Has D&D changed Dramatically over the Years?

[Henry]

The last gaming session I went to, an ENWorld Gameday, involved people sitting at the table, playing characters, rolling dice to determine outcomes, laughing with one or two players with phenomenally horrible luck, shouting when a big evil enemy went down, and using one or two inappropriate double-entendres. (AD&D 1st edition)

The last gaming session I went to before the gameday, involved people sitting at the table, playing characters, rolling dice to determine outcomes, laughing with one or two players with phenomenally horrible luck, high-fiving when a big evil enemy went down, and using LOTS of inappropriate double-entendres and cursing like sailors. (D&D 3.5 edition, many supplement books)

The most of my gaming sessions from 1987 to now, have involved people sitting at the table, playing characters, rolling dice to determine outcomes, laughing with one or two players with phenomenally horrible luck, high-fiving when a big evil enemy went down, and alternating between double-entendres and cursing like sailors. (AD&D, 1st edition, and some 2nd edition)

Biggest difference between 1981 (when I started playing) and 1987 for me? Not so many innuendoes and profanity.

 

[diaglo]

OD&D(1974) is the only true game. All the other editions are just poor imitations of the real thing.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Yes...yes and no, actually.

People change. Those changes more often than not carry over into the way the game is played. Also, the game changes. From the first edition on, there were always some new rules, ideas, house rules, etc. that were added to the game. And people react to different mechanics. Sure, in an ideal world, the way a game is played is independent from the game mechanics. But we're talking humans. Humans react to a set of rules. Change the rules, and you get different reactions.

And sometimes we come back full circle to how we used to play 20 years ago, depending on the combination of personal change and change in the game.

From a personal point of view, I'd answer yes. The overall game feeling has changed in the last 30 years. The way the game is played has changed (only need to look at the 6-10 character requirement of earlier adventures to realize that ). The way player characters are viewed has changed drastically. The way the game design is approached has changed drastically as well. There's a heap of changes in the underlying game philosophy that simply spill over into actual gameplay.

The more important question is: Has the FUN playing D&D changed dramatically over the years.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Very little in terms of gameplay and not much in terms of mechanics.

The first D&D game I ever played, in 1982, was a dungeon bash involving goblinoids, bandits, undead and, I think, a medusa.

Last Sunday I ran a dungeon bash involving goblinoids, various oozes, a demon and a mad oozemaster.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

EDIT: Nevermind...made my saving throw, after all...

 

[Raven Crowking]

I don't think so. I really don't. Oh, sure, the mechanics have, I'll grant that, but, the actual play at the table? Not so much.

So, if I understand what you are saying, there is no difference in the feel between 1e and 3e, and both games at the table play roughly the same?

While that would seem to contradict what you've written about 1e on other threads, I am glad that you have come to a more moderate position.

RC

 

[MoogleEmpMog]

D&D today seems much closer to the D&D of the mid-80s, at least (I never played before that), than to any other RPG I've ever played.

In terms of playstyle, I would argue that D&D as of 3e is considerably closer to 1e than it is to 2e - and, ironically, closer to 1e than 2e was, despite 2e being almost mechanically identical.

 

[RFisher]

I partially agree with Hussar on this. For just about every characterization of how the game (or hobby) used to be different, I can recall an instance of the "new way" from 20 years ago.

On the other hand, however, I know that my approach to the hobby has significantly changed over the years. I used to be primarily interested in simulation & emulating myths/legends/literature. These days, I give gamist concerns their due attention. I used to think highly discrete skill & resolution systems were superior. These days, I prefer fewer, broader abilities & am seeking to reinstate more freeform elements rather than expunging them. I used to love modernist ecologies in my fantasy worlds. These days, I prefer fantasy worlds that conform more to medieval conceptions of the world. I used to prefer "hard" science-fiction. These days, I'm more interested in pulp fantasy. I've done railroads & I've done sandboxes, but I think I'm now looking for the middle-ground.

& I expect my approaches will continue to evolve.

Of course, Hussar hasn't experienced such shifts, and no doubt somebody has travelled paths nigh opposite to mine own.

 

[an_idol_mind]

I can't give an unbiased view of how D&D has or hasn't changed. All I know is that my own playing style has changed over the years. That's largely due to the fact that I'm not 12 anymore, and have learned a lot about the way the game is designed. My dungeons now have more logic to them, my villains use fewer clichés, and my setting is much more coherent. I've also learned that I don't like using a lot of supplements, and have figured out that it's okay to tweak the rules as I want.

I do know that I can run the same style of adventure that I used to. Generally speaking, I can also run anything from 3rd edition in an earlier edition as well, although some supplementary material or house rules are usually needed to do so. I know I can still hand newbies a blank piece of paper and some dice, tell them that they're prisoners to an evil wizard, and watch them learn the rules as they figure their way out of the dungeon. And I can still get together an impromtu gathering of friends, tell them, "Give me 10 minutes and I'll whip up a beer & pretzels adventure for us," and get three or four hours of fun but wacky play out of it.

I don't know if the game has changed, but the important parts haven't.

 

[FEADIN]

The changes are about the rules, nearly everything now is quantified, structured, the d20 system brought us this kind of organization, before a great number of actions where not identified, codified in the rules.
The fast leveling is also something new, something coming from pc games to attract young gamers.
The world has changed.....clear rules, fast progression, D&D is following the tide of the society.