[b]Hello![b]
I'm a geek. A nerd. Super Serial.
I'm a balanced person, in general, but I LOVE me some 'vidjagames', as the Pres might say before falling off his Segway.
But before videogames for me, back in 1981, I donned a pointy hat and was run through my very first experience of something that would not only shape parts of my life, but every single videogamer today:
You killed my father...
That's right, when I was just 7 years old, my stepbrother ran me through my first dungeons and dragons campaign. I was a rogue, and my goal was to assassinate a wizard. I made it through the whole campaign and then was killed by the wizard at the end. I cried and cried. I was still too young to grasp everything, but all I know is this world of magical fantasy was opened to me, and I played the game throughout much of my life. I eventually migrated to other pen and paper rpgs, and have played more than I care to admit. It helps that I like to write.
"But Balth!" you ask, "why the hell are you talking about this NOW and HERE?"
Because, my dear friends, tonight at midnight, at 06/06/08, marks the release of:
The fourth edition of D&D releases tonight. And trust me, whether you know it or not, it's a huge deal. They have literally gutted the system and replaced old outdated mechanics with fluid, dynamic and fun storytelling. I fully expect to see some of the standards introduced here to trickle down into videogames, just like D&D has influenced every RPG ever made.
I have read through the entire Player's Handbook (I have an...ahem..advance copy of the books), and I have to say they've really done a good job with it.
I have recently purchased a virtual tabletop
here, which does technically make it a bit like a video game.
If you have ANY kind of interest in the world of PnP rpg's, I cannot recommend enough that you pick up the trilogy of core books.
It is a level-editor, combat simulation and create your own story video game, minus your tv (unless you use a virtual tabletop like me).
Prepare to die...
that is all. 
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invite to meetup+play
I want in!
Oh...that's right they're updating. w00t!
I'm open to night suggestions, Friday is already booked for me, as is Sunday nights.
Monday is actually a day off for me, so I dunno how others feel there.
Also, a license of the aforementioned tabletop program and a headset for voiping (haha, i just VOIPED you, sucka!) is necessario.
Also, Indigo Montoya.
I too am a geek and a Nerd. I want in as well!!
Weekend's Ideal for me.
Monday is PS3 poker night
Tuesday is Team Fortress Tuesdays
Wednesday is WNW
Thursday is Rock Band
Friday is FNF
Monday is also a possibility, I like poker but I've been dying to play D&D again. Wednesday Night Whatever attendance has also been really low and if it doesn't pick up in a few week I'm just going to stop hosting it so that another possible night.
D&D scares me, but that first pic is amazing :)
Can we really do Virtual D&D? OMG, that would be amazing. All my old D&D friends were in college, and I haven't played in years. Count me in!!! Add Ventrillo to it and were talking epic win!
After looking at that site for the virtual tabletop, Im fucking stoked.
D&D Saturdays? HELL YEAH
I've been kinda iffy about 4.0. I really, really, liked 3.5 (and know the rule set very well) and thought it was flexible enough to offer much longer-term customization through new and variant rules offered in supplements. Of course WotC (well, Hasbro really) needs to make money by releasing new books every month, and this way they can just release the same books over again. I'll probably try it eventually because I really enjoy D&D, but all the money I've spent on 3.5 books makes me a sad panda.
Actually Donut,
I plan on never buying another book from them, save adventure modules. There is no need, everything through epic level is in the player's handbook.
Sure, if you REALLY want other settings, I could see it. I MIGHT buy future monster manuals if they put them out; but really in the three core books is everything you need for as long as you want to play the system.
And that's the rub for me. I can tell I'm going to enjoy this system for a long time; the rules revisions are brilliant. Each class has different properties (control, leadership, stabby) that determines the strategy you want to use for that class. The amazing thing is that they have made multiple archetypes for each class. Great, you want to be a wizard. But do you want to be a wizard that fucks with enemies, or do you want to be a wizard that does hand of god damage to a bunch of enemies?
I was REALLY pessimistic about 4.0 till I got the books. My jaw was on the floor throughout just the RACE descriptions, let alone classes.
My recommendation, if you are not sure, is to go to Borders/Barnes and Nobles with a good hour or two to read, grab a copy of the player's handbook and start reading.
you.will.be.blown.away.
@prof > it's on sale at thinkgeek.com. Do want!
Also, it is clinically proven that playing D&D will turn you into a psychotic killer who worships the devil.
D&D has influenced every rpg ever made. Rpgs are videogames. Therefore, via slippery slope method introduced via initial fallacious statement, All videogames will turn you into a psychotic killer who worships the devil.
So you're saying you're in? :D
@yojimbo, king3vbo --> how do monday evenings look?
also, I have ventrillo available as a client, but does anyone have a server? Honestly, either skype or ventrillo or even teamspeak works just fine.
"The amazing thing is that they have made multiple archetypes for each class. Great, you want to be a wizard. But do you want to be a wizard that fucks with enemies, or do you want to be a wizard that does hand of god damage to a bunch of enemies?"
But you could already do all that by picking different spells, feats, and prestige classes. And besides, one of the main reasons to be a wizard is for the ability to do all of those things.
Like I said though, I'll probably be checking it out soon. Hearing that the they made the core books so comprehensive is nice to know.
Yes, I see what you're saying and I did a shite job of saying what I wanted to. You see, they've streamlined the whole thing so you aren't clamoring around for a calculator to find out how many 3rd level spells you can cast, how many 4th level spells, etc.
But yes, everything for levels 1-30, in the PHB alone. I've flipped through most of the monster manual, but the DMG will be tonight and tomorrow :)
Very cool. I've been looking at the v4 books all week (my store got some early copies in) and it looks awesome. Count me in as a possible depending on what night of the week is decided on.