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RPGnet Columns
04-01-2005, 11:01 PM
Post originally by RK Rowling at 2005-04-01 22:01:58
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When writing 4E you also have to consider the amount of baggage that goes with it. Even the "highly modernized" d20 3.5 still has much what might be conisdered necessary old mechanics that don't make much sense in comparison to other game systems. A lot of fans still question the positive AC (even though it makes things a ton easier) but AC still makes you harder to hit (as opposed to the Mongoose variants of the d20 game seen in Babylon 5 or Judge Dredd) also take a look at the basic character generation system which creates a dunsel number which is not really needed. (the 3-18 stat) the bonus is all that matters, and there are a lot of way to make a generation system from -3 to +4 without needing the 3d6 method. but again people simply would not consider it D&D without 3d6 stats, and AC making you harder to hit. My point is that despite the imporvents that 3e made in the game, there is only so far you can go from a mechanics standpoint and still have people call it D&D.

RPGnet Columns
04-02-2005, 09:52 AM
Post originally by Bob the Fighter at 2005-04-02 08:52:30
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Yeah. But then, some of us might just want to do what we tried to do with D&D but couldn't. I think of this as the Holy Grail of Gaming phenomenon, in which I (someone who doesn't much care for D&D) strangely feels the need to make the Best Fantasy Game Ever.

The term "fantasy heartbreaker" is a way I've heard it described over at the Forge, and I think that folks who cut their teeth on D&D (like me) have this bizarre urge to "beat" D&D, to make a fantasy RPG that's "better".

Regarding what you've said here, I think you're onto a lot of good mechanical ideas. I wouldn't ignore the possibility, though, of tossing out D&D as a design yardstick and just trying to make a good set of rules.