Poll: D&D - Has it?

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I've puzzled over the anger associated with 4E since its annoucement as have many of us on these boards. It wasn't until this morning I realized that I've seen this kind of anger from fans of two other forms of media.

Music - Fans of bands feel that "their" band has Sold Out when the band modifies it style to become more mainstream. Ever had that conversation with the guy in the black t-shirt about how much he hates Metallica ever since they Sold Out? And who can forget all the hours wasted trying to figure out whether Van Halen is better than Van Hagar? It is difficult at best to get any two people to agree when, if ever, a band Sold Out.

TV - Some shows push their fans too far with plot developments that stretch their suspension of disbelief. They Jump the Shark. Does the loss of gnomes from the PHB bring back memories of George Clooney leaving the cast of ER? Are Dragonborn the Cousin Oliver of 4E? There are entire sites devoted to determining when, if ever, a show Jumped the Shark.

So what about D&D?

 

[Xsjado]

I don't think it jumped the shark. It changed and some fans became alienated, it also gained new fans and many people are highly enthusiastic about it. 3e lost some players and gained some, so it isn't any different really. Just the same trouble that we've had before, but everybody forgets that. Anybody who really dislikes 4e will carry on with 3.5, its not like there's any lack of material so overall I don't think its taken a turn for the worse.

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

I voted Sold Out with 4th Edition and Never Jumped the Shark.

I must explain though that I think Selling Out in the way it is described by former fans of a band like Metallica is not a bad thing. I like that I can now share interest in Metallica with my wife. She was never a fan of their old sound. I see it as a natural evolution of the band. And I see the changes to 4E in the same light.

 

[Psion]

This ought to be fun...

 

[Doug McCrae]

Sold out with 1e. A new edition after only 4 years? And it's just the OD&D splats repackaged, hardly any new material from what I hear. Ripoff!!!

 

[Nifft]

D&D has always been "the establishment" of RPGs.

Therefore, D&D can't sell out (to the man). Because D&D is the man.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Dragon Snack]

It had nothing to do with their sound, MetallicA sold out when Lars went all anti-Napster. This was a band who started out distributing tapes that said "copy this and give it to a friend"...

 

[Vyvyan Basterd]

It had nothing to do with their sound, MetallicA sold out when Lars went all anti-Napster. This was a band who started out distributing tapes that said "copy this and give it to a friend"...

As I said, people can't agree when a band has "Sold Out." I vividly remember my Comic-Book-Guy-Look-a-Like co-worker at McDonalds expounding on the changes Metallica had made to their sound and had thus "Sold Out." That was around 1988 and he was talking in past tense, a full 11 years before the start of Napster.