The "real" reason the game has changed.

[JeffB]

Very thoughtful post.

And also, very funny how quickly people use your post to crap all over stuff.

Which misses the point a lot.

Not sure if this was directed at my post or not, however I'll be first to admit my thoughts even apply to 4E which I LOVE as a system (and own tons of stuff for), but find too much hassle for my schedule. My post was more about complicated systems, rather than complicated editions.

 

[DragonLancer]

Sorry, respectfully, I don't buy the "I have a life" angle. If someone out there wants to play D&D (or game system of choice) or wants to prep said game they will find the time. I have yet to meet a gamer who didn't compromise in order to arrange their game and their prep (and that includes one player who has a partner and 3 young kids!).

 

[shadzar]

I think the reaon the game has changed recently is based on spending habits and disposable income. That is all. Sure you got older, but if you played older editions you werent really needing to buy to much new stuff after a while. Since the market got satureated with the products of one edition, the edition change was to gain a new market either of the old players that were still willing to spend dispoable income, or with newer players who hadn't bought in yet and had disposable income.

The fact you got older and have les disposable income, however, really makes no sense, as those with kids now are the ones where those kids disposable income is coming from.

There just isnt interest in bridging the ages of players and editions run like fads. When one fades, and new one is needed to pick up the slack.

It really all boils down to the same thing in the end...follow the money.

 

[engrishonly]

Just because I don't play D&D anymore doesn't mean I "gave up". I still love RPGs.

I also don't hate D&D.

If I choose another game system, I didn't "outgrow" D&D or change so dramatically that I can't appreciate how awesome D&D is.

D&D is great. It's also big & popular. So what?

If someone chooses to start drinking Pepsi instead of Coke, do you start psychoanalyzing him or her for turning their back on Coca Cola?

 

[Herschel]

If someone out there wants to play D&D (or game system of choice) or wants to prep said game they will find the time. I have yet to meet a gamer who didn't compromise in order to arrange their game and their prep (and that includes one player who has a partner and 3 young kids!).

I think you missed what I was saying. This was part OF my point.

 

[The Human Target]

Not sure if this was directed at my post or not, however I'll be first to admit my thoughts even apply to 4E which I LOVE as a system (and own tons of stuff for), but find too much hassle for my schedule. My post was more about complicated systems, rather than complicated editions.

Nope not at all.

 

[DragonLancer]

I think you missed what I was saying. This was part OF my point.

Ah, my bad.

I that case I agree with you.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If you enjoy 3E, you either find more time and/or find more shortcuts.

People who prefer 3.X do single a variety of reasons, many of which boil down to "I like the way 3X handles ________."

I respect 4Ed, it's a decent FRPG, but for many reasons, it isn't and will never be D&D to me. It feels too different from my 1Ed-3.X Ed games.

And it has nothing to do with time or shortcuts.

And while I'm no mindreader, I think the others in my main game group- most of whom are married w/rugrats- feel likewise.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Yeah, no.

The "real" reason is the simplest, man. there's no advanced theory or reason or marketing here.

The "real" reason the game has changed - why any game changes - is because people want to improve on things.

I mean hell, you lump 1e and 2e together, but those were different games.

Sorry, but your "reason" doesn't match my experience. 4e happened because they felt 3e could be improved which happened because they felt 2e could be improved on which happened because they felt 1e could be improved on and etc, etc.

Edit: You lump 2e and 1e together, which tells me "2e fan," because I gurantee I can find people who think 2e was a huge amount of unnecissary set of complications to what used to be the perfect game. Hell, I could find you people who feel the whole thing started going downhill once the "thief" class was added.

 

[rounser]

The "real" reason the game has changed - why any game changes - is because people want to improve on things.

Mearls said it was to stop RPGs going the way of tabletop wargaming. This suggests an attempt to make D&D more relevant to a different audience. This goal can be opposed to improving things for it's current audience.

And what is an improvement is extremely subjective. The OP wants fast play, whereas you seem to want toned down magic. I don't want toned down magic, it doesn't suit my imagination of swords and sorcery fantasy worlds. And you may prioritize the tactical contents of a single encounter where I prioritize speed of resolution (like the OP does) and epic sweep of a campaign arc or exploring enough of a sandbox wilderness in the limited time available. So no, it's not that simple - for all you know a sub goal is to sell miniatures, which might also be opposed to the goal of improving the game as a version of D&D (rather than as a fantasy miniatures skirmish wargame).