Comments on: It’s hip to be Square

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:26:42 +0000

I’m glad to see more people getting into D&D. I was interested from about the age of 11, and started playing around 14 or 15. At 27 years of age, I’ve been playing for over a decade, and have seen it go from AD&D, to now this 4E. I haven’t played a campaign in over a year and half thanks to marriage, moving, and losing fellow players, but I still consider myself one of the fold.

I will have to concur with some of the other posters here though, from what I have seen of 4E, it looks like the instruction manual for an MMO, which I have a computer for. It looks like it’s losing it’s identity to appeal to the masses, I could be wrong though. I sure hope so.

By: Seekerpilgrim

Seekerpilgrim — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:26:22 +0000

I’m afraid I’m going to have to pick a nit here, and say that while I’m always happy to see a hobby gain attention/members, making something “more accessible” often means “less challenging”, or “boring”.

I’ve played D&D off and on throughout the years and believe that challenges of leaning the earlier rules (”still-inaccessible” I believe the author said) are part of the game. If someone wants an easy game, try most of the stuff on the Wii, or Monopoly, or checkers.

Imagination is a byproduct of intelligence, and though the earlier rules may have been obtuse, they were not THAT hard. Gaming is what you put into it. The 4th edition rules are oversimplified, and disappointing.

I wish WotC success, but belive that this will come back and haunt them. The 4th edition is Wizards NGE, and THAT was an epic fail of…er..epic proportions.

By: wowdk

wowdk — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:56:03 +0000

Hey! Don’t diss the good ol’ D20!

By: Pierre

Pierre — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:43:02 +0000

Frankly, the D20 system blows. 2D6 is WAY better. Bell curve probability for teh wins.

By: Exeter

Exeter — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:08:19 +0000

Until a few years ago, the Spelljammer campaign that I was a player in was still using the old 2nd Ed AD&D. It was old, it was unnecessarily complex and we liked it that way. Now, you kids get the hell of my lawn :P

I do own the 4Ed books though. Now I just need to find a group to play with…

By: Anjin

Anjin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:13:35 +0000

I haven’t thrown a d20 in anger for years now. 4E looks really fun, though. And honestly, I can understand stripping the mechanics down to the gamey parts only and letting the DM just run the world without a lot of rules to get in the way. Anyone who wants a full world simulator has plenty of 3.5 rules out there.

By: Adam (Witty Ranter)

Adam (Witty Ranter) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:57:34 +0000

Cameron – have you *looked* at the Shadowrun rules recently, even 3′rd ed? There’s enough dice-rolling to give any hardcore tabletop the equivalent of a Viagra overdose, not to mention enough stats lawyering to keep pencils furiously scratching for hours as you roll your character.

Now the Shadowrun FPS… man, that thing is just awesome, right Michael? :P