D&D 4 edition on its way

[semillama]

http://digital50.com/news/items/BW/2001/07/14/20070816005037/dungeons-dragonsr-flashes-4-ward-at-gen-con.html

"RENTON, Wash.-(Business Wire)-August 16, 2007 - Whether you storm a mad wizard's tower every week or haven't delved into a dungeon since you had a mullet and a mean pair of parachute pants, one thing is certain, millions of D&D(R) players worldwide have anticipated the coming of 4th Edition for many years. Today Wizards of the Coast confirms that the new edition will launch in May 2008 with the release of the D&D Player's Handbook(R). A pop culture icon, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS is the #1 tabletop roleplaying game in the world and is revered by legions of gamers of all ages.

The 4th Edition DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game includes elements familiar to current D&D players, including illustrated rulebooks and pre-painted plastic miniatures. Also releasing next year will be new Web-based tools and online community forums through the brand new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Insider (D&D Insider(TM)) digital offering. D&D Insider lowers the barriers of entry for new players while simultaneously offering the depth of play that appeals to veteran players.

The 4th Edition rules emphasize faster game play, offer exciting new character options, and reduce the amount of "prep time" needed to run the game. D&D Insider includes a character creator that lets players design and equip their D&D characters, dungeon- and adventure-building tools for Dungeon Masters, online magazine content, and a digital game table that lets you play 24/7 on the Internet — the perfect option for anyone who can't find time to get together.

*******

Wizards of the Coast will release two 4th Edition preview books in December and January — Wizards Presents: Classes and Races(TM) and Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters(TM). The first live demos of 4th Edition will happen at the D&D EXPERIENCE(TM) gaming convention in Washington, D.C., in February 2008. The full scope of 4th Edition books, miniatures, and adventures will be available in the spring and summer of 2008."

[YOY]

1. The quest for more money

Made all the rulebooks and supplements you can think of?

Release a new version.

I still prefer pre-WOTC 2nd ed...viva Baldur's Gate!!!

[semillama]

2. I stopped role playing right around the time 3e came out

I think it was around then anyway. I stopped playing regularly around 94, and I haven't played any tabletop rpgs at all since I moved to Columbus in 01. I think about picking it back up every now and then. My wife might be interested, she comes up with elaborate backstories for her Oblivion characters (Oblivion is the only video game she plays).

[YOY]

3. Gotta be with the right group of folks if you try again

I've tried but either the new groups I find are either too serious or a bunch of 40-year-old virgin types.

Anyway with baby here, I doubt I'll ever play again...just PC adventurin'...sigh...

I still think they lost the spirit of the game when they booted Gary before TSR went under...

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. All games have this issue of getting into the treadmill

after a certain number of years, five on average, you need to redo all not only to get more money (that is an issue), but also because you run out of ideas... and need to start anew... and in this particular case wanna bet no open source and changes in the system? Them are the rumors running around, and partly becuase the open source led to so much crap it wasn't even funny... and actually the leveling off of sales, and even a slight dip.

I speak of this as a role player, and actually industry insider

Your other choice is to do short term release material... aka you never get out of first edition, but once you reach the end of the line, the game dies

Hell with the future nexus line I am considering doing a revised version of the rule book, wiht expanded rules and better art

As to baby... and gamers... well there are three tyes

1.- Those who take their gaming way, and I mean WAAAAYYYYY too seriously...
subtypes of these are the rules lawyers, gun bunnies, et al

2.- Neubs, who you really have to be careful not to scare away.

3.- People who get together to have a good time and just enjoy the company of each other... sadly in my experience these are rare. And if you have a baby this is the kind of group you want.

[NewJeffCT]

5. When people point out that D&D is going onto its 4th edition

I like to point out that Warhammer (the tabletop wargame, not the RPG) just released its 7th edition in a bit less time than D&D has been around.

Of course, you can at least use most of your Warhammer miniatures from 5th and 6th edition (or earlier) - you just need to update your rulebooks, and some characters could be in danger of going bye-bye with each edition: My old Thyrus Gorman, Supreme Patriarch is no longer a valid Empire character, having been replaced by Balthasar Gelt... Of course, Thyrus could just be a standard Wizard Lord and is useable that way at least.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. From an industry standard all games have a

five year cycle, more or less

That is a production standard

Your choice, as a player, is to buy the new toys or not.

Their choice is starker, becuase they know some folks will refuse to migrate over... the problem is if enough refuse to

Me... getting to the sad conclusion that I no longer get the same pleasure out of gaming I used to... long, as in very long story...

[Homer12]

10. Games Workshop

They are the Industry standard for greed.

[AllegroRondo]

6. I never gave up 1st Edition.

why should I buy all new books, to play a game I've been playing for years?

What gamers need to understand is that the game is what YOU make it. If you like 1st Ed, or 2nd, or 3.5 whatever they are on now, keep playing it! Why do you need to buy new books?

Its not like they have Gaming police who will come to your home and shut you down for not playing the latest version.

[NewJeffCT]

7. good point, but

If you move to a new area, you're most likely to find players playing the latest edition.

It's not exactly easy to find a 2nd Edition group these days - certainly tougher than 1E or 3.5

[Occulus]

9. If that poster is still playing 1E, it means

they likely have a core group of players that's probably been playing for years and feels no need to update the rules to suit their own playing style (yes, I've seen exactly this before). I would suspect, if that were the case, the group has come up with mutually-agreed-to rule changes which further reflect their playing style, and would very likely be found as a matter of course in later, official editions of the game.

I'm not trying to be contrary here; I actually know a couple gamers who have the same outlook. That said, if I were to find a group in my area to play with, I personally would want to know, at least, what changes are being made, and let my DM incorporate them or not as s/he would.