Design & Development: Halflings [merged]

[HeinorNY]

However, I've rarely seen so much contempt for roleplaying or non-combat activity among presumably post-adolescent gamers as I have on this 4e board.

Just for my statistical personal curiosity, how old are you?

 

[I'm A Banana]

"Dey ya like Dogs??!!"

"Daeggs."

It's pronounced, "Daeggs."

 

[Lizard]

Just for my statistical personal curiosity, how old are you?

42. Started playing D&D when I was 14.

 

[AllisterH]

Since, uhm, just about every design essay has said "We thought about how this works in combat..." or "We retooled monsters to make encounters more interesting..." or "Monsters only exists for five rounds, so they have no abilities useful to them beyond their brief moment on stage..." or "We want more adventuring time..." or "Traps weren't interactive enough for the whole party..." or "If you're using Craft, you're not having fun..." or "Well, we have a social encounter system, we just won't tell you anything about it. It's a *surprise*." (OK, I made up the last one...)

Um, I think you're wrong?


As to why I'm confident about that is because in the 3E run-up, they didn't mention anything about role-playing either. I think I would be an authority on that...

 

[Steely Dan]

I mean, let's not sully this fascinating debate

Yeah, I think we'll all be appreciative if you stopped sullying this thread with condescension and throwing your opinions around as facts.

 

[Hussar]

Yes. It's silly that chimpanzees are roughly 4 times stronger than an average human as well.

Unfortunately, a full grown grown chimp:

A full grown adult male chimpanzee can weigh from 35-70 kilograms (75-155 pounds) and stand 0.9-1.2 meters (3-4 feet) tall, while females usually weigh 26-50 kg (57-110 pounds) and stand 0.66-1 meters (2.0-3.5 feet) tall.

Is about three to four times heavier than a halfling and about a foot taller. So, what's your point? I've seen the chimp argument chucked around a few times, and I've never really understood it. Chimps are significantly larger than halflings and built entirely differently. Hey, didja know that pit bulls are really strong too?

 

[HeinorNY]

42. Started playing D&D when I was 14.

And did your taste for the game change regarding roleplaying throughout the years? Because I really don't think the age has anything to do with the contempt or not for roleplaying or hack 'n' slash. That's an old claim that really never made any sense to me.

It also rarely pops up on EN boards so I just found surprising to see it.
And depending on how you say it, it can even be insulting to other people.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Is about three to four times heavier than a halfling and about a foot taller. So, what's your point? I've seen the chimp argument chucked around a few times, and I've never really understood it. Chimps are significantly larger than halflings and built entirely differently. Hey, didja know that pit bulls are really strong too?

Basically, that the claim that halflings that short are "unrealistic" is suspicious logic, at best.

I really just think it was one of the designers' pet peeves, and since exact height and weight never really comes up in my games, and I can't imagine them having any mechanics that are based on exact height and weight, my halflings can still be half-sized without really affecting anything at all.

Huzzah!

 

[Lizard]

And did your taste for the game change regarding roleplaying throughout the years?

Uhm...of course? I'm hardly who I was at 14[1]. I'd be scared to meet someone of my age who claimed otherwise.

I got 'out of' D&D (though not roleplaying games) around the time of 2e because I found the 2e books disappointing, childish, ugly to look at, and most importantly, the game system not up to snuff. I got back in w/3e because it 'fixed' most of my problems with 1/2x and brought back a lot of the 'fun' of 1e without the poor mechanics. With 4e...not sure. It's clearly not being marketed to me, but the actual rules mechanics look workable, if occasionally baroque in ways I do not see the need for. (Rings don't work if you're under 11th level? How 1970s can you GET?)

[1]Forex, what I remember most about my favorite characters at 14 was "What magic items they had". If they had personalities, even on the Grumpy McBeerstein level, I couldn't tell you them now.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I mean, let's not sully this fascinating debate with unnecessary side quests. Anyone who thinks 4e will be less, rather than more, focused on killing things and taking their stuff than 3e, raise your hands.

I can only speak for our game, but it's hardly possible to focus any more on killing things and taking their stuff then with our 3E game.

OK. Now..all of you with your hands up...My name is Prince Abeddo M'gambe of Nigeria, and I have 50 million dollars I need help getting out of the country...

Really? How can I help you?