The fragmentation of the D&D community... was it inevitable?

[carmachu]

Should WotC support more than one edition at the same time? Or will this just make the problem worse?

That could mean supporting 4e and 3.x (or your old edition of choice) simultaneously. Or it could mean that Fifth Edition actually has a 5a and a 5b. Maybe one that caters to complex tactical combat rules, and one that favors a stripped-down approach.

They wont do that. I dont think they CAN do that. One uses the OGL, the other the GSL. Two very different licenses.

Further, the two systems are radically different- the edition wars, that have died down, still smolder and frankly I dont think they cna bridge the bad blood. Part of which stems directly from them.

Further, what do you mean support? What is there left for them to do in 3.5 to support?

 

[carmachu]

[/sarcasm]

For a second there, I missed the sarcasm tag and was getting read to rip you a new one....

The only thing WotC could do remotely similar to GW would be have a proper online store that people could buy directly from WotC.

First they would have to do what GW did in 2001 and remove any chance any store can sell WOTC products via an online cart and THEN have their own online store.

Making it difficult for customers to get their products from FLGS and other places online, while their competetors let you buy anywhere....

 

[Aus_Snow]

What is there left for them to do in 3.5 to support?

Quite a number of things, actually. I distinctly remember list after list, from many posters indeed, of "books wanted" (or other things, less often). There were some ideas/requests/wishes that kept cropping up, again and again. From, yeah, a *lot* of gamers.

I suppose one of those made it into 4e (I'm not sure about any others, as I've lost track of WotC's schedule... more than they have, I don't doubt ). Dark Sun, that is. But then, that wouldn't really help matters there, now would it?

That's just one, though.

As for the others, well, some of them can be done by Paizo. Or perhaps have been done, in some cases - I'm not even fully up to speed on their releases nowadays.

But anyway. Point being, Paizo is in the perfect position to give gamers what they want. And they seem to be doing quite a bit of precisely that.

 

[lutecius]

If you believe so. However, Aberzanzorax also disputed my point and opened a poll to see how much merit his idea has.

Suffice to say that it did not met his hopes.

the problem with this poll is its wording. even I who likes some aspects of 4e but want the next edition to bring back some, but not all, elements of 3e (which essentials already does to some degree) couldn't answer the poll because it all depends on the specifics.

but yes, Aberzanzorax's poll proves you wrong. that's the problem when you use words like "nothing for anybody" or "nobody really wants such a thing".

as for whether or not wotc will consider mixing 4e and elements from older editions, I'm sure they will when/if they work on 5e, even though they probably won't sell it as such.

 

[DandD]

the problem with this poll is its wording. even I who likes some aspects of 4e but want the next edition to bring back some, but not all, elements of 3e (which essentials already does to some degree) couldn't answer the poll because it all depends on the specifics.

but yes, Aberzanzorax's poll proves you wrong. that's the problem when you use words like "nothing for anybody" or "nobody really wants such a thing".

as for whether or not wotc will consider mixing 4e and elements from older editions, I'm sure they will when/if they work on 5e, even though they probably won't sell it as such.

So you're just interested in winning a pointless debate by hammering on my standard rhetoric absolutes, and that only shows me that you belong in my ignore folder, because I won't ever read anything of interest from you. That's the last thing you'll read from me that might interest you at all.

 

[Ourph]

Didn't TSR try to support the various D&D-versions at the same time and then went under?

Actually, TSR had cancelled the D&D line and was only supporting AD&D 2e for several years before it went under.

 

[carmachu]

Quite a number of things, actually. I distinctly remember list after list, from many posters indeed, of "books wanted" (or other things, less often). There were some ideas/requests/wishes that kept cropping up, again and again. From, yeah, a *lot* of gamers.

I suppose one of those made it into 4e (I'm not sure about any others, as I've lost track of WotC's schedule... more than they have, I don't doubt ). Dark Sun, that is. But then, that wouldn't really help matters there, now would it?

That's just one, though.

i would buy the comprehesive Dark SUn 3.5 game world. Its one of the few things that really got missed and missed out on.

But beyond that, saying "quite alot, there's a list" doesnt tell me anything. WHAT would they do to support 3.5 and get people to buy it IF(and thats a big if) they choose to support various editions.

Dark Sun is one. i could see, if well done, a Ravenloft game as well. Dont see them ever redoing say PLanescape, as they made clear the current design team as a distain for the great wheel and redundency- I doubt they can do it well.

So WHAT would they do as support? Dont say alot, tell me what they would do or can do.

 

[Umbran]

1) Is it possible to create an edition of D&D that could largely satisfy 90% of the player base?
2) If it's not possible now, was it possible in 2007, before 4e was released?

Depends what you want to call "the player base" and/or "satisfy"., I suppose.

But, using my own intuition on these, I'm gong to say no. It was not possible in 2007, it was not even possible back in 2000 with 3e. Asking one edition (or game) to satisfy 90% of everyone is like asking one novel to strongly appeal to 90% of all readers, or one TV show to grip 90% of all viewers. Tastes vary too much for this to happen.

3) If it's not possible (now or then), what should Wizards, or whoever owns the D&D IP in the future, do about it?

I'm of the opinion that the edition treadmill is a result of the niche market - and the niche market is due to RPGs just being a thing that doesn't appeal to all that many people. If revenue is going to be large enough to keep anything but a tiny company happy, constant change is required.

The two things you can do are:

1) As a company, lower your income expectations.

2) Work to get your players to enjoy and embrace change, in general.

Unfortunately (1) is a bit of a flop as a business, and (2) is difficult, as it runs rather contrary to human nature.

 

[TarionzCousin]

So you're just interested in winning a pointless debate by hammering on my standard rhetoric absolutes, and that only shows me that you belong in my ignore folder, because I won't ever read anything of interest from you. That's the last thing you'll read from me that might interest you at all.

So because Aberzanzorax pointed out that you were wrong and insulting he gets put on your ignore list? Hahahahahaha. That's hilarious. It will be wonderful day when everyone who uses facts and doesn't insult people is on your ignore list. Please put me there, too; it is obviously a place of honor.

Concerning the way the ignore list works, even if you ignore him, he can still read your posts. So you're wrong about that, too.

And, lest we forget: your whining doesn't change the fact that you were wrong and insulting.

 

[Umbran]

Folks,

When someone posts to a thread, it is a pretty reasonable assumption that the person is reading the thread for at least a while afterward. That means that if you engage in personal head-butting arguments right after a mod posts, you are very likely to get caught.

I mean, really. TarionzCousin, right where I can see it? It's like you're setting fire to a bag of dog doo on someone's porch, ringing the bell, and then turning around to run only to see that a cop's been watching you the whole time. Exactly how much credibility do you now think you've got to suggest others are foolish? Zippo. Nada. Zilch.

So, how about we all get away from the personal stuff from now on, yes? Good. Thanks.