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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 3727230" data-attributes="member: 177">You mention that when D&amp;D appeared, it was capable of attracting masses of interested parties.&nbsp; As I understand the history, that's not exactly true.&nbsp; D&amp;D didn't really attract &quot;masses&quot; until the 1980s - something like 5 to 10 years after its initial release, with revisions happening in that time (OD&amp;D, 1e, 2e).&nbsp; There was a significant &quot;ramp up&quot; as they learned who D&amp;D players actually were, and what made a good game for them.Why, then, should we deny that they should continue to adjust the game for changing tastes?&nbsp; As an economic reality, WotC must continue to draw in new players - even if we ignore the desire for growth, new players must be drawn in to replace those lost to attrition (kids, changing lives, other hobbies, and all).&nbsp; Thus, the game must have some draw to the folks who are out there, not currently playing.&nbsp; Without that draw, the player base will only shrink.&nbsp; That will make production of further products an economic loser. And then you and I won't have cool new material to buy, and the game would quietly dwindle and die.Even if we ignore all that - The players of D&amp;D change over time - I was drawn to the game when I was in junior high school, over half a lifetime ago.&nbsp; I'm now a professional adult.&nbsp; My tastes have changed, and I am not attracted to the same facets of games as I was then.&nbsp; If the game does not change, I will be less interested in it.Simply put - even if they design &quot;for D&amp;D players&quot;, the game should change over time.&nbsp; Because those kids of the 1970s and 1980s who started buying the original game don't exist anymore.&nbsp; You can't sell to them.&nbsp; They have been replaced by kids with different sensibilities, and adults with different sensibilities.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 3727230, member: 177"] You mention that when D&D appeared, it was capable of attracting masses of interested parties. As I understand the history, that's not exactly true. D&D didn't really attract "masses" until the 1980s - something like 5 to 10 years after its initial release, with revisions happening in that time (OD&D, 1e, 2e). There was a significant "ramp up" as they learned who D&D players actually were, and what made a good game for them. Why, then, should we deny that they should continue to adjust the game for changing tastes? As an economic reality, WotC must continue to draw in new players - even if we ignore the desire for growth, new players must be drawn in to replace those lost to attrition (kids, changing lives, other hobbies, and all). Thus, the game must have some draw to the folks who are out there, not currently playing. Without that draw, the player base will only shrink. That will make production of further products an economic loser. And then you and I won't have cool new material to buy, and the game would quietly dwindle and die. Even if we ignore all that - The players of D&D [i]change over time[/i] - I was drawn to the game when I was in junior high school, over half a lifetime ago. I'm now a professional adult. My tastes have changed, and I am not attracted to the same facets of games as I was then. If the game does not change, I will be less interested in it. Simply put - even if they design "for D&D players", the game should change over time. Because those kids of the 1970s and 1980s who started buying the original game [i]don't exist anymore[/i]. You can't sell to them. They have been replaced by kids with different sensibilities, and adults with different sensibilities. [/QUOTE]

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