Re: [WW] Re: A New System and Goodbye to D20

[gathomas4@juno.com]

On Mon, 22 Apr 2002 13:26:01 -0500 "Jeremy Reaban" <jer@connectria.com>
writes:

> This whole thing mostly sounds like Pinnacle just doesn't like d20
> from a attitude point of view (since most of their supposed problems
> with it are easily addressed or fixed), sort of how players of every
> other gaming system look down on d20.

Um, ease up on the paranoid meter man....easy,.....easy.....

1) Sales: OK, you already said (i think) that sales was a legitimate
problem.  Since PEG is a commercial enterprise, that reason alone is more
than enough reason to change and/or discontinue the product in my book.

And as Shane has already stated: 
"For those of you who are absolutely in love with D20, more power to you.
And 
we're still doing some D20 products, including Deadlands and Hell on
Earth 
dual-stat books, Hostile Climes, and of course the rest of the Weird War
Two 
line...."

So it's hardly "Goodbye to d20" now then is it?

Happy Gaming, =)

screenmonkey




2) The System: i have to agree with Shane here, running battles with 10+
opponents on each side with d20 is a problem. The designers of d20 have
as much as said that it's a bad idea.  Unfortunately, it's a common
occurence in military games. If you think that some WM scratch paper
tricks are going to solve this problem, let alone solve it easily, then
you're fooling yourself.  If you can ignore this and wing it during such
battles, or whatever it takes to run the scene, then all the power to
you.  Unfortunately, d20 engenders a certain mind set in the players that
is not tolerant of WMs losing track of details - something that's all too
real for anyone running a large d20 combat (or a small one involving high
level characters.)

3) Perception is Reality: Again i'm with Shane here. It's very hard to
intimidate a player who has a character of 5th level on up.  Especially
if a good medic is in the neighborhood.  This problem can be fixed, but
it's not easy and ignoring it by saying the game is supposed to be
"cinematic" is no solution.

4) D20 Modern: There is a very real problem with writing for the d20
system and that is that the only ones able to do it seem to be the people
that wrote the game.  Seriously, virtually every non-WotC publisher
putting out d20 products makes mistakes.  Largely because the system is
so damn complicated when you peek behind the scenes. i think this is the
clincher, writing up d20 material is about as much fun as balancing a
checkbook and who wants to do that, even if it does sell -- which as we
already mentioned, it doesn't. 

5) There is better: There certainly is.  It goes without saying with
experienced gamers that a system designed specifically for a certain kind
of play or setting


 Which is certainly their 
> right.
> But they shouldn't expect people to love the new system unless they
> are PEG fanboys
> 
> 
> To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@gamerz.net with
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> 





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