D&D 5E Playtest Fatigue?

[Manabarbs]

A lot of the interest in DDN for us was novelty-based. We're more interested in seeing what's new or interesting than in the game itself. (I do believe the game will be more interesting when it's done, of course.) With a series of relatively uninspiring and uninspired packets and kind of a lull now, there's not much novelty, and a game that's only half-done is unsurprisingly not compelling enough on its own merits.

While there's a handful of people who I guess have mostly decided that they're not interested in DDN, I'd say that most of us are planning to at least look at the system once it's more complete. The lapse isn't total loss of interest in the product, just a representation of the fact that there's so much other stuff that's more compelling.

 

[Markn]

Our group has been playtesting since the beginning. We started a campaign using D&DN last August loosely based on Chris Perkins Iomandra campaign (absolutely awesome BTW). We have just hit playtest fatigue ourselves which is unfortunate because I believe the next packet is going to be a major step forward. Our group has looked at 13th Age and we are converting our character to that system to give it a go. I suspect 13th Age will have their hooks into us at least until DDN is fully released and perhaps longer.

I, personally still follow the articles and the releases (when they come) but since we are running a long term campaign (expected to last another 2 years) we are looking for something that won't change every few months.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I am currently doing a playtest on Yahoogroups, but after this final encounter, I will be stopping. I like 5E a little, but I can do the same game with 4E or 3.5 easily, and am not seeing a reason to keep playtesting.

 

[DaveMage]

I never playtested. Since I'm very happy with Pathfinder (with help from Frog God Games), I don't need Next, and I've read nothing in 5E playtester feedback or discussions that has me excited about a new version of D&D.

All that said, I *do* like some of their design goals (modularity, compatibility with prior editions), so those that aren't happy with Pathfinder or 4E will likely get a good game for themselves.

 

[Raith5]

I fiddled with DDN a bit early but I am struggling to find anyone who wants to play it. I think DDN is approaching the game in the right way -especially with respect to the aspirations of modularity. However, I am still not sure how modularity is going to work for the major sub markets of D&D - especially in a way that captures 4th ed playstyles. I also like some of the ideas and execution but I find some of the gameplay a major step back from 4th ed.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Long since stopped playtesting. Scheduling our regular game was difficult enough, and ultimately I just found it too hard to juggle two games.

 

[Stormonu]

I playtested the first packet, but thereafter became increasingly disillusioned with the content. I'd read over the packet, but not play. By about the fourth packet, I just quit entirely.

Still plan to check out the end game.

 

[zoroaster100]

I started late, but really enjoyed the public playtesting of the next to last package as DM for our group, and my players enjoyed playing. But then the last public playtest package came out in June, and had very few changes, and around that time I also realized the actual version being worked on was so different from the playtest packet, that I felt I was not really playtesting at all, just part of a marketing ploy to make me feel I was part of a playtest. So I lost interest. I still hope the game turns out well, and will consider trying it once it comes out, but I don't feel much interest in playtesting rules they've already discarded.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

I am voting for: i am still a playtester, but i am also realizing some fatigue.
The latest packet plays better than I expected but I feel like I am playing something that does not have a lot in common with the final game right now.
So what I am really am: waiting for the next packet, and the one after that. It seems that this will be the one that will finally be "stable" enough to really begin a campaign. Luckily we have summer vacations right now and since my group consist of some teachers, we have a natural break right now.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

I playtested the first packet, but thereafter became increasingly disillusioned with the content. I'd read over the packet, but not play. By about the fourth packet, I just quit entirely.

Still plan to check out the end game.

This, very much this. My players aren't keen on any new system and don't give a damn about D&DN at the moment. Also, I don't care a lot about details of the rules which makes evaluating different versions of the playtest rules a chore.

The rules which found their way into my memory from the first set(s) are:

- Advantage/disadvantage instead of bonuses. I don't like it because it skews the distribution of results.
- Layered approach to character building. That's a nice one, but I fully expect it to be mostly replaced by more open building rules.

I guess I'll follow several discussion about it and wait for the final product.