Upset you bought 3.5E when 4E turned out to be so soon?

As I've stated before and I'll state again, just because I love hearing the keys being pushed down on my keyboard. "I've only ever played the computer game D&D. And mainly I just love the worlds and in planescapes case the universes they've created.

@Dire Lemon. Here here. RIP Troika

Hmmm. Little flaw there: the erratas will most likely only be on DnD-Insider. I think one of the designers said something in that direction.

Only the MMO wouldn't be free. So, let's say, you had to pay for the patches for WoW.

Yes. On the other hand... few projects entirely created by volunteers ever got that big.

Okay, first point to address.

You don't need to pay for D&D Insider to be able to log in. They've just kind of group their online portal together. So if you pay for Dungeon or Dragon Online, you get to see that content. IF you don't, you see a message telling you that you need to subscribe. But other things, like the Designer Diaries and like like should not be a subscription issue (at least, they are not at the moment). I don't see a significant change when they start pushing out erratas - though, I do recall seeing a rumor that books may start having CD-Key type codes that allow access to further content online.

I'm afraid this quote comes off as naive if not ignorant. I have not taken a hit from the WoW crackpipe, but I at least understand why they require a continued service payment.

Server space - it cost, surprise surprise, money! Unlike other online games - FPS, RTS, TBS - these games are played by tons of people at once and really defies the capabilities of the average home computer to play and host a server. Since you or I may play for the sake of playing, Slappy over there may not frown on cheating and thereby ruining our game play. Having centralized, Blizzard run servers (instead of user-based servers) allows them to ensure cheating does not ensue, patches are distributed quickly, and flaws are found out about faster.

New content - it also costs money. When you're having designers come up with new stuff of professional quality to be released in patches (like adding voice support, or new places to explore) - you kinda, sorta need to give them money.

It's not like they're extorting you for cash, they're just requiring you to pay for the services you use. Hell, we've seen how badly other types of fund-generating has floundered. BF 2232 (or whatever the number was) had big, in-game billboards to try an generate money to pay for server space. Product placement in video games has also been tried and largely failed due to gamer-scorn.

That's too bad, because, as I understand it - it still costs money to pay people to create good stuff for online use of professional quality. I'm not just talking about the game writers, but the programmers, the web admins, illustrators, and all of the behind the scenes ilk.

A subscription fee for online content is not some corporate mad dash for money money money. It's about making enough cash to cover your bases and possibly, possibly turn a profit. Considering some of the neat stuff that WotC put out online for 3.X and the interesting stuff they've been throwing around (online, 3D mapping? Yes please, with a side of awesome sauce) - their online content is just going to get better.

Yep, that is nice. I dig my Dragon mags - not really having them around, in boxes, stashed through out my apartment - but being able to pick one up and read is fun. But magazines are expensive to make and for a niche market like RPGs, they'd eventually have to price it to a point where most gamers wouldn't want to fork over the dough. And there wouldn't be cool digital content to go along side it either.

The move to digital media is one that will be almost impossible to stop. If you'd like to curmudgeonly cry out evils of the corporate world, perhaps you could, I don't know, try thinking critically or trying to understand why a little deeper than "$$$". Or, you could stay in the dark (or out of the dark - blending planescapisms and real-worldisms hurts my brain), just don't be surprised if people just roll their eyes and move on.

To address the original point - I'm a little bummed. IF it's easier to run and play and have fun - cool - I may pick it up. It sounds that way, so I'm leaning towards yes.

While I like a lot of the crunchy aspects of 3.X, I end up playing with a bunch of people who don't. Eventually there comes a point where they stop enjoying it because they don't like the paper work, don't like that I'm just a little better at a lot of things. That drags the game down and makes it less fun for me. If the new edition addresses this and makes it easier for everyone to have fun and be good at stuff without carefully plotting their rise to power- count me in.

There is one thing that kind of irritated me about 3.5, and that was magic. The DCs for spells are more or less static, the only way to beef them up is to increase your casting modifier. This is rather expensive, and has its limits when it no longer becomes feasible.

Saving throws, on the other hand, tend to rise quickly. You have neatly rising bases, plus considerable bonuses from stats. Item or class based bonuses to saving throws are plentiful. And lets not forget Evasion and mettle, which in combination with decent saving throws can make some spells a waste of time.

Now consider spell resist.

All in all, it soon reaches a point where a spry rogue with a few magic items and a knife can, without even using stealth, neutralize someone of higher level who can bend the laws of physics to their will.

Sure, a fireball is pretty nifty. Take a level 10 wizard with a 22 intelligence. By most standards, thats pretty high. Thats still only a DC 19.

Now take a second level rogue with a 16 dex. Not bad, but it could easily be higher at this level, especially if they chose a race with a dex bonus (which are common). This rogue only needs to roll a 13 to completely ignore the fact that the fireball happened.

Is a 13 or above guaranteed? No. Is it a relatively easy roll? Yes. Heck, I just rolled a straight D20 right now and got higher than that (14). That means I just ignored an 8 level difference and a 4 point INT boost with as much ease at it takes to hit something equal to my challenge rating.

Possible, but Evasion isn't rogue specific. At this point, getting evasion is pretty easy. Heck, I once made a villian to fight the PCs who, by sheer coincidence, got evasion and improved evasion twice each.

[mod]Please try to keep the conversation in this threads focused and civil, not confrontational with your fellow posters.[/mod]

[mod]This is more to toss cold water out before things heat up to full flame level. I'd rather catch it early than catch it in the face.[/mod]

Yeah... I think trying to start a D&D group in prison is a better way of finding love than dropping your soap-on-a-rope. Just a heads up, in case they find the bodies.