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My campaigns are still going strong. But historically, I really enjoyed coming up with more NPCs than I could ever use. Now, with 4e pending, and being undecided about which way I will go, I have really no desire to spend additional time on that free-wheeling creativity. The same applies for thinking up new campaigns and adventure hooks.
Is anyone else feeling that their creativity is stifled?
Kinda. In my case, I'm working on updating what key figures in the Realms have been up to now that there's been a time jump in the Grand History. I've got one or two character ideas for 3.5 but I don't know if they'll work in 4E, so I don't want to develop them that much. Until I know if my group will convert to 4E, I don't want to invest the energy into more character ideas or such.
Personally, because it's new. *Shrug*
I've only been playing for about a year now and the only books I have are the three core. Then again, one group might change while my other group probably won't.
Quite the opposite. I am actually quite excited for 4e, and I've already been noticing that a lot of the stuff that's been mentioned in the previews fits my world like a glove. Viva 4e!
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My campaigns are still going strong. But historically, I really enjoyed coming up with more NPCs than I could ever use. Now, with 4e pending, and being undecided about which way I will go, I have really no desire to spend additional time on that free-wheeling creativity. The same applies for thinking up new campaigns and adventure hooks.
Is anyone else feeling that their creativity is stifled?
I don't feel stifled at all. I'm still creating away. I'm not a "crunch"kind of guy though, my NPC' and campaign ideas are generally pages and pages of fluff.
Actually D&D4 hasn't effected my creativity so much as it bolstered my dislike for D&D3. All the things I was unhappy with in D&D3 (though were worked around as much as possible) seem either retained or advanced upon in the next edition.
For example, complex character abilities. I hated this part of D&D3. The whole "if a bad guy steps to my right side while I'm making a bluff check versus my familiar's INT and using my chalkstick one handed I get to add three to my spell duration by sacking off two points from my Will save modifier." It's never any one feat. It's what happens when all these feats get together and gang up on my sanity.
This doesn't look to go away with D&D4 and in fact looks to get even more prominent. The main effect it had on my D&D3 game was more stringent houserules. The story actually got deeper after that.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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Personally, because it's new. *Shrug*
I've only been playing for about a year now and the only books I have are the three core. Then again, one group might change while my other group probably won't.
Honest answer. You don't have that much of an investment in 3.x and are willing to spend the capital on something new. Can't fault you for that.
Well, it's making me look with renewed interest at all my old "Fantasy HERO" material, which is probably a good thing. :) 4E may be the thing that finally breaks my current group of the "D&D unless we absolutely have to play something else" habit.
-The Gneech
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Well, it's making me look with renewed interest at all my old "Fantasy HERO" material, which is probably a good thing. :) 4E may be the thing that finally breaks my current group of the "D&D unless we absolutely have to play something else" habit.
-The Gneech
Along those lines, see my conspiracy theorist post here :)
I have actually designed my next campaign. Low magic, pseudo-Celtic, non race driven campaign with brand new gods. I'm excited to run it. No race realms (but still all races from PHB except for halforcs & halfelves) and certain countries even have "official" gods (think similar to Marduke & Babel). I made a completely original pantheon in two weeks on my free time! They are fleshed out, and their priests can each get special benefit (either by buying a clerical feat for that god only or in exchange for their turning undead abilities). I'm better then WotC! Also it has made me think of all the cool campaigns I can play with D6 system (in general), getting a WEG Starwars campaign going, a good shadowrun plot, and many D&D plots. I find that the new edition has rankled me and given me inspiration to do better and not depend on WotC.
I'm awesome!!! (and a tad sleep deprived from buying myself an Xbox 360 for christmas).
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I don't feel stifled because I'm not switching (my personal games, anyway). Oh sure, if a Paizo employee starts up a 4e game I'll get in it, because I'll need to know the rules. But my personal game? No. My campaign setting was built in and for 3.5, and 3.5 is where it will remain. :)
But maybe with a dash of 4e stuff thrown in.
Of course. ;D
My Age of Worms game is going strong ... which means I'm still pumping out the handouts, creating side treks and gap-filling encounters ...
Never say never, but I think I'm done building NPCs from scratch, though. I just pull what I need from my bookshelf of 3.0 and 3.5 books and catalog of past Dungeon magazines, and adjust names and racial stats on the fly. (Frankly, the AoW Overload is one of the best-ever resources for NPCs. I mine that thing constantly).
I don't know that "stifled" is the right word for me. I'm just feeling incredibly unmotivated. Actually, that isn't strong enough - is there a word for being anti-motivated?
The amount of work required to run 3.5 has just gotten to be too much for me. Knowing 4E is coming, and knowing it promises to make my most-hated tasks easier (NPC design and prep, mainly), I find I just can't stand to do the work now. I've been running D&D nonstop for over 2 years - maybe I would have been this tired even without the 4E announcement. I don't know.
We cut our latest campaign short, and starting this weekend, I get to be a Player! My husband is going to run a HERO game (superheroes). It's taken several days for me to create my character, and I'm really excited about it. I think this is the first time I've looked forward to a gaming session for a few months!
Although I did joke to my husband that he picked HERO because it's so darned complex, he figures we'll get sick of it sooner, and I'll agree to run the Rise of the Runelords path before we switch to 4E. (Me - I'm honestly feeling like it might be easier to switch that path over to 4E, than to get myself motivated to run it in 3.5; although I'll probably run the haunted house next October, regardless of what edition I need to use.)
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I find the announcement has made me think of games outside of D&D or derived from 3e.
I have a setting that was built with early iterations of D&D in mind. When I ran it last I used Castles and Crusades, which worked well. Some players missed skills and feats. I had thought about houseruling them in but then I discovered e6. It fits the low magic, high adventure feel of the world.
My creativity is not being stifled but re-channeled. I normally have more than enough players to fill two groups. When my current campaign ends one will most certainly be playing with e6 in Caedmon. The other might play in Ptolus with:
1) 4e, if it ends up being pretty good.
2) An altered form of 3e using Monte Cook's alterations to the system, if they end up being pretty good.
3) Some other d20 deriative.
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I don't know that "stifled" is the right word for me. I'm just feeling incredibly unmotivated. Actually, that isn't strong enough - is there a word for being anti-motivated?
Deterred? That's actually what seems to be coming from WotC... they advised that we wind down our 3.5 campaigns and get ready for 4e.
The amount of work required to run 3.5 has just gotten to be too much for me. Knowing 4E is coming, and knowing it promises to make my most-hated tasks easier (NPC design and prep, mainly), I find I just can't stand to do the work now.
How do you know those things will be easier? Because they said so? :)
Stifled isn't the word I'd use, but the impending 4e has kind of dampened my ardor for D&D. It's kind of highlighted all the problem areas of 3e for me, and that's kind of keeping me from playing 3.5.
This isn't the first time this has happened. I stopped playing World of Warcraft in 2.2 when they announced that 2.3 would increase experience gained and decrease experience required to level, and I stopped playing Half-Life 2 after I ordered my new computer. In both cases, I just couldn't quite see the point of doing it the old way with a newer, easier way impending.
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I find the announcement has made me think of games outside of D&D or derived from 3e.
I have phrased this wrong. I have been looking more at games that are either derived from d20 or are completely different. As you can tell, I am still falling on the side of d20 based games. This doesn't mean something else won't tempt me away.
How do you know those things will be easier? Because they said so? :)
Not because "they" said so. Because Mike Mearls said so.
I'm baffled by this continuous attitude of merging every employee of WOTC into one horrible gestalt monster. Am I the only person who reads the names on these books?
Well, it's making me look with renewed interest at all my old "Fantasy HERO" material, which is probably a good thing. :) 4E may be the thing that finally breaks my current group of the "D&D unless we absolutely have to play something else" habit.
Thank you, WotC!
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I'm better then WotC!
I'm awesome!!! (and a tad sleep deprived from buying myself an Xbox 360 for christmas).
Yes you are! Then again, anybody with an ounce of effort could do better than WotC's 4e...
My campaigns are still going strong. But historically, I really enjoyed coming up with more NPCs than I could ever use. Now, with 4e pending, and being undecided about which way I will go, I have really no desire to spend additional time on that free-wheeling creativity. The same applies for thinking up new campaigns and adventure hooks.
Is anyone else feeling that their creativity is stifled?
I say keep generating those awesome NPCs and post them here for everyone to love!
I'm quite energized by 4E. I'm anxious to start a new Paizo campaign with a new rules set and everything. (Whether or not Paizo goes 4E, I'm still using Pathfinder material.)
In fact, I'm so excited I'm completely jumping the gun and made a website for my months-away 4E Golarion campaign. On there will appear all the stuff I'm going to make up 'tween now and the rules.
And there's all sorts of non-rules-dependent stuff one can make up. Storylines, adventure locations, NPCs (just not statted), organizations, and lots more. And maps. And stuff. Right now I'm making up rumors and tales regarding the Sandpoint Devil.
Then again, anybody with an ounce of effort could do better than WotC's 4e...Then have at it guy! When can we expect to see your game hit the shelves?
;P
Heh! Yes, when's it coming out? Will it be hardback or perfect bound?
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Then again, anybody with an ounce of effort could do better than WotC's 4e...Then have at it guy! When can we expect to see your game hit the shelves?
;P
Start with the core books and you favorite subset of supplements (I like the Complete series). Throw in an occasional a third party rule change (for example, this is pretty good), and a few house rules, and there ya go.
I doubt anyone else would buy it, but my group plays it!
My point is, I think the game should evolve but 4e is not it.
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Start with the core books and you favorite subset of supplements (I like the Complete series). Throw in an occasional a third party rule change (for example, this is pretty good), and a few house rules, and there ya go.
I doubt anyone else would buy it, but my group plays it!
My point is, I think the game should evolve but 4e is not it.
Where I would disagree. There are huge problems with 3E that have become much more pronounced the longer I played and the higher the level of the characters.
It has come to the point where 3E is no longer an option for me. Revising it myself is not worth the time or effort. The alternate d20 and OGL rules out there don't thrill me either.
If 4E doesn't improve things then I am off D&D and on to other games that I love like WFRP or RuneQuest.
Saurstalk, as a writer, the loss of the Dungeon and Dragon magazines in print form and the announcement of 4th edition (that had been adamantly denied for nearly a year prior to that announcement) did very much stifle my creativity. I compare it to the feeling of suddenly losing a comfortable job you know like the back of your hand that is replaced by a new, unwanted one that you know next to nothing about and the details are so vague as to keep you up at night full of anxiety for your future. Yeah, that sounds about right.
Complicating things was the fact that I had 3 separate writing assignments to complete. If not for some creative help and enthusiam borrowed from friends I don't think I would have completed them.
That has passed at this point now that I've accepted that my favorite edition (v.3.5) will not be getting official support from WotC anymore within a few months. But I'm heartened at the prospect of other 3rd party publishers picking up the slack, at least for a while. I'm also comfortable now in accepting that v.3.5 will probably be the last edition I ever play. I'm approaching 40 and I have my own small business which will increasingly get more and more of my attention over the next months and years. Add to that the fact that I have enough 3rd edition material to literally continue playing my favorite version of Dungeons & Dragons for the next 10 years and I'm pretty stoked.
Just my 2 coppers.
Is anyone else feeling that their creativity is stifled?
The opposite, actually. My group and I made the decision this summer that we would generate our own material and adventure exclusively in my homebrew setting. The decision to become "self-sufficient" has been very inspiring and fun for all of us. So much so, when I look at the shelves that hold my D&D books, all I can think about is the time and effort I wasted reading them and converting the material...
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I don't know that "stifled" is the right word for me. I'm just feeling incredibly unmotivated. Actually, that isn't strong enough - is there a word for being anti-motivated?
Cintra,
Gotta agree...I am indeed anti-motivated as well. But I am doing a few one-shots as I do miss the game ,but haven't run a campaign since just before the 4e announcement in August.Not sure what it is ,but 4e has seemed to drain the life outta me.
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How do you know those things will be easier? Because they said so? :)
Not because "they" said so. Because Mike Mearls said so.
I'm baffled by this continuous attitude of merging every employee of WOTC into one horrible gestalt monster. Am I the only person who reads the names on these books?
They all represent the same "horrible gestalt monster" to use your phrase. How can we possibly separate out one from the other? They're all working on this together, and what makes Mike Mearls more credible than anyone else? Why believe it when *he* says it? He's has as vested an interest as (possibly more than) anyone else in people accepting that it will be good before it even gets produced...
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Where I would disagree. There are huge problems with 3E that have become much more pronounced the longer I played and the higher the level of the characters.
It has come to the point where 3E is no longer an option for me. Revising it myself is not worth the time or effort. The alternate d20 and OGL rules out there don't thrill me either.
If 4E doesn't improve things then I am off D&D and on to other games that I love like WFRP or RuneQuest.
Can you share with us what crippling problems you've experienced? I've played my share of high (18-20th level) 3.5e and have a few concerns, but nothing that made me want to close my book and put away my dice until I found a new ruleset.
Also, since you do have other, favoured systems, why push 4e so hard? It's bound to be full of holes and problems on its initial release. If you like WFRP why aren't you trying to convince us of its value, rather than defending 4e? Not that I'm saying you shouldn't defend 4e... if someone didn't, we'd all just be sitting around here preaching to the choir. :)
They're all working on this together,
Wrong. And this really bothers me. Let me make this very, very clear.
The 4e development team are not the people who came up with the Digital Initiative. The Digital Initiative is the horrible monstrosity, the Digital Initiative terminated the print publications of Dungeon and Dragon, and the Digital Initiative falls under the purview of WOTC's Vice President of Digital Gaming Randy Buehler, who was previously a developer for Magic, and not D&D.
and what makes Mike Mearls more credible than anyone else?
First, to be fair, Mike Mearls isn't single-handedly developing 4e; Rich Baker, Andy Collins, Bill Slavicsek, Rob Heinsoo, and James Wyatt are also on the design team.
Mearls and Collins were both on the design team for the PHBII, the single finest D&D supplement WOTC ever published. Every person on the team except Mearls was involved in the 3.0 and 3.5 core books. Finally, Andy Collins has perhaps the most impressive portfolio of any 3rd ediiton developer; he was the developer of the epic Complete Scoundrel, lead designer and lead developer of the excelled Magic Item Compendium (for which Mearls was also a developer), lead developer of Races of Stone (probably the best Races book), and a hundred other things.
Player's Guide to Eberron, Magic of Incarnum, Red Hand of Doom, Complete Adventurer... you can't fairly claim that these people don't have a damn good idea of what they're doing by now. These are extraordinarily talented and experienced people, responsible for many of the finest D&D books currently available. They want to make a new, better D&D, they have the credentials to do it, and their portfolio earns them the benefit of the doubt on their next project. If you can't make a distinction between the wheat and the chaff and slander the whole field of grain because of it, you should be ashamed of yourself.
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They're all working on this together,
Wrong. And this really bothers me. Let me make this very, very clear.
The 4e development team are not the people who came up with the Digital Initiative. The Digital Initiative is the horrible monstrosity, the Digital Initiative terminated the print publications of Dungeon and Dragon, and the Digital Initiative falls under the purview of WOTC's Vice President of Digital Gaming Randy Buehler, who was previously a developer for Magic, and not D&D.
I'm pretty sure I never mentioned anything about the DI... I've been talking about the gaming rules thus far. You are the one who has brought in the DI now.
and what makes Mike Mearls more credible than anyone else?
First, to be fair, Mike Mearls isn't single-handedly developing 4e; Rich Baker, Andy Collins, Bill Slavicsek, Rob Heinsoo, and James Wyatt are also on the design team.
Mearls and Collins were both on the design team for the PHBII, the single finest D&D supplement WOTC ever published. Every person on the team except Mearls was involved in the 3.0 and 3.5 core books. Finally, Andy Collins has perhaps the most impressive portfolio of any 3rd ediiton developer; he was the developer of the epic Complete Scoundrel, lead designer and lead developer of the excelled Magic Item Compendium (for which Mearls was also a developer), lead developer of Races of Stone (probably the best Races book), and a hundred other things.
Hm... aren't some of these people the same ones who have been saying that 3.x was broken and needed to be fixed, hence 4e? If they all did the work on it, then what should lead me to believe they will be any more competent this time?
Player's Guide to Eberron, Magic of Incarnum, Red Hand of Doom, Complete Adventurer... you can't fairly claim that these people don't have a damn good idea of what they're doing by now. These are extraordinarily talented and experienced people, responsible for many of the finest D&D books currently available.
And if I already think they've done a darn good job with 3.5? Aside from anything to do with Eberron, which I don't play and thus cannot speak to, and I think Magic of Incarnum was ridiculous... there are obviously going to be books that some like and some don't.
So if they have a "damn good idea of what they're doing by now" were they just practicing with 3.5?
They want to make a new, better D&D, they have the credentials to do it, and their portfolio earns them the benefit of the doubt on their next project.
Maybe from you. What if I happen to think they aren't doing this because they think it's a good idea but to keep their jobs? I can't fault them for that, but I don't have to support them in it.
If you can't make a distinction between the wheat and the chaff and slander the whole field of grain because of it, you should be ashamed of yourself.
You'll have to forgive me if your admonishment doesn't really have any impact on me. You're the one who has gone off on a rant here, introduced something that I wasn't even talking about. Wheat and chaff analogies aside, how anyone could possibly split things the way you've decided to - when it's clear that this is a combined initiative, even if the people involved are not involved in all parts - is a mystery to me. You have your point of view, and that's fine. I can respect that. Don't act like some kind of sanctimonious git and try to "shame" me.
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Saurstalk, as a writer, the loss of the Dungeon and Dragon magazines in print form and the announcement of 4th edition (that had been adamantly denied for nearly a year prior to that announcement) did very much stifle my creativity. I compare it to the feeling of suddenly losing a comfortable job you know like the back of your hand that is replaced by a new, unwanted one that you know next to nothing about and the details are so vague as to keep you up at night full of anxiety for your future. Yeah, that sounds about right.
Complicating things was the fact that I had 3 separate writing assignments to complete. If not for some creative help and enthusiam borrowed from friends I don't think I would have completed them.
That has passed at this point now that I've accepted that my favorite edition (v.3.5) will not be getting official support from WotC anymore within a few months. But I'm heartened at the prospect of other 3rd party publishers picking up the slack, at least for a while. I'm also comfortable now in accepting that v.3.5 will probably be the last edition I ever play. I'm approaching 40 and I have my own small business which will increasingly get more and more of my attention over the next months and years. Add to that the fact that I have enough 3rd edition material to literally continue playing my favorite version of Dungeons & Dragons for the next 10 years and I'm pretty stoked.
Just my 2 coppers.
While not a card-carrying contributor, I feel the same way. It's like being forced into early retirement without the a golden parachute.
3E was my last hurrah. I am too damn old to start over/keep up/give a s**t.
I lost interest with 2E and was contemplating packing it all up for good when 3E came out. 3E revived my interest. But I feel just the opposite now. 4E is definitely killing my interest.
I'm on the fence about the whole thing. Some changes really peeve me, others are things I like. I'm willing to look at the completed product when it comes out to judge it on its own. I have to kind of hope that it's a success, though. I'm hoping to make my living illustrating things like this and, to be honest, big companies like WoTC pay the best and reach the widest audience. However, they're also less likely to take chances on new talent, whether writing or providing artwork. That's why third party publishing houses are very important, in my opinion. Smaller budgets for design, but willing to take new and less tested talent. The loss of Dungeon and Dragon may have been a slight blow to that up-and-coming pool of artists and writers. Since it was run by another company with a smaller budget and provided three opportunities per issue for different things AND came in an affordable package with a recognizable name, it was a great opportunity. I'm not sure if the same could be said about the Digital thing, since it's entirely new and run by a big company with a large budget.
I kind of hope that it does well and the industry continues to grow around it, but no one can really predict it. I think 4th edition as a marketing strategy may actually be rather smart from the perspective of moving forward and keeping money coming in. Internet gaming has grown very quickly and an attempt to cash in on it is wise from the perspective of a business plan. What that thrust produces may not be palatable to everyone, but the plan of attack is fairly strong for a company that has people to pay, shareholders to satisfy and a niche to keep.
I'm still pumping out 3.5 stuff for my home games and plan to continue to do so. Even if I do get really into 4E, I don't imagine that means I'll be hanging up my 3.5 spurs. If anything, what we've seen so far, just goes to show how different the flavor will be. I personally like 3.5 flavor very very much and will continue to play it long after 4E comes out, even if I am playing 4E too.
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My campaigns are still going strong. But historically, I really enjoyed coming up with more NPCs than I could ever use. Now, with 4e pending, and being undecided about which way I will go, I have really no desire to spend additional time on that free-wheeling creativity. The same applies for thinking up new campaigns and adventure hooks.
Is anyone else feeling that their creativity is stifled?
No. I've never had more ideas for ... 3e.