Would Arneson Have Liked You to Try New Editions? (Blackmoor Week Monday)
Today, rumours which have since been debunked, circulated that a new edition of D&D were in the works. This made me think about the edition wars. Back in the early 2000s, much of the activity in D&D forums was about young gamers trash talking early editions and older gamers bashing D&D 3E which was the new edition of the day. Looking back, this was a huge waste of time for everyone and a completely pointless activity.
Some people are still engaging in this activity, but it hardly gets the kind of reaction it got back then, so its either juts ignored or left in some echo chamber groups where people just agree with each other's grumpiness, but soon get bored even of that. If you once "fought in the edition wars", I hope that you think back to those days with embarassment and do not wear it like a badge. Its not.
I am nothing special when it comes to RPGs, but I have been playing since the 80s. I have played every edition of D&D and a wide range of other RPGs both older games and more recent ones. Some claim that you become a better gamer by sticking to a single edition that you can learn every rule. If this works for you, that is all good for me, but I have always believed that expanding your horizons and trying new things is a good thing. And although I enjoy the later editions and other RPGs of the last few decades, I also keep coming back to my old favourites like the 1983 Red Box and BECMI which is what I started out with.
Now, what about Dave Arneson in all of this? What we know is that he and his friends devoured every board game, and war game they could get their hands on. RPGs did not exist back then, but they incorporated roleplaying into their games anyway. And they changed the rules, experimented and made up new games. Eventually this lead to Blackmoor and D&D. So trying new things can lead to amazing discoveries! And if you play a modern game with some younger gamers, maybe they will join you for a session of OD&D or AD&D next? The most important thing is that we have a hobby that we love. And if we can bring more people into the hobby, we are all better off.
When 3E came out, Dave Arneson was happy since for the first time in decades, he felt like he was being welcomed back to the game that he helped create. He was even given a chance to write for WotC's website and publish Blackmoor for the new ruleset. Sure, he soon went back to the rules that he knew best and that he had created, but my impression is that he was happy as long as people were having fun.
So lets stop focusing on negativity and the things that divide us. This game is about having fun experiences together. Not about playing the right or wrong way!
Keep up with the latest Blackmoor Week Activities here as we gear up for Dave Arneson Game Day on October 1st!
-Havard
I wonder if this will annoy some people? :D
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, I always tell new players of the hobby to play other games, dnd is not the be all, end all of rpgs
ReplyDeleteThere's an old quote I've seen purportedly from Dave in reference to him running games with players each using characters from different editions.
ReplyDelete"Don’t ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
Ever with Dave it was Rulings, not Rules.
Um…I don’t feel particularly embarrassed for calling out issues (i.e. problems) with specific editions of Dungeons & Dragons.
ReplyDeleteRPGs are a lot of fun. I’ve played (and enjoyed) dozens, and probably own 4 or 5 times as many as I’ve played. I refer folks to all sorts of [role-playing] games.
Calling attention to a particular game’s (or edition of a game’s) deficiencies may appear to be engaging in curmudgeonly “get-off-my-lawn” behavior. Heck, maybe it is. But criticism isn’t completely useless. Far more useless, IMO, to simply buy the company line without question.
I DO want to grow the hobby and bring in younger players. That’s why I’m teaching them (younger players) D&D from older systems. Those systems have stood the test of time. I’ve played 3E. I’ve read the later editions…and I’ve seen their inequities. For folks who’ve “evolved” to a different style of role-playing…and who prefer a later system…okay. Do you. But I’m going to continue to promote my particular brand of D&D. That’s the most positive thing I can do.
JB, I don't think you should feel bad about promoting what you love. As you know, I love the old editions too. But sometimes it seems like we gamers forget that the main point is to have enjoy ourselves with whatever game we love. :) My point was just that we should focus on what we love, rather than bash what others enjoy.
DeleteHavard, I get your point man. And I agree we should strive for positivity, not negativity.
DeleteSometimes comparisons involve critique. But focusing on the negative always runs the risk of obscuring content, especially when feelings are hurt in the process. We (I) should try to keep that in mind.
D&D "edition wars" seem filled with more toxicity than other TTFRPG communities.
ReplyDeletePartaking in edition discussions with Palladium/Rifts folks or Tunnels and Trolls players, has always been very civil.
This has actually moved me away from D&D IRL as well. It's a shade tougher to get a live group for Palladium or T&T but well worth it; even in person the social maturity is way better in my experience. As a bonus (for T&T), going solo is an option that's fun to play and collect.