The purpose of D&D's evolution?

[Thornir Alekeg]

I protest this topic. D&D did not evolve, it was created. It could also be the result of Intelligent Design...well, except in the case of 2nd edition...

Seriously the purpose of the evolution was to "improve" the game, make it accessible to wider audience and sell more books. In short - to make money.

 

[Jupp]

To get rid of Dave Arneson.



To get rid of Gary.

The answer of the day!

Now the question is who has to fear for his job at WotC when 4e comes out

 

[Timeboxer]

Seriously the purpose of the evolution was to "improve" the game, make it accessible to wider audience and sell more books. In short - to make money.

I think that's rather cynical, to be honest, and proposes a significantly larger disconnect between the designers and the audience than actually exists. I have no doubt that the people who help build D&D really do care about the game and want it to improve; making money is merely a significant beneficial side effect.

I doubt that most people get into the business for the money, really.

 

[Silverleaf]

I doubt that most people get into the business for the money, really.

Most people don't count, we're talking about one of the few self-sustaining RPG companies that managed to sustain full-time employees.
Hasbro is in it for the money. Before then, WotC was in it for the money. Heck they even sold off a bunch of RPGs in the mid-90's because those lines weren't profitable enough compared to their CCGs.
Gary is a bit of a special case, since it was his "baby". But he still founded a company, and you do that for one purpose: to make money.
There's nothing cynical about all that. That's the way the world works. We all have to make a living somehow...

 

[cmanos]

here's an idea....check out the "Ask EGG" thread.

 

[diaglo]

Dark Age n (1730) 1 : a time during which a civilization undergoes a decline: as a pl, cap D&A: the European historical period from about A.D. 476 to about 1000; broadly: MIDDLE AGES

devolve vb devolved; devolving vt (15c) 3: to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution

devolution n (1545) 2: retrograde evolution

 

[Desdichado]

I think that's rather cynical, to be honest, and proposes a significantly larger disconnect between the designers and the audience than actually exists. I have no doubt that the people who help build D&D really do care about the game and want it to improve; making money is merely a significant beneficial side effect.

I doubt that most people get into the business for the money, really.

What the...? Are you serious? I'm not a particularly cynical person, but of course people get into business to make money. If that's not why they go into business, they very quickly go out of business. And even a cursory glance at the history of D&D will show that of course it was about making money.

By producing and marketing a product that the creators liked quite a bit, no doubt, but still. That post you responded to was not cynical at all.

 

[Faraer]

Each new version is made to suit a slightly different idea of what the game should be, which newly forged and old ideas should be included, who the players are and what they want from the game, how to achieve that game-mechanically, as well as political and business-plan reasons, to move it into line with current trends in game design and visual appeal, and sell more copies.

None of this has anything to do with evolution: invoking evolution here is marketing cant designed to make you think the newest thing is inevitably best. D&D is a creative work, not a machine, and a 2000s RPG is not inevitably better than a 1980s RPG any more than a 2000s film over a 1980s film.

 

[jokamachi]

An idealist looks upon the desire for material wealth as cynicism.
A realist calls it pragmatism.

I don't put much faith in absolutes, but I would say the evolution of this game reflects a variety of motivations.

 

[Quasqueton]

Renaissance n : A rebirth or revival. A revival of intellectual or artistic achievement and vigor.

evolve v : To develop or achieve gradually. To gain through experience.

evolution n : A gradual process in which something changes into a usually more complex and better form.

Quasqueton