What is 4E about?

[BryonD]

First, I'd agree with the primary observations that each edition is about having fun, and they represent what was viewed as most fun at that time. but I also think you can get into focuses for each edition. And I believe that every edition built on the presumption of what had been achieved before it.

1E was still in the "this is a new thing" mindset. The very idea of *being* a character in a fantasy story was the focus.

The initial core of 2E really did not move from there. But I agree with prior statements that over its life it became about settings. 2E presumed that *being* a character was now taken for granted and creating rich cultures and geographies for those characters to exist within was the focus. Clearly Greyhawk, and other settings, were already around, but the level of emphasis on both setting in general and diversity of settings was the frontier of 2E.

When 3E came around, settings were old hat. 3E took setting diversity for granted and dove in to making person, place, and thing be as mechanical distinct as possible. Again, 2E certainly went into this with kits and even total new classes for different settings. But for 3E it was the development frontier.

4E took the presumption of everything is detailed and assumed that groups would do with that as they wish. The design frontier was streamlining. I also think there is a bit of a disconnect in the process here because 4E is also the first edition ever to be developed with the presumption of digital tools and day to day electronic contact between publisher and players built in to the planning and marketing.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

1e for me was all about imagination and breaking frontiers and defining my boundaries of fantasy.

2e was all about stories, rules that needed to be houseruled and some whacky memorable moments of DM fiat.

3e was about making the mechanics define the world, sometimes really well, other times not but overall some amazing and memorable campaigns to be had.

As 4e is still kind of new; defining it is a little more difficult and personal.

4e for me is about trying to make things playable, sometimes to the detriment of what makes sense, or in a way that feels forced, bowing to the gods of simplicity, balance or playability accordingly. The digital tools are amazing, but no edition has felt more disconnected to my imagination and what I want out of the game; so many moments of "great idea but why didn't they do it like this". There's some wonderful mechanics in there but the delivery and constricted gamespace seem to get in the way of letting these ideas and mechanics breathe. 4e has split our group dead down the middle in terms of opinion.

And this I suppose is what 4e in the end will be known as: the edition that polarized D&D.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[CarlZog]

1E was about the adventures
2E was about the settings
3E was about the rules
4E is about (enabling) the DM.

That's my take. What do you think?

Cheers!

An interesting take on the first three, which I'd mostly tend to agree with.

I'm too new to 4e to take a stand on it, but I'm inclined to say that it may just be too early for anybody to define its legacy yet.

 

[FireLance]

1E was about the magic-users.
2E was still about the magic-users.
3E was about the clerics and druids.
4E is about the fighters.

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

And this I suppose is what 4e in the end will be known as: the edition that polarized D&D.

Same as all the other editions before it, from 1e to 3e . The difference is that the Internet amplifies the most vocal critics, and it's nigh impossible to make an accurate assessment of any polarization based on facts. People like to complain. I'm German, I know what I'm talking about .

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Since my knowledge is limited to 3E and 4E, I won't try to classify the earlier ones and focus only on 4E.

I think 4E is about the following things
- Supporting the DM, making his life easier.
- Teamplay and Tactics
- Balance between characters
- Focus on Gameplay (Playability or Usability)
- Electronic Support

I think the first and the last will remain relevant as "game focus" for D&D. A new edition that's harder to DM or that has less electronic support will struggle to find acceptance. While 4E rules specifically might help both aspects, I think a lot of it is just the "will" to do so.
Page 42 might be found important by many players and DMs, but I think the real work in making it DM friendly was done in actually giving suggestions to the DM how to handle his group and the game. What to look out for. It gives a DM a feeling of confidence that he's on the right track and that he can deal with the challenges of DMing.

One might argue that the 4E design is particularly friendly for electronic support thanks to its streamlined power system, feats and skill system, and I don't necessarily disagree. But I think similar support has always been possible for 3E, it was just never implemented as well. (And there is a lot of support for it anyway.) Of course, aspects like "digital only" dungeon/dragon might not be seen as crucial, but the option of digital versions will certainly remain relevant.

The other 3 will remain relevant in some form or another, but they have been in most RPGs. There are probably many ways to implement them via rules, 4E is just one take on that.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Same as all the other editions before it, from 1e to 3e . The difference is that the Internet amplifies the most vocal critics, and it's nigh impossible to make an accurate assessment of any polarization based on facts. People like to complain. I'm German, I know what I'm talking about .

I agree that the interwebs can bring out the worst and best in people, and certainly each new edition has been scrutinized mercilessly regardless of the internet. However, there are so many examples of polarization from third party support (and if you will the very existence of Pathfinder regardless of its future success or otherwise) to the anecdotal experiences of so many and in particular for me, my gaming group (three including myself like it - I will keep my DDI subscription for 4e lifespan - but three think it is a complete regression and disappointment). The whole edition wars thing is testament to this polarization, regardless of how much technology may have amplified this or not. It's still early days (a quarter to a fifth of its likely lifespan) but my prediction is that it has and will polarize players like no other edition that has gone before it and possibly even after it. See you in another thirty years over some of your nice German beer (I am an Aussie after all) and we'll reminisce.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[Betote]

My take:

1e is about the dungeon map
2e is about the setting book
3e is about the character sheet
4e is about the battlemat

 

[Peraion Graufalke]

However, there are so many examples of polarization from third party support (and if you will the very existence of Pathfinder regardless of its future success or otherwise) to the anecdotal experiences of so many and in particular for me, my gaming group

The thing is, Pathfinder would've been impossible without the OGL which came into being in 2001 (?); licensed third-party support basically started with 3e. Before that, people who were dissatisfied with a new edition of D&D either kept playing the old (usually with lots of houserules) or switched to another RPG entirely, something which happened a lot among my gaming buddies when 3e came out (out of more than two dozen gamers I'd known personally, only three or four even tried 3e). And from what I've read, PF is basically an "officially houseruled and supported" 3.x, so to speak.

Looking back at the heated reactions back in 2000/2001 - and I was among the "2e grognards" back then - IMO you'd have to assign the label of polarization to 3e, too.

Regarding the beer, I'll settle for a milkshake or a cup of hot chocolate instead .

 

[Stoat]

1E = The Adventure
2E = The Settings
3E = The Character
4E = The Encounter

IMO, 4E is most distinguished by a desire to make every encounter noteworthy, challenging, exciting, what have you. Powers are organized around the encounter. Hit points are gained and lost primarily on a per encounter basis. Adventures are written using the Delve format -- which emphasize the encounter above all else.

4E is all about the Encounter