If WotC decided to revitalize and support AD&D, would you play/buy it?

[Reynard]

This is a silly concept, to me. You're basically saying "a new edition that is just like the old edition."

Interesting. I would have said, prior to 3E, the "new edition same as the old edition" was the standard for games. Shadowrun 2E isn't *that* different than 1E, and CoC editions are more like "printings". Even the 1E 2E divide is more about tone than rules.

 

[Henry]

...but 1e itself? Is it really that hard?

From personal experience, yes. Of the games I run at gamedays, 75% of the players are old-school AD&D'ers who enjoy the occasional run in the old system, and the majority of that other 25% are new to 1E but sat in on the session because they were recommended by an existing AD&D'er.

NOTE: I do use the rules as presented in the original three books (minus some of the fiddly bits like weapon vs. AC), with some minor combat-rules fixes recommended by some knowledgeable Dragonsfoot posters, and don't use any of that fancy Unearthed Arcana stuff. Up till the past couple of years, most of the people I've ever spoken to NEVER used the rules as presented in the DMG, and talking to Gary, he never used them most of the time, either, so I wanted to go all-out with my old-school and be as close as possible without bogging down the players in it. The system as-written is actually not that bad to run a smooth combat in, and it surprises me that more don't appreciate it.

 

[Otterscrubber]

Simply, no. I have moved on from AD&D and have no desire to return to it.

While I have some problems with editions after AD&D their additional depth and complexity satisfies me.

Well said, it was fun, but I'm done with AD&D.

 

[Keldryn]

I would probably buy such books just to have in my collection, as I foolishly sold off my 1e hardcovers about 15 years ago. Those are pretty easy to replace for a reasonable price though, unlike the set of D&D Gazetteers that I sold around the same time for a couple of bucks each.

The immediate issue that I see is that Advanced Dungeons & Dragons might actually be perceived as less complicated (and less advanced) than the current Dungeons & Dragons game.

Of more interest to me would be a new "Classic" Dungeons and Dragons game that was a successor to the B/X, BECMI, and Rules Cyclopedia version of D&D. Easy to pick up and play, low cost to get started, no battlemat required, streamlined character building, and a focus on the most iconic character archetypes.

 

[TerraDave]

I think this just shows the dilema WotC is in, not just with AD&D, but any and all past products for it: to sell new stuff, it has to be new.

Those 1E books were in print for 10 years. Demand remained strong enough that they kept the 1E PHB in print after issuing the 2E one (yes, true story). There are metric tons of them out there. And a bunch of B/X stuff. And PdFs, and sort of close games like Palladium FRP, and 2E, don't forget the gazilion things done for that...and retro clones, and semi clones like Hackwhatever and C&C.

And you, and me. Most of the people on this thread could throw together there own AD&D with available resources. Some of us could spend months or years perfecting it given half the chance.

The only way for WotC to compete is to do something new that brings in enough new players and gets enough old ones to "updgrade" to remain viable.

 

[Alzrius]

I find myself unable to answer this poll, because I don't have enough information about what a "revitalized" AD&D would look like.

Specifically, would it be more in the vein of the "toolbox" approach we have today, just with AD&D mechanics? Or would it be like how it was in 2E, with a holistic meta-setting, including strong support for various campaign worlds?

The former wouldn't interest me much at all. The latter, however, would strongly entice me.

Back in the days of 2E (which was when I got into the game), it was what I now consider to be the golden age of fluff. Worlds were richly developed, and there were multiple plot threads running throughout sourcebooks, adventures, and even novels, making the various campaigns a wonderfully detailed place to play. I loved following the intricacies of various characters, or noting cross-world things from various settings (particularly in Spelljammer and Planescape, which touched other campaigns by their very nature). I liked the mechanics okay, but it was this fluff that enthralled me.

Then, 3E happened, and things got reversed. Now the various campaign worlds were largely treated in a hands-off style, whereas mechanics were front and center. I didn't like it, but adapted, and now enjoy toggling with the crunch of things first and foremost, simply because there's not that much else to look at compared to how it used to be.

If the 2E style of campaign world-development came back, then yes, I'd take up AD&D again. Otherwise, no.

 

[Wombat]

I started with OD&D.

I dropped out with AD&D ("1st edition").

I came back with 3e.

I dropped out with 4e.

I'll back to D&D around 7th or 8th ed, probably

 

[JRRNeiklot]

I'm surprised at the results of this poll - nearly 57% voted they would neither buy nor play a 'new' AD&D. I wonder what % of those already own the 1E books and have no need to buy them nor inclination to play them. Myself while I wouldn't buy a 'new' 1E I would gladly play it - using my old books.

I'm not - for a couple reasons. One, this is primarily a 3e/4e site. Just mentioning AD&D is enough to get a thread locked. Two, I personally wouldn't trust WOTC to put out a revitalized 1e without tieflings and healing surges and 200 pages of Andy Collin's house rules creeping into the game.

 

[The Shaman]

If I ever return to playing D&D, it will be 1e AD&D.

However, my only reason for playing D&D would be to run a megadungeon of my own design.

So I have no interest in new Whizbros products.

 

[Herobizkit]

I had a peek into the past a few months ago as someone from my hometown was still using 2ed rules for his campaign. I played two sessions, and regret it. There was simply too much "out of whack" that made playing anything other than a Wizard completely useless, and Clerics were a joke.