The purpose of D&D's evolution?

[Mark]

What was the purpose of OD&D evolving at all beyond the original brown books?

Clean up some rules, sell some more books, continue to tinker with things as all designers and DMs like to do.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

Why did Gygax evolve OD&D into AD&D?

A) because he had a lot of additional rules, changes, and ideas that he and others had devoloped and used over the years, and
B) because by publishing these changes collectively he could make money selling a new product.

Why did Holmes evolve OD&D into BD&D?

Why did Moldvay evolve original BD&D into B/XD&D?

A) because for arcane, corporate, legal nonsense reasons there were two versions simultaneously developing in different directions,
B) they had additional rules, changes, and ideas, and
C) they could make money by publishing these changes collectively as a new product.

Why did TSR evolve AD&D1 into AD&D2?

A) because they had a lot of new stuff as above,
B) they had already published METRIC BUTTLOADS of this stuff and the game was choking on it all in many opinions,
C) They could make money.

Of course then came D) they produced double the metric buttloads of stuff to add on although this time a lot of it was smelling like a buttload.

What was the purpose of OD&D evolving at all beyond the original brown books?

Because the basic design of the game, the purpose of it was as a facilitation of the exercise of the imagination. That means players at the time were actively encouraged to make stuff up for the game just as the designers of the game did themselves. It is only sensible then that it should evolve both publicly and privately, officially and unofficially on a regular basis.

 

[Nightfall]

Come on...Only Fruth and Thornir are brave enough to try?!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Frut,

Does that mean he's undead now?

Sure why not, just give the chicken the corpse and road-kill templates.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

To get from the left to the right. He stepped out of rank, got hit by a tank and he aint no chicken no more.

I actually got this line from the movie Stripes. I so badly want to get the DVD Extended Cut version. I absolutely love military comedies.

 

[Nightfall]

*admits it, Stripes is one of the few Bill Murray movies he's not seen*

Road kill and corspe eh? What about deep fried and/or skillet?