D in the first place rather than play something else. They saw themselves as D&D players but wanted D&D to better support their tastes rather than adjust their identity as players of X game instead. So, yeah, I think the question is relevant. It doesn't need to be asked in a rude fashion, but I think it really needs to be examined. [/QUOTE]
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5e's big problem - Balancing "Being D&D" versus "Being Not D&D"
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