http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/10/arts/video-games/dungeons-dragons-remake-uses-players-input.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Is this real news, or am I just behind the times? I guess it's all official now.

I'm actually a bit curious as to wether those who worked at TSR back in the day had any contact with the current team regarding the new 'iteration'. I saw James Ward mentioned in the article, so it seems possible. Were opinions asked and given? Did the current staff read various Q&As to get a sense of the thoughts of those who have passed?

It would change my life if it had anything close to the flavor of glorious 2nd edition.

I'm getting the sense they're going retro. My guess is that the base ruleset will be similar to 1E/2E, with lots of supplements to bolt on various optional rules (2.5 Players Option and 3.5 Skills and Feats kind of stuff).

Which could also have some interesting implications.  Would they -

Aim for compatibility with 1 or 2E?
Re-release old product (print or pdf)?
Mount a crackdown on illegal pdfs and other infringement?

darkseraphim wrote:I think it's too late, and the playerbase is too fractured and angry.

That being said, I also feel that this is the last chance for D&D as a tabletop RPG franchise.  Pathfinder is taking massive chunks out of WotC and deservedly so.

But I'm going to help playtest and offer advice.  I don't think they'll succeed, but I do admire that they're trying, and I would bet that the design team's jobs are on the line.  I'm going to do my best to be positive and try to help.

And yeah that means I'm going to tell them AD&D and BECMI are where they need to go back to.  That's the core.  

That's the "grognard" core...  

And if Mike Mearls is designing it, he's going to play to the "short-attention-span-player" and keep the d20 Modern mechanic (and seriously... isn't it easier just to add up all the numbers anyway...?).

What they need to do to recover from 4.0 (or... 5.0):

1) Bring back the Vancian spell casting system.
2) Sell PDF files with (or without) the standard purchase items.
3) Redesign a new OGL for 5.0, where everyone else can make/support your main product.
4) and apologize for putting out such a craptacular product in 4.0...

Badmike wrote:Here's some of the stuff I would like to see:

Move away from a computer game experience to what makes D&D unique, the tabletop game experience.  D&D is not World of Warcraft and should not try to be in an attempt to impress younger computer savvy gamers.

I don't think it's impossible to both appeal to newer fans of tabletop gaming and bring in older fans.  3E seemed to be able to do this while 4E did not.  

Mike B.

The Neverwinter Nights games proved that a computer game experience can and does work for D&D. Same for the Baldur's gate series.

And (something I'm clearly not an expert on...) this would be part of a total "Brand Management" venture/exposure.

As an aside, if the 2nd D&D movie was actually the first one (and the first movie could have been erased from our memories permanently), that could have paved the way for more movies/TV projects.

All this mumbling after reading Enworld Newsletter #126...

Badmike wrote:Here's some of the stuff I would like to see:

Compatibility with older editions

By "compatibility" do you mean writing up 5th Edition using the 1st or 2nd Edition rules and tweaking them a bit so they arent exactly the same?  Or are you referring to something else completely?

Badmike wrote:Again release the older PDF modules and rules sets

This is a no-brainer.  But I wouldnt release the older stuff right away.  They are trying to get people interested in a new product.  Instead, I would put out the older modules updated for the new rules and use different artwork.  There is significant interest, at least if you go by Ebay prices, for the limited edition modules such as Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan and Beyond the Crystal Cave even if they have little to do with the originals.  Release the old rules and mods in pdf format after the new system is out for a bit.

Badmike wrote:A beginner set in the style of Frank's Red Box

Hell, it should be written by Frank.  

Badmike wrote:Character generator and DM helper much the same as the AD&D 2.0 core rules

I am kind of surprised that WotC hasnt included something similar to this in their introductory rule sets.  Put a Core Rules DVD with other useful, interesting content (character portrait generator, adventure music, etc.) in the box and allow the DM and players to download additional content as its available for a small fee.

Badmike wrote:Move away from a computer game experience to what makes D&D unique, the tabletop game experience.

As much as I would like this to be possible, I dont think it is anymore.  Kids (and seemingly most adults) these days want everything to fit in the palm of their hand or at least at their fingertips (as long as they are resting on a mouse).  By limiting D&D to a tabletop only game you limit your audience.  Going back to the roots of D&D isnt a bad thing as long as technology plays a significant part in it.  Finding a way to combine the tabletop experience with technology, IMHO, is the key to grabbing back their share of the market from Paizo.  And I know its been done, but it hasnt been done well.....not yet anyway.

I dont know how long it will take them to flesh out 5th edition and its too bad they didnt decide on this closer to an anniversary year, but the 40th anniversary is coming up in 2014.  I think it would be cool if they did something similar to what comic book companies do right before a big anniversary.  Have a year long celebration leading up to it.  Celebrate the history of the game by re-releasing the original rules in a collector's limited edition version....faux woodgrain box and all (white box would be ok too but it might have to have a holographic foil cover to appeal to the kids nowadays; just still no ents, hobbits or balrogs obviously).

From what I've seen, 4E has a small but passionate fanbase that's genuinely happy with the game and feels that the MMO-inspired play mechanics (roles, healing surges, taunt, etc.) make the game much more tactical and interesting.

But these people, even in places like ENWorld, seem to be outnumbered by those who thought that 3.0/3.5 did it best.  And anecdotally, most people who like 4E I've found to be either (A) first-timers who started with 4E, (B) miniature gamers or (C) old-schoolers looking for a lighter-than-3E D&D experience that's in print.

I think 3.5 will continue to sell well in the collections market, 3.0 will decline, and 4.0 will not hold much value besides the practical pieces (dungeon tiles, minis, art books, etc.).

The development you'll want to watch is how devoted WotC seems to be in supporting VTT and e-rules for 4E.

Weird that they would shoot 4e in the back so far in advance of yet another system.