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<blockquote data-quote="Doug McCrae" data-source="post: 4784057" data-attributes="member: 21169">Hussar makes a very interesting point, that the sources for 1970s D&amp;D were largely contemporary speculative fiction rather than classic. If D&amp;D wants to stay true to its roots then it should always draw primarily from today's fantasy which right now would be World of Warcraft, Harry Potter, Neil Gaiman, anime and movies. 4e hasn't really done that though. If anything it's more old school than OD&amp;D in its fluff. With the growing importance of the Far Realm, Lovecraft is more of an influence now than he was in 1974. The war in heaven between giants and gods is about as old school as it gets, the concept of the feywild likewise.4e doesn't seek to emulate videogames or anime or anything else that old people hate. D&amp;D has never sought to emulate anything and the current edition is no exception. Sure it's fantasy. Sure it draws on fiction for its fluff and other games for its mechanics, as it has always done. The core D&amp;D mechanic of AC and hit points comes from a naval wargame but that doesn't mean Dave Arneson was trying to emulate battling ironclads. It was a matter of stealing what works, what makes for a better game.Likewise the terms for the roles - defender, controller, leader, striker - come from City of Heroes. That does not mean 4e is trying to emulate an MMORPG any more than OD&amp;D was emulating a wargame.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Doug McCrae, post: 4784057, member: 21169"] Hussar makes a very interesting point, that the sources for 1970s D&D were largely contemporary speculative fiction rather than classic. If D&D wants to stay true to its roots then it should always draw primarily from today's fantasy which right now would be World of Warcraft, Harry Potter, Neil Gaiman, anime and movies. 4e hasn't really done that though. If anything it's more old school than OD&D in its fluff. With the growing importance of the Far Realm, Lovecraft is more of an influence now than he was in 1974. The war in heaven between giants and gods is about as old school as it gets, the concept of the feywild likewise. 4e doesn't seek to emulate videogames or anime or anything else that old people hate. D&D has never sought to emulate anything and the current edition is no exception. Sure it's fantasy. Sure it draws on fiction for its fluff and other games for its mechanics, as it has always done. The core D&D mechanic of AC and hit points comes from a naval wargame but that doesn't mean Dave Arneson was trying to emulate battling ironclads. It was a matter of stealing what works, what makes for a better game. Likewise the terms for the roles - defender, controller, leader, striker - come from City of Heroes. That does not mean 4e is trying to emulate an MMORPG any more than OD&D was emulating a wargame. [/QUOTE]

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