OK, I've been trying to download the 5E Playtest documents.
Keep getting errors and redirects and messages telling me I'm sending scripts over unsecure lines.
And this is AFTER making sure I still had a Wizards.com account, signing the little agreement, having to wait another hour to get the email with the download link... If they really want people to playtest their stuff, why do they make so many hoops to jump through to do it?
Anyway, I'll try it again after work. If it doesn't work, screw it.
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The traffic is heavy on their site. Sorry to hear that you are frustrated about it, and I hope that things work out so that you eventually get a chance to check it out. I'm actually impressed with the Old School flavor of a significant part of it.
ReplyDelete-Flynn
I should hope it has Old School substance, not just flavor. Flavor is superficial.
DeleteI'm having the same issues. I'm going to wait until the wee hours of the morning and see if their servers have cooled off enough to allow me to download their docs.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
It took forever just to make an account over at WotC...
ReplyDeleteYou might want to hold off until they get their shit together. Their Twitter feed has been giving small accouncements: https://twitter.com/#!/Wizards_DnD
It's worth the hassle to get 'em... definitely a shift back and a sideslip... almost like an alternate universe 3E built from Moldvay.
Someone on the RPG Site posted a link to it on RapidShare. Got it now. Will look it over later.
ReplyDeleteOnce you're trained to jump through the hoops, you're trained.
ReplyDeleteI'm having the same issues. IT does NOT inspire confidence in them when the link in the official email doesn't even work right. I will have to check for that link you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI got the documents through my email from the Wizards. Definitely not the Fourth Edition (except for the disguised healing surges and extended rests). The Fighter looks very Old School to me. The monsters unfortunately require the dungeon master to look up spells. The Clerics look a bit like Pathfinder.
ReplyDeleteNumbers-wise, all of the characters look a bit more 4E to me, but the ability suites the Fighter and Rogue possess definitely look more Old School. Tenkar won't be happy that the "laser Cleric" is still there [not so fond of it myself].
DeleteThe general system seems to be taking 3E and using the best ideas of Castles & Crusades and Pathfinder.
Still, the general advice to players and GMs is good, and has an old school vibe that likely will annoy those who fear "the power of the Evil DM."
So in a sense, they have combined elements of various editions, but the parts don't seem so modular.
I'll likely have a more complete write-up later this weekend, when I finish going over the spells, bestiary, and Caves of Chaos.
I have just read Mike Mearls's explanation of the Playtest stuff, and he notes that groups can forgo the healing surges (which are strangely called hit dice) and cantrips and orisons for a more old school feel. That does not match what I was hoping for with modularity: that means the table has to choose to be either old school or new school. On the other hand it does address three issues neatly (surges, laser clerics and at-wills).
ReplyDelete