Nathal
Explorer
Like many of us, I've been thinking about the issue of new editions and errata quite a bit lately. Throughout the years I have handled these issues in different ways but now I believe I've come to a satisfactory view.
I have long since abandoned the idea that any RPG system will ever remain 'current'. Revisions and new editions are inevitable for various reasons. Unfortunately, I am one with a collector mentality; prone to buying the new books if I can afford it, provided they actually make improvements (according to my own subjective criteria) and that the books don't look aesthetically inferior to the previous printing. There was a time when errata drove me mad because I hated to keep notes on alterations, dragon magazine articles, etc. Even a game that almost never has new editions (like Palladium Fantasy which has had only two) probably has tons of little "official" updates.
However, even if buying new books, I've learned to be more selective in what errata/changes I choose to keep on file or bother to remember. I don't mind a new printing but even if I didn't want to buy them, heck, I can still use any material I have from 1st or 2nd Edition, even basic D&D. It takes only a short while to convert stuff on the fly, if done with a bit of intuition.
My advice for handling 3.5?. Just relax your criteria for cataloging rules changes, invoke "rule zero" a bit more often and use what you like (including deciding not to buy new books). Just remain consistent. Although I plan to buy the new 3.5 books I won't force my players to do so. If they want to create a new character I'll lend them my book. If they want to run a game and use the 3.0 then I'll abide by that DMs rule and ignore my subjective preferences (unless I simply hate his DMing, in which case I don't play).
So when I DM 3.5, my players will abide by 3.5 rules, or at least those changes I have chosen to incorporate. However, as an aside, I did run into a slight problem recently. I told a player I wanted him to create his character using my 2nd printing of the PHB just so I didn't have to police it for errata (the list of errata fro the 1st printing of the 3rd Edition books was a frigging mile long). He said, "No, I'm using the book I bought". Well, I'm putting an end to that sort of recalcitrance in my games, and if anyone doesn't like it they can damn well find another group. Heh.
With all of that said, I'd probably feel differently if I were a member of the RPGA.
I have long since abandoned the idea that any RPG system will ever remain 'current'. Revisions and new editions are inevitable for various reasons. Unfortunately, I am one with a collector mentality; prone to buying the new books if I can afford it, provided they actually make improvements (according to my own subjective criteria) and that the books don't look aesthetically inferior to the previous printing. There was a time when errata drove me mad because I hated to keep notes on alterations, dragon magazine articles, etc. Even a game that almost never has new editions (like Palladium Fantasy which has had only two) probably has tons of little "official" updates.
However, even if buying new books, I've learned to be more selective in what errata/changes I choose to keep on file or bother to remember. I don't mind a new printing but even if I didn't want to buy them, heck, I can still use any material I have from 1st or 2nd Edition, even basic D&D. It takes only a short while to convert stuff on the fly, if done with a bit of intuition.
My advice for handling 3.5?. Just relax your criteria for cataloging rules changes, invoke "rule zero" a bit more often and use what you like (including deciding not to buy new books). Just remain consistent. Although I plan to buy the new 3.5 books I won't force my players to do so. If they want to create a new character I'll lend them my book. If they want to run a game and use the 3.0 then I'll abide by that DMs rule and ignore my subjective preferences (unless I simply hate his DMing, in which case I don't play).
So when I DM 3.5, my players will abide by 3.5 rules, or at least those changes I have chosen to incorporate. However, as an aside, I did run into a slight problem recently. I told a player I wanted him to create his character using my 2nd printing of the PHB just so I didn't have to police it for errata (the list of errata fro the 1st printing of the 3rd Edition books was a frigging mile long). He said, "No, I'm using the book I bought". Well, I'm putting an end to that sort of recalcitrance in my games, and if anyone doesn't like it they can damn well find another group. Heh.
With all of that said, I'd probably feel differently if I were a member of the RPGA.
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