Essentials: Its not 4.5, its BECMI 2.0!

[Scribble]

We have been through this in many forums and threads but the current marketing maneuver of whether Essentials is a new edition or not has polarized fans to the effect of making discussions...bizarre.

I've come to realize the only way to not "polarize fans of role playing games" is to not make role playing games in the first place.

 

[ExploderWizard]

So I've done a lot of thinking, and reading, about Essentials. While a lot of people have screamed "4.5" around here and elsewhere, I finally realized why it wasn't.

Its Basic/Expert/Companion/Master/Immortal sets, redux; BECMI 2.0.

While essentials is closer to the BECMI model than the 4.5 it still falls short of the 1.0 version.

I played the "Red Box" game day yesterday and I have to say that it didn't feel ANY different than playing 4E, just with slightly different classes. The rules were the SAME. The character classes (minus the Fighter) were virtually the SAME. I really don't understand the fuss people are making about Essentials. It IS the same game, people. Play it and you'll see.

Have you compared it to the material in HOTFL yet? Do that and see how much the SAME it really is. It is amusing that a bunch of rules analysis geeks such as ourselves can look at something as simple as the rewording of the way a single power works, then debate for several pages about how that changes EVERYTHING and the build that exploits that power is USELESS now and yet look at a product like the new redbox which presents classes which are not even compatible with those presented in the "real" rulebooks and claim just how much everything is the SAME.

Baffling.

 

[P1NBACK]

I've come to realize the only way to not "polarize fans of role playing games" is to not make role playing games in the first place.

Lol. Someone give this man XP. It seems I've done that already recently.

Oh, and Scribble, do you play Halo? Getting the new Reach? If so, I'll add you to Xbox Live (my gamertag is my username here: P1NBACK).

 

[Scribble]

Lol. Someone give this man XP. It seems I've done that already recently.

Oh, and Scribble, do you play Halo? Getting the new Reach? If so, I'll add you to Xbox Live (my gamertag is my username here: P1NBACK).

I do- But as to getting Reach... At some point yes...

My gaming stuff budget lately has been going towards TTRPGs... There is so much good stuff out right now that I want it's been putting my video game purchases on hold. :-/

My wife has been pointing out that it's coming out soon though... I wonder if she's fishing for birthday present ideas.

 

[P1NBACK]

I do- But as to getting Reach... At some point yes...

My gaming stuff budget lately has been going towards TTRPGs... There is so much good stuff out right now that I want it's been putting my video game purchases on hold. :-/

My wife has been pointing out that it's coming out soon though... I wonder if she's fishing for birthday present ideas.

Right on. I'll be sending you a friend request if you don't mind. Reach comes out tonight at midnight. I'll probably be playing that pretty extensively for the next few months, but I also have been playing Red Dead Redemption alot - and I have Catan, Magic: The Gathering (arcade), and some other games.