Dancey and Tweet on growing the hobby

[DaveMage]

(In other words, individual groups should give the game their own feel, and no one should feel put off from adopting the content because they didn't like the art style that had been chosen.)

So - kind of like the game monopoly, where we have Star Wars Monopoly, Star Trek Monopoly, Gatoropoly, Deluxe Monopoly, etc...

It's different packaging, but it's still Monopoly.

 

[Zappo]

Tweet's silly little idea isn't "expansion", it's just window dressing. No new rules, no new settings, no new genre directions, just different sets of window dressing on the exact same books.

For someone who has never played, even the 2e PHB is a new book, and FR is a new setting. New books are for people who already play.

So - kind of like the game monopoly, where we have Star Wars Monopoly, Star Trek Monopoly, Gatoropoly, Deluxe Monopoly, etc...

It's different packaging, but it's still Monopoly.

Sounds like a good idea. I know that I almost bought LotR Risiko, and I would have never even considered buying a Risiko otherwise.

 

[Mythmere]

I'd say the optimal strategy is the boxed set of basic rules. A few monsters, easier combat, only a few feats and skills. Enough to make a character creatable in a half hour or less (for a novice, I mean), and enough to let a kid learn the rules FAST so that he can start playing. Then you rely on the broader options to bring the new player into the core-book level of the game; new powers for my character? Rock on! New monsters to throw at the players? Rock on!
I'd like my kids to be able to understand and play the game, but the core-book complexity is just too much for their ages.
I'd keep D&D as fantasy, without themes. Grandma is far more likely to be able to find and identify the game if there's only one basic box.
And I'm actually going to the WOTC site now and see if there's a product matching what I want, so I can give it to my kids.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Those were great. Still have about 6 or 8.

Someone needs to do a GrailQuest d20.

"... and give me a Fort save."
"... oops. Um, 8?"
"Sorry, buddy. Go to 14."

-Hyp.

 

[Zappo]

"... and give me a Fort save."
"... oops. Um, 8?"
"Sorry, buddy. Go to 14."

 

[mmadsen]

The big problem with this is the same one that TSR had: too many similar books means buyer confusion and paralyzation. If there are four similar books and you don't know which one to buy, you buy none of them.

I thought the idea was that they would rotate through the different themed versions or offer different themes through different venues -- you wouldn't ever be presented with four versions of the basic set to choose from. (OK, maybe you would at the specialty game store, but that's aimed at a different crowd.)

 

[JeffB]

too many similar books means buyer confusion and paralyzation. If there are four similar books and you don't know which one to buy, you buy none of them.

Which IMO is even more true of the current D20 market. The only thing that has changed is that now WOTC and everyone's mother is doing the same thing, not just one company.

 

[mmadsen]

I'd say the optimal strategy is the boxed set of basic rules. A few monsters, easier combat, only a few feats and skills. Enough to make a character creatable in a half hour or less (for a novice, I mean), and enough to let a kid learn the rules FAST so that he can start playing. Then you rely on the broader options to bring the new player into the core-book level of the game; new powers for my character? Rock on! New monsters to throw at the players? Rock on!

I'd like my kids to be able to understand and play the game, but the core-book complexity is just too much for their ages.
[...]
And I'm actually going to the WOTC site now and see if there's a product matching what I want, so I can give it to my kids.

Mythmere, the new Basic Set comes out in a few months. And it comes with miniatures.

 

[Mythmere]

Mythmere, the new Basic Set comes out in a few months. And it comes with miniatures.

I saw that after I posted. I think I'm going to start them this summer, though.

 

[Gutboy Barrelhouse]

Otyugh Chow.