Should game designers remain neutral when designing D&D?

[XunValdorl_of_Kilsek]

I believe game designers should not create games based in their personal preference. I think the core system should be as neutral as possible with options that allow players to tailor their games to their playstyle of choice. I believe 5th edition is taking on too much of 4th editions death rarity playstyle and I would really like to see that avoided. Let each group decide what playstyle they want. What I like may not always be what a designer likes.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I believe game designers should not create games based in their personal preference. I think the core system should be as neutral as possible with options that allow players to tailor their games to their playstyle of choice. I believe 5th edition is taking on too much of 4th editions death rarity playstyle and I would really like to see that avoided. Let each group decide what playstyle they want. What I like may not always be what a designer likes.

And there's a whole mess of 4E players that see nothing but 2E and 3E style rules that they wish were avoided too.

The fact is... the designers and developers made it a point to play every edition of D&D prior to beginning their work... so they could remind themselves what were universal traits, what were specific edition traits that worked, and what were specific edition traits that didn't work. And they've been using their own ideas (plus the ideas of the thousands of playtesters) to figure out which rules were the best and worked best together to create a game that is more like all the editions at the same time. A gestalt version of Dungeons & Dragons.

But anyone who gets a rash from any specific edition of the game is going to be much more cognizant any time a rule appears that seems to come from that edition. Of course, they complete ignore the other 90% of the rules which are NOT that specific edition... it's those 10% that make people get all whiny and think the game is going to suck. Which is kind of silly in my opinion. Especially considering we still have no idea which of those rules will be able to be swapped out with other rules once the game actually gets released. For all we know... it could be that half of all rules that seem to come from one edition in particular might every well have other modules that can come in and replace it... thereby solving your issues for you.

But if you end up still getting all bent out of shape by 5% of the rules being from an edition that you just hate... then just don't play 5E. No one will be upset. None of us will care.

 

[Desdichado]

I believe game designers should not create games based in their personal preference.

Me neither. They clearly should create games based on my personal preference.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Me neither. They clearly should create games based on my personal preference.

no MY personal preferences... in fact D&D needs to conform to only what I want...

 

[TerraDave]

write books you don't want to read?
design cars you don't want to drive?
cook food you don't want to eat?
....

I don't think that would be considered good career advice, either from the point of view of job satisfaction or accomplishment.

 

[Alzrius]

Game designers should remain chaotic neutral when designing D&D.

 

[amerigoV]

I believe game designers should not create games based in their personal preference. I think the core system should be as neutral as possible with options that allow players to tailor their games to their playstyle of choice. I believe 5th edition is taking on too much of 4th editions death rarity playstyle and I would really like to see that avoided. Let each group decide what playstyle they want. What I like may not always be what a designer likes.

To answer the question - no. If the game is not perfect for me, it failed and shall not get my money. I do not have time to make it work just so someone else *might* be happy. My happiness is paramount, not yours. And I might even admit that your unhappiness might fuel a bit of my happiness. That would be a win-win in my opinion.

 

[Dungeoneer]

I believe game designers should not create games based in their personal preference. I think the core system should be as neutral as possible with options that allow players to tailor their games to their playstyle of choice. I believe 5th edition is taking on too much of 4th editions death rarity playstyle and I would really like to see that avoided. Let each group decide what playstyle they want. What I like may not always be what a designer likes.

Gosh, XVK, are you saying you don't like 4th edition?!? I had no idea! </sarcasm>

Despite your insistence on dragging edition warring into EVERY SINGLE THING YOU POST, I will answer the rest of your question seriously. Yes, game designers SHOULD make games based on their personal preference. The alternative is a bland, vanilla game designed by committee which pleases no one.

 

[Morrus]

I believe game designers should not create games based in their personal preference.

Depends on the game. Game design is an art; art is subjective. If nobody created art based on their personal preference, we'd probably be lacking most of the greatest works in the world.

tl;dr version: it's OK if some people don't like a thing.

"I've managed to satisfy everyone all of the time!" -- something nobody said ever.

 

[MoonSong]

Me neither. They clearly should create games based on my personal preference.

no MY personal preferences... in fact D&D needs to conform to only what I want...

With all respect, you two are very wrong and selfish, it is obvious they should catter exclusively to my players