Survey (A5E) Level Up Survey #1: Broad Outlines

[Morrus]

I must express a little nervousness over the survey process. Obviously it’s important to find out what your target audience wants, what they don’t want, and what they don’t care about. I just hope that it doesn’t end up falling into the same trap 5e did with killing good ideas just because they don’t hit a minimum satisfaction bar that I think was set too high.

I do trust that you know what you’re doing and will make the best product for your audience. It’s just that after seeing how a very similar-looking process played out with 5e, I can’t help but be a little concerned that only the most uncontroversial designs will end up being approved. Sorry, don’t mean to harsh everyone’s mellow, just had to vent that anxiety a bit.

We're really just looking at extremes right now. What do people really love and what do they really hate? That'll help guide us, but it's not design by committee.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I went into the survey feeling a little tepid on the concept, but the kinds of questions being asked are warming me up to it. The part about rules for ruling kingdoms and other domains sounds pretty cool by me.

 

[hawkeyefan]

Just finished the survey. I'll be watching this with interest.

My personal idea would be to revamp the game in a more fundamental way.....but obviously, the end goal of more options/crunch while remaining 5E compatibility is a very clear constraint. With that in mind, I thought the questions in the survey made a lot of sense. Some of the hot topics of 5E and some of the core assumptions....probably a very good starting point.

 

[Charlaquin]

We're really just looking at extremes right now. What do people really love and what do they really hate? That'll help guide us, but it's not design by committee.

That’s extremely reassuring to hear.

 

[Haldrik]

I must express a little nervousness over the survey process. Obviously it’s important to find out what your target audience wants, what they don’t want, and what they don’t care about. I just hope that it doesn’t end up falling into the same trap 5e did with killing good ideas just because they don’t hit a minimum satisfaction bar that I think was set too high.

I do trust that you know what you’re doing and will make the best product for your audience. It’s just that after seeing how a very similar-looking process played out with 5e, I can’t help but be a little concerned that only the most uncontroversial designs will end up being approved. Sorry, don’t mean to harsh everyone’s mellow, just had to vent that anxiety a bit.

Every designer comes with ones own bias. Heh, it is nearly impossible to kill something that the designer thinks is a good idea. There would have to be a resounding popular demand for that to happen.

 

[dave2008]

My personal idea would be to revamp the game in a more fundamental way.....

Such as?

 

[Lanefan]

Somewhat surprised resting and recovery isn't on the initial let's-look-this-over survey, as it's been so much of an issue.

 

[Minigiant]

Somewhat surprised resting and recovery isn't on the initial let's-look-this-over survey, as it's been so much of an issue.

Resting and recovery has official variants. The 'cinematic' and a 'gritty' toggle would handle most of the rest and that's in the survey.

Obviously it's too early to say, but as it stands now the biggest 'winners' are:

• 100% compatible
• meaningful character choices at each level
• separate culture & species
• exploration pillar

I only rated 2 of those very high but I like what Im hearing... err.. seeing. Can't wait for future surveys and threads catering to the 3 pillars exclusively.

 

[hawkeyefan]

Such as?

I don’t want to derail the thread with stuff that’s not gonna happen, but I’d happily ditch hit points entirely.

Something that I said in response to the survey that may be possible, or at least more likely, would be to craft social mechanics that are as meaningful and engaging as combat.

 

[Charlaquin]

I don’t want to derail the thread with stuff that’s not gonna happen, but I’d happily ditch hit points entirely.

That would definitely not be 5e compatible then.