duum982 > The Wizards Community

Berenmir voted in the poll, "CC3 - Intellect Tyrant vs Displacer Dragon ".

Berenmir voted in the poll, "CC3 - Were-Chimera vs Displacer Cube ".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Displacer Dragon vs Medusa Hydra".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Intellect Tyrant vs Stirgethid".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Grivvin vs Displacer Cube".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Were-Chimera vs Enfield ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Gray Matter vs The Medusa Hydra ".

1 person likes this poll.

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Elder Brain in a Jar vs Displacer Dragon ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Ruxie vs Stirgethid ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Abolithids vs Intellect Tyrant ".

Lordmatteus voted in the poll, "CC - Displacer Cube vs Mantiplacer ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Rust Grub vs Grivvin ".

Lordmatteus voted in the poll, "CC - Enfield vs Platypotamus ".

Lordmatteus voted in the poll, "CC - Were-Chimera vs Cannibal Cow ".

duum982 shared an article.

The Many Faces of D&D www.wizards.com

Show previous 5 comments...

2 / 66

Styxwater

This is a phenomenally generous article. Mearls is sharing with us some of the fundamental thought processes involved in D&D’s design. The axes depicted here are intrinsic to how designers are thinking when they construct the mechanics of their system. While there has been much discussion on the minutia of the terms there has been little consideration given to the principle of the article.
The chart describes axes that are present in our gaming subculture. These axes may not seem to...

View full comment This is a phenomenally generous article. Mearls is sharing with us some of the fundamental thought processes involved in D&D’s design. The axes depicted here are intrinsic to how designers are thinking when they construct the mechanics of their system. While there has been much discussion on the minutia of the terms there has been little consideration given to the principle of the article.
The chart describes axes that are present in our gaming subculture. These axes may not seem to apply to the respondents of this particular article, however, they are fundamentally sound, and can be seen represented at any gaming convention the world over. That said the most fascinating aspect of this article is that D&D 4e was intentionally designed as having a greater emphasis on abstraction and tactics. Like so many of my gaming comrades, I had been engaged in the great debate, which has raged since 4e’s release, thinking that the argument was dichotomic, “3.5 good, 4 bad” and the like. However, this article presented a new way of looking at the mechanical relationships between the editions, broadening my perspective and providing a platform for more rational discussion.
Finally, to place myself on the chart I had to do some consideration. I began play in first edition, at the table with my big brother’s friends, and have played every consecutive edition more or less as it came out. Planescape, was the high water mark for Dungeons & Dragons, a 2nd ed. setting that was most definitely in the top left corner of the axes chart presented in the article. And yet, 4th editions mechanics have proved it to be my favorite edition by far. I run 4th (despite having lost all but one or two of my many players who had attended every week, to the seemingly endless angry anti-4th throng shouting inarticulate curses and gesticulating rudely in some irrational seizure brought on by contempt prior to investigation) and find that it’s emphasis on tactics and abstraction make my job infinitely l

1 person likes this discussion post.

June 21, 2011 11:52 AM PDT

Phlod

From what I've been reading, between Mearls, and Cook, I don't think I'm going to be buying D&D 5e.
I've read Mearl's definitions of the Axes, but I just don't think the axes are well...defined. How can we put ourselves anywhere on these axes, when it's not known what each gradient represents? Some people (haters) would put 4e on the extreme Abstraction axis, but I wouldn't. I'd put it about in the middle between the two.
But, what would being extremely south on the Abstraction...

View full comment

October 19, 2011 9:44 AM PDT

Community

Profile

Activity Feed

Berenmir voted in the poll, "CC3 - Intellect Tyrant vs Displacer Dragon ".

Berenmir voted in the poll, "CC3 - Were-Chimera vs Displacer Cube ".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Displacer Dragon vs Medusa Hydra".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Intellect Tyrant vs Stirgethid".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Grivvin vs Displacer Cube".

DeathByDonut voted in the poll, "CC - 2 - Were-Chimera vs Enfield ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Gray Matter vs The Medusa Hydra ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Elder Brain in a Jar vs Displacer Dragon ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Ruxie vs Stirgethid ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Abolithids vs Intellect Tyrant ".

Lordmatteus voted in the poll, "CC - Displacer Cube vs Mantiplacer ".

jalopezjr voted in the poll, "CC - Rust Grub vs Grivvin ".

Lordmatteus voted in the poll, "CC - Enfield vs Platypotamus ".

Lordmatteus voted in the poll, "CC - Were-Chimera vs Cannibal Cow ".

duum982 shared an article.

My Profile

About Me

D&D

Magic

Axis & Allies

Star Wars

Blog Posts

Comments

My Characters

Lair Assault

Vitals

Calendar

Calendar Events

Friends

My Groups

Corporate

Wizards.com Sites