D&D General Does D&D (and RPGs in general) Need Edition Resets?

[Lanefan]

It was done as a joke, yet some people unironically want some of those things back...

When I read it I took it as being serious commentary, as in "look at all the ballast the game has shed over the years". My response was merely a reminder that it wasn't all ballast for some of us.

 

[Parmandur]

If you believe Hasbro.

See no reason to not believe they will keep up the Evergreen approach.

 

[Umbran]

"Evolution" had several shades of meaning before its use to describe the (titular) Origin of Species.

Yeah, but now it is 160+ years post Origin of Species. I don't buy that folks are using "evolution" without allusion to the natural process as outlined there.

If you want to argue that somehow they are using it instead as it was, say, 200 years ago, trying to specifically dodge the common modern use, without telling you... you can do that.

You won't convince me with that, but you can argue it.

 

[billd91]

Yeah, but now it is 160+ years post Origin of Species. I don't buy that folks are using "evolution" without allusion to the natural process as outlined there.

If you want to argue that somehow they are using it instead as it was, say, 200 years ago, trying to specifically dodge the common modern use, without telling you... you can do that.

You won't convince me with that, but you can argue it.

Or, you know, you can take them at their word rather than read into it something that isn't there. I mean, really, if you can't get over the natural selection allusion, that's an "Umbran problem", not a "rest of us" problem.

 

[Umbran]

Or, you know, you can take them at their word rather than read into it something that isn't there. I mean, really, if you can't get over the natural selection allusion, that's an "Umbran problem", not a "rest of us" problem.

But, I think I see some of the issue here. I'm sorry, I think I'm not being clear.

The issue isn't an Umbran problem. It is, for lack of a better way to put it, an inaccurate marketing message problem. It uses the emotional valence and connotations of "evolution" to give impressions and expectations that are and will be inaccurate.

WotC already has a trust problem. Setting inaccurate impressions and expectations, even accidentally, even with the best of intentions, is not going to help them.

And, really, taking people engaged in marketing (even informal, conversational marketing) "at their word" seems incredibly naïve in the modern era.

 

[Distracted DM]

"Evolution" was the word used, but I guess "development" would be more accurate to what I was speaking. I don't think TTRPGs need to go through a process of natural selection, I do think that a significant difference between editions is helpful in making better games.

Tying oneself to the current edition, OneDnD's "5e Forever" idea, it's great if you love 5e but for someone such as me that likes 5e ... Well, we won't know until 2024 books are actually out but so far it seems like a way to "juice" new edition sales without even having to try new edition ideas.

 

[payn]

"Evolution" was the word used, but I guess "development" would be more accurate to what I was speaking. I don't think TTRPGs need to go through a process of natural selection, I do think that a significant difference between editions is helpful in making better games.

Tying oneself to the current edition, OneDnD's "5e Forever" idea, it's great if you love 5e but for someone such as me that likes 5e ... Well, we won't know until 2024 books are actually out but so far it seems like a way to "juice" new edition sales without even having to try new edition ideas.

I think the new edition ideas are coming, just very slowly, and not in edition reset fashion that folks are used to. Which means, of course, if you want wholesale changes to 5E, you'll get them in decades instead of years. There is also the opinion that if/when the train comes off the tracks, you'll get that wholesale reset sooner, but I'm not as certain of that as they seem to be.

 

[Remathilis]

"Evolution" was the word used, but I guess "development" would be more accurate to what I was speaking. I don't think TTRPGs need to go through a process of natural selection, I do think that a significant difference between editions is helpful in making better games.

Tying oneself to the current edition, OneDnD's "5e Forever" idea, it's great if you love 5e but for someone such as me that likes 5e ... Well, we won't know until 2024 books are actually out but so far it seems like a way to "juice" new edition sales without even having to try new edition ideas.

Android, Google's phone software, used to make huge jumps from update to update. New features, major code changes, big ui updates. After a while, the changes weren't as radical. Nips and tucks rather than overhauls.

I can see a 6e that looks closer to what the early playtest UAs did; redone mechanics and new options, but built on the bones of 5e and more compatible than not. (Akin to how 1e and 2e are mostly compatible). I hope we don't ever see a 3 to 4 to 5 level of change again. Systemic slow change would be far better.

 

[Distracted DM]

Android, Google's phone software, used to make huge jumps from update to update. New features, major code changes, big ui updates. After a while, the changes weren't as radical. Nips and tucks rather than overhauls.

I can see a 6e that looks closer to what the early playtest UAs did; redone mechanics and new options, but built on the bones of 5e and more compatible than not. (Akin to how 1e and 2e are mostly compatible). I hope we don't ever see a 3 to 4 to 5 level of change again. Systemic slow change would be far better.

This is a good explanation (for me), I appreciate the effort. I can see the desired parallels a little better. Thanks

 

[Minigiant]

Evolution Smevolution.

A version of 1e D&D that is slowly and barely changed from its original form published by TSR or WOTC would be outsold by 2 or 3 RPGs. Maybe even 5+.

Let's say TSR remains and WOTC creates 3e as their own WOTCRPG 1st edition. Then they make WOTCRPG 2e. Then Paizo makes Pathfinder 2e as their Pathfinder 1e.

I think either WOTC'S WOTCRPG or Paizo's Pathfinder outsells TSR's D&D 6e.

Because if D&D does not reset, it doesn't get to utilize many of the advancements and new ideas in RPG game design.