News updates are sent daily. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Dungeons & Dragons rolls with the times
Digg|
Save|
License|
Print|
E-mail|
LATEST TWISTS: The next edition of Dungeons & Dragons, due out today, will go beyond the multisided dice and traditional pencil-and-paper tally sheet. The publisher hopes that new online features will lure back some of the millions of lapsed players who have turned more Internet-focused games such as World of Warcraft.
The Associated Press
Kill monsters. Take their stuff. That’s what it’s all about.
Dungeons & Dragons isn’t the bastion of social outcasts that it used to be — as geeky pastimes go, it’s fairly mainstream now. Hasbro is updating the 30-year-old fantasy franchise with a fourth edition enhanced with online features in a bid to compete more with online fantasy role-playing games like World of Warcraft and Lord of the Rings Online.
But at its core it still comes down to half a dozen or so friends around a table with dice and munchies, telling a fantastic story in a shared world. That’s why, to mark the game’s relaunch, stores around the world on Saturday will host a simultaneous party with game demos, contests and gifts.
In D&D, players undertake heroic quests guided by a “dungeon master,” or referee, who pits them against legendary monsters and nefarious villains. Emphasis is placed on interaction and imagination, so there is no game board — though later editions of the game have favored the optional use of tactical miniatures.
Each player in Saturday’s free demos will get to keep a ready-made character sheet, matching mini and 20-sided die. Newcomers won’t even need the pricey new rule books; that comes later, if they want to dig deeper and create characters and adventures from scratch. They’ll be aided in this endeavor by a suite of online tools to help them visualize their characters, crunch all the numbers and play with friends across the country in a virtual arena. After a free trial period, these services will require a subscription to the D&D Insider site.
Online play, online pay. ... After lending its Tolkien-esque roots of magic, elves and dwarves to younger games like Wow, D&D has come full circle indeed.
Dungeons & Dragons game day locations
• Gamer’s Inn, 1232 E. Southern Ave., Mesa, (480) 507-0509
• The Game Depot, 3136 S. McClintock Drive, Suite 11, Tempe, (480) 966-4727
• Game Master Games, 1120 S. Gilbert Road, No. 114, Gilbert, (480) 558-0750
• Samurai Comics, 5024 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, (602) 265-8886
• Bookmans, 8034 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix, (602) 433-0255
• Game Nightz, 9617 N. Metro Parkway W., No. 1190, Phoenix, (602) 870-8501
Related
Please add your comments, but follow these guidelines to keep this a safe, credible place for discussing the news: