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Message: <blockquote data-quote="GreyLord" data-source="post: 6214324" data-attributes="member: 4348">Let me expand on this idea.There have already been games that sort of crossed a compatibility bridge between BECMI and 3e in C&C and other products.  Not completely, but somewhat.WotC with it's ORIGINAL goal seemed to be headed in a way which one could actually HAVE the common core of the systems and be compatible with all other systems they've come out with.They looked at what all the systems had in common.  For starters, they each used a D20 that you rolled in order to hit your opponent in regards to their defense (which was normally AC, except in 4e where they utilized a defense system rather then the saves system they utilized previously, aka, modified the 3e save system to a defense system).They had six stats.  They had common classes.These are not things out of the ordinary, and are even found in their NEW system...but instead of creating something completely new like they have, they could have created a common core which UNITED the old systems, instead of creating something totally and completely different.I don't want a new D&D...they've reinvented it what...6 to 7 times now, with this being the 3rd time in the past 15 years?I want compatibility like they started with.  If it can't be compatible with 1e players side by side with 3e players, at least have a system that is truly compatible with the other systems.  I don't see this new system as uniting everyone...instead I see it as simply yet another new edition with a totally new ruleset with yet a bunch of new promises they are making which may or may not come to pass.  They've already fragmented their fanbase with their other editions...I see this as simply doing more fragmenting rather than any uniting. I think their original idea WOULD have worked...and I think it was doable.  I think other people have already come close with systems that could be compatible with various versions of D&D, and if those could do that...WotC which actually owns the trademarks and copyrights should have been able to do even better.In otherwords, I think there are a LOT of players that would have jumped on if the system was compatible and could be cross edition compatible.But I think that gets a LOT more iffy with a system that simply claims to recreate the feel of D&D (just like a couple dozen other systems do currently, including Pathfinder, OSR's, and others) with a totally new ruleset.Because it's a NEW ruleset that doesn't really do anything (as far as I see it) in regards to actual compatibility to older editions, or any real connection to the older editions...I think it's simply going to fragment the base even further.The problem is, something unique that they aimed for at the beginning, was somehow lost in the translation/process.  An actual ruleset that had compatibility with all their previous editions...now that would have been special, and actually had cross edition appeal.A new ruleset that doesn't (at least from appearances thus far) really create compatibility with ANY edition, but simply claims it has a feel like them...doesn't really do anything that I can see that stands out or appeals to the older edition players.I think many will buy the core rulebooks, but then after that, go back to their PF, OSR, or DCC/C&C type games, and that's a big factor I'm looking at for 5e not being as successful as it may have been had they stuck to the original gameplan.Now there may be other reasons (and probably will be), but if 5e fails, I think a LOT of it is that instead of bringing and uniting the base, they have simply just once again created a new ruleset that will actually fragment the base further rather then doing anything to unite it.Hopefully I'm wrong, but from my vantage point, that's what I feel it looks like it's heading.  If it does indeed turn out that way...you can point this thread out at a later date as ONE of the items that was foreseen even before the edition came out.OF course, if it's wildly successful (let's hope) you can also point this thread out and mock my business sense in this matter to heck and back.</blockquote>

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