Playtesters, admit your prejudices here.

[Humanophile]

While off on a rant against the whole "WOTC playtested it, therefore it's perfect" attitude, the fact that the playtesters are just people, with preferences and prejudices of their own settled in with me. Which does make me curious, just because someone might be excellent with rules or storytelling or whatever other else is a roleplayers forte, they're going to prefer certain styles/ideas, and they're going to subconsciously think that their favorites are "balanced" at a higher power level than the average, which accordingly is balanced at a higher note than things they actively dislike.

So if any playtesters or ex playtesters would step forwards, admit what power levels you prefer, what styles and genres, etc. I'm curious. And if it helps clear things up for fans of all stripes, all the better.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I'm not a playtester, but I thought I'ds give you a "bump."

When it comes to 3e, I have a lot of confidence in the playtesting of the game - and by "the game" I'm specifically talking about the three core rule books. The list of playtesters is long, and it just seems to me that such a lengthy list would likely include gamers of all tastes. I also think that of course playtesters have their own preferences. I think it goes without saying that they do. I would hope they try to be objective about the game overall, as to how it plays, and what works and what doesn't, and what the gaming public in general will like. 3e is a good example of a game that I believe benefited hugely due to its playtesting, based on what I've read about the process. I know Piratecat and his group are listed as playtesters for 3e, so I hope to see him address this topic.

 

[Warchild]

Personally i don't care the power level. As long as i am having a good time, i really don't care. Since 3E came out i haven't really played/DM'ed any real high powered stuff yet. One of the campaigns i play in is reaching up into the atmosphere though, we are 17-18 th level as of the moment. Believe me, in my starting days we played some at some power-levels most people would gag at!
Most of our campaigns begin at around 1-3, most of my campaigns i start at 3-6 (i like the players to be able to make a little noise or what have you).
What power level you play doesn't really (or shouldn't anyway) affect the amount or level of roleplaying your group likes.

 

[Humanophile]

ColonalHardisson: I agree that 3e is superbly balanced for what it is. Once you grant them the benefit of errata, WOTC earns high marks even when you range outside of the three core books. At least as well as can be expected for the average gamer. (I'd want to survey people's tastes for what is and is not balanced comapred to what they like to play, but I don't have the time or energy for that now.) I'm just curious. Just watching the boards here, I wonder what a different playtester flavor would have created. But I'd want to see the preferences that made 3e what it is too.

Warchild: 17-18th level is not high powered? Can I ask where you draw the very high powered line? That seems like it's definately up there. But that gets back to preferences...

And power level has a lot to do with roleplaying. Look at the gaping difference between CoC and any superhero game you like, or even at your post for a lesser degree of the same thing. First level characters are still plebes, and limited to things us mere mortals do. The higher your power level, the more and more focused you are on epic doings and broad strokes, as opposed to the small, intimate portrait of a low power game. Different people draw the ideal game line at different points along that spectrum, and I'm curious how the game settled at the point that it did.