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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Thunderfoot" data-source="post: 8458284" data-attributes="member: 34175">So trying to stay on Umbran's good side (love ya man).  Having played literally every iteration at one point...  The break down of editions is really OD&D was a stand alone concept game, it set the stage for all that was to come and though fun, was eclipsed by all that followed.  Think of at as 'the wheel' of RPGs, without it nothing follows, almost everything since incorporates it but by itself...its just a wheel.Though there is a lot of time line overlap there were really two camps that followed...Basic, B/X, BECMI, RC and AD&D (1st and 2nd).  Separating them into two categories makes as much sense as multiple because of some very interesting facts.  You could use the rules of any of the others without much fuss.  While B, B/X, BECMI, RC were all different they were also very much the same, expanded, cleaned-up, cataloged, etc. but at the end of the day, if four players sat down with different editions with one DM and rolled level 1 characters, it could work.Same with 1st and 2nd.  The biggest changes were cosmetic due to the 'Satanic panic' and a re-worked spell system (dice caps) and THACO chart. (1st repeated 20 5 times before advancing to 21, don't believe me, DMG pgs 74 and 75.  I'm looking at it as I type)  But again a group with both books could play together, especially in the age of DM fiat. (I know, we did it Germany when I was stationed there)3e/3.5 was a paradigm shift.  New company, new blood, new rules, new problems.  No one could foresee the OLG level bloat problem when it dropped.  It re-introduced gamers to the table that had left and that was good for the hobby, period.  So regardless of the flaws it was a great moment in the history of the game because it saw the re-introduction and revitalization of the fan base.4e...ah 4e.  Well, there were a lot of...interesting ideas.  It was an attempt to streamline the system, make it more convention/gathering friendly, add collectability and ultimately, failed miserably and divided and fractured a fan base that had just reunited and grown.  Did it sell, yes; was it innovative, yes most definately; was it broken, incredibly.  Barring the MMO not MMO argument, the restructuring of every action and removal of Vancian magic broke the D&D game and made it ... something else.  At the time, I can't remember who said it, but here on ENWorld somebody posted 'the game isn't bad, but it isn't D&D.  If they would have named it something else, none of this would be an issue.'  And to this day, I agree.5th kind of brought us back to the beginning but kept concepts that worked in 4e but covered them up with a coat of shoe polish so people wouldn't scream.  It's still got flaws, all systems do, but it's probably the one edition where anyone from any time period in D&D can sit down and find at least 'something' that floats their boat.When 6e drops, eventually, it will have its own warts, deformities and issues as well as its own diamonds.  And all this will begin again.  So let it be written.... So let it be done.</blockquote>

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