Fragmentation Fears

[Sigdel]

My concern is support for the modules. How do they plan to do adventure design? A possible issue could go like this;

The Hounds of Thundestone adventure features vancian magic, heavily. In fact, it is vital to the development of several plot points in the game. But my group has opted out of vancian magic for another style. Now the adventure is hurt by this because vancian was so vital. It is either to easy or too hard or just doesn't "work."

This could be an issue for many things and not just adventures.

Plus I am worried that they will only support the most played modules and leave the others in the dust to never be expanded on.

 

[Thunderfoot]

I can't articulate what is trying to be said here that people are missing.
Yes. A DM set the rules in every other version.
However, now there are specific rules (modules) that people will look for.
Like I didn't know I was missing Module A in my 3e game but now that it is prominent and I'm aware, I want it in my game.
I fear that every player will have to post a list, "A, B, C, little E, No G"
And there will be 300 different versions of a game.
Does that make sense?

Not really.
From what's been released and discussed so far from WotC there is a very baseline mechanic. This is the tie that binds everything together so that all players can play at the same table. You want to play with A,B & C and player two wants only D & E and player three wants a little from each? No problem. As long as the DM can keep track of which player wants which and what that player has, it supposed to all work fine.

I get the feeling that you haven't been playing since AD&D 1st ed; (may be wrong of course) but back then, there were no two games I played that even remotely resembled each other with the exception that we all had humans, there were usually fighters, magic-users, clerics and thieves and we all had funny looking dice; other than that, it was pretty much up for grabs.

 

[Bedrockgames]

This isn't as big a problem as you might think. Chances are you are already in a like-minded group. But back in the 90s during 2E the game was designed with tons of optional mechanics and things varied greatly from table to table. Once they released skills and powers things go pt even more crazy. I never had a problem finding groups that suited my taste. Some groups just left it up to the gm and rotated. So in one campaign you might use skills and powers, in another, you might allows psionics, in another you use NWPs and weapon speeds, etc.