Slashdot broke the news yesterday that Wizards of the Coast is releasing two preview volumes offer explanations of the forthcoming Fourth Edition of Dungeons and Dragons manuals, “Races and Classes” and “Worlds and Monsters”.
It sounds as if the developers are attempting to return to a more fundamental storytelling experience while streamlining its mechanics. In short, they’re attempting to Potter-ify it. Not that you can blame them. If someone released a decent Harry Potter roleplaying game right now, it’s sales would outstrip D&D and Magic: The Gathering in no time.
What bothers me is that I don’t know a single player eager for simplification. Clarification, yes. Simplification, no. Let’s face it, the only way that the average player could be more enthusiastic about this game is if you managed to work some sort of slide ruler into the battle sequences. In an age of computerization, sometimes it just feels nice to play a complex.
It’s a bit disappointing, as I can only image the next edition as a softcore option of the current game. I sincerely hope that I’m wrong, but I see no indications to the contrary.
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Graham said
am February 5 2008 @ 8:32 pm
Broke the news?
Dude, these books are both out, and have been for a month or more.
But in any case, I think your view of the “average player”’s tastes are a bit skewed. Streamlining of mechanics is a welcome change to most of us.
You need to realise that most gamers aren’t “hardcore” gamers. Most gamers would like mechanics with more internal consistency.
Rex Venom said
am February 6 2008 @ 8:28 pm
“As long as it bleeds, we can kill it.”
Or something like that.
yeah.
Same here. As long as it has swords and adventure, we can and will roll Dice to it. hehehh
Rock on!