I am VERY excited about returning to my beloved game, Dungeons and Dragons.
Like many, I started using the "red boxed" set of BASIC D&D back in 1981..worked my way through the "blue boxed" set; then through the AD&D "classic series". A group of seven friends and I met every Sunday playing D&D for six more years.
Friends whom I still count today as my closest.
As the years and incarnations of D&D wore on and my life took me around the world a couple times; I ended up owning/playing/DMing each "core" series in various countries.
Recently and just after purchasing almost every 4th edition book I could get my hands on to begin a new (anew?
) group of "soon to be closest friends"; I heard of the "NEXT" version of D&D. I'm not going to say that I was super keen on the idea at first. The key words of my statement are "AT FIRST".Make no mistake; I love my 4th edition set and will enjoy my home camapign (aka: the Order of the Fallen) very much.
I've had/made the opportunity to join the Playtesters group for D&D NEXT and YouTubed a few interviews on the subject. I am MOST pleased of the direction and how WotC is taking D&D - "to the next level" (pun intended). WotC has stated how it is "taking the time" to get it done RIGHT and this (as eager as I am to get my hands on that shiny new set) is a good thing. No, it's a great thing! Hopefully, they will wait long enough before releasing; that ALL the rulebooks will be available AT ONCE.
I know I'll be watiing until then before purchasing my own set.
In the meantime, I have a fantastic set that will allow me to camapign with all the enthusiasm I had back in 1981.
After examining the evidence and participating in the Playtest, I feel D&D NEXT is going to bring MORE people to the table; making D&D approachable to a broader selection of individuals and that means more opportunites to meet others; and to brings firends closer. In my opinion, positive social interaction that focusses on the INTERACTION (and not the rules/facts/figures) is more likley to create long lasting friendships. "Shared story telling within un/told adventure" is fun beyond the basics of human creativity.
And THAT is what I truly believe D&D is all about.
May you CRIT your friendships.
