WotC_Rodney...Chris Perkins...a black dragon...a playtest

[RodneyThompson]

Well, they're now operating on the software design model for finishing the game. Release whatever you have on the deadline, and then patch it until it works the way it's supposed to. With the electronic errata system, they don't need to worry about getting it right the first time...not that they did with 3.0, but now they won't even need to go through the process of selling us on a 3.5 again.

Argh. As much as I like what I'm hearing about the new edition, the playtest schedule has been and continues to be a major "WTF" item for me.

It wouldn't matter if it was 5 months or a year until release, we'd still make changes all the way up to the very last second. If the playtest schedule continues to be a "major WTF" for you, I'd suggest (and mean no insult) it's because you've not worked on a core rules set for the biggest RPG on the market. Game design, unlike software design, doesn't have any kind of "absolute correct" endpoint. If software works, it works, and you can tell. With game design, particularly on exceptions-based rules sets, there are many debatable shades of gray. I mean, even to this day people have arguments about the merits and flaws of the 3.0 rules, and its had a 10-year "playtest" process.

Work never, ever stops on D&D. I'd wager it's the same on every other RPG with a level of rules complexity that D&D has. I know it is the same on Star Wars.

 

[RodneyThompson]

I also voice some apprehension about the discussion of low-level mechanics this late in development, though I wonder if a good deal of that discussion was over whether or not the potential issue was significant enough to warrant examination.

I also wonder how current this post is.

I made the post last night.

Fact of the matter is, the core mechanics for 4th Edition have been done a long time. That doesn't mean that individual abilities are immune to scrutiny, though. I feel sure that the designers of 3E were making changes to things like feats and spells all the way up to launch as well, and we can see that even then there were some issues that got through.

 

[Nymrohd]

Might be an issue of excessive synergy from having too many martial characters that exaggerates their damage?

 

[TerraDave]

link here:

http://www.gleemax.com/Comms/Pages/Communities/BlogPost.aspx?blogpostid=38772&pagemode=2&blogid=2100

(sorry about that)

Rodney/Moridin: Thanks!

 

[inkmonkeys]

I feel sure that the designers of 3E were making changes to things like feats and spells all the way up to launch as well, and we can see that even then there were some issues that got through.

I've been assured by some of our coworkers that this is true. In a release of this magnitude, there will always be some last-minute (and I mean minute) changes.

Because We Care®

 

[Sitara]

A large black dragon (young adult) is a CR 9 encounter in 3.5. Why do so many people consider it remarkable that you can fight dragons at lower levels? Does no one remember Calcryx?

Theres a huge difference between a CR9 and a CR4.

 

[Tewligan]

We had a really wild session last night, and I've just got to write about it.

This sounds like the opening sentence of a letter to Penthouse Forum.

 

[Derren]

I am surprised that 10+ rounds of combat is really long. From what was said about the D&D combat system I had the impression that combats were supposed to last longer (combat rounds) than 3E games. And 10 rounds doesn't look that long to me.

And I agree with the concern about high level testing. Is anyone of the playtesters playing a epic game? Or at least a high level paragon one?

 

[IanB]

Theres a huge difference between a CR9 and a CR4.

A single CR 4 is not a solo fight for 7 4th level characters in 3e. Depending on the monster a group like that could handle a CR 7 or 8, even some CR 9s, albeit with casualties.

I think any conclusion that a large black dragon is the equivalent of CR 4 in the new rules is more than a little flawed.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Eh, it's not like I'm that worried though. Any game they come up with would be better than one I came up with.

LOL. Best point of view on 4E ev4r. Quoted, and probably .sig'd.

Thaumaturge.