What is THE NEXT BIG THING?

[delericho]

Something I'm quite curious about is why people seem to think that a "Basic" D&D will draw new gamers in. D&D shouldn't IMO, be the gateway game to itself.

Agreed. The current Basic set represents wasted money. Like the game? Right, you need to buy the core rules, and discard what you've got. Don't like the game? You've wasted your money.

The difference with the old "Red Box" was that it was the game, which you then expanded with the Expert Set, but never actually discarded. (Well, except that there was that whole "Advanced" game out there... but that was very clearly a whole different game, so buying new rulebooks was to be expected.)

To me, the gateway game to D&D is DDM. Think about it for a second. Someone coming to D&D from DDM has most of the combat rules absolutely nailed. They don't need AOO's explained to them, they know exactly how they work. They don't need the majority of the mechanics explained.

Agreed... for the mechanics. But there's still a couple of paradigm shifts to grapple with:

1) Each player only has one mini. Not a big shift, to be fair.
2) The players work co-operatively to achieve their goal. Even the DM isn't really 'the enemy', but more a facilitator of fun. This is unusual in board games as a rule, and most video games remain competitive. That said, the notion of 'teams' is hardly difficult to grasp.
3) The idea of 'role-playing', where the character is not just a collection of stats.

Still, if there is a gateway product, that's where it would lie. What would probably be a good idea would be for Wizards to publish some sort of 'role-playing' supplement for DDM that adds the various concepts to that game, probably tied in to the Fantastic Locations, with a view to making the shift. Ideally, this should be a very small leaflet, and should be enclosed in every booster (probably not the starter set, because you get them into DDM then convert them... don't try to do everything all at once).

Honestly, a D&D CCG would be a fantastic idea. I have no idea how to make it work, but, something that gives the basic mechanics to the early teens crowd and then ties in with products that their older brother's are playing.

If they could tie it in to some of the mechanics that DDM glosses over (and here I must confess my ignorance of the intricacies of DDM... does it cover Vancian magic? Either that or character advancement would be my picks) then it would serve as a complementary 'gateway' to the RPG. (Might compete with MtG though...)

On the other hand, does Wizards really care about providing a gateway to D&D? Or are they just producing the RPG to keep the brand vibrant, while they license it for minis, CCGs, movies, novels, video games, and so forth?

 

[Mark Plemmons]

"The D Word," a spin-off of Showtime's hit series "The L Word," featuring a cast of hot lesbians playing D&D and the trials and tribulations of their hot, sapphic, gaming group.

I think Fantasy Bedtime Hour is this is all there is so far...

(Two girls in bed, ill-equipped to handle fantasy novel concepts, discuss Steven R Donaldson's Lord Foul's Bane.)

 

[Desdichado]

Minis that can do more than fight like advanced chess pieces?

Nope. Minis that can fight even more like advanced chess pieces. I have it on good authority that WotC is marketing a game with holographic monster minis that fight on a round checkered board as we speak. R2-D2 and Chewbacca were part of the playtest group.

 

[JVisgaitis]

In any sense?

If you create the game mathematically and take a lot out of it that makes it what it is today, yeah you could probably balance it out. The more divergent you are with classes, races, and such the less likely you are to get a balanced game. I'd say that D&D could never be totally balanced. You can playtest the hell out of it, but there's always going to be the one feat or one PrC that isn't quite right.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hey all!

Interesting topic.

I echo those people who are asking for simplicity and for the integration of CCG's.

It amazes me how popular the likes of poker has become over the past few years. Its quick, simple and fun.

I remember playing a game called Space Crusade which was immense fun (I know there was a similar 'HeroQuest' boardgame which is probably more apropos but I had less play time with that). It would also be very easy to teach someone how to play the game.

http://members.aol.com/wergames/crusade.htm

If D&D was able to combine a board game, minatures and cards I think it would be more approachable/visceral and open other avenues of revenue.

The cards aspect would help simplify the game.

Instead of 'levelling up' being an abstract thing, it could be the ability to draw another card from the deck if you survive the adventure.

Some cards might be usable all the time (like feats or cantrips), while others could be one-shot per adventure/board (like spells).

Limiting magic items allowable would also help simplify things.

Having better defined roles for the classes would also be a benefit for non-gamers.

 

[brehobit]

I think Fantasy Bedtime Hour is this is all there is so far...

(Two girls in bed, ill-equipped to handle fantasy novel concepts, discuss Steven R Donaldson's Lord Foul's Bane.)

OK. That scares me.

Mark

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

The next big thing in 4th edition...

ME!

It's me.

I'm the next big thing.

No it's not. I'm the next big thing. All the others are shallow imposters.

No, I'm Sparticus!

*still thinks he, nightfall, is the next big thing*

Nightfall is the one true Next Big Thing. All others are pale imitations of the real thing.

 

[Nightfall]

Brent,

Indeed! I was here before all you others even thought of showing up!

Man IFH,

Yep that's the song I was thinking of. Good ole AC DC.

 

[Shadowslayer]

Man IFH,

Yep that's the song I was thinking of. Good ole AC DC.

Heh...sorry to burst your bubble, but Man in the Funny Hat's quote is as far from AC DC as you can get. That tune was some do-woppy group from the 50s. I forget the name of the tune, but its melody bore a suspicious resemblance to "Lets Go to the Hop" (It was Gerry Lewis and the Playboys, or some similar group.)

Pretty sure you're thinking of:

We're just talkin' about the future
Forget about the past
It'll always be with us
It's never gonna die, never gonna die
Rock 'n' roll ain't noise pollution
Rock 'n' roll ain't gonna die
Rock 'n' roll ain't no pollution
Rock 'n' rollin will survive

That's AC DC.

Sorry, not trying to be a know it all. Just a huge lifetime AC DC fan...couldn't let it slide.

BTW, AC DC will be the next big thing.

 

[Nightfall]

Shadow Slayer,

Doh! Thanks for correcting me. And while I might accept AC DC being the next big thing, I got here first.