D&D 4E Comment about 4E designers loving D&D

[Banshee16]

With respect to a news item posted this afternoon was this quote:

""I can say with confidence that anyone who attests that 4th edition is a “money grab,” or just a “3.75 edition,” need only speak to one of those architects to realize the truth: that 4th edition will be the best yet because the people working on the game, like the fans, love Dungeons and Dragons.""

That made me think......the implication here is that the people who made 3.0 and 3.5 *didn't* love D&D......so does that mean that Monte Cook et al didn't like D&D and consequently the edition sucked?

I'm a little leery about some of the changes being suggested, whereas others are intriguing....but by no means does 3E suck, IMO.

Banshee

 

[Glyfair]

That made me think......the implication here is that the people who made 3.0 and 3.5 *didn't* love D&D......so does that mean that Monte Cook et al didn't like D&D and consequently the edition sucked?

That's not the implication at all. The implication is that they love the game and aren't going to change the game into something that is just "change for changes sake" just to make more money. They are making the changes because they love the game and feel those changes improve the game.

 

[Sir Brennen]

That made me think......the implication here is that the people who made 3.0 and 3.5 *didn't* love D&D......so does that mean that Monte Cook et al didn't like D&D and consequently the edition sucked?

Not what I got out of it at all. It's merely refuting the idea that a bunch of designers are making a new game edition because they have to. I think we all know that 3.0 was done by a bunch of D&D lovin' fiends as well; heck, the company that bought TSR at the time did so because they just loved D&D (and thought they could help the industry.) That's not so clear now with Hasbro, so statements like those in the new items do need to be made (and even then, they keep getting shot down by many cynics as mere "market speak".)

 

[Morrus]

That made me think......the implication here is that the people who made 3.0 and 3.5 *didn't* love D&D......so does that mean that Monte Cook et al didn't like D&D and consequently the edition sucked?

There is no such implication. You are bringing that to it yourself.

 

[WayneLigon]

That made me think......the implication here is that the people who made 3.0 and 3.5 *didn't* love D&D......so does that mean that Monte Cook et al didn't like D&D and consequently the edition sucked?

There are no implications except what people read into it. There are always people who are going to love a conspiracy theory, especially if it revolves around the sick and cynical 'It's a money-grab' plot line, and they can't be disuaded from it.

I'm surprised WoTC bothers to tell people anything at all rather than just one day having 4E showing up on the shelves - it doesn't matter what they say, no-one bothers to beleive them.

 

[Banshee16]

That's not the implication at all. The implication is that they love the game and aren't going to change the game into something that is just "change for changes sake" just to make more money. They are making the changes because they love the game and feel those changes improve the game.

From what we're seeing, though, we're already getting massive changes. Not just rules tweaks, but the whole enchilada..

It's early yet.....but the people who made 3E loved the game also.

You have a valid point though. I hadn't thought of the statement from the angle you've pointed out.

Banshee

 

[Doug McCrae]

the implication here is that the people who made 3.0 and 3.5 *didn't* love D&D

I took no such implication from it.

 

[DaveMage]

...But I *wanted* 3.75....

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Whether you're looking forward to 4E, or fearing it, the comment that the designers "love D&D", is utterly meaningless.

To the utter cynic, it's just more marketing speak, of a slightly more advanced yet reactionary kind - it's exactly what they would say, isn't it? (imagine sneering at this point)

To the wide-eyed true believer, it's exactly what they were thinking all a long, so doesn't make a sod of difference.

To the 3.XE lover who doesn't intend to change, it's non-information, because he loves D&D too, and he's not keen to change it.

The only people even potentially affected by it are easily-convinced quasi-cynics, for the rest of us, it's either confirming what we already assumed, or expected PR.

I'm surprised WoTC bothers to tell people anything at all rather than just one day having 4E showing up on the shelves - it doesn't matter what they say, no-one bothers to beleive them.

You're surprised by PR and marketing, and advertising your product even if it attracts some fire from cynics on a messageboard somewhere?

No wonder your title reads "somewhat confused". The modern world must be something of a wonder to you, eh? These "automobiles" are pretty exciting concept, aren't they?

 

[mhensley]

I like this quote today from James Wyatt-

Given that 3E is inherently unbalanced—low-level characters are too weak and high-level characters are too powerful—I guess the right answer is that low-level characters will be more powerful and high-level characters will be less so. Everyone will be balanced, because we've erased the accident of math.

3E is inherently unbalanced...

I wonder how the designers of 3.0 feel about comments like this?