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Why (and how) 5E can succeed
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<blockquote data-quote="TerraDave" data-source="post: 6239726" data-attributes="member: 22260"><p>In terms of 5E: yes, they seem to be doing what you suggest, and have been for several months now: establishing a clean, relatively simple core that is built on classic D&D but can accommodate a wider range of play styles. </p><p></p><p>Now, in terms of 4E: I completely reject this 4E module hypothesis. They did that (Bo9S) and that would have missed the best part of 4E: cleaning up the core rules and making it easier to DM. </p><p></p><p>Setting that aside, we can speculate on why WotC took the course they did for 4E:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3.5 boxed them in, they felt they could not just turn around and do a 3.75; <br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">WoW and other evidence of mainstream love for action-fantasy (LotR, Harry Potter) led them to believe that there was this huge audience out there, if they just adapted the game to it;<br /> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">As long time D&Ders, the design team clearly had their peeves with 3E, and personally wanted to try a more substantial revision (a lot of what was done in 4E does follow a logic established in 3E).</li> </ul><p></p><p></p><p>Whatever the reasons for the approach to 4E, we do know that:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The marketing--hey, remember that game we were just selling you, it sucks!--clearly alienated a large part of the fan base;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The execution--no edition has spawned the errata mountain that 4E did--left something to be desired;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They cancelled print dragon and dungeon;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They replaced the OGL with something that was not good;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They had a 3D virtual tabletop that did not work;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They had Gleemax, a social networking tool that did not work;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They took an "everything is core" approach that led to traditional material being spread across multiple books (ie you want to play a gnome, you get to buy two books) and, combined with the way powers were approached, flooded players with redundant options;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Adventure support was weak for a long time;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Campaign support was weak for a long time;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">With already more fantasy worlds then they would ever need, they created yet another one in the default setting, including a lot of superficial changes, poorly executed (especially in the MM), that further helped shrink the fan base;</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> They stopped selling PDFs. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They would periodically confuse or alienate 4E fans: mislabeling "essentials", dropping the downloadable CB, adding a collectable card component that did not fit at all well with the game... </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">AND they underestimated the staying power of 3E and went to far in some their changes, especially in not having a few easier playing classes or builds.</li> </ul><p></p><p></p><p>For 5E to succeed, they should avoid doing stuff like that.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TerraDave, post: 6239726, member: 22260"] In terms of 5E: yes, they seem to be doing what you suggest, and have been for several months now: establishing a clean, relatively simple core that is built on classic D&D but can accommodate a wider range of play styles. Now, in terms of 4E: I completely reject this 4E module hypothesis. They did that (Bo9S) and that would have missed the best part of 4E: cleaning up the core rules and making it easier to DM. Setting that aside, we can speculate on why WotC took the course they did for 4E: [LIST] [*]3.5 boxed them in, they felt they could not just turn around and do a 3.75; [*]WoW and other evidence of mainstream love for action-fantasy (LotR, Harry Potter) led them to believe that there was this huge audience out there, if they just adapted the game to it; [*]As long time D&Ders, the design team clearly had their peeves with 3E, and personally wanted to try a more substantial revision (a lot of what was done in 4E does follow a logic established in 3E). [/LIST] Whatever the reasons for the approach to 4E, we do know that: [LIST] [*]The marketing--hey, remember that game we were just selling you, it sucks!--clearly alienated a large part of the fan base; [*]The execution--no edition has spawned the errata mountain that 4E did--left something to be desired; [*]They cancelled print dragon and dungeon; [*]They replaced the OGL with something that was not good; [*]They had a 3D virtual tabletop that did not work; [*]They had Gleemax, a social networking tool that did not work; [*]They took an "everything is core" approach that led to traditional material being spread across multiple books (ie you want to play a gnome, you get to buy two books) and, combined with the way powers were approached, flooded players with redundant options; [*]Adventure support was weak for a long time; [*]Campaign support was weak for a long time; [*]With already more fantasy worlds then they would ever need, they created yet another one in the default setting, including a lot of superficial changes, poorly executed (especially in the MM), that further helped shrink the fan base; [*] They stopped selling PDFs. [*]They would periodically confuse or alienate 4E fans: mislabeling "essentials", dropping the downloadable CB, adding a collectable card component that did not fit at all well with the game... [*]AND they underestimated the staying power of 3E and went to far in some their changes, especially in not having a few easier playing classes or builds. [/LIST] For 5E to succeed, they should avoid doing stuff like that. [/QUOTE]
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