D&D 4th edition

[George]

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/welcome

God, it sound's like it's going to suck. I watched a couple minutes of one of the presentations and they were dragging it down to Diablo levels of complexity. No grapple, because thinking is hard. Predefined roles for every character in the party. Looks like it requires at least one laptop; that won't grind the session to a halt... More emphasis on tournament play. A D&D themed alternative to MySpace. Portions of the rulebooks are only available to web content subscribers.

In the end, it will probably be an improvement, just like 3e, but damn...

[Jonathan]

No comprehende señor. What is it?

[George]

The fourth edition of the pencil&paper RPG. Back when third edition came out (summer before junior year), it was about the same, with marketing blurbs making it sound like they fixed half the game and destroyed the other half. In the end, it was a better game in most respects, but they did lose enough to make me fear what they'll lose this time.

[Jonathan]

Looks like it requires at least one laptop; that won't grind the session to a halt... More emphasis on tournament play. A D&D themed alternative to MySpace. Portions of the rulebooks are only available to web content subscribers.

Laptop, myspace, web content subscribers. THis is dungeons und dragons?

[Jonathan]

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/?p=434

This post actually summarizes the direction D&D4 is headed in context. It intends to be D&D for adults who don't have six hours with half a dozen guys in one room to spare. The computer aspects provide a virtual space for the tabletop game to proceed.

I think I'd play.

[Peijen]

D&D cocreator Gary Gygax now beyond scope of healing spells

that's pretty funny actually.