"Designer's Notes" to be included...

[Arnwyn]

Actually, I found many of the designer's notes in Red Hand of Doom to be pretty blah. Superficial insights rather than in-depth discussion. But, I suppose a published adventure is really not the place for in-depth discussions of game design.

You'd be correct. All I needed was "superficial" in RHoD, just to give me a better idea of what assumptions they've made, in as little space as possible. I got that.

Which begs the question, is some future D&D book the correct place for in-depth discussion of game design? Do we need to know in the book why something was designed the way it was? Where does it end -- why are there three BAB progressions? Why don't paladins get good Will saves? Etc. ad infinitum.

I think we can expect reasonable moderation from the WotC designers. This seems to be a non-issue, to me. I do think, though, that because the more recent WotC books seem to have some page count issues, they will have to be quite selective. FC1, for example, was way too short.

As a side note, I found this particular statement in the article to be something of a hoot:

You’d be surprised at how easy it is for me to get into a very utilitarian “rules text mode” when I’m writing. I get serviceable rules that way, but I might put you to sleep en route.

Considering a lot of what's been coming out of WotC for a long while: No. No I'm not surprised.

IMO, getting to the "Reads Good, Plays Good" point is a very laudable goal (since I never get past the "Reads Bad" part to waste my time with the "play" part).

 

[hong]

I dunno. I find some designers notes interesting, especially of the sort you saw in Unearthed Arcana, where you have a new, different mechanic.

But really -- it seems like WotC books are getting squeezed down to a paltry 160 pages, with no attendant price decrease. Where are they going to fit these designer notes? What is going to get booted to fit them in?

I'm skeptical.

Seems tailor-made for a web enhancement, actually.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I really liked the notes in Red Hand of Doom, and the "Behind the Curtain" material in books like UA and the DMG. I'd like to see more.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I could never understand why they got rid of the Behind the Curtain sidebars, honestly. They were the most useful parts of the Manual of the Planes, since they're what allowed you to really make the planes your own.

 

[Jaws]

Bah. They stole it from me!

Even though I don't play Iron Heroes, I like how hong has his laid out. Very easy to comprehend.

This first time I noticed designer notes is with Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed.

http://www.ptolus.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?designdiaries_mcook

I think that the "Design & Development" column should stay where it is: one the web, not included with the book.


Peace and smiles

j.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

I like the idea. Sometimes you wonder 'what were they thinking'?

I also am currently a little skepticle. The books are getting smaller so something will have to give. I also agree that these would make good Web Enhanacements. If this concept fails book-wise I would like to see it moved online.

So far this idea "Reads Good" to me. Now we have to see if it "Plays Good".

 

[WayneLigon]

I'm really looking forward to this feature in new books. Insights from the designers and developers as to what they were thinking are things I really like - and anything that helps a DM assimilate the game balance implications of some of these new mechanics would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

That is an astoundingly good idea. I always like to hear the hows and whys of decisions and the thought process that went into designs. The texts in Mutants and Masterminds 2E were expecially good, explaining why they chose to design certain powers the way that they did. It should also cut down some on the rules arguements when you get an overview of the 'why' of it all.

 

[shilsen]

I thought it was an excellent idea when I read the article.

And then I had a vision of ENWorld with a dozen threads crying, "WotC's Designer Notes stole my childhood and ate my baby!!!!"

 

[pogre]

I also like it in Red Hand of Doom. It is one of the reasons I believe it to be the best of the WOTC modules. If they are quick comments as they were in that module, I think this is a very positive development.

 

[RodneyThompson]

Heck, as a designer, I like this change. There are many times that designers have a certain philosophy or goal in mind that isn't always apparent in the final product. De-mystifying the process should help get those original intents through more clearly.