Re: [DL] Why do people grumble about deadlands d20?)

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

Well, to answer the question in the subject line. . . 

It's because that's the way gamers are.  Look at the back entries of any
listserv, forum, et al. towards the time that the host game company has
announced ANY change in their system.  You will find the vehemence that we have
become used to, but that most normal people usually only associate with deep
levels of religious zealotry.  

I remember the DnD basic vs. ADnD arguments, and the howls of "the end is nigh"
when AdnD 2nd edition was announced.  

Check the logs on gamerz.net and you'll find protests from folks who didn't like
that rules for hucksters were changed, making them more like the blessed in that
they use only one skill now.  The same argument over 1st edition vs. 2nd edition
Deadlands occurred.

I personally attribute it to that quality of human nature that has most people's
egos so wrapped around being right all the time that any challenge to "the
favorite" is seen as challenging the person itself.  

And no, I'm not excusing myself from this list.  I'm one of those that Shane has
described as having less of a problem with the Deadlands D20 then I had with the
D20 mechanics themselves.  (Though to be honest, I mostly dislike the systems
that WotC had to retain in order to maintain backward compatibility - hit
points, AC, levels, classes, etc.  The WotC _core_ books are some of the best
engineered and thought out mechanics I've seen.).  

For me the Deadlands flagship mechanics represent a wonderfully atmospheric set
of rules for the weird west, warts and all.   But those warts are why some
people won't even touch the Deadlands game.  Deadlands D20 both offers those
people a way to get hooked into the incredible setting, and the increased
overall exposure to Pinnacle just for slapping the D20 logo on the books
increases the number of people who never would have seen the setting at all.  

Gotta run to class, so I'll end this particular "world according to Allan" bit
abruptly, but I'll tag in one last bit.

I severely doubt that EITHER mechanic is going away soon.  In the 4+ years I've
been following PEG, I've never seen Shane not take the high road.  I believe
that Shane feels that he has an obligation to all of his fans to support their
decision to invest and place faith in his product.

At least, that's how I interpret Shane's decision to keep on supporting some of
his other intellectual properties, like Last Crusade, a dead (but damn good)
card game.






-- 
Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com

Faced with the choice of changing one's mind or proving that there is no need to
do so, most of us get busy on the proof
		- John Kenneth Galbraith