D&D 4E Opinions on the 4E preview books...

[Ander00]

I haven't had a look at W&M yet, but "meh" just about sums up my opinion on R&C. It could've been a lot worse, but it didn't really excite. I liked it enough to borrow it, but not enough to actually read all of it (which isn't all that much).


cheers

 

[Lord Fyre]

There are quite a few gamers that I've spoken to who have said the same thing. It's part of the reason why I havent picked up either book. Everything in those books would have been in Dragon Magazine, spread out over a few months of course. I guess WOTC rationalized that thier fanbase for 4E would want everything in one (or two as it were) fell swoop.

Spreading it out over several month is Dragon would have had a couple of other benefits too.

• Because of all the other content in DRAGON, there would have been less of the feeling of paying for an advertisement.
• The longer build up would have generated more interrest/enthusianism for the new Edition.
• It would have gotten the information out to a MUCH greater percentage of the Fan Base.

That last point is important. Yes, there is something to be said for encouraging a feeling of exclusivity, but WoTC is asking their existing customer base to make a major investment. So you want to get as many of those customers to feel involved as possible.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I just saw them a few minutes ago at my local game shop. No way I'd buy them for $20 each but they served their purpose when I browsed through them to check out 4E. So what did I like?

1) The art was gorgeous, I liked the landscapes and particularly the dwarves

2) I loved the changes to cosmology and philosophy, which now seem to resemble the fantasy novels that brought me to D&D than video games.

3) I love the "elimination of needless symmetry" and getting rid of extraneous features - 3 races of elves is plenty.

4) Halflings as marsh dwellers seems perfect.

Downsides?

1) I didn't like the hero/paragon/epic split

2) Didn't like finite gods, though I do like that they are now distant

3) Didn't like the Dragonborn

4) I'm dubious of some of the new classes mentioned

None of these are deal-breakers, though. I only had a glance and I'm willing to give them a chance. Overall I'm pretty excited now about the 4E.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I haven't read them beyond a quick scan in my FLGS, yet I voted "I hate" to both of them.

Why?

Because they're charging @$20 for them.

I'm not paying out that much $$ for a preview of something that may change in the final edition. That smacks of money-grubbing to me.

Its better & more ethical to release something for free and budget it as part of your advertising campaign for the project, even if it has to be stripped down a bit to be economically feasible.

(As for the content, what I've gleaned in my brief scans hasn't changed my opinions any- still ambivalent.)

 

[Mouseferatu]

I liked them a great deal. But then, I specifically bought them for the "behind the scenes" stuff, not for their values as "previews."

 

[Khairn]

I haven't read them beyond a quick scan in my FLGS, yet I voted "I hate" to both of them.

Why?

Because they're charging @$20 for them.

I'm not paying out that much $$ for a preview of something that may change in the final edition. That smacks of money-grubbing to me.

Its better & more ethical to release something for free and budget it as part of your advertising campaign for the project, even if it has to be stripped down a bit to be economically feasible.

(As for the content, what I've gleaned in my brief scans hasn't changed my opinions any- still ambivalent.)

Ditto

 

[Firevalkyrie]

I liked them a great deal. But then, I specifically bought them for the "behind the scenes" stuff, not for their values as "previews."

QFT. Also, the artwork and general look of the things is top-notch and if this aesthetic continues into 4th Edition, I for one will be pleased.

 

[PoeticJustice]

I agree that it's pretty hard to rationalize buying what amounts to be a 20 dollar advertisement. I would have much preferred they released this material on their website.

 

[Dragonbait]

I just got Worlds & Monsters today, and I have to say that the landscape art is AMAZING. It was something that I feel was lacking in many of the 3ed art - what the players see (aside from NPCs and monsters). Most 3E art was focussed on individual characters and monsters rather than the environment around them. I really hope to see the trend continue in the 4E books.

I don't know if I liked 4E yet (signs are pointing to Yes), but I know the fluff presented in the books are useful and detailed enough to make one's own setting out of in any fantasy game.

 

[The Little Raven]

I agree that it's pretty hard to rationalize buying what amounts to be a 20 dollar advertisement. I would have much preferred they released this material on their website.

Can you point me to a 96-page free advertisement full of details on the timeline, philosophy, process, and evolution of a product-line in a creative field, like roleplaying? With full-color art and all that pretty stuff, too.