w_earle_wheeler
First Post
Everyone is going to have their two cents on the books, and outside of being D&D enthusiasts and message board warriors, none of us are exceptionally qualified to have our opinions bear more than a passing glance.
And I'm not excluded from this. However, since I've been very critical of WotC over the past eight months, I think my opinions might be worth four copper pieces, at least.
Art & Layout: The full-page chapter art is gorgeous and incredibly evocative. The layout for all three books is very clean. Most importantly, wherever possible, power descriptions and monster information is kept all on the same page.
This results in a little too much white space. I know the often repeated mantra of layout and design is that white space is good, but in many cases, it just looks like an unfinished page. It's a decent price to pay for keeping information grouped together -- I just wish that more of the white space had been used for note boxes and fluff text.
The Rules: The rules seem great. After playing in one demo and running one, I now have a healthy loathing of kobolds. Shifty little freaks.
After playing D&D for over 25 years or so, this is probably the most excitement I've had playing a first level character since the Moldvay box set. The rules work and the game is fun. So fun, that it overrides my other criticisms below:
Fluff: Smashed together names, millions of them. Three types of elves and no gnomes? No core half-orcs or druids? Did we really need the Tiefling in there? Bigby exists but forgot to add his name to the Crushing fist spell?
The fluff text for powers, however, is really cool.
The DMG: I really like the encounter and treasure set-up. WotC wasn't kidding when they said the game was going to be easier on the DM. This is sweet, sweet stuff. The same with the Monster Manual -- that's the book that's really been blowing DM's socks off.
I don't think I'm going to have any problems converting my Dungeon Crawl Classics and Dungeon adventures to 4e.
Incomplete: To a new player of D&D, one who hasn't played before this edition, the game will not feel incomplete. Actually, anyone who skipped over 3.0/3.5 might not feel that the game is incomplete. But those of us who played 3.5 for so long, even with just the core books, can't help but morn the exclusion of certain classes and races as core -- even if we could easily house rule them back in.
I'm finding myself looking forward to the Magic Item book, the DMG 2 and the MM 2 (which will hopefully fill in most of the old-school monster gaps). And Ari's book, of course.
Now, the game really isn't incomplete. It just feels that way to me. I feel like I'll be missing out on what I could do with 3.5 if I don't subscribe to the DDI...
The DDI: 60% of the eggs are in the basket here. Like Han Solo, I have a bad feeling about it. I hope that I'm proven wrong, and that it works and makes players happy.
Clarity: OK, so I've been jumping all over the books since I was able to read them at work (FLGS) Wednesday, and I haven't had time to read them through from beginning to end. I've had to read over some entries two or three times to make heads or tails of them -- but right now I'm not criticizing the writing, as I would need to approach it in a more linear fashion first.
So, overall: This is a really fun game. It's easy to learn. It will drain your wallet with miniature and supplemental purchases. You can go from 1st to 30th level in around a year and a half of playtime, give or take how often you play.
And right now I'm going to make my first character. Wish me luck.
And I'm not excluded from this. However, since I've been very critical of WotC over the past eight months, I think my opinions might be worth four copper pieces, at least.
Art & Layout: The full-page chapter art is gorgeous and incredibly evocative. The layout for all three books is very clean. Most importantly, wherever possible, power descriptions and monster information is kept all on the same page.
This results in a little too much white space. I know the often repeated mantra of layout and design is that white space is good, but in many cases, it just looks like an unfinished page. It's a decent price to pay for keeping information grouped together -- I just wish that more of the white space had been used for note boxes and fluff text.
The Rules: The rules seem great. After playing in one demo and running one, I now have a healthy loathing of kobolds. Shifty little freaks.
After playing D&D for over 25 years or so, this is probably the most excitement I've had playing a first level character since the Moldvay box set. The rules work and the game is fun. So fun, that it overrides my other criticisms below:
Fluff: Smashed together names, millions of them. Three types of elves and no gnomes? No core half-orcs or druids? Did we really need the Tiefling in there? Bigby exists but forgot to add his name to the Crushing fist spell?
The fluff text for powers, however, is really cool.
The DMG: I really like the encounter and treasure set-up. WotC wasn't kidding when they said the game was going to be easier on the DM. This is sweet, sweet stuff. The same with the Monster Manual -- that's the book that's really been blowing DM's socks off.
I don't think I'm going to have any problems converting my Dungeon Crawl Classics and Dungeon adventures to 4e.
Incomplete: To a new player of D&D, one who hasn't played before this edition, the game will not feel incomplete. Actually, anyone who skipped over 3.0/3.5 might not feel that the game is incomplete. But those of us who played 3.5 for so long, even with just the core books, can't help but morn the exclusion of certain classes and races as core -- even if we could easily house rule them back in.
I'm finding myself looking forward to the Magic Item book, the DMG 2 and the MM 2 (which will hopefully fill in most of the old-school monster gaps). And Ari's book, of course.
Now, the game really isn't incomplete. It just feels that way to me. I feel like I'll be missing out on what I could do with 3.5 if I don't subscribe to the DDI...
The DDI: 60% of the eggs are in the basket here. Like Han Solo, I have a bad feeling about it. I hope that I'm proven wrong, and that it works and makes players happy.
Clarity: OK, so I've been jumping all over the books since I was able to read them at work (FLGS) Wednesday, and I haven't had time to read them through from beginning to end. I've had to read over some entries two or three times to make heads or tails of them -- but right now I'm not criticizing the writing, as I would need to approach it in a more linear fashion first.
So, overall: This is a really fun game. It's easy to learn. It will drain your wallet with miniature and supplemental purchases. You can go from 1st to 30th level in around a year and a half of playtime, give or take how often you play.
And right now I'm going to make my first character. Wish me luck.
