D&D General The Rubber Band Effect

[MrZeddaPiras]

Nostalgia is part of it, at least for some. But older editions of D&D are different enough they might as well be different games (different fantasy rpgs of course, but still). 5E did a remarkable job of putting all play styles under one roof, but it still lacks the openness of old-school D&D, and I guess it is not as satisfying as a miniature board game as 4E.

 

[Hex08]

All of the responses and poor Mezuka isn't around anymore to read the conversation he started.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

I'm a sucker for nostalgia, I'll admit. Old movies, old books, old bands. I just got a cocktail guide from 1986. I love dipping back into the old editions and games I grew up with. But I've never left the current edition for good.

One of the dangers of nostalgia, is to mistake nostalgia for quality. It's one thing to say you prefer the class system of 1e and another to say the class system of 1e is the best, not for any observable reasons other than nostalgia.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Nostalgia is part of it, at least for some. But older editions of D&D are different enough they might as well be different games (different fantasy rpgs of course, but still). 5E did a remarkable job of putting all play styles under one roof, but it still lacks the openness of old-school D&D, and I guess it is not as satisfying as a miniature board game as 4E.

it is no where near as balanced as 4e,
nor is it fun for people who want to play martial character/concepts but not be left out of the complex play or high level powers

 

[Hex08]

it is no where near as balanced as 4e,
nor is it fun for people who want to play martial character/concepts but not be left out of the complex play or high level powers

It seems to me this ends up being where the problem lies. All of the editions of D&D are so different: BCEMI from 1st & 2nd ed from 2nd ed with Skills and Powers from 3.x from 4E and from 5E. Some of the changes between editions are so radical that it becomes easy to say "I liked this more" or "This was better". It's not just nostalgia but also personal preference.