Target Demographic?

[outsider]

it seem like the new game is geared more towards instant gratification and cry-babies, especially with remarks about wanting characters to be able to do something every round in combat and have more abilites so they dont run out as fast.
and it does seem like they are trying to emulate MMORPG's no matter how much they deny it.

Wow.

Explain to me why it is an unreasonable request to be able to do something in every round(presuming you aren't dead, paralyzed, etc).

 

[Piratecat]

it seem like the new game is geared more towards instant gratification and cry-babies, especially with remarks about wanting characters to be able to do something every round in combat and have more abilites so they dont run out as fast.
and it does seem like they are trying to emulate MMORPG's no matter how much they deny it.

Apparently no matter how many times we tell folks not to be insulting, some people forget it.

Everyone - it is absolutely possible to discuss the pros and cons of 4e without hyperbole and insults. Please do so in every thread, not just this one.

Thanks!

 

[Hussar]

I would say male 18-49 was the target of many video game demographics too. If you don't believe me, ask Dead or Alive: Beach Volleyball

I would point out that according to surveys, online gamers are split almost evenly along gender lines and average about 30 years old.

This is pretty far outside the demographic D&D has ever reached at least among women.

 

[mhensley]

One clue is the reading level of the books. According to Amazon, the 3.5 phb is on an 11th grade reading level.

http://www.amazon.com/Players-Handb...75008?ie=UTF8&qid=1187952075&sr=8-7#textstats

 

[howandwhy99]

11th grade? Hmm... I really, really hope Wizards chooses to publishe a simplified version. Some video RPGs can be played by kids as young as 8 online. They are hooked early. I'd love it if D&D catered to 8-13 year olds. If pogs taught me anything, it's that the hot Christmas toys are rarely for kids already in high school. Not that D&D would not appeal once folks reach high school, but a complete game children can play and run themselves is sorely needed IMO.

 

[psionotic]

That is interesting. I started playing (Red Box, Basic) D&D when I was twelve. But its hard for me to imagine kids that young playing it now, for some reason...

 

[hong]

One thing I see with some of the design decisions which are being bandied about is it seems they are trying to bring back some of the older gamers who were turned off by some of the design decisions made in third. Talk about bringing back old campaign settings like Planescape and Dark Sun. Less of a dependence on the characters having a certain amount of gear. Monsters having separate racial and encounter write ups. Sounds an awful lot like they are going for fans of earlier editions.

Howndawg

I don't think so. Nearly all of the things I've seen so far have been great, and I'm certainly not a fan of previous editions. There are just long-standing issues with 3E that have been experienced by lots of people, and it looks like they're addressing these issues.

 

[Simia Saturnalia]

EDIT: Nevermind, mods got to it

To put some substance on this post, I think it's geared to people who want to do with D&D what D&D has always done best; get you and your buddies together in a room with some snacks, drinks, and dice to pretend to be bad-ass fantasy heroes beating the sweet holy hell out of some cool monsters and taking their shiny loot. Only now, you can use a computer instead of all being in the same room.

Dying in a ditch because a goblin stabbed through your femoral artery while you were throwing up your spoiled trail rations is for WFRP, which is in its own right an awesome game. But it's not D&D.

 

[Oldtimer]

Let's play some chess in the park?
Look at the babes and talk about the good old times...

Or play some D&D in the park... and invite those babes...