Mouseferatu said:
Nonsense. It's an RPG with a tactical combat system. The "it's a boardgame" comment is getting old--especially since I've yet to see it come from anyone who's actually seen the whole rules set and given it a fair shake.
I think it is a fair assessment. Everyone I know came back from D&DXP used similar language. They also used boardgame and MMO to describe the rules set. They really liked the game, but this is how they described it.
IMO, some rules by their nature are conductive to roleplaying. They stimulate the imagination and help to set you in a specific mood. 4e does not seem to be such a set. By all accounts, it is fun to play and the combat is great, but when asked to describe it, people seem to search for examples of games that play like a boardgame, TCG, or MMO.
IMO, there is a huge subset of D&D players who enjoy simple combat as a means to an end. They do not need a lot of flashy options. I have always maintained that a basic D&D game built to allow advanced options would be great for the hobby. 4e is not such a game.
So I am not going to say that you cannot roleplay using the 4e rules. I do not think that the rules facilitate it or set it up well. Players get a lot more rolls and decisions to make, but it seems to be designed as a game first. I would say that it is an rp
G. People can rp if they want, but it has been designed to enhance and promote gameplay rather than roleplay.
I am not saying that this does not serve a HUGE D&D population, but 4e does not serve as many of the D&D population as it once did because I think it now promotes a specific style of play and game.
So I do not think that "boardgame" is a tired description. I think people who legitimately enjoy the game have searched for ways to describe it because it is that different from what many people have been used too.
Personally, Paizo's announcement will mean that I continue playing D&D rather than move to a new system or drop out of the hobby altogether. I had been considering those options. I think this is a net win for WOTC and D&D players. It means that a percentage of people who may have left D&D entirely will be retained, which means that those people will continue to be interested in WOTC and the hobby and still able to bring new people to the hobby.