Thursday, May 31, 2012
After 35 Years, What's Next?
Recent posts by others on the blogosphere got me thinking about this...even though they weren't really all that related. Funny thing the mind.
I have a lot of RPGs in my collection.
While it's not anywhere near the height of dragon hoard infamy it once achieved, it's still a pretty impressive library if I do say so myself.
What is most impressive about it to me is not it's sheer volume but rather that the vast majority of it includes games I actually play and sourcebooks and supplements I actually use.
At present, I am running Champions and I am using the 4th Edition Rulebook, my 4th, 5th and 6th Edition Villain sourcebooks (with modifications of course) and a smattering of other supplemental materials and books as well.
When I ran Mutants & Masterminds 3E not long ago I used something from almost every book in the line including material from the previous editions.
My next campaign (it has been decided) will be Traveller and I am currently reading through a bunch of the original LBBs (Little Black Books), issues of the Journal of the Traveller Aid Society and various sourcebooks from Digest Group Publications' MegaTraveller material to products produced by the games' Japanese distributor.
Is there room in my collection for D&D Next?
Let's say it comes out and it's awesome, the perfect blend of the old and the new. Would it matter? Would it get played?
I rarely run Fantasy and when I do my players' first request is my D&D homebrew (25-30 years in the making). My own preference is to grab Ars Magica. Beyond those two RPGs there are a host of Japanese TRPGs I'd love to run (Make Your Kingdom, Dragon's Egg, etc.). If I am feeling more nostalgic (which is usually the only emotion or state of mind that drums up a desire for D&D), I still have my 1st Ed. AD&D books and all my 3.0 and 3.5 material.
So Next...it just doesn't interest me. As a long time RPG game hobbyist I am curious as to how it works and how it's release will effect the fan base but as an actual member of that fan base, a gamer who loves to game, it's of absolutely no concern. Of my current group of 4-6 regulars, only one seems to really be following Next's progression and then only because he works in a store that sells games. When he plays D&D (with me of course) he plays Pathfinder.
After 35 years of RPG gaming...what is D&D Next? Just another game. One of thousands that I will likely try once or read once to say I did and be able to engage in an informed conversation.
Want to get me excited about a game? When is the next official Star Trek RPG coming out?
AD
Barking Alien
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'm not super sold on Next yet. We'll see if it changes after things come out and I look at it.
ReplyDeleteWell Traveller Prime Directive is still being worked on so there's that. I'd like to hear something about the next official Trek game myself. Maybe the new movies have screwed that up?
ReplyDeleteNext carries more weight on my end because D&D is our main game. I also find it interesting from a business perspective as to how and why decisions are made.
Good luck with the Traveller game, I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do with it.
@Loquacious - First, welcome and thank you so much for following.
ReplyDeleteI think that for me, it really is a question of when I would find or make the time for it, even if its really good.
Believe or not, I hope it is good. Contrary to how it may seem, I don't want D&D to fail or die out or anything like that. It was my first game and it will probably be someone else's and I want their experience to be great.
It's just not something that excites me personally.
@Blacksteel - Me too. That is, I am also looking forward to seeing what I do with it 'cause frankly, I don't really have a set idea for the campaign as of yet.
This group can sometimes be a bit fussy or at the very least, particular. Finding the right game for them is tricky. I am hoping Traveller can work it's magic on them.