Enough about 4th edition...what will *5th* edition be like?

[fafhrd]

In short, we will discover that 5th edition D&D is actually the original D&D

Let the hat of dIaglo begin

 

[jmucchiello]

It already exists. It's a big black book with a green man on the cover titled: Hero System Rules, 5th edition. Buy yours today.

(For all those who complain about the Heroization of D&D )

 

[noeuphoria]

I can't really see a VR unit or anything since versions 20 years ago involved getting a book and putting your character on a little sheet of paper, and versions now involve......getting a book and putting your character on paper. What I actually think is that in 10-20 years, there might be games on the comp that blow the rp in KOTOR and Planescape:Torment away. If they keep making games as good as KOTOR, I would probably just hang up my dice bag and play them... that's what I thought The Temple of Elemental Evil might do... hell, it drove me back to the dice and tabletop.

 

[Sir Elton]

The good news is that while they're back in 1972, Gygax's children kill off Don McLean so we don't ever have to wonder about the lyrics to "American Pie" ever again. So it isn't a total loss.

Yeah. And we will lose one of the Best Wierd Al songs of the 21st Century. It's so good that Don McLean has trouble singing "American Pie."

 

[Torm]

Ummm, moderators...there are undoubtedly people in this group who are conservative and/or religious. Is it appropriate for someone to post a nasty comment like this?

I think I understood what he meant, and if you think about it, it isn't REALLY a statement against the religious and\or conservatives:

Conservatives, as we usually think of them TODAY, are people who like for government to move slow and change little, because rapid change usually means little thought went into the changes. And they like small government as a means of preservation of rights.

Given that, the "conservatism" that is being spoken of here is a twisting of proper conservative philosophy: Instead of slow, small, and steady, we had periods (the ones I believe were being referred to) when ANY change was seen as bad, even if a failure to allow change hurt people's rights.

In other words, I think the "conservatives" (read Luddites) that were referred to are, if anything, an embarrassment to proper conservatives because people wrongly lump them together.

Similarly, the religious bigotry referred to is FAR from being a function of the religion it comes out of. Instead, it was a corruption of the religion, perpetrated by mostly the same Luddite "conservatives" mentioned before, who feared change more than the possible eternal consequences of intentionally misinterpreting the doctrines of their own faiths. Far from insulting religion, anyone who would want to avoid that is DEFENDING religions.

I hope now I haven't offended anyone. Um... (looks around at a random person who already posted).. they started it!

 

[Torm]

I can't really see a VR unit or anything since versions 20 years ago involved getting a book and putting your character on a little sheet of paper, and versions now involve......getting a book and putting your character on paper.

I would like to see some sort of computerized character sheets and game map system - something where if the DM or the players need to make changes (HP reduction from damage, DM altering character sheet to reflect poison) they can without wasting paper and needing to erase and rewrite, erase and rewrite. Also, with the map tied in to the system, when your character is within range of the party Paladin's Aura of Courage (for example) your sheet would update for that effect without you doing anything - no more forgetting about effects you shouldn't be able to forget about. Also, this would allow the DM to design the scene in much nicer detail using computer tools before the game - maybe you'd even be able to see a bit of animation (a la Battlechess) during combats and such.

I don't want to see pen and paper go away in favor of PC gaming, but it seems to me there could be some major advantages to a hybrid set up at the gaming table - IMs to pass private information between DM and players and the like.

 

[Kyrail]

Laser Dice. Oh yeah.

 

[shilsen]

Holodecks, baby!

 

[Tumbler]

I want a 5 foot square holographic tactical map that projects customizable terrain and character images. This could tie into palm or tablet style "character sheets" that would manage hp, bonuses, etc.

The MM should come with a rudimentary AI that would suggest actions to the DM, finally negating the benefit of many players controlling one character each and a DM with many characters.

Adventures should be published with voice modulator chips that allow me to speak with the voice of NPC's, as well as maps that tie into the holos above.

Of course, all of this would be customizable so I can tweak it as much as I need to.

The game should also come with some sort of time manipulating device that will give me time to plan.

 

[Malar's Cow]

I have no idea how fourth edition will be played, but I can undoubtedly asssure you that fifth edition will be played with sticks and stones.