What's really at stake in the Edition Wars

[On Puget Sound]

I think there was one thing very much at stake for the passionate defenders of 3.5e, at least in their minds: continued third party support. Also, to the extent that Pathfinder can be considered 3.6e, the survival of Pathfinder.

I think there was a fear, maybe even an assumption, that no one would ever again publish anything for 3rd edition D&D, because the game no longer existed on the market. Some of the players who wanted to stay with it felt they needed to be loud enough to persuade/ reassure publishers that there was a market. Whether they were correct in that perception, and whether the tone or tactics used contributed to their success, I can't say, but a fervent fan base has saved other dead properties or extended their life... see Star Trek and Firefly. I think some of the urgency of that side of the argument was driven by fear of being shut out or marginalized.

I don't think there was a similar fear on the other side; 4E was never in danger of being New Coke or Highlander 2, rolled out to universal disdain and quickly buried with an apology. I think rather that the type of criticism leveled at 4E was easy to hear as criticism of 4E players.

We are a species of social ape that has evolved from flinging feces at each other over rights to a water hole, to civilized beings who trample each other at soccer matches and fight wars over different interpretations of a book. Ford trucks have decals of Calvin urinating on Chevy emblems. No surprise that we take criticism of our games as criticism of we who play them, and strike back in kind.

 

[Ourph]

Self respect is what's at stake in the edition wars. Pretending to be a frolicking elf is an inherently embarassing activity. It's only by proving with incontrovertible logic that your way of pretending to be a frolicking elf is superior to another person's way of pretending to be a frolicking elf that you can salvage some amount of personal dignity and thus "win" at life (for certain definitions of the word "win").

 

[Vegepygmy]

...for you, what's really at stake?

First, I think, you have to understand why people have any interest in which edition other people choose to play. For me, it's because I need other people who play the same edition as me, or else I can't play (or have to play a non-preferred edition). Others may also be concerned about whether the edition is "supported" by publishers (though that has never been a concern of mine). There may be other reasons as well, but I think those are the main two.

So given that it does matter to me what edition other people choose to play, why would I participate in online arguments about which edition is better (i.e., the Edition Wars)? Quite simply, because I believe that such arguments can influence the outcome. While my voice alone has effectively no impact, the cumulative effect of many voices is not insignificant.

I believe that if there had not been such an obvious split of the D&D base, many players would have assumed that the new edition was an irresistable force and either (1) made the switch or (2) simply given up the hobby. By adding my voice to the chorus, I did what little I could do to let those players know that they were not alone, and that there was a reason to resist making the change.

FWIW, I saw this play out in my own local pool of players. After 4E was announced and we began to learn what it would be like, there were two "leaders" in my community of gamers: myself (championing 3E) and one of my good friends (who was excited about 4E). The dozen or so D&D players we associated with were undecided, and waiting to see which way the rest of the herd would go. My friend and I argued over the merits of the two editions, to the point that it actually strained our friendship. In the end, all but a few of the "undecideds" rejected 4E and stayed with 3E. Even my friend who was pushing for 4E ultimately decided to stick with the group (and 3E). I am convinced that if I had just (1) accepted 4E or (2) given up D&D, the "undecideds" would have followed my misguided
[*] friend over to 4E.

That's why I fought in the Edition Wars (though like most veterans, I wish I could have avoided the battle).

[*] EDIT: "misguided" was intended to be tongue-in-cheek, and not a serious attack on 4E admirers. I apologize for causing anyone to take offense.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So...

...for you, what's really at stake?

For me?

At its simplest, I'd like to be able to walk into a store and find new & exciting material for the game that brought me into the hobby in a version that I (and others) enjoy playing from either side of the screen... To be a part of a vibrant game that is growing and changing, as opposed to sitting on a shelf gathering dust. To be able to find a table to sit at with others and play this living game.

The current edition was designed by a combination of those who listened to those who didn't share my view of D&D and who didn't share my view of the game themselves. It became almost unrecognizable to me: even though its design is well thought out, it lacks things I liked about previous editions.

So in that regard, lots of what I post is letting others know what my opinions are in the hopes that some of those who read them will share them...and be in a position to effect a change in the future editions. We all know that there are designers on these (and other) boards- we're hoping that they hear us...and that we're numerous (and rational and cogent and so forth) enough to warrant serious attention.

And to be perfectly clear, even though the 3.X iteration of D&D is my favorite to date, its entirely possible that a very different design could capture my heart. Its just that 4Ed ain't it.

All the other stuff in the Edition Wars? The snippy rhetoric, the examples, counterexamples, etc.- that's mainly saber-rattling.

 

[FireLance]

I am convinced that if I had just (1) accepted 4E or (2) given up D&D, the "undecideds" would have followed my misguided friend over to 4E.

IMO, posts like this are what keep the edition war dragging. Was it necessary to use the word "misguided"? Would it have made much of a difference to your point if you had left it out? As it is, you seem to be implying that people who like 4E are "misguided".

 

[billd91]

As an edition warrior, what am I thinking? That I've long ago been left behind by the "official" game, so I might as well do my own thing anyway. That the industry doesn't care about me as a player or consumer, evidenced by ongoing refusal to support editions earlier than the current one at any given time.

I believe this is a stronger argument now than at any other previous point in time. If the only means of supporting a previous edition is by actually printing new materials, the costs become fairly prohibitive as the market naturally shrinks. But the expansion of electronic media like pdf options, internet distribution, and print on demand have significantly reduced the costs of providing some form of old edition support.
Lack of previous edition support becomes less a question of economic impossibility and more a question of planned obsolescence and business strategy.

 

[Mistwell]

I am convinced that if I had just (1) accepted 4E or (2) given up D&D, the "undecideds" would have followed my misguided friend over to 4E.

This sentence defeats the entire purpose of everything else you wrote.

You seem to think reasonable minds cannot differ on their preference for editions, and your friends could not have had the same amount of fun playing a different edition.

There is no "right" or "wrong" edition of D&D, and your friend was not "misguided" for wanting to play a different edition of D&D than the one you prefer. It's just a matter of personal preferences.

I hope you did not strain your friendships in your arguments over editions with them. Friendships are more important than what edition of D&D you play.

 

[darkseraphim]

Personally, my interest in the edition wars dimmed considerably when 4E was released.

Prior to that event, a lot of the 3E/3.5E advocates were very proud of their game and the destruction of the old. Not here so much, but at other sites which I am far too much a gentleman to mention by name, such as rpg.net.

Once 4E came out, many more people understood what it felt like to have your favorite game abandoned by the publisher, and mellowed out quite a bit.

 

[Jack99]

@OP

Well now you have 99% of all edition warriors together in the same thread, to it should just be a matter of time before someone fires the first shot and things go south.

IMO there are two types of edition warriors. Strikers and defenders. Strikers spend their time surfing threads, looking to attack whichever edition they do not like. Defenders do the opposite - defend when their edition of choice is attacked.

As to why, only God knows I think, and I do not believe in God.

If I am an edition warrior, I am definitely a defender. Why? Mostly because I get tired of people spreading what I perceive as lies or misguided opinions about 4e.

ENworld being the premier Internet forum for D&D, I think it's a shame if people do not get the right idea because some people are allowed to not stand corrected.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I hope you did not strain your friendships in your arguments over editions with them. Friendships are more important than what edition of D&D you play.

I agree, civility and common sense are also not worth giving up.