Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Clavis" data-source="post: 4899671" data-attributes="member: 31898">I definitely think that nostalgia is one motivation that leads people back to the the old games. I believe there is at least another factor, however: Danger.Both old and new-school D&D provide excitement for their players, but they do this in different ways.In old-school D&D the excitement comes from the vicarious experience of danger. Characters can die easily, so when your PC escapes the dungeon, there is a real thrill of accomplishment. Also, the vicarious experience of being in danger provides a thrill itself (which is also a partial explanation of the appeal of horror entertainment). There is also a certain related element of gambling in old-school. The players rolls 3d6 for abilities, and tries to play the resulting character as best they can. It's much like playing a hand of poker, really. You can't control what you're dealt, but you can play your hand well or badly.New-school D&D is based more on the excitement of experiencing vicarious power. Characters start powerful, and get more powerful. PCs don't die easily. Combat is structured so that players get to use as many of their special powers as possible. The whole game is centered around combat, where the players get to display and experience their special powers. A major part of the game is trying to create the most powerful character possible. The danger to PCs is actually minimal (since everything, including encounters, is scaled to them), and amounts to an excuse to display power.Old-school D&D also contained a real thread of power fantasy, but the acquisition of power really served to open up whole new levels of danger. The point of becoming a high-level character in AD&D was to perhaps create a stronghold (which the DM would them subject to constant attacks and danger), or be strong enough to challenge demons and divinities (and have the chance to risk an extremely nasty death). In new-school, characters are expected to win. It can still be fun, but its a very different kind of fun.</blockquote>

Verification