Comments on: 4venture http://www.gamecrafters.net/archives/279 Brian Engard, freelance game writer and enthusiast. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:28:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brian http://www.gamecrafters.net/archives/279#comment-19360 Brian Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:24:59 +0000 http://www.gamecrafters.net/archives/279#comment-19360 Personally, I hope they heavily revise the magic system in 4E. The current system works, but it's a little bit goofy and there are way, <i>way</i> too many damn spells. Do we really need a separate spell for each individual circumstance? I'd rather see fewer, more broadly-interpretable spells, and a less restrictive system for casting them. I like the Force power system in <i>Star Wars</i>, and something similar would be nice for 4E; I'd much rather encounters be balanced on a per-encounter basis rather than a per-day basis (I <i>hate</i> limited use per day abilities), and <i>Saga Edition</i> seems to address this pretty well (though there are still one or two uses per day abilities, like Wookie Rage). I'd also like to see spells scale better, so that the need for nine different <i>cure wounds</i> spells replaced by a single <i>cure wounds</i> spell that scales with caster level or check result. Personally, I hope they heavily revise the magic system in 4E. The current system works, but it’s a little bit goofy and there are way, way too many damn spells. Do we really need a separate spell for each individual circumstance? I’d rather see fewer, more broadly-interpretable spells, and a less restrictive system for casting them. I like the Force power system in Star Wars, and something similar would be nice for 4E; I’d much rather encounters be balanced on a per-encounter basis rather than a per-day basis (I hate limited use per day abilities), and Saga Edition seems to address this pretty well (though there are still one or two uses per day abilities, like Wookie Rage). I’d also like to see spells scale better, so that the need for nine different cure wounds spells replaced by a single cure wounds spell that scales with caster level or check result.

]]> By: Rich http://www.gamecrafters.net/archives/279#comment-19358 Rich Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:51:27 +0000 http://www.gamecrafters.net/archives/279#comment-19358 Here's something I found while digging around the forums - http://theminiaturespage.com/news/519193/ I agree with the optimism for 4E - and the DI (Digital Initiative). As we all saw with TSR in it's twilight, there is no end to the splat books that can be spread around, and they do tend to get very thin. I think this problem is compounded now by the OGL. There are so many splat books out there, it's hard to find any that are worth it anymore. The first few books (ala song and silence) with their prestige classes really blew us all away, but now that they've been refined and reprinted as hardbacks, and we have race books, and we have world books, and we have equipment books - none of which are really necessary. If I want a new feat, or a certain class, I'll make it up. Sure, I'll have to try and worry about game balance issues, but with a lot of the products out there this hasn't been adequetly addressed. IMHO, the stuff of value that WOTC has put out since the original 3E books is limited to Unearthed Arcana, Eberron source material, and very little else. I don't do Forgotten Realms, which I'm sure is a decent product, but I wonder about the need for a new book on every little geographical feature. Back to the matter at hand - 4E - my hopes are that they have a fully realized system this time around. I never bought the 3.5 books, simply because anything that comes with a 3.x version is a revision, and the revisions should be made available free to people who purchased the original. I was able to get most of the info I wanted from the SRD, but it was a large hassle. So please, WOTC, finish it right the first time. As for the DI side of it, I long for an intuitive interface which has all the rules programmed in, but still allows for modifications, and built in voice communications is a must. As for the system itself - Saga Edition is a great build upon what 3E started. With the simplified classes on top of the multiclassing that 3E made possible (compared to 2E dual-class and multiclass) it will be easier to make exactly the character I want. Also, simplified combat. Fights should take 10-20 minutes not 1-2 hours. Finally, I demand to see level 10 magic and sword-chucks. Here’s something I found while digging around the forums -

http://theminiaturespage.com/news/519193/

I agree with the optimism for 4E - and the DI (Digital Initiative). As we all saw with TSR in it’s twilight, there is no end to the splat books that can be spread around, and they do tend to get very thin. I think this problem is compounded now by the OGL. There are so many splat books out there, it’s hard to find any that are worth it anymore. The first few books (ala song and silence) with their prestige classes really blew us all away, but now that they’ve been refined and reprinted as hardbacks, and we have race books, and we have world books, and we have equipment books - none of which are really necessary. If I want a new feat, or a certain class, I’ll make it up. Sure, I’ll have to try and worry about game balance issues, but with a lot of the products out there this hasn’t been adequetly addressed. IMHO, the stuff of value that WOTC has put out since the original 3E books is limited to Unearthed Arcana, Eberron source material, and very little else. I don’t do Forgotten Realms, which I’m sure is a decent product, but I wonder about the need for a new book on every little geographical feature.

Back to the matter at hand - 4E - my hopes are that they have a fully realized system this time around. I never bought the 3.5 books, simply because anything that comes with a 3.x version is a revision, and the revisions should be made available free to people who purchased the original. I was able to get most of the info I wanted from the SRD, but it was a large hassle. So please, WOTC, finish it right the first time. As for the DI side of it, I long for an intuitive interface which has all the rules programmed in, but still allows for modifications, and built in voice communications is a must. As for the system itself - Saga Edition is a great build upon what 3E started. With the simplified classes on top of the multiclassing that 3E made possible (compared to 2E dual-class and multiclass) it will be easier to make exactly the character I want. Also, simplified combat. Fights should take 10-20 minutes not 1-2 hours. Finally, I demand to see level 10 magic and sword-chucks.

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