OOTS transitioning to 4e? (Speculation)

[iwarriorpoet]

I am not a regular poster---so please forgive any expansive lack of knowledge on this point. I believe Rich has stated that he is having OOTS sticking with 3.5 (thank goodness). However---I have been noticing that the 3.5 specific jokes/references have been waning for awhile now. I am wondering if he might be contemplating switching to 4e after the next major storyline transition.
Thoughts?

[Tempest Fennac]

Rich said in 1 News Update that he had no intentions of changing because the change wouldn't suit his needs as a story-teller (if nothing else it would make O-Chul's list irrelevant). He mentioned that he would make jokes based on the 4th Edition, though (eg: Elan's Power Source being Ignorance according to Durkon).

(V) Thanks.

[iwarriorpoet]

Cute spoiler in your Sig!

[Kish]

http://www.giantitp.com/index.html#mY0lsD0rmNySdGHJ2Au Scroll down to the May 20th, 2008 post.

[Kupi]

Not that I want to be that one guy*, but some part of me wonders if the party might run into a similar situation as they did with the hag in the forest with her hexes: a small zone that plays by its own indecipherable rules.

* "That one guy" who can't be shaken from his braindead theory no matter how much evidence exists to the contrary.

[The Dark Fiddler]

I think the reason for the waning 3.5e jokes are because the plot continues to get more serious, and there are fewer jokes in general.

There are still jokes, and still 3.5 jokes, but fewer over all.

Of course, I'm bad at Spotting jokes. (They have insane Hide bonuses).

[Rhoni]

Is it THEIR hide bonuses or YOUR perception rolls?

[JonestheSpy]

However---I have been noticing that the 3.5 specific jokes/references have been waning for awhile now.

I think it's also quite possible that the rules-based-humor is so everpresent that people don't notice it as much. I mean, Haley did have that bit about mistaking the use of the word "Initiative" in the lastest strip, and #669 was all about the humorous/philosophical comparisons between DnD cosmology vs the real world.

[Ancalagon]

I think it's also quite possible that the rules-based-humor is so everpresent that people don't notice it as much. I mean, Haley did have that bit about mistaking the use of the word "Initiative" in the lastest strip,

I think most obvious and not so obvious jokes you can make about the rules have been made. And the particular "initiative-joke"... I found that bad to the level of "embarrassing".
The time of rules-jokes is mostly over, there's not that much A-material left. I guess (and that's also good, I'd say). Which does not mean that one good rule-joke once in a while would not get appreciated. ;)

[hamishspence]

the "Roland Initiative and his four friends" one was a good initiative joke.

[Arkenputtyknife]

I seem to recall the Giant saying quite specifically that the strip has evolved away from a D&D gag-based strip to a plot-based strip. So why is it surprising that the 3.5 jokes have waned? The Giant has better things to write about.

[Elfin]

Is it THEIR hide bonuses or YOUR perception rolls?

Think you mean spot?

And Rich's News update from May 2008 clearly states that he won't be switching editions.

[Harr]

And the particular "initiative-joke"... I found that bad to the level of "embarrassing".

Yeah I think the level of that joke serves as a nice foghorn-like signal that it's time to simply leave behind any attempt at.. whatever that was.. and just focus on the story, which is still amazingly good. There's only so much you can squeeze out of the thing, after all.

[Rhoni]

Think you mean spot?

/blush My 4th edition is showing.

[Prowl]

Of course, I'm bad at Spotting jokes. (They have insane Hide bonuses).

Put some ranks in Spot already!

[David Argall]

It's to be noted that 3.5 is no longer a supported game, and the number of players has sharply dropped. Most of us still remember the rules, but the audience for 3.5 jokes is dropping, and will continue to drop. So we will be seeing less and less 3.5 jokes as time goes on.

But 4.0? No. The games are just too different.

[iwarriorpoet]

Well, it just seems like this was a D+D comic in its inception (the 3.0-3.5 transition SLAYED me!!!) and it risks loosing some of its focus if it transitions completely away from concrete D+D references. Yet it also must loose D+D references if he insists on staying with 3.5---because eventually no one will get any of the jokes/references. Will he still be sticking with 3.5 two years from now? Five?
That being said I am actually sticking with 3.5---and don't plan to migrate to 4e anytime soon (if ever)---though I believe I am a distinct minority.

[Thanatosia]

Haley did have that bit about mistaking the use of the word "Initiative" in the lastest strip

I agree, the stip has evolved beyond the simple gags on D&D Rules thing, and its better off that way. The strip should still be funny even with a serious story, and Rich has generaly been doing a good job at keeping it that way, but moving the humor beyond rules was a great call. There are still rule gags sliped in regularly, but I like them when they are sorta subtle, the Haley initiative thing in that last strip was just awful, I hated it.

[BobTheDog]

Also, there are a lot of D&D jokes that are edition-proof (such as the aforementioned "Initiative" joke in #670), and I'm pretty sure those will keep popping up, and still be mostly funny. Actually, there are a few lines like that in #671.

[spectralphoenix]

Especially given that it would be extremely difficult to transfer the characters to 4e (even more so without bringing in a boatload of non-core content) I don't see it happening. It's not like people magically forget all their 3.5 knowledge as soon as they pick up a 4e rulebook. And a number of people on the boards haven't played any edition ever and like the comic just fine.