At the risk of sounding like a bitter old man, I’d like to offer up some thoughts about first edition D&D. This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time. If I had so much fun playing it, why aren’t I playing it now?
Role-playing has changed. I’ve changed. The rules have changed. Who I play with has changed. I play D&D every week, and 1st edition no longer fits my gaming needs.
But that’s pretty broad. There are some specific problems I see with 1st edition as a game. Together, these problems, both minor and major, add up to 1e not doing the job for me anymore. I do occasionally yearn for the 1e feeling of play, of total immersion in a fictional setting where combat is one element of many, and exploration of the setting is another major element. However, I’ve never been able to find a group like that, and it’s easy to slip into the habit of going from one combat encounter to another. While that might not be my favorite part of the game, I do enjoy that, too.
In any case, here it is. It’s a longish (13,000-word) rant about some of the issues I have with 1st edition. If you want to comment or e-mail me about it, please do!
