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<blockquote data-quote="Ulrick" data-source="post: 5565403" data-attributes="member: 775">Power creep happens when players want more options and specialization to a given game (an RPG or nearly any other game), and the publisher of the game caters to these players tastes to stay in business. No RPG is ever complete, most players will always want more. Power creep, however, is not a threat to modern game design. Companies rely on it. D&amp;D in the last 35 years is a great example of this. In the original 1974 rules and the Holmes edition, characters only got +1 to their die rolls for abilities 13 and above. It didn't matter if the character had an 18. Well, somebody along the way thought that this wasn't right, so changes where made accordingly. By 3.0, abilty scores 12 and above gave bonuses. The 1974 rules only had 3 classes: Fighting-man, magic-user, and cleric. Well, somewhere along the way rangers, paladins, and thieves were added. And suddenly clerics could cast spells at first level (gasp!) in AD&amp;D. Abilities for the classes varied somewhat from AD&amp;D to D&amp;D, but the specialized classes (I'm looking at you Ranger and Paladin), required that players had to role high ability scores. Suddenly, the fighter became the &quot;punishment&quot; class for Rangers and Paladin forsaking their vows. Then, in 3.0, to &quot;balance&quot; things out, all classes were given special abilities and &quot;schticks.&quot; Feats and skill points were added. 3.0/3.5e is all about character building and customization. 4e is the great &quot;balancer&quot; of all the previous editions. Finally, everything would be streamlined so that balance would be felt at all levels of play. However, players want more for their character. WotC produced splatbooks and then &quot;Essentials.&quot; The cycle continues. Pathfinder came into its own as a continuation of 3.5e by &quot;fixing some problems&quot; but not revamping the game.A few non-D&amp;D examples include: World of Darkness and Star Wars (d6 or D20). Where would Games Workshop be if both Warhammer Fantasy Battles and 40k suddenly became fair and balanced for all their armies, instead being full of wonky rules that need revision with a codex every three to four years? All of this came about because of player demand. Sure, not everybody gave in, I still know people who only play AD&amp;D, or even Basic D&amp;D. There will always be a need for new rules and supplements to &quot;fix&quot; things while at the same time giving players &quot;more.&quot; Power creep keeps the hobby going.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Ulrick, post: 5565403, member: 775"] Power creep happens when players want more options and specialization to a given game (an RPG or nearly any other game), and the publisher of the game caters to these players tastes to stay in business. No RPG is ever complete, most players will always want [I]more.[/I] Power creep, however, is [I]not[/I] a threat to modern game design. Companies rely on it. D&D in the last 35 years is a great example of this. In the original 1974 rules and the Holmes edition, characters only got +1 to their die rolls for abilities 13 and above. It didn't matter if the character had an 18. Well, somebody along the way thought that this wasn't right, so changes where made accordingly. By 3.0, abilty scores 12 and above gave bonuses. The 1974 rules only had 3 classes: Fighting-man, magic-user, and cleric. Well, somewhere along the way rangers, paladins, and thieves were added. And suddenly clerics could cast spells at first level (gasp!) in AD&D. Abilities for the classes varied somewhat from AD&D to D&D, but the specialized classes (I'm looking at you Ranger and Paladin), required that players had to role high ability scores. Suddenly, the fighter became the "punishment" class for Rangers and Paladin forsaking their vows. Then, in 3.0, to "balance" things out, all classes were given special abilities and "schticks." Feats and skill points were added. 3.0/3.5e is all about character building and customization. 4e is the great "balancer" of all the previous editions. Finally, everything would be streamlined so that balance would be felt at all levels of play. However, players want more for their character. WotC produced splatbooks and then "Essentials." The cycle continues. Pathfinder came into its own as a continuation of 3.5e by "fixing some problems" but not revamping the game. A few non-D&D examples include: World of Darkness and Star Wars (d6 or D20). Where would Games Workshop be if both Warhammer Fantasy Battles and 40k suddenly became fair and balanced for all their armies, instead being full of wonky rules that need revision with a codex every three to four years? All of this came about because of player demand. Sure, not everybody gave in, I still know people who only play AD&D, or even Basic D&D. There will always be a need for new rules and supplements to "fix" things while at the same time giving players "more." Power creep keeps the hobby going. [/QUOTE]

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