I've been expecting this for some time, but not this soon.
Dragon and Dungeon being digital only is a blasphemy. It's like having a digital Elvis and charging concert ticket prices to view it!
Apparently they will post new content several times a week and at the end of the month it will be collectively considered an "issue". They still want to charge for it, $10/month if I recall, which is more than the issues were individually. No printing or binding costs; no distribution costs. This move reeks of large profit & tightening controls.
The published material has been leaning toward the card based miniature game market for the past couple years. The formats in the latest books for monsters is a great example. Hasbro understands action figures, Wizards love collectible card games, why not force D&D into these two molds. Everything is being dumbed down for the widest possible market for $$$.
The things that are popping up in the channels over at WotC's forums are troubling at best.
the Online Wizards Community is supposed to be a sort of DnD Myspace. Previews of the new edition already indicate that it will be incompatible with 3rd ed in any functional way.
Once or twice before I recall D&D being dumbed down and simplified to appeal to a broader group. We had Basic and Advanced D&D. Basic vanished because the less intellectual, short attention span base group was more suited to video games. Smarter, more creative players needed advanced rules to satisfy them. People who just didn't get it simply never played again...
I've watched this happen several times with D&D, and with many other game systems/companies over the years.
This is taken it to a new level. It will hurt them more than help!
I looked over my 1st and 2nd edition AD&D books and actually cracked open my old Champions(Hero Games) and Star Wars (West End Games) books after reading the 4th ed announcement. I may just go back to my roots...
In the mean time I have a ton of 3.0, 3.5 and OGL books and material that'll keep me playing for years to come!!
Point taken, however the table top RPGs are the core of a different type of experience.
playing an RPG as if it were a video or console game wastes much of that experience and the potential of the systems.
The purpose of roleplaying is to experience the interaction and fantastic settings, to actually think and communicate and develop ideas. ALL the rules are there to facilitate that experience. Every real (non-computer) RPG has the proviso "it's up to the GM" somewhere in the text. The HUMAN element grants the possibility of a unique story that every player contributes to. A good story, maybe even a great one, and that is something that computer based games are incapable of.
Remember it's a ROLE-playing game, not a ROLL-playing game
I have to say I wasn't too impressed with Book of Erotic Fantasy, although the addition of an adult sexual content is very appealing for an experienced and mature group. I wouldn't recommend it for new or younger gamers, mostly because the finer points and potential are lost on that age/maturity group. I know I wouldn't have been able to utilize such a book when I started playing way back in '86.
A more in depth game with lots of intrigue almost has to have some element of innuendo and temptation. Dryads and nymphs powers are based on sexual attraction, as well as succubi.
The Book of Erotic Fantasy seemed to me like a lot of enthusiasm but not a lot of technical development. The pictures were distracting and looked like they were done by some kids with photoshop after spending the day at a Ren Faire.
Some parts of it was very useable, and it was high time SOMEBODY tackled that aspect of the genre, but not quite worth the hefty price tag. Great addition to pick up used. (I go to Half.com a lot for most of my d20 library.)
There was a book published called Nymphology that was far better and more amusing than the BoEF. Even though it had a lot of corny jokes (ie: Monster-One Eyed Trouser Snake) it was all playable mechanically. I loved the Mystic Pimp prestige class!
Slashdot Mirror
Dragon and Dungeon being digital only is a blasphemy. It's like having a digital Elvis and charging concert ticket prices to view it!
Apparently they will post new content several times a week and at the end of the month it will be collectively considered an "issue". They still want to charge for it, $10/month if I recall, which is more than the issues were individually. No printing or binding costs; no distribution costs. This move reeks of large profit & tightening controls.
The published material has been leaning toward the card based miniature game market for the past couple years. The formats in the latest books for monsters is a great example. Hasbro understands action figures, Wizards love collectible card games, why not force D&D into these two molds. Everything is being dumbed down for the widest possible market for $$$.
The things that are popping up in the channels over at WotC's forums are troubling at best. the Online Wizards Community is supposed to be a sort of DnD Myspace. Previews of the new edition already indicate that it will be incompatible with 3rd ed in any functional way.
Once or twice before I recall D&D being dumbed down and simplified to appeal to a broader group. We had Basic and Advanced D&D. Basic vanished because the less intellectual, short attention span base group was more suited to video games. Smarter, more creative players needed advanced rules to satisfy them. People who just didn't get it simply never played again...
I've watched this happen several times with D&D, and with many other game systems/companies over the years.
This is taken it to a new level. It will hurt them more than help!
I looked over my 1st and 2nd edition AD&D books and actually cracked open my old Champions(Hero Games) and Star Wars (West End Games) books after reading the 4th ed announcement. I may just go back to my roots...
In the mean time I have a ton of 3.0, 3.5 and OGL books and material that'll keep me playing for years to come!!
playing an RPG as if it were a video or console game wastes much of that experience and the potential of the systems.
The purpose of roleplaying is to experience the interaction and fantastic settings, to actually think and communicate and develop ideas. ALL the rules are there to facilitate that experience. Every real (non-computer) RPG has the proviso "it's up to the GM" somewhere in the text. The HUMAN element grants the possibility of a unique story that every player contributes to. A good story, maybe even a great one, and that is something that computer based games are incapable of.
Remember it's a ROLE-playing game, not a ROLL-playing game
I have to say I wasn't too impressed with Book of Erotic Fantasy, although the addition of an adult sexual content is very appealing for an experienced and mature group. I wouldn't recommend it for new or younger gamers, mostly because the finer points and potential are lost on that age/maturity group. I know I wouldn't have been able to utilize such a book when I started playing way back in '86. A more in depth game with lots of intrigue almost has to have some element of innuendo and temptation. Dryads and nymphs powers are based on sexual attraction, as well as succubi. The Book of Erotic Fantasy seemed to me like a lot of enthusiasm but not a lot of technical development. The pictures were distracting and looked like they were done by some kids with photoshop after spending the day at a Ren Faire. Some parts of it was very useable, and it was high time SOMEBODY tackled that aspect of the genre, but not quite worth the hefty price tag. Great addition to pick up used. (I go to Half.com a lot for most of my d20 library.) There was a book published called Nymphology that was far better and more amusing than the BoEF. Even though it had a lot of corny jokes (ie: Monster-One Eyed Trouser Snake) it was all playable mechanically. I loved the Mystic Pimp prestige class!