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Is it time for an Essentials forum?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
calronmoonflower
Aug 02, 2010 4:32:44
There has been a spike of Essentials thread sin both the Future Releases and 4e General boards over the last week. Though the number has died down recently, I think it would be a good idea to add an additional forum for the essentials line.
#2
pogminky
Aug 02, 2010 5:00:14 Good idea.
#3
Orcboss
Aug 02, 2010 17:50:15 On one hand, I'd love to have all the uninformed sky-is-falling-isms in one easy to ignore place.

On the other, that'd only reinforce the mistaken idea that Essentials and 4e are different things.
#4
elwatto
Aug 09, 2010 1:22:04 Essentials really is different from 4e just as 3.5 was different from 3.0. I'm really beginning to feel that we've spent the past two years Beta testing 4e & now they finally have decided which way they want to go, I hope. I'm an unhappy consumer that feels I'm being taken advantage of by Wizards. I've bought almost every book over the past two years & now they stop publishing supplements/additions to support what they started to basically start over. The changes they are making for the most part appear positive, but they appear to show no loyalty to their established clients when they hit the reset button, make radical enough changes that you really need to buy the new books, & make no financial concessions to the established client base.
#5
Orcboss
Aug 09, 2010 8:01:08
Essentials really is different from 4e just as 3.5 was different from 3.0.

On one hand, I'd love to have all the uninformed sky-is-falling-isms in one easy to ignore place.

#6
elwatto
Aug 09, 2010 12:23:12 Changing implements to one size fits all, giving all daily powers an effect, & making all feats available from 1st level if you meet the conditions are big changes. Themes also have the potential of making a big impact. As a DM I wasn't so worried about themes and balance until I bought my Dark Sun campaign guide. Not all theme granted powers are at wills. These changes may not seem like much but they are. I was a computer and video game designer for many years & changes to a design doc of this scope mid-project would require a reworking of all completed game play. I'm not saying they are bad changes but a DM is going to have to carefully look at the impact of these changes to his existing campaign(s) carefully before deciding to implement them or not.
#7
scipio
Aug 09, 2010 20:13:55 I'd have to agree, when the first 7 or so threads on General are all about Essentials and for the most part bordering on Edition Wars (tm) it's probably time to give Essentials its own place on the forums if only to unclutter General a bit.
#8
Webster
Aug 09, 2010 20:26:52 The clutter will die down eventually.

The problem is it wouldn't stop with an "essentials" forum. There would be requests for "Essential Clases" "Essential Races" and so on. We already have too many forums as it is.

Plus, it would send the wrong message. Essentials isn't 4.5, and to have a "separate" area for it would only reenforce that wrong kind of thinking.

#9
Dargurd
Aug 15, 2010 2:04:11
The clutter will die down eventually.

The problem is it wouldn't stop with an "essentials" forum. There would be requests for "Essential Clases" "Essential Races" and so on. We already have too many forums as it is.

Plus, it would send the wrong message. Essentials isn't 4.5, and to have a "separate" area for it would only reenforce that wrong kind of thinking.

I totally agree with this. There are enough rumours flying that Essentials is 4.5 without making it worse by giving it an independant forum.
#10
elwatto
Aug 15, 2010 10:44:00 From the Dark Sun game day instructions:

The next D&D Encounters adventure starting 9/22 is on the Red Box & is described as, "the return to a classic D&D play experience as we celebrate the new Essentials line!" Sounds like a refocus to me whether it is going forward to 4.5 or back to 2.0.
#11
CelticPaladin
Aug 28, 2010 0:57:36
From the Dark Sun game day instructions:

The next D&D Encounters adventure starting 9/22 is on the Red Box & is described as, "the return to a classic D&D play experience as we celebrate the new Essentials line!" Sounds like a refocus to me whether it is going forward to 4.5 or back to 2.0.

No, no, no.

The Encounters have always been the showcase for new products. It will be Essentials a time or two, than it's going to go over to the Shadow source. This isn't a new focus; they are simply showcasing a new product. This is what Encounters has always been.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 calronmoonflower Aug 02, 2010 4:32:44	There has been a spike of Essentials thread sin both the Future Releases and 4e General boards over the last week. Though the number has died down recently, I think it would be a good idea to add an additional forum for the essentials line.
#2 pogminky Aug 02, 2010 5:00:14	Good idea.
#3 Orcboss Aug 02, 2010 17:50:15	On one hand, I'd love to have all the uninformed sky-is-falling-isms in one easy to ignore place. On the other, that'd only reinforce the mistaken idea that Essentials and 4e are different things.
#4 elwatto Aug 09, 2010 1:22:04	Essentials really is different from 4e just as 3.5 was different from 3.0. I'm really beginning to feel that we've spent the past two years Beta testing 4e & now they finally have decided which way they want to go, I hope. I'm an unhappy consumer that feels I'm being taken advantage of by Wizards. I've bought almost every book over the past two years & now they stop publishing supplements/additions to support what they started to basically start over. The changes they are making for the most part appear positive, but they appear to show no loyalty to their established clients when they hit the reset button, make radical enough changes that you really need to buy the new books, & make no financial concessions to the established client base.
#5 Orcboss Aug 09, 2010 8:01:08	Essentials really is different from 4e just as 3.5 was different from 3.0. On one hand, I'd love to have all the uninformed sky-is-falling-isms in one easy to ignore place.
#6 elwatto Aug 09, 2010 12:23:12	Changing implements to one size fits all, giving all daily powers an effect, & making all feats available from 1st level if you meet the conditions are big changes. Themes also have the potential of making a big impact. As a DM I wasn't so worried about themes and balance until I bought my Dark Sun campaign guide. Not all theme granted powers are at wills. These changes may not seem like much but they are. I was a computer and video game designer for many years & changes to a design doc of this scope mid-project would require a reworking of all completed game play. I'm not saying they are bad changes but a DM is going to have to carefully look at the impact of these changes to his existing campaign(s) carefully before deciding to implement them or not.
#7 scipio Aug 09, 2010 20:13:55	I'd have to agree, when the first 7 or so threads on General are all about Essentials and for the most part bordering on Edition Wars (tm) it's probably time to give Essentials its own place on the forums if only to unclutter General a bit.
#8 Webster Aug 09, 2010 20:26:52	The clutter will die down eventually. The problem is it wouldn't stop with an "essentials" forum. There would be requests for "Essential Clases" "Essential Races" and so on. We already have too many forums as it is. Plus, it would send the wrong message. Essentials isn't 4.5, and to have a "separate" area for it would only reenforce that wrong kind of thinking.
#9 Dargurd Aug 15, 2010 2:04:11	The clutter will die down eventually. The problem is it wouldn't stop with an "essentials" forum. There would be requests for "Essential Clases" "Essential Races" and so on. We already have too many forums as it is. Plus, it would send the wrong message. Essentials isn't 4.5, and to have a "separate" area for it would only reenforce that wrong kind of thinking. I totally agree with this. There are enough rumours flying that Essentials is 4.5 without making it worse by giving it an independant forum.
#10 elwatto Aug 15, 2010 10:44:00	From the Dark Sun game day instructions: The next D&D Encounters adventure starting 9/22 is on the Red Box & is described as, "the return to a classic D&D play experience as we celebrate the new Essentials line!" Sounds like a refocus to me whether it is going forward to 4.5 or back to 2.0.
#11 CelticPaladin Aug 28, 2010 0:57:36	From the Dark Sun game day instructions: The next D&D Encounters adventure starting 9/22 is on the Red Box & is described as, "the return to a classic D&D play experience as we celebrate the new Essentials line!" Sounds like a refocus to me whether it is going forward to 4.5 or back to 2.0. No, no, no. The Encounters have always been the showcase for new products. It will be Essentials a time or two, than it's going to go over to the Shadow source. This isn't a new focus; they are simply showcasing a new product. This is what Encounters has always been.