Maybe I've become jaded in my old age. Maybe I'm as senile as my daughter seems to think I am, but, with the roll out of 4e, we're seeing a roll out of the same types of complaints that we saw with the arrival of 3e (yes, I was here at the beginning of Eric's Site, just under my real name, is all). For the most part, 3e was still D&D, still fun, and still a good excuse to get together with friends, suck down Mountain Dew and feast on Doritos.
I find is difficult, myself, to piece together all the little changes happening that have been spilled into a cohesive whole that gives me a good picture of what 4e is gonna look like. I suspect that the future will reveal more tidbits that'll help to alleviate some of the ill will/hurt feelings, but it may also serve to alienate people.
Rather than state the obvious ("You can just keep playing 3e","You could always play Savage World (or another game system), I think it might be worthwhile to see what 4e brings that might be useful in a 3e or 2e or younger campaign.
Sure, there are some things I don't like too much: Tieflings in the "core," for example. But those things are not deal breakers to me. For the game to remain D&D to me, it only needs a few criteria:
1) It must be level-based. I have Savage Worlds for my non-level based play. I like point buy, but I prefer level-based for my less-than-serious gaming, which is what I usually try to play. My campaigns are filled with puns, quippy sayings, and silly situations.
2) It must be class-based. To me, D&D is a Wizard, a Warrior, a Thief & a Cleric walk into a bar... and say ouch! I think you get what I'm saying. I like the niche/role each plays/fills. It makes it really easy for beginning players to figure out what they are supposed to do in the group environment and it makes it easy for me to reward and challenge them.
3) It must have AC & HP. These to concepts scream D&D to me. Other systems have Damage Reducing Armor and Wound/Condition Tracts and they work awesome for those systems... I just don't want them in my D&D.
So far, 4e has preserved these elements. I like that. But I realize that I'm not necessarily a typical poster here in that lots of changes don't bother me... nor do they excite me too much, though some do make me go: Cool or Whaaa?
I find is difficult, myself, to piece together all the little changes happening that have been spilled into a cohesive whole that gives me a good picture of what 4e is gonna look like. I suspect that the future will reveal more tidbits that'll help to alleviate some of the ill will/hurt feelings, but it may also serve to alienate people.
Rather than state the obvious ("You can just keep playing 3e","You could always play Savage World (or another game system), I think it might be worthwhile to see what 4e brings that might be useful in a 3e or 2e or younger campaign.
Sure, there are some things I don't like too much: Tieflings in the "core," for example. But those things are not deal breakers to me. For the game to remain D&D to me, it only needs a few criteria:
1) It must be level-based. I have Savage Worlds for my non-level based play. I like point buy, but I prefer level-based for my less-than-serious gaming, which is what I usually try to play. My campaigns are filled with puns, quippy sayings, and silly situations.
2) It must be class-based. To me, D&D is a Wizard, a Warrior, a Thief & a Cleric walk into a bar... and say ouch! I think you get what I'm saying. I like the niche/role each plays/fills. It makes it really easy for beginning players to figure out what they are supposed to do in the group environment and it makes it easy for me to reward and challenge them.
3) It must have AC & HP. These to concepts scream D&D to me. Other systems have Damage Reducing Armor and Wound/Condition Tracts and they work awesome for those systems... I just don't want them in my D&D.
So far, 4e has preserved these elements. I like that. But I realize that I'm not necessarily a typical poster here in that lots of changes don't bother me... nor do they excite me too much, though some do make me go: Cool or Whaaa?
