I never played 1st, mind you, so I can't comment on that.
A lot of the rules in second edition were apparent fiats. I imagine that through countless hours of hands-on experience, they found what worked best and I just had to trust that they were right. And they largely worked, I have great memories of games I played in second edition. I think the complete insanity behind the system actually helped shape the way we played our games - if the DM didn't know how to adjudicate on something, he just pulled out a judgment relying solely on his best guess based on past experience. And that felt fairly natural, since I'm pretty sure every other rule in the book was made the same way.
With later editions, there was a far clearer, unifying mechanic to the game. Just understanding the d20 vs. difficulty check roll will allow you to resolve most situations in the d20 system, the DM just has to decide what variable best measure the conflict.
A lot of the rules in second edition were apparent fiats. I imagine that through countless hours of hands-on experience, they found what worked best and I just had to trust that they were right. And they largely worked, I have great memories of games I played in second edition. I think the complete insanity behind the system actually helped shape the way we played our games - if the DM didn't know how to adjudicate on something, he just pulled out a judgment relying solely on his best guess based on past experience. And that felt fairly natural, since I'm pretty sure every other rule in the book was made the same way.
With later editions, there was a far clearer, unifying mechanic to the game. Just understanding the d20 vs. difficulty check roll will allow you to resolve most situations in the d20 system, the DM just has to decide what variable best measure the conflict.
The first rule of being a ninja is "do no harm". Unless you intend to do harm, then do lots of harm.
~Master Splinter
Victorious in Bergioyn's legendary 'Reverse Mafia'. *MySmiley*
~Master Splinter
Victorious in Bergioyn's legendary 'Reverse Mafia'. *MySmiley*
This message last edited by Fanatic-Templar on 11/01/2012 at 11:00:28 PM
D&D 5th Edition... Hard to believe how many years this has been going.
09/01/2012 10:47:30 PM
- 1373 Views
seriously? 4.0 hasn't even been out that long!
10/01/2012 12:28:09 AM
- 781 Views
4th Edition has been a commercial failure. 5th Edition wasn't originally due for several years yet.
10/01/2012 01:37:47 AM
- 940 Views
No, the future of D&D has resided with Pathfinder for a while. *NM*
10/01/2012 05:24:10 PM
- 434 Views
Re: No, the future of D&D has resided with Pathfinder for a while.
10/01/2012 08:09:11 PM
- 804 Views
Re: D&D 5th Edition... Hard to believe how many years this has been going.
10/01/2012 08:23:59 AM
- 774 Views
I found this blog entry enlightening:
10/01/2012 01:41:12 PM
- 901 Views
Dunno about the "Old-School Revival," but Pathfinder is definitely pretty popular
10/01/2012 02:21:37 PM
- 807 Views
Re: Dunno about the "Old-School Revival," but Pathfinder is definitely pretty popular
10/01/2012 04:34:39 PM
- 813 Views
Re: Dunno about the "Old-School Revival," but Pathfinder is definitely pretty popular
11/01/2012 02:56:23 AM
- 788 Views
I can't wait to see the Edition Wars™ flare up again.
10/01/2012 02:55:27 PM
- 958 Views
True story:
10/01/2012 04:39:47 PM
- 870 Views
I felt like that was the whole goal of 4E...and I think that goal was accomplished.
10/01/2012 05:19:14 PM
- 789 Views
I think we'll probably see the pendulum swing back the other way a bit
11/01/2012 03:46:00 PM
- 741 Views
The last time I played an AD&D CRPG, it had THAC0.
10/01/2012 07:47:47 PM
- 806 Views
Baldur's Gate, woo!
11/01/2012 03:49:49 PM
- 753 Views
That was a Warrior trait, not a human one.
11/01/2012 07:18:09 PM
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That sounds insanely unintuitive. *NM*
11/01/2012 07:37:37 PM
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That's 2nd Edition.
11/01/2012 10:59:34 PM
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A fine example of a mechanic that seems lifted whole sale from GURPS 3rd ed.
25/01/2012 05:40:58 PM
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Incidentally, I am currently about halfway through replaying the BG series; great fun.
25/01/2012 06:41:53 PM
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Re: Incidentally, I am currently about halfway through replaying the BG series; great fun.
25/01/2012 07:52:29 PM
- 758 Views
Digging around online just now it looks that may have been a 1st ed. rule.
25/01/2012 08:40:13 PM
- 915 Views
AD&D represent! *throws up half-orc gang signs* *NM*
13/01/2012 01:50:06 AM
- 524 Views
Throwing up a half-eaten rat is not throwing up a gang sign... *NM*
13/01/2012 05:26:47 AM
- 444 Views
What about a half-eaten halfling?
13/01/2012 02:41:06 PM
- 823 Views
Been re-reading The Sleeping Dragon, have you?
25/01/2012 05:29:15 PM
- 835 Views
*hollas*
25/01/2012 05:30:45 PM
- 738 Views
GURPS is still in 4E.
25/01/2012 05:58:34 PM
- 769 Views
Thank God for small blessings; it is almost like those guys do not know HOW to milk a consumer base.
25/01/2012 07:02:44 PM
- 703 Views
They really don't, do they?
25/01/2012 09:12:07 PM
- 691 Views
They focused on rigorous rules that let people run games in the setting of their choice.
26/01/2012 08:59:59 AM
- 791 Views
I love Pathfinder and 4th edition. They're great, for different reasons. I'm excited to see 5th ed. *NM*
11/01/2012 04:58:28 PM
- 404 Views