What Is The Next Dungeons & Dragons?
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I'm hoping you could shed some light on what fundamental concepts remain key to the new edition. In other words, what elements of the existing D&D game are absolutely essential to bring into a new edition, whether in terms of game systems, storytelling, or atmosphere?
We actually went back and played every major edition of D&D and used those experiences to help narrow down the absolute core elements of the game. If you removed those elements, it's not D&D. Our list includes the six abilities, classes, levels, hit points, Armor Class, and a few other things. In many ways, the list creates the shared language that links the editions.
Of course, the most important element of D&D is the DM. We found that across all the editions, the DM was more important than the specific rules. Supporting DMs and giving them the tools to create the campaigns they want is an important goal for the project.
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Dungeons & Dragons has had a give-and-take relationship with the video game world over the years. Can you speak to whether there are any lessons the design team has drawn from the success of recent video game RPGs, specifically within the MMO market? If so, can any of those lessons be applied to making a new edition of D&D better?
The big lesson I've learned is wrapped up in the art. When you look at some of the great fantasy games out there, you have these vivid, memorable fantasy worlds built on great visuals. Having a consistent look and feel for our worlds is one of our big goals, and we're putting resources against creating that consistency.
From a design stand point, I think it's important that we focus on what tabletop games do well. We want to make sure people can pick up and play D&D with minimum fuss. People will develop a desire to delve into the details and learn all the subtle elements of a game, but first we have to make sure that they can get into the game and develop that curiosity without having to jump through a lot of hoops.
Basically, depth and complexity are good things, but make sure you have a nice, comfortable path for players to turn from neophytes to experts. Make sure it's OK for players to decide they're comfortable with their chosen level of expertise. Don't force people into a specific tier, whether it's a simple or complex level.
