Mearls is the new manager of D&D

[Lanefan]

First off, allow me to add to the chorus of congratulations...

Now that Mr. Mearls is running the D&D RPG - what are you expecting him to do?

I'd say it's not so much expecting as hoping. Lots and lots of people want to see the game go in lots and lots of directions, and a new hand taking the helm gets their hopes up.

My question is this: though Mr. Mearls is now at the helm, how much control and-or influence over the game's direction will he actually have?

If it really is a situation of "what MM says, goes" and he truly has full creative freedom to shape the game as he likes, then over the next while we really should be laying out our hopes and dreams for the game and see if any strike a chord with him. There was a recent thread somewhere 'round here about design goals for D+D, that might be a good place to start.

But I suspect that full freedom is not the case...and with that in mind, an invitation:

Mr. Mearls, please post here again and at least vaguely outline what you do and do not have control over (e.g. future edition design/release, 3rd-party policies, prior edition PDF/re-release policies, tweaks and changes to the current edition, etc.), both for our edification and to perhaps spare yourself from getting undeserved grief over things that aren't even in your domain.

Lanefan

 

[Chainsaw]

Good stuff, Mearls. Appreciate how you took the time a while back to respond to a thread of mine about converting classic modules into 4E-compatible modules. Enjoy your vacation and best of luck with the promotion.

 

[MichaelSomething]

It's a wise thought, but don't forget that "making it your own" has the benefit of creative direction and preserving inspiration in the face of "death by committee", too. Stan Lee used to say of his creation of such Marvel greats as The Fantastic Four and Spider-man, that he created them right as he was about to quit Marvel/Timely, and the comic biz, and said, "to hell with it, I'm gonna make comics that I want to see for a change," -- and to everyone's surprise, they ultimately triggered the "Marvel Age", if not the entire Silver Age Revolution in comics.

....

As you said, no one does it alone, but don't be afraid to go ****ing crazy, because sometimes that's where genius lies, and disaster lies in mediocrity.

I wonder if you'll still hold that opinion if Mearl's dream of D&D turns out to be your nightmare.

 

[Chainsaw]

Yes. There is a very simple maxim that folks sometimes forget - you can't please everybody.

For some reason I am also reminded of this great quotation..

"I don't know half of you half as well I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

Shrug..

 

[Dice4Hire]

Congradulations, Mr. Mearls, and I hope the job suits you.

 

[Fifth Element]

I wonder if you'll still hold that opinion if Mearl's dream of D&D turns out to be your nightmare.

Why wouldn't he? There's an awful lot of D&D out there; hopefully everyone can find some that they enjoy.

 

[Piratecat]

I wonder if you'll still hold that opinion if Mearl's dream of D&D turns out to be your nightmare.

I've known Mearls for (holy crap!) something like 17 or 18 years, back when he was in college and we co-ran a Call of Cthulhu adventure together. His vision of what makes a really fun D&D game tends to run fairly closely with mine. While I doubt we'd agree on everything, it's hard for me to picture a "nightmare" version of the game under his watch.

(Not that this should reassure anyone whose gaming style differs from mine, of course. But I'm happy about his promotion, and trust him to keep to a vision of what makes gaming fun. If not, he's never going to live it down!)

 

[Odhanan]

While I doubt we'd agree on everything, it's hard for me to picture a "nightmare" version of the game under his watch.

Well that depends: would you consider 4e a "nightmare" version of the game?

Not saying that to provoke people who like the current version of the game, but I'm sure mileages vary as to what constitutes a "nightmare" version of the game, and what doesn't.

 

[Rechan]

Well that depends: would you consider 4e a "nightmare" version of the game?

Psst.

 

[Odhanan]

Psst.

I know, Rechan. Just pointing out that mileages vary on what consitutes a "nightmare" version of the game, and what doesn't. That's all.