In the run-up to the 4e release I got the sense that Mike Mearls was the Head Honcho. But then I get my 4e books, and his name is only on the Monster Manual! Was I wrong in my impression that Mearls was the guy in charge? Or does "the author" mean something different in terms of RPG design?
Who wrote 4e?
- Thread starter BigCat
- Start date
Mearls is/was a senior developer. He isn't a designer.
Not that I know anything about RPG design, but but my impression is that the designers handle the big picture: what is the game about, what themes do we want to address, how does this inform the gameplay experience, etc. If they do write stuff that appears in the books, that would be general background material (who the gods are, what ancient empires used to exist) or how-to stuff (what is an RPG, how to run a game), as opposed to rules and power descriptions. Game developers, like Mearls, are the ones who do the mechanical side of things.
Not that I know anything about RPG design, but but my impression is that the designers handle the big picture: what is the game about, what themes do we want to address, how does this inform the gameplay experience, etc. If they do write stuff that appears in the books, that would be general background material (who the gods are, what ancient empires used to exist) or how-to stuff (what is an RPG, how to run a game), as opposed to rules and power descriptions. Game developers, like Mearls, are the ones who do the mechanical side of things.
CharlesRyan
Adventurer
hong said:
Close, but not quite. Designers write the content, including both mechanics and fluff. Developers work with the mechanics to hone them and make sure they work with all the mechanics done by the other designers (which are often designed at the same time or so recently that not everyone is aware of all of them).
It appears that in 4E, the design team was split into a mechanical side and a story side.
So in answer to the OP's question:
Rob Heinsoo was the lead designer, in charge of the mechanics. A lot of people (probably everyone on the R&D design team) also did design.
James Wyatt was the story lead. Again, he had a lot of help.
Andy Collins is WotC R&D's development manager. He's listed first among the developers in the credits. If follows that he was therefore the lead developer, but I don't know that for a fact.
In the credits, all three of them are listed as the "4E design team," so you could basically say they're the guys that wrote the game. But, again, they had a whole lotta help.
Finally, Mike is credited as a developer, and also as part of the "4E Final Development Strike Team." So it sounds like he had a really instrumental role in making sure the game came together mechanically.
JVisgaitis
Explorer
CharlesRyan said:
I'm really glad the rules aren't as confusing as how people get credited. Sheesh!
GeorgeFields
Explorer
wedgeski said:
Mearls has been my whipping boy for years.
Wow, that's pretty interesting, so how did Mike Mearls end up as "the guy" with 4e?
I mean I'm pretty sure if you ask your average D&D player-guy (who keeps up with updates and news somewhat but isn't hardcore-obsessive) to say who designed 4e, 9 times out of 10 they'll say Mike Mearls. Was this done on purpose or did it just turn up stemming from all the talk about Iron Heroes and Tome of Battle?
I mean I'm pretty sure if you ask your average D&D player-guy (who keeps up with updates and news somewhat but isn't hardcore-obsessive) to say who designed 4e, 9 times out of 10 they'll say Mike Mearls. Was this done on purpose or did it just turn up stemming from all the talk about Iron Heroes and Tome of Battle?
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