Your Geek Culture Update: D&D 4.0
Today, for your Geek Culture Update, I'm presenting something that has not yet received the Geek King Seal of Approval but it's too important to ignore. Tomorrow Dungeons & Dragons 4.0 launches. I'm ambivalent. I want it to be a great edition. I want it to be the D&D of my dreams, but I have grave doubts.
I've been playing D&D since 1978 and I have gone through every iteration of the system. I love the scope it provided for my imagination and the opportunity it gave me to create and tell stories with my friends. The best things that happened with D&D, or any RPG for that matter, had nothing to do with the system itself, but with the stories we got to tell together. While I enjoy gaming in virtual worlds like World of Warcraft, nothing compares to actual role playing. (And, believe me, there is precious little role playing that goes on in World of Warcraft even on so called "role playing" servers.)
Yeah, I'm going to be one of those suckers plopping down bucks for a new edition. But it's going to be the same old gaming buddies that I game with. And the stories will continue just like before.
So, let me know then if you think 4.0 deserves the Geek King Seal of Approval or not. As always, please feel free to send me nominees for the Geek King Seal of Approval. This concludes this royal announcement.
Posted by
ironic1 on June 5, 2008 11:30 AM | Permalink
Comments
Well, both Wil Wheaton and the Penny Arcade guys says it's awesome. Good enough for me. Then again, I haven't played for something like 17 years...
Posted by: Zac Bentz | June 6, 2008 07:35 AM
I'm pretty underwhelmed by the 4.0 release too. In my experience, D&D was a great intro game - something that was accessible and easy to find groups for. But after gaming just for a short time, I realized that there are thousands of other RPG games on the market, each with a unique take on the RPG theme.
For some, D&D is the quintessential RPG, and it fulfills all of their needs. However, I see a lot of more experience gamers finding other systems that they enjoy more.
Personally, I find the 7th Sea system most enjoyable (and no, not "Swashbuckling Adventures" - take your D20 and shove it!). It has a perfect mix of a rich world, and simple rolling system that still is able to calculate complex problems.
And I like pirates... with magic!
Posted by: Bad Cat! | June 6, 2008 12:26 PM
I hear ya, BadCat! Recently I've been turned on to StoryCards which is a more intuitive, less rules lawyerish approach to role playing. Its maxim is "whatever makes for the best story" which works for me.
Posted by: ironic1 | June 6, 2008 12:50 PM
Hadn't heard of those before - it sounds really cool.
Posted by: Bad Cat! | June 7, 2008 08:26 AM
I agree with Bad Cat concerning the simplicity of DnD, and how good 7th Sea is, but I played 4e at Gamers Cove this weekend, and I was incredibly surprised. While the miniatures side of 4e may anger some people, 4e has moved away from Vancian magick and overall has streamlined without sacrificing. While I would rather spend my simoleons on GURPS, 4e is a tantalising purchase.
Posted by: Anton Gorodetsky | June 9, 2008 02:15 PM
What's the word on the open source 4.0 rules?
Posted by: adam | June 9, 2008 02:30 PM