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Quick thought.
After eating WAY too much turkey, I relaxed and re-read "Burnt Offerings". Well, I started too, but drifted off into a weird half-awake state where my mind floated in D&D goodness.
Somewhere in that 'purple haze' an idea formed. Streamling D&D, making more accessible, more appealing to a wider audience is in a way trying to bring more people into the "in" crowd.
Kind of weird to think of people playing D&D as the "in" crowd, but thats not really my point. The point is that whenever there is an "in" crowd there are people who want in, but for whatever reason can't get in. The cliched jocks won't let the bowlegged, four-eyed asthmatic in, for example.
But what happens when EVERYONE is a jock? It's not so cool to be a jock anymore.
It may be the candied yams talkin, but I swear to god 4E is threatening my excellent Geek-Fu. I don't want to let everyone in. You have to pass the D&D test. If you can't calculate A 4th level Barbarians To Hit roll bonus while raging and using 3 points of power attack, you definately are not in.
So Phooey on 4E, I want to remain a glorious D&D geek.
Who ate all the stuffing!
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Quick thought.
After eating WAY too much turkey, I relaxed and re-read "Burnt Offerings". Well, I started too, but drifted off into a weird half-awake state where my mind floated in D&D goodness.
Somewhere in that 'purple haze' an idea formed. Streamling D&D, making more accessible, more appealing to a wider audience is in a way trying to bring more people into the "in" crowd.
Kind of weird to think of people playing D&D as the "in" crowd, but thats not really my point. The point is that whenever there is an "in" crowd there are people who want in, but for whatever reason can't get in. The cliched jocks won't let the bowlegged, four-eyed asthmatic in, for example.
But what happens when EVERYONE is a jock? It's not so cool to be a jock anymore.
It may be the candied yams talkin, but I swear to god 4E is threatening my excellent Geek-Fu. I don't want to let everyone in. You have to pass the D&D test. If you can't calculate A 4th level Barbarians To Hit roll bonus while raging and using 3 points of power attack, you definately are not in.
So Phooey on 4E, I want to remain a glorious D&D geek.
Who ate all the stuffing!
Congratulations, friend, you are officially a grognard with this kind of declaration. Some of the content may be different, but it was said about 3e as well, in the form of TACH0 and the way AC worked in that edition... And before that, from 1e to 2e, with still other concerns.
Hoist a tankard, you're in company with a geek pedigree.
And before that, from 1e to 2e, with still other concerns.
What were the concerns of AD&D gamers going into AD&D2? I wasn't into AD&D, just BECMI D&D which didn't change until D&D3 came out. Actually if you really want to get to it I was into GURPS and didn't pay any attention to AD&D.
I don't think 1 change of edition is going to change everyone's attitude about D&D. The rule set didn't keep people away, the "geek" connotation did. I doubt very much that 30 years of disdain can be erased in one new set of rulebooks. Look at the "D&D, Satanism and other evil things" thread. Thought the '80s were over? Not quite.
Whether anyone likes fourth edition or not, we're still going to be geeks, nerds, satanists and losers.
Whether anyone likes fourth edition or not, we're still going to be geeks, nerds, satanists and losers.
I call this the "Gary Gygax was a Great DM" adage:
Whether you agree that G.Gygax was a great DM or not, the fact that you know who he is makes you a geek to everyone else.
It may be the candied yams talkin, but I swear to god 4E is threatening my excellent Geek-Fu. I don't want to let everyone in. You have to pass the D&D test. If you can't calculate A 4th level Barbarians To Hit roll bonus while raging and using 3 points of power attack, you definately are not in.
Speaking as a long-standing D&D (& AD&D 1st & 2nd ed) playing geek with math anxiety, I think that's a very mean test! ;.;
Of course, I've always been more of an art & written word geek than any other kind to which I can put a name.
Whether anyone likes fourth edition or not, we're still going to be geeks, nerds, satanists and losers.I call this the "Gary Gygax was a Great DM" adage:
Whether you agree that G.Gygax was a great DM or not, the fact that you know who he is makes you a geek to everyone else.
But, but, he was in that Futurama episode...
(Yeah, I know, referencing Futurama is hardly a way to "prove" you're not a geek)