D&D Podcast: MM2

[Ethalias]

On the WOTC Site there is a new Podcast, which I will not be able to listen until the weekend

So is there anything new and interesting in it?

There'll be another double page spread of Myconids in the Underdark book.. They've further improved (their words, obviously) minions in MM3. Solo's now have less HP and more dynamic powers.. Lots of very frank self-appraisal of where they feel they dropped the ball and are working to improve it.

I second the call for some form of article on house-ruling MM1 monsters, tho I can't see one coming through official channels. Perhaps Mearls might blog about it..

 

[Baumi]

Thanks for the merge and for the Info so far!

 

[avin]

I just can't stand the Cartoon Network new myconid visual.

 

[CapnZapp]

Lots of very frank self-appraisal of where they feel they dropped the ball and are working to improve it.

Except that they won't correct past mistakes, even though people paid good money for PHB1/DMG1/MM1. Money they shouldn't have to pay again.

 

[Nymrohd]

But if they correct past mistakes in the DDI and the next print run of MM1 includes them will people not raise hell that this is stealth 4.5?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Except that they won't correct past mistakes, even though people paid good money for PHB1/DMG1/MM1. Money they shouldn't have to pay again.

And they don't. They instead buy a different product (MM2, PHB2, whatever), that has great game material for them, and they might like it more than the old. Which is basically the point of buying a new product.

Why force people to print out pages of errata to use in their game, creating a confusing mess? Ever considered the usability of your suggestion?

But if they correct past mistakes in the DDI and the next print run of MM1 includes them will people not raise hell that this is stealth 4.5?

And that, too.

 

[CapnZapp]

Why force people to print out pages of errata to use in their game, creating a confusing mess? Ever considered the usability of your suggestion?

Who said making errata available for those who care forces those who don't to print it out?

If they at least reprinted the buggy MM1 monsters in MM2, that would make it clear as day that yes, the MM1 hydra is buggy, and yes, we're not giving out errata for free - we make you pay to get corrections to our mistakes.

Other solutions could include having a warning icon in the monster builder, alerting the user to the fact the monster's been identified to have issues, even if no fix has been implemented. And when a fix does happen, they only honest way is to have a clear version history, so any DM can see that his notes might be outdated.

The core of the issue is transparency: the main beef about WotC's current practices is that they're underhanded. They fix the game, yes, but only if you continue to give them money, and not by making it clear the original design is flawed in any way.

Same with Expertise feats. They're presented as "more options" when in reality they're a fix.

It's a really shoddy way of doing business. Feels way too dishonest and indirect for my taste.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Who said making errata available for those who care forces those who don't to print it out?

If they at least reprinted the buggy MM1 monsters in MM2, that would make it clear as day that yes, the MM1 hydra is buggy, and yes, we're not giving out errata for free - we make you pay to get corrections to our mistakes.

Other solutions could include having a warning icon in the monster builder, alerting the user to the fact the monster's been identified to have issues, even if no fix has been implemented. And when a fix does happen, they only honest way is to have a clear version history, so any DM can see that his notes might be outdated.

The core of the issue is transparency: the main beef about WotC's current practices is that they're underhanded. They fix the game, yes, but only if you continue to give them money, and not by making it clear the original design is flawed in any way.

Same with Expertise feats. They're presented as "more options" when in reality they're a fix.

It's a really shoddy way of doing business. Feels way too dishonest and indirect for my taste.

Dishonest? They telling us in podcasts and articles that they think they detected some issues and found approches to fix them. What you are complaining about is that they still want to make money in the process.

But sorry, that's the way it is. Products are constantly improved. You don't get them for free. The first batch of a new game console are often louder, have less hard disk space and what else. The next batch, a year later, has technological improvement that make them more silent or allow more space. You don't get the new one for free or as "errata".

The point is a "suboptimal" monster is not the same as a faulty product. It works in game, but it could work better. It doesn't make the game unplayable. It doesn't pose a(n additional) health risk to you.

 

[CapnZapp]

But sorry, that's the way it is.

Don't feel sorry, consumers who doesn't like it can always complain until changes are made.

And thanks for the console comparison. Not because it's relevant (it isn't) but because it shows the lengths to which you'll apparently go to defend WotC. That ends this discussion for my part.

 

[Jack99]

Don't feel sorry, consumers who doesn't like it can always complain until changes are made.

And thanks for the console comparison. Not because it's relevant (it isn't) but because it shows the lengths to which you'll apparently go to defend WotC. That ends this discussion for my part.

It should, since you have no reasonable arguments. The german guy is right. This is how the world works. Nothing to do with WotC.