Why didn't they make D&D more adult?

[Water Bob]

I think the OP is talking about presention. And, I've felt the same thing over the years.

[MENTION=6690794]Empath Negative[/MENTION] : The game can be as "adult" or "mature" as you want it to be. The DM can present the game as he wants. I typically run a gritty, "adult" and "mature" game, no matter which game system I'm using. Most people play Star Wars as rated "G" or "PG", as the movies are. My epic Star Wars campaign was a huge success with my players, and I ran it with quite an edge (I remember the infamous scene from my game where the players, playing Rebels, came across Stormtroopers raping innocents--that kind of thing).

You may not want to go that far, but my point is that you can run your game anyway you see fit, as long as you and your players enjoy what you're doing.

Also, don't forget that there are some RPGs out there, even d20 RPGs that are quite "'adult" or "mature" in their presentation. I open my Conan RPG core rule book and, along the border of each page, is a topless woman. It doesn't give me jollies, but it does present the feel of the game world.

In the mechanics, too, the game is quite dark. Ritual Sacrifice (and female virgins and innocents are the best) gives a Sorcerer power to throw spells that he normally cannot. Some Sorcerers in the game bring along slaves to sacrifice during adventures.

The game does a very good job of representing Conan's very dark and gritty universe.

I'm sure the Conan game isn't the only RPG directed at a more adult audience.

 

[Loonook]

It seems you equate adult with specialization... The real reason why D&D never went adult with mature themes is because a.) it doesn't sell, or b.) ninety percent of people can't hold the plumb when it comes to mature content. Either Mature Content because snickering over the Book of Erotic Fantasy or the over-the-top presentation of the White Wolf/Black Dog 'adult' content which pretty much just became a gore/squickfest.

Now, onto complexity... Well, AD&D 2e definitely had it in spades with really interesting specialist wizards and priests. 3e kinda opened all options to all characters, and because of this specialization came from Prestige Classes later in life for the players and had to be very vague in their qualifications to allow the maximum use of them. In 2e you had specialists who seemed more cradle-to-grave 'unique', though of course min-maxing still existed.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

And remember, its sold as a family game to some extent, so precocious 10 year olds are part of the target market. It's the gateway game for the RPG hobby.

 

[S'mon]

Bring back Cacodemon and Spiritwrack! Summoning and binding demons FTW!

There was plenty of 'adult' content in 0D&D and 1e D&D.