Gleemax Roundup I: Noonan and Baker on Gary Gygax, a TPK, MotP, and more...

[TerraDave]

Inspired by an Enworld thread on converting Keep on the Borderlands, Dave Noonan has a long post on “clusters”: using multiple rooms as part of the same encounter, which he promises you will see a lot more of in 4E. Mr. Noonan also talks a little bit about the reaction to Mr. Gygax’s passing, and a TPK in his playtest campaign.

In another post, he says more on that playtest: bone naga and githyanki were involved.

And in yet another post, Mr. Noonan talks about how much faster PCs are in 4E. He gives a few reasons, including the fact that almost all have a speed between 5 and 7 squares.

Rich Baker, whose character was killed in Dave Noonans TPK, talks a little about the epic follow up campaign, the passing of Gary Gygax, and the Manual of the Planes. He also confirms that the sorcerer “isn’t quite ready to go”.

 

[BryonD]

Mr. Noonan talks about how much faster PCs are in 4E. He gives a few reasons, including the fact that

...
diagonals count as 1 square.

So now the error is being praised.

 

[TerraDave]

He gives about 5 reasons...on diagnols he says:

Diagonals are 1 square. I was a hater--a big-time hater--on this when I we first suggested this internally. "Cuh-MAWN," I said. "You're telling me that people can comprehend a thousand pages of rules, but alternating between 1 and 2 is blowing their minds?!?" But I've come around on it, because I've seen how much time it saves at my table. That absolutely trumps my sense of geometric elegance.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

He gives about 5 reasons...on diagnols he says:

He is a traitor to the law of geometry! He doesn't deserve to be quoted or paraphrased in context!

 

[BryonD]

He gives about 5 reasons...on diagnols he says:

Yeah, I read that.

Please explain what difference your added detail provides.

The complete context is that he was praising the increased speed of characters and he listed the diagonal rule as a contribution. He then added a tangent about how he didn't like it and then decided that he did. (Please excuse me while I add a grain of salt)

That he changed his mind on liking the rule in no way changes my point that he was praising the error added.

 

[eleran]

As someone who has now actually run a couple of 4e sessions from everything we have been provided, AND as a former non-liker of 1-1-1-1 diagonals...I am now a believer.

I just like it better, actually thats not true at all. I like it the same as 1-2-1-2. No more, no less. It is what it is and it adds a different flavor to tactical choices and it is a welcome flavor after seeing it in action.

 

[Wormwood]

As someone who has now actually run a couple of 4e sessions from everything we have been provided, AND as a former non-liker of 1-1-1-1 diagonals...I am now a believer.

You. Are. In. Error.

 

[Walking Dad]

Does anybody has the original text?

In Chris Perkins’ Iomandra campaign, I was playing a ______ ranger, but I decided to switch to a swordmage, which Chris allowed me to do.
http://www.gleemax.com/Comms/Pages/Communities/BlogPost.aspx?blogpostid=49732&pagemode=2&blogid=2948

A mystery race?

 

[Dragonblade]

I've played a few 4e games now and 1-1-1 movement is vastly BETTER than 1-2-1-2. I was a fence sitter before but now I'm never going back.

Not only is it just easier and quicker, it actually makes the game seem LESS boardgamey to me since less attention is being paid to fiddly movement rules and more attention is being paid to what you are actually doing on your turn.

 

[Surgoshan]

Yeah, I think they're trying to keep some secrets. Like the thing about Santa Claus and travelling the world.