Eric's Annual Trip down Memory Lane

[EricNoah]

How does one make the game MORE miniatures centric? The only thing I could see would be for characters to have special moves like a knight in chess.

Pure speculation, but imagine a game where you can't make a "cleric" without buying the "cleric rules" that are deep in a box of "cleric miniatures." Or you can't get the stats for monsters without buying the miniatures. Or you can't buy an adventure without a bunch of miniatures that go with the adventure. Something like that.

 

[Zoatebix]

That sounds like a plausable and sustainable buisness model, but in my heart of hearts I don't think it's the way RPGs should be. "The medium is the message" and all that.

 

[William Ronald]

Eric, thanks for the memories, the hard work, and the laughs. It is hard to believe how your original site in 1999 evolved into today's EN World.

Your site was one of the few things that sold a rather stubborn group of gamers on a new edition. I would bring in materials for review, and there was a nodding and more interest. Mind you, I could never get any of them to post and there was a parting of the ways later on. However, this site as well as the EN World Chicago Gamedays helped keep me active in the hobby.

I think one thing that EN World does very well is expose people to different playing styles, interests, and ideas. It is very easy for groups in our hobby to become insular, but I think EN World and some other sites help bring gamers together.

 

[genshou]

I wasn't here from the beginning, but I am grateful for this community and all the guys who made it possible right from the start. It's amazing to think it's been three years since I registered my account to post in a katana vs. bastard sword thread.

Think of the memories we'll have this month in another three years.

 

[genshou]

On a more serious note ... it is ironic that even yesterday I got some major scoops about the future of D&D. It is sounding like some of our most paranoid fears are in fact in the works.
4E already in the works? Check.
Even more miniatures-centric? Check.
Much smaller bundles of game info, packaged and sold separately? Check.
A plan to possibly sell off RPGs entirely? Check. (Apparently only miniatures and Magic are making any money for WotC).

Unfortunately I can't go into how I got the info or who gave it to me. And I don't think even WotC knows when they're going to announce anything. I got the impression that timing such an announcement with GenCon was no longer seen as optimal or necessary. But please take all as unsubstantiated speculation ... as usual!

So there you go -- enjoy your corn flakes!

You knave! :\

 

[Plane Sailing]

I remember being about two months into a new job, kibitzing at lunchtime and I'd just done a search for tekumel and found some interesting stuff, so i thought I'd do a search on D&D and came across joe blogs D&D campaign site (I've got no idea who it was), but he had a link to Eric's third edition news and rumours site... back in Nov 99 I guess.

Eric, if it hadn't been for your site I would probably have never got back into D&D (having abandoned it for other RPGs in the early 80s). I would certainly never have made so many friends in the RPG world.

Thanks mate!

 

[el-remmen]

If it weren't for Eric Noah I would still be playing some hodge-podge mess of a verison of 2E.

However, when I read what he has to say about 4E I think I will be happier continuing to play a hodge-podge mess of 3E

 

[Rel]

On a more serious note ... it is ironic that even yesterday I got some major scoops about the future of D&D. It is sounding like some of our most paranoid fears are in fact in the works.
4E already in the works? Check.
Even more miniatures-centric? Check.
Much smaller bundles of game info, packaged and sold separately? Check.
A plan to possibly sell off RPGs entirely? Check. (Apparently only miniatures and Magic are making any money for WotC).

Unfortunately I can't go into how I got the info or who gave it to me. And I don't think even WotC knows when they're going to announce anything. I got the impression that timing such an announcement with GenCon was no longer seen as optimal or necessary. But please take all as unsubstantiated speculation ... as usual!

So there you go -- enjoy your corn flakes!

As a Mod, I cannot tell you how sorely tempted I am to delete this post for all the trouble it will probably cause.

As to the trip down memory lane, I wasn't here from the very earliest days but I keep seeing people in this thread reference how the site helped them transition from 2E to 3E. Personally, I probably wouldn't have played 3E at ALL had it not been for your site. I was a LONG TIME (dozen years) player of Rolemaster who had left D&D in the dust years ago. But the RM ruleset was getting a little tedious and we needed a change. Your site was what convinced me to give 3E a try and we never looked back after that.

Furthermore, the discussions I've had here have made me a far better GM than I ever was before. I've been able to look at how one runs a game from so many perspectives offered by other posters that it has helped me grow quite a bit as a GM. But that is nothing compared to the fun and improvement I've experienced from running and playing in games with fellow ENWorlders at the NC Game Day and GenCon. Next week I'm going to my second GenCon and next month we're having our ELEVENTH NC Game Day!

But I wouldn't be doing any of that without the people I've met here. It continues to astonish me how great the folks are who I've met here, many of whom I've gotten to meet in person. Being able to sit at one of Henry or Piratecat's games has been an education in gaming. And being able to tip back an adult beverage with Teflon Billy and fusgangite has just been...an education.

ENWorld has totally improved my gaming experiences in every conceivable way and provided me with untold numbers of new friendships. If it could also wash my car and mow my lawn, it would be the perfect website.

 

[buzz]

Pure speculation, but imagine a game where you can't make a "cleric" without buying the "cleric rules" that are deep in a box of "cleric miniatures." Or you can't get the stats for monsters without buying the miniatures. Or you can't buy an adventure without a bunch of miniatures that go with the adventure. Something like that.

FWIW, I don't buy the idea that we'll ever see an edition of D&D like this. D&D Minis, sure, but not D&D.

I have a feeling that a more minis-centric D&D would simply:

• Feature iconic D&D minis in the books more
• Use "squares" instead of "feet" (like IH, which is fine with me)
• Use terms like "figure" instead of "opponent"
• Adventures that feature nice, big combat maps that double as DDM accessories

Ah, they're already doing that last one.

 

[WanderingMonster]

*decloaks*

*wanders in*
*kills adventurers*
*wanders out*