D&D 4E My concerns and thoughts on 4e

[Tortoise]

Feel free to ignore since I tend to kill my own threads anyway.

I have to admit to a certain trepidation about 4e.

When 4e was announced at Gencon my initial reaction was that it was two years too soon. Then information began to filter in that began to ease that concern and actually has me feeling favorably about the pending edition.

Here's where I'm becoming nervous ...

In a number of the reports and blog posts coming from the fine folks at WotC there are comments indicating that things are far from developed, decided upon, etc. If this is so at the current time isn't this creating a risk that they're either going to rush something out in May that will be a lesser product? Could that lead to a launch delay? Or worse, to a dreaded point five version which even WotC said wouldn't happen?

I know, they do have the DDI for updating the electronic version of the rules, but not everyone can afford or will choose to buy into the DDI so I hope the reports aren't indicating what I've been getting the sense of, that they're not where they need to be to get us the best product come May.

Here's hoping I'm just being paranoid.

 

[Sir Brennen]

It sounds like they are constantly working on the new edition, having plenty of discussions and examining feedback, which will continue through playtesting. I don't have any worries about them hitting the deadline with a well tested product.

As for DDI exclusive info, it has been stated that errata will be freely available.

 

[BlackMoria]

It is just jitters on your part. Mearls has stated the PHB is virtually done, barring tweaks based on the playtesters. 4E has been in development for two years, so take comfort in that. Also, if you look at the blogs and such, the playtest reports by WOTC staffers were from playtests done months ago.

It will work out. Now, WOTC doesn't exactly have a sterling record on editing grammatical errors and stat blocks but I think this is a opportunity for them to ensure the product is done right since they are aware of the many complaints about editing and this is a golden opportunity for them establish they are taking the shoddy proofreading complaints to heart.

 

[Victim]

It sounded like they developed more stuff than needed for the core rules. Some of the uncertainty seems most like they're deciding which stuff they have makes the cut initially, not that lots of mechanics are unfinished.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Tortise,

I have had similar concerns and is that I posted on the "Top questions/Concerns" thread that has been going this week.

It is just jitters on your part. Mearls has stated the PHB is virtually done, barring tweaks based on the playtesters. 4E has been in development for two years, so take comfort in that. Also, if you look at the blogs and such, the playtest reports by WOTC staffers were from playtests done months ago.

I saw that Mearls had stated this, and it struck me as curious when I think about the number of items that other WotC developers refer to in their blogs and other postings that still seem to be in flux. There just seem to be contradictions about how far along they are and how much is still in development.

 

[delericho]

I have no doubt that they'll hit their target of May. I have no doubt that the quality of the finished rulebooks will be comparable with the 3.0 core rulebooks.

My gut feeling is that there will be minimal changes as a result of playtesting. Indeed, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the 'public' playtest is mostly for show, and that WotC have done extensive playtesting in-house and with select trusted groups over the last two years.

I may of course be wrong about some or all of this.

My big concern is not for the deadline, or the quality of the whole... my concern is that they'll create a technically good game that I won't want to play.

 

[Ranger REG]

Here's where I'm becoming nervous ...

In a number of the reports and blog posts coming from the fine folks at WotC there are comments indicating that things are far from developed, decided upon, etc. If this is so at the current time isn't this creating a risk that they're either going to rush something out in May that will be a lesser product? Could that lead to a launch delay? Or worse, to a dreaded point five version which even WotC said wouldn't happen?

I know, they do have the DDI for updating the electronic version of the rules, but not everyone can afford or will choose to buy into the DDI so I hope the reports aren't indicating what I've been getting the sense of, that they're not where they need to be to get us the best product come May.

Here's hoping I'm just being paranoid.

Well, they have been working on the 4e project since 2005 ... secretly. They're still gauging reactions and feedbacks on the Star Wars Saga Edition rules if they need further fine-tuning to their 4e rules.

While I agree with you that it is two years too soon, I'm not opposed to the release as I was a year ago.

 

[Andre]

It is just jitters on your part.

For myself, I'm not so sure. When I hear the various reports coming out, see the very limited, ambiguous answers given to straightforward questions, I get the feeling that if this was a computer program, it would be in early beta. Heck, it was only a few weeks ago that we were told that the multiclassing rules weren't finished.

What I suspect is that there will be significant revisions after the initial release. What I'm most curious about is how those revisions will be presented. It's unlikely WOTC would call them "4.5" - that would be a PR disaster. Perhaps that's part of the purpose of the annual PHB's. Or the digital initiative is expected to play a major role in this. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Of course, at this point we know so little, any opinion is no better than a guess. We won't know for sure until it's released.

 

[Chris_Nightwing]

The way I suspect 4e has been developed is a core concept for the math, like SWSE, and then all the classes, spells, races, powers, etc.. have been drawn from a giant pool that amassed over the previous few years of development in both 4e and 3.x. So when it comes to little things fluctuating, it's just the 'well, we prefer this to this' sort of decision that needs to be made to make the rules in PHBI enough, but not exhaustive. To flesh out the core math, as it were.