Who are these guys: Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, James Wyatt

[messy]

0% concerned.

In fact he is the reason I am really looking forward to 4e and the DnDInsider.

based on what he did with the epic level handbook and draconomicon, i completely agree

messy

 

[(contact)]

If I'm going to grab Paizo's 3.5 adventure path thingy and try to plop it into my brand spankin' new 4E game, it'll be much easier if I can just replace the 3.5 NPCs with same-level 4.0 NPCs. If I have to go, "Hmm, ok, 3rd level 3.5 character is about a 5th level 4.0 character" every time I find an NPC -- blah, forget it! *wishes the cranky bearded smiley from CM was here*

Right. For that instance, you would want to go with a level for level conversion, because in an Adventure Path, the NPCs would need to balance against the PC party, so 1st level party meets 4th level NPC would still translate as 1st level party meets 4th level PC.

 

[EricNoah]

Yep, that' the idea. Add that to "solid, flexible character generator" and WotC's got themselves a potential convert.

 

[Dinkeldog]

I was able to do just about all the translations I needed from 2E to 3E, so I was okay (although the dramatic loss of ability for multi-classed characters was a pain).

I'd have to think it would have to allow tweaking the output--Rule 0 is such an important component of the game.

I'm already looking forward (yes, I'm sick that way) to translating my old Arabian Adventures stuff.

 

[Odhanan]

Right. For that instance, you would want to go with a level for level conversion, because in an Adventure Path, the NPCs would need to balance against the PC party, so 1st level party meets 4th level NPC would still translate as 1st level party meets 4th level PC.

Well, that's not really an issue for me. I intend to use Pathfinder with 4E if I like 4E. I don't intend to translate stuff from 1st to 20th level when the PCs' group will be level 1. What I'm gonna do is run an adventure, and see the difference in leveling between 3.5 and 4E. Then I'll adapt the NPCs and Creatures as they relate to the present level of the PCs. Taken bit by bit, I hope I'll get to know 4E's paradigm from within. It should become instinctive after a little while.

 

[Jhaelen]

At GenCon, I was feeling pretty positive about the online elements, but am finding that hope eroding as I learn details about the execution. That said, the character generator should turn out well-- according to Bill Slavacek the digital component is now in-house rather than out-sourced and will continue to be supported past the launch. When new products (including Dungeon and Dragon articles, modules and sourcebooks) come out, they will be available in the character generator database simultaneously to the book release.

In theory, at least, it's a perfect solution.

This is due, in part to the fact that they are already building the game in a database, so there won't be any separate data-entry process.

I'm pretty sure that this approach will have a significant effect on the new ruleset:
They'll have to make extra sure that everything they develop can be easily implemented using their D&D Insider toolset!

That's been one major problem with every previous edition:
Since the rules were never meant to be implemented in a computer program they were fiendishly difficult to implement.

I'm as of yet undecided if this is a good thing or not: It could mean, that in their effort to keep things easy to port to some online tool they'll oversimplify things. Bye, bye complexity.

 

[Charwoman Gene]

Yep, that' the idea. Add that to "solid, flexible character generator" and WotC's got themselves a potential convert.

DON'T BECOME A 4SKIN!!!!!!!!!!

 

[(contact)]

Yep, that' the idea. Add that to "solid, flexible character generator" and WotC's got themselves a potential convert.

I . . . I . . .










I don't think you're going to convert.

 

[TerraDave]

DON'T BECOME A 4SKIN!!!!!!!!!!

I don't if I should laugh, or tell a mod.

 

[Greylock]

My current DM goes into a frothing rage whenever Andy Collins' name comes up, but it has something to do with Gamma World and Alternity. I can't quite keep it straight, because the words start spilling out so fast, and even over the telephone I can make out things crashing as his chihuahua's race to get away from his wrath.