The Underdark Gazette did an interesting post dealing with a quote from Mike Mearls with some ponderings about D&D and WotC in general.
I've posted some quotes from the site and my responses below.
Underdark Gazette:"Making the old material available in Print again would be nice, but I don't need WotC."
I would love to see old editions of games released. As a matter of fact I think "revising/updating" some of the old material and releasing it under a "D&D Classics" line would be brilliant. Same basic game, but with some of the warts removed. (An updated '91 Rules Cyclopedia would be my vote for updating and rerelease... G.G)
Of course it would be nice if there were also a few pages added or at least an online guide for people who've only played 3e/4e to convert THAC0 & descending AC to BAB and ascending AC. (Purist may disagree, but I think Sword & Wizardry had the right idea with this one. Doing both so old and new fans could play the game the way they prefer...G.G)
While I've always disliked descending AC/THAC0, I grew up with it and can deal if I have to. My newer/younger players have only seen it in my old books and think it is the dumbest thing they've ever encountered. So if I run older editions I have to convert. Which makes game play easier, but prep is a pain.
Underdark Gazette:"And ultimately, they did players and publishers of pre 4e editions a favor."
I wonder just how much of the market share the OSR and Pathfinder have taken from 4e? (I'm sure D&D still holds a majority of the market, but I bet the other publishers are chipping away at it...G.G) I bought a few 4e books when it came out and was willing to give it a chance. The game wasn't bad, it did what it was designed to do, but my group and I didn't like it much.
Pathfinder, Dark Dungeons, Basic Fantasy,or even my old D&D/AD&D books give us more than enough fantasy systems. (Though it would still be nice to have new D&D books to buy... G.G) I'm not making any claims that 3e or any other game is better (Preference is subjective and can not be right or wrong...G.G), but non-4e games just fit our style of play.
Underdark Gazette:"Repeating history and dismissing the hobbyists who've made emotional and financial investments in their game, looks like just one more dick move, from WotC."
This is my #1 beef with WotC/Hasbro and 4e. Being told that 4e was just a stupid rumor and then finding out they'd been working on it for 2 years left a bad taste in my mouth. I lost what little respect I had for the company after that.
I do think if they would put older edition pdfs back up for sale(cheap) and release updated print versions of older editions, they could go a long way towards closing the rift with former fans. We may not play 4e, but we'd at least keep supporting the company.
I just can't believe that no one at Hasbro has thought to capitalize on the OSR movement or to support the very loyal 3e fans. Don't get me wrong I love Paizo's material, but why would WotC want to give those customers to Paizo?
A much revised/updated 3e system released under under a new Advanced Dungeons & Dragons banner would sell like hotcakes (IMO...G.G). Keep the mechanics compatible with 3e/3.5 but give it a definite old school AD&D feel/look (like they tried with the new Red Box)and I'd buy it for sure.
A Paladin In Citadel said: "My only concern is, do the bright-lights at WOTC really get the core of what makes D&D, D&D?"
Personally, I think that a majority of the guys at WotC, the ones that are left anyway, "get it", it is the suits at Hasbro that don't.
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