D&D 4E Unnecessary monster appearance changes in 4e

[Wormwood]

Also, I'm certain a lot of people is going to rush to buy the new dragon mini simply because it looks different.

So what if they do?

 

[DragonBelow]

I'm a little confused. Why shouldn't WotC try to sell accessories?

How about, because they're waving the "we're just trying to make game better flag", which they seem to be doing in many areas, plus their upcoming subscription services, which also look useful.

This makes appearance changes look like cheap up sell attempts because they serve no functional purpose

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

4e has artists who want to put their own stamp on the game. They will want to make the creatures look the way they are interested in having them look, not just rehashing somebody else's art. The result is a new look to the monsters. How is that a problem? Your old minis won't become unusable and they won't become worthless if you are a collector - in fact they will likely increase in value as the older versions go away forever to be replaced by something else.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

How about, because they're waving the "we're just trying to make game better flag", which they seem to be doing in many areas, plus their upcoming subscription services, which also look useful.

This makes appearance changes look like cheap up sell attempts because they serve no functional purpose

But I don't think they are waving the "Make the game better flag" when it comes to mini design, are they? Has anyone implied that your old minis were broken and that the new minis will streamline play? Mini design is pure aesthetics. The improvements of 4e they are waving around are about the rules, but they will change the look while they are at it, and why shouldn't they?

 

[Gargoyle]

If you want to buy all new mini's because a monster looks different then you can...if you don't want to, you don't have to.

If you want to buy them and can't afford to, well, that's capitalism.

 

[The_Gneech]

I think you may be overestimating the importance of the minis line in terms of the art direction. I would guess, based on what I know, that the thought process was more like:

1) New edition needs new art to make it distinctive.

2) New art should have a new look, which means (among other things) new monster appearances.

3) New monster appearances should get new minis to reflect the new look!

And seriously, is there anyone out there who thinks you can't use a previous incarnation of a dragon at the table (or a cardboard counter of a dragon, or no miniature at all) because it doesn't look like the one in the new book? That's silly.

-The Gneech

 

[Baby Samurai]

I could give a rat's ass; I use anything to represent placement/movement/position etc:

-Plastic Crack (actual D&D Minis)
-Old school lead/pewter miniatures
-Tokens
-Counters
-Dice
-Fruit
-Toe-Jam
-Butt Lint

…Anything.

 

[Morrus]

How about, because they're waving the "we're just trying to make game better flag", which they seem to be doing in many areas, plus their upcoming subscription services, which also look useful.

This makes appearance changes look like cheap up sell attempts because they serve no functional purpose

Sure. If the appearance issues aren't important to you, don't buy them. What's the problem?

Minis are about people having pretty stuff on their game table; they're about appearance and nothing else. Otherwise, use chess pieces or dice.

For those who WANT new, pretty minis, they're there for the buying. For those whol like their old, pretty minis, they can use those.

Not everything someone sells you has to have a functional purpose. And you don't have to buy everything someone offers to sell you. But offering to sell you something isn't morally or ethically wrong just because you personally don't want that thing - otherwise you should be getting pretty incensed at 90% of the shops you walk past - they sell handbags, and foodstuffs you don't care for, and art you don't like, and music you don't want to listen to.

 

[RangerWickett]

I just hope their new dragon minis don't end up squatting in order to fit onto their bases. And someone tell the blue dragon that pachyrhinosaurus called; he wants his horn back.

 

[Glyfair]

It's a really pathetic attempt to make people buy the upcoming reboot of the minis line.

Do people really say "oh, that figure looks slightly different, I have to get the new version"? I suppose there might be, because I know the opposite exists. I've heard a number of people claim they weren't going to buy more miniatures because of some minor visual change in monster design (the troll, the beholder, the green dragon).

I just don't see that point of view at all.