I had a lot of hope going into D&D 4th edition…I can’t say as I know why exactly, except for sheer will. I grew up on D&D, and I guess I just wanted it to be a game I loved to play, again. But growing up of course changes most of us and the things we liked as children or adolescents no longer engages us as adults. So I moved toward more mature games like those of the White Wolf line and the original L5R (the John Wick version). More recently I have moved into WFRP and Dark Hersey. With WFRP I could still play a haughty spell-slinging elf or a cantankerous axe-wielding dwarf but the best part is that the mechanics and setting matched the kind of “grim and perilous” attitude I had matured into. I was hopeful that FFG would continue to publish more of the WFRP setting under the 2nd edition rules or simply bring the game more in line with Dark Heresy rules system, but of course we now see they have instead decided to change the way the game is played and force us into a totally new edition. It seems this is the only way for game companies to stay in business, because they all do it. Besides 2nd edition just came out 4 years ago, I’m not sure it needs a new edition so soon. However, I’ll get down now from my soapbox. Again I’m forcing myself to be optimistic that in the end when I play this new game it will give me that same dark fantasy roleplaying experience. I must say though from the way it is being described it seems like D&D 4th edition, Warhammer style: more like a board or video game rather than a free flowing “role”-playing experience. I mean 30 dice, really? I’ve never required any number of dice to give my games “unprecedented options for story-telling”. Okay I’m climbing back up on that box again, so I will end here and not even mention my disgust at the Ratcatcher’s Tale deception (oops…).