D&D 4th Edition

[SSquirrel]

If 4e comes out before January 1, 2010, I vow to close this chapter of my life -- the RPG hobby -- permanently ... that is, if I hadn't done it before then (been in this hobby for 20 years).

I still think it is a mistake to introduce the revision too early, and if they continue to ride on this road, then 2006 will see the launch of 4e, and the resentment will grow. And there will be gamers like me that will leave D&D. Funny, 3e brought back many former gamers to D&D, and now they may be turning them away with their business practice.

I personally hope no earlier than 2007 as hey that means if I buy the 3.5 books in the next couple of months that's at least 3 years of use out of them which isn't terrible honestly. Better than what you pay for a movie as far as hours of entertainment/dollar.

I do think releasing 4E too soon will be a bad thing, but I also think that 10 years between versions is too long. Look at 2E. You had all those kit books, 2.1, etc etc and it was a horrible jumbled mess by the time 3E came out. A new version of D&D a couple of years before would have probably been a good thing, but it wouldn't have been 3E and 3E was what the game needed to revitalize it for people. DIfferent enough to feel like something new, familiar enough to be that old friend. 3E pulled me back into D&D after several years of nothing but White WOlf, ROlemaster CoC, some SLA Industries, etc with only rare D&D. Then I played nothing BUT D&D for over 2 1/2 years. Our group burned on D&D and now I'm very pumped about Arcana Unearthed. I'm ignoring 3.5 right now and focusing on AU and I'm very excited about it....it kind of feels like 3E did for me back in 2000.

Hagen

 

[Ranger REG]

Technically, they took way over 10 years to release 2e (from 1e) and 3e (from 2e). That's why I prefer the 10-year period instead of 12-plus-year period, with a revision on the fifth year.

That's why I'm not buying 3.5e products until 2005, when it should have come out.

 

[Melkor]

Great post Gutboy. That had me laughing!

 

[bubbalin]

Question is... Will 4th edition even be D20?
hmmm...

 

[Ranger REG]

I can't answer that. Ask me again in 2008, IF I'm still active in this hobby.

But if you ask me, is d20 the best thing to come out for D&D, I say that with a resounding "YES!"

 

[Tarrasque Wrangler]

If 4e comes out before January 1, 2010, I vow to close this chapter of my life -- the RPG hobby -- permanently ... that is, if I hadn't done it before then (been in this hobby for 20 years).

Oh, don't be such a drama queen. No one's going to put a gun to your head and make you play 4th Edition, just like nobody made you play editions 0 - 3.5.

And even -IF- there's a 4th Edition, and it sucks, you don't need to give up on RPGs altogether. I hated 2nd Edition and wouldn't buy the books. Know what I did? I discovered a whole bunch of other games like Rifts, Vampire, Deadlands, Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, and on and on.

Lighten up.

 

[Olive]

does nobody give any creedence to the theory that the continuing strong sale of the collectible minis will mean less need for WotC to put a new PHB out?

 

[DaveMage]

does nobody give any creedence to the theory that the continuing strong sale of the collectible minis will mean less need for WotC to put a new PHB out?

Exactly!

Besides, unless 4th edition works with the 3.0/3.5 material, there will probably be alot fewer buyers. After all, alot of us have spent a significant amount of $$ on d20/OGL/3.0/3.5, and probably won't be as willing to spend on another edition.

3.0 brought D&D players back from other games, 4.0 would (IMO) send them away again, unless it's very easily used with 3.0/3.5 products. Even if 4.0 is a great system, I can't see switching anytime soon.

Either way, I'm pretty happy with 3.0/3.5 that I really don't see a need to upgrade. I would prefer they just keep releasing products for the current system.

 

[3catcircus]

Exactly!

Besides, unless 4th edition works with the 3.0/3.5 material, there will probably be alot fewer buyers. After all, alot of us have spent a significant amount of $$ on d20/OGL/3.0/3.5, and probably won't be as willing to spend on another edition.

3.0 brought D&D players back from other games, 4.0 would (IMO) send them away again, unless it's very easily used with 3.0/3.5 products. Even if 4.0 is a great system, I can't see switching anytime soon.

Either way, I'm pretty happy with 3.0/3.5 that I really don't see a need to upgrade. I would prefer they just keep releasing products for the current system.

The only hole in your logic is that there is *not* a lot of 3.x material to have to worry about compatibility if, as anticipated, 4.x will be using the d20 rules. It isn't like the difference between 1ed/2ed and 3.x - the only things that are still useable and needed converting was?!?! Anyone? Anyone? Namely, I'm talking about the vast amount of adventure modules and NPC stats because 3.x rendered any "crunch" from the previous editions useless while "fluff" is, to this day, still useable.

As bad as that statement sounds, there really aren't a lot of 3.x adventures that need to be converted. The WoTC ones aren't what I would consider future "classics," except for CotSQ. The only ones I'd consider are the Necromancer Games ones and the Green Ronin ones - things like the Freeport modules.

Just my $0.02

 

[SkidAce]

Oh, don't be such a drama queen. No one's going to put a gun to your head and make you play 4th Edition, just like nobody made you play editions 0 - 3.5.

And even -IF- there's a 4th Edition, and it sucks, you don't need to give up on RPGs altogether. I hated 2nd Edition and wouldn't buy the books. Know what I did? I discovered a whole bunch of other games like Rifts, Vampire, Deadlands, Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, and on and on.

Lighten up.

Indeed...now I don't need to say it. Except you forgot Champions.