So, what was the first product where D&D's soul was sold?

[Fifth Element]

But only time will tell...perhaps we'll see with the release of 4E as the majority of 3E players switch over for the newest and hottest D&D eye candy.

Just as the majority of 1E players switched to 2E, and the majority of 2E players switched to 3E...

Majority rules in business. WOTC sells to the majority of players. They have no interest in serving the wants of a handful of diehard 2E'ers, because that market is way too small.

 

[shilsen]

Personally, I think all the energy spent on trying to somehow empirically prove that 3e is an inferior game would be better spent on actually, y'know, playing one's game of choice.

Now that's just crazy talk!

Don't you realize how unimaginably important it is to prove that my version of "let's pretend I'm an elf" is better than someone else's version of the same? Especially if that person is a complete and utter stranger on the internet, whose particular method of playing pretend has absolutely no influence on me whatsoever?

Good God, man - where are your priorities?

 

[diaglo]

Supplement I Greyhawk (1975) by E. Gary Gygax


the introduction of powergaming.

 

[nothing to see here]

is the OP a troll?...what the heck, I'll bite

Give it a freakin' rest already.

QFT

It's funny how many gamers divide game products into two camps.

1) Products which are tailored to MY particular tastes regardless of how non-representative they may be.

2) Corporate sell-outs.

As for me, having read seeral dozen of these TSR/WOTC/Hasbro-bashing sell-out threads, I've yet to hear somebody explain how WOTC, or any other D&D owner, are going to pay for the designers, writers, editors, artists, shipping, warehousing, paper etc...without paying attention to marketing concerns...

 

[nothing to see here]

OK, after reading the Warz thread, its clear there is a general agreement that at some point TSR and WOTC chose to favor marketing and commercialism over the "needs" of the players.
I think there are some disagreements however as to when this very first occured.

BTW, there's nothing more arrogant, in message boards or real life than to shroud a personal subjective opinion behind a blanket declaration that it is 'general agreement'. If your goal is to annoy people, congratulations...if it's to sway people to your point of view, you have badly missed the mark.

 

[BryonD]

at some point TSR and WOTC chose to favor marketing and commercialism over the "needs" of the players.

So, does anyone else see how this statement is self contradictory?

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I'll say The Black Album.


Oh wait I got my sellout threads mixed up.

 

[WayneLigon]

But only time will tell...perhaps we'll see with the release of 4E as the majority of 3E players switch over for the newest and hottest D&D eye candy.

Time has already told it loud and clear: the vast majority of players for any system move to a new edition when it comes out. It's not about eye candy, it's about advances in game design, adaptation to changing styles of play, and better ways of doing things. You'll always find a small group of people that are satisfied with a system as it is and stay with it. Fine and good, but they shouldn't expect their desires to mirror the larger community.

 

[Ghendar]

<snip> blah, blah, blah whatever

http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/300W/images3.deviantart.com/i/2004/111/0/e/Don__t_feed_the_Troll.jpg

 

[Turjan]

OK, after reading the Warz thread, its clear there is a general agreement that at some point TSR and WOTC chose to favor marketing and commercialism over the "needs" of the players.

I don't think that there is any such general agreement. Given that most products are written by fans of the game, I think you will still find the genuine will to enrich the game in products, even today.

Of course, there is also the aspect that authors and company want to live and need to make profit from the products. This means you will find a mix of great stuff and filler.

Regarding the question, I'd say it's unanswerable. The soul is still there. Sometimes more visible, sometimes less.