I don't mean this as a matter of refinement "the latest version is the best" I don't believe this. I think 4E is probably going to be less satisfying as a game then any of the earlier versions. What I mean is, are the changes that are being made required for the "organism" D&D to survive (what would happen if 3E didn't evolve to the changing enviroment).
And is the animal were left with anything similar to the one that started out.
Would, for instance, 1E have survived (as a profitable product) if it had been "left as is" or did the product need to adapt more quickly to its changing environment or face extinction (competition from other RPGs, cultural changes, advent of home computers etc.). Same with 2E going to 3E and now 3E going to 4E. Are we seeing "Darwinian like" evolution? If yes, why? Some games don't need to evolve to stay vital. Like sharks, Chess, Checkers, Backgamon, many card games, and even board games like Monopoly and Life seem to withstand the changes in the enviroment. Whats so different about D&D, a comparitive fruit fly of genetic variation?
And is the animal were left with anything similar to the one that started out.
Would, for instance, 1E have survived (as a profitable product) if it had been "left as is" or did the product need to adapt more quickly to its changing environment or face extinction (competition from other RPGs, cultural changes, advent of home computers etc.). Same with 2E going to 3E and now 3E going to 4E. Are we seeing "Darwinian like" evolution? If yes, why? Some games don't need to evolve to stay vital. Like sharks, Chess, Checkers, Backgamon, many card games, and even board games like Monopoly and Life seem to withstand the changes in the enviroment. Whats so different about D&D, a comparitive fruit fly of genetic variation?
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