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<blockquote data-quote="Doug McCrae" data-source="post: 4766660" data-attributes="member: 21169">I use more than one definition of D&amp;D. There's the 'name definition', in which only a product called D&amp;D is - OD&amp;D, 1e, 2e, etc. Interestingly, the D&amp;D cartoon and movies both count as D&amp;D under this definition, as do the many D&amp;D computer games, though on a site such as ENWorld one expects the term to refer to the roleplaying games only.Then there's the 'essence definition'. Anything that possesses certain qualities identified with D&amp;D is D&amp;D, no matter what the name. Some people think that 4e isn't D&amp;D by this definition. Some people exclude both 3e and 4e.My essence definition is very broad. I think levels, classes and a fantasy setting are pretty much all you need. Other distinctive elements such as hit points, armor class, d20 to hit, alignment, dungeons, loads of magic items and monsters and the presence of IP - beholders, rust monsters and so forth - certainly make something more D&amp;Dy. For me Tunnels &amp; Trolls, Palladium Fantasy and World of Warcraft (the computer game) are all D&amp;D.I think Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is kind of borderline, it has levels but they are only used for spellcasters. The careers system is somewhat similar to D&amp;D classes but not quite the same. But otoh there are hit points and alignments. I'm not familiar with the other games you mentioned.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Doug McCrae, post: 4766660, member: 21169"] I use more than one definition of D&D. There's the 'name definition', in which only a product called D&D is - OD&D, 1e, 2e, etc. Interestingly, the D&D cartoon and movies both count as D&D under this definition, as do the many D&D computer games, though on a site such as ENWorld one expects the term to refer to the roleplaying games only. Then there's the 'essence definition'. Anything that possesses certain qualities identified with D&D is D&D, no matter what the name. Some people think that 4e isn't D&D by this definition. Some people exclude both 3e and 4e. My essence definition is very broad. I think levels, classes and a fantasy setting are pretty much all you need. Other distinctive elements such as hit points, armor class, d20 to hit, alignment, dungeons, loads of magic items and monsters and the presence of IP - beholders, rust monsters and so forth - certainly make something more D&Dy. For me Tunnels & Trolls, Palladium Fantasy and World of Warcraft (the computer game) are all D&D. I think Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay is kind of borderline, it has levels but they are only used for spellcasters. The careers system is somewhat similar to D&D classes but not quite the same. But otoh there are hit points and alignments. I'm not familiar with the other games you mentioned. [/QUOTE]

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