News: D&D 4th Edition

Check out the Gen Con video announcment of the 4th Edition of "Dungeons and Dragons," the most popular tabletop RPG:



A new edition? But isn't 3.5E only about 4 years old? Is it time to buy all new books?



The computer integration is leaving me cold. Admittedly, most modern DMs use a laptop to hold their adventures and campaigns. But quite frankly, the 3D "game table" and "character builder" have a tacked-on feel - they look like second-rate PC games and not polished products. Additionally, we're going to have to pay a monthly fee to even access these applications.

The rules system itself is rumored to be following the path of the "Star Wars" RPG - simplified character classes with "talent trees" and streamlined skills. That's all well and good, I suppose. I just hope that they aren't trying to be different just for the sake of being different.