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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cadfan" data-source="post: 4517952" data-attributes="member: 40961">I agree with most of what you said, but not this bit I've quoted.  I think RPGs do have diminishing consumer value, almost exactly like books and video games.  It diminishes at a lesser rate, but it still diminishes.I think this is a big part of what drives new editions (1), and also what drives grognards away from new editions (2).(1) tastes change, and a product is less valuable to gamers who are more in tune with modern trends.(2) after doing the same sorts of things so many times, older gamers become unable to realize the same sense of wonder and enthusiasm they had when the game (and gaming) was new to them, causing bitterness and a tendency to blame younger gamers and new editions rather than a recognization that the change was internal.I know my tastes have changed since I started gaming.  I've watched the tastes of others change.  Fortunately for me, my two highest priorities are respectively well served by 4e and system independant.  High priority number one is that there be an underlying game to the RPG.  Too many RPGs just give you rules for simulating things, and assume that you'll just have fun now, because if you're simulating something cool, obviously you're having fun.  This isn't so.  For me, a game requires interesting decisions, so whatever the game focuses upon must include interesting decision making.  3e focused on combat, amongst other things of course, but definitely it focused on combat.  And for all too many classes, there were too few interesting decisions to be made.  4e expanded upon this, and fully integrated a grid, increasing the amount of interesting decisions available.  This wasn't the only solution (Paranoia has a different solution, Feng Shui has a different solution, other games don't really focus on combat in the first place, etc), but it was a good solution.  Games that haven't got a good solution to this problem often end up as glorified sessions of dice gambling.High priority number two is that I can DM in such a way that my players have fun.  This is system independent.  I get my biggest kick out of knowing that I ran a successful evening.  I find that the best ways to get that rise out of your players are system independent, because they rely on player accomplishment rather than character accomplishment.  This is mostly system independent because it usually involves solving mysteries or coming up with successful plans, although 4e's strong tabletop element allows for player accomplishment of the tactical variety.</blockquote>

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