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The Problem with 21st century D&D (and a solution! Sort of)
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<blockquote data-quote="thedungeondelver" data-source="post: 5483020" data-attributes="member: 34865"><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'">The problem with 21st century <strong>D&D</strong> is the same problem 20th century <strong>D&D</strong> had after the original set: it's aimed at <strong>D&D</strong> players, not people who have some time and an inclination to do something new and fun. <strong>AD&D</strong> suffered (somewhat) from being what it was: advanced. Read the <strong>DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE</strong> and it is clear that the aim is that you, reader, already have <strong>D&D</strong> down pat and this is now a graduate course.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"><strong>TSR</strong> addressed the problem whether by design or merry happenstance with Basic <strong>D&D</strong>. That one word - <em>Basic</em> - is such a soft-cornered, well-considered word (whether it actually was or not) that it assisted many, many people into RPGs whereas they would have been immediately turned off by the textbook layout of <strong>AD&D</strong>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'">But <strong>TSR</strong> later abandoned that, left the now superfluous "Advanced" attached to <strong>D&D</strong> - but that was OK. Everyone knew what it meant.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"><strong>WIZARDS OF THE COAST</strong> dropped it entirely and returned the game to the moniker <strong>DUNGEONS & DRAGONS</strong> (even though it was essentially a third edition of <strong>AD&D</strong>, right down to default <strong>WORLD OF GREYHAWK</strong> and little tiny details like the sample dungeon in the <strong>DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE</strong>). However, they didn't have the "soft open" of a "basic" game. People opening the 3rd edition books looking for an "in" were confronted with a bunch of confusing stuff, just like <strong>AD&D</strong> before it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'">Fumbling attempts like the <strong>D&D ADVENTURE GAME</strong> were just that - fumbles. They were boardgames that sorta-kinda went there, but not enough, in that (for example) they were gimped in terms of how much latitude players and DMs had to create and expand. It was like a two minute swimming lesson before being told "Now go to the deep end for your <strong>PADI</strong> certification."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'">Frankly, I think what's stopping WotC from revisiting a real honest-to-God <strong>BASIC D&D</strong> is pride. Pride, and a fear that they'll "dilute the market". I don't know that as a company they're even capable of addressing the problem.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'century gothic'"></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="thedungeondelver, post: 5483020, member: 34865"] [font=century gothic] The problem with 21st century [b]D&D[/b] is the same problem 20th century [b]D&D[/b] had after the original set: it's aimed at [b]D&D[/b] players, not people who have some time and an inclination to do something new and fun. [b]AD&D[/b] suffered (somewhat) from being what it was: advanced. Read the [b]DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE[/b] and it is clear that the aim is that you, reader, already have [b]D&D[/b] down pat and this is now a graduate course. [b]TSR[/b] addressed the problem whether by design or merry happenstance with Basic [b]D&D[/b]. That one word - [i]Basic[/i] - is such a soft-cornered, well-considered word (whether it actually was or not) that it assisted many, many people into RPGs whereas they would have been immediately turned off by the textbook layout of [b]AD&D[/b]. But [b]TSR[/b] later abandoned that, left the now superfluous "Advanced" attached to [b]D&D[/b] - but that was OK. Everyone knew what it meant. [b]WIZARDS OF THE COAST[/b] dropped it entirely and returned the game to the moniker [b]DUNGEONS & DRAGONS[/b] (even though it was essentially a third edition of [B]AD&D[/b], right down to default [b]WORLD OF GREYHAWK[/b] and little tiny details like the sample dungeon in the [b]DUNGEON MASTERS GUIDE[/b]). However, they didn't have the "soft open" of a "basic" game. People opening the 3rd edition books looking for an "in" were confronted with a bunch of confusing stuff, just like [b]AD&D[/b] before it. Fumbling attempts like the [b]D&D ADVENTURE GAME[/b] were just that - fumbles. They were boardgames that sorta-kinda went there, but not enough, in that (for example) they were gimped in terms of how much latitude players and DMs had to create and expand. It was like a two minute swimming lesson before being told "Now go to the deep end for your [b]PADI[/b] certification." Frankly, I think what's stopping WotC from revisiting a real honest-to-God [b]BASIC D&D[/b] is pride. Pride, and a fear that they'll "dilute the market". I don't know that as a company they're even capable of addressing the problem. [/font] [/QUOTE]
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