I am, as usual, coming in a little late on this one - though it may actually 
be for the best in this case; my knee-jerk reaction has been toned down a bit 
by how some of this has developed.  I do need to get some of it off my chest, 
though, and I think it's time some of this was heard anyway.

First, speaking in strictly pragmatic terms: the conversion to d20 would (as 
Joe has already indicated) involve a great deal more than what many of you 
have taken into consideration.  Currently, we have the better part of a 
couple of hundred thousand dollars of game equipment that we would like to 
use in some capacity, even after the upgrade to 2ED.  Not to do so would be a 
squandering of resources, which in turn would be not very fiscally 
responsible.  (Chucking the thousands of StarLots alone would be a needless 
waste, I think.)  All of the manuals, worksheets, adventures, and the like 
are geared to the 8/10d system.  The current dice are also pictured in the 
Rulebook and on the back of the box - meaning those illustrations would 
either be confusing or pretty much useless in the New Order.  Beyond that, to 
alter the dice would mean another (far greater) revision of everything that's 
already been poured over - more work for those who have already put in the 
long hours to get us up to this point.  (And it's no small irony, I think, 
that probably the lowest percentage of sweat in that particular bucket 
belongs to the folks who talk about this conversion being such a cakewalk.)

Another financial consideration is the procurement of the new dice.  I don't 
think we want to include a note in the new edition telling a buyer it's BYOD; 
much better to include it as a part of the standard set, as we do now.  So 
who's gonna pony up the dice dough?  Is this something else, in addition to 
new printing, marketing, and distribution costs, that Lamb's Bride and the 
AFC will have to shoulder?

Aside from the practical issues, I do think the gradual slide toward a D&D 
system is significant - although I will say that Rodney's proposal did a good 
bit to cool my temperament on that count.  My big problem was (as it often 
is) that so much of the contributors' emphasis on what "needs" to be done 
focuses on the game mechanics that the discipleship aspects - the true core 
and meaning of the game - are left by the wayside.  For every one of the 
precious few suggestions offered on how 2ED might better train the AMs out 
there to make the best use of a teaching situation, at least a hundred more 
are submitted that center on new rules and gameplay details.  Now don't get 
me wrong - I love the game as much as anyone, and I'm looking forward to 
seeing the entertainment value increase as we advance into new territory.  
But the ratio of gameplay impetus to discipleship value has gotten so out of 
hand that it's easy to wonder if people see it as anything more than just a 
game any more.  Joe's concerns are valid, and I would add my own to his.

However, as I said, Rod's proposal shifted the balance of the argument a bit. 
 I recognize and appreciate the renewed emphasis toward the discipler - as a 
matter of fact, I'd even go as far as to say it was a very convincing 
proposition, even in spite of the practical problems already mentioned. If a 
way could be found to skirt the obstacles, and truly give more to the AM than 
it takes away (or dillutes with normal RPG business), then how could I argue 
against it?

Still, however, there are three issues remaining that I feel need to be 
addressed (at the very least).  First, I was as taken aback as Joe at the 
presumptuous way this was first presented, with no apparent consideration for 
the proper channels.  Legal issues aside (I'm not sure it ever really entered 
that arena), it's a quick way to thumb one's nose at the people who earnestly 
give their time, energy and gifts toward improving an already great adventure 
simulation by doing a quick end-around not only the official procedures, but 
their own ideas and sensibilities as well.  In a very real sense it's like 
saying, "You're not doing a good enough job - my turn."  The Lamb's Bride 
people, the final authorities in the matter, trust them; you should do no 
less.

Secondly, concerning this committee: though it's nice to see a little 
initiative as far as getting people together on something....to be perfectly 
honest, it seems like a lot of attention payed to a rear-echelon sort of 
detail.  I know that even at this moment the AFC is searching for people who 
can help with many of the most vital elements that will make 2ED a success: 
new adventures, artwork, marketing, discipleship training, and so forth. All 
these things have to happen before DR can take the next step.  Without all 
that, it doesn't come together, and the dice conversion is just another way 
to split hairs on what's already there.  I think if the AFC had more help in 
the important areas, then it would be easier to delegate the lesser charges 
to outside committees.

Finally....I've gotta say something about this notion that DR is on its 
deathbed.  This allegorical realm has been a part of my life for almost 
eighteen years now.  It's made an indellible impact on my own life; I've seen 
it do the same for many other people in my own experiences; and I've heard 
countless stories of the same from people everywhere.  Frankly, it galls me a 
bit to hear people tell me that the balance of such a profound ministry hangs 
on the infinitessimal fulcrum of how many sides are on the piece of silly 
plastic used to generate random numbers.  Having seen how Christ has been 
able to use this forum for his own glory and the edification of the body, I 
have a very hard time envisioning him looking down on us, wringing his hands 
furtively, saying, "Man, there's so much I could do with this thing....but 
until they switch to d20, MY HANDS ARE TIED!!!"  Sorry.  I'm not biting.

In a Lamb's Bride newsletter last year, Dick Wulf gave his prediction that, 
because of the influx of younger people committed to seeing DR continue to 
succeed (and it is succeeding), he believes that DR will be around and making 
a difference for at least another 30 years, even without his direct efforts.  
The "younger people" he was talking about are people like Joe, a guy who 
works tirelessly without hope or promise of recompense, giving his heart to 
something he believes can change a lot of lives.  Although he's tremendously 
diplomatic about the head-spinning diversity of suggestions that constantly 
come his way, and would probably never allow himself to get pushed over the 
edge on anything like this, I'm afraid I don't have his giftedness in that 
area.  I confess that I do get a little put off when I see people 
second-guessing him, deciding for themselves the future of this franchise 
with narry a thought about his feelings in the matter.  That goes for the 
rest of the AFC as well, many of whom don't have the time to keep up with 
this list, but do their part anyway.  In light of their continued efforts, I 
think Dick would be more than a little disheartened to hear it's all coming 
to an end - not because it's lost its impact, or because people aren't 
interested any more, but because, well, the dice just don't work.  
Furthermore, to prognosticate about its survival simply because it isn't 
going in a direction you personally would like it to go is tantamount to 
accusing the hard-working AFC of running the thing into the ground.

So then, if you'd like to know the real truth about the End of EdenAgain, 
then hearken, and I will tell you largely of fair DragonRaid's death: the day 
it becomes just a game, when changing lives pales in significance to changing 
dice, when disciples are given over wholly to their adventures and have 
forget the reason they have been sent - on that day, DR will truly be dead.  
However, given that I don't believe for an instant that the AFC people will 
ever allow that to happen, it's a paradox too unlikely for any real worry.

So enough of this "dying out" business.  Let's take a positive look at how we 
can all pitch in and make it better than ever, and if it doesn't develop the 
way you'd like, then take all that pent-up creativity and create your own 
vision of a Christian RPG (d20, if that curdles your cream).  Hey, the more 
we have, the more people we'll reach, right?  In the end, there's no reason 
to be standing at odds with one another.  The last thing the Body needs is 
more divisiveness; unity will accomplish so much more than we realize.

I hope I'm not coming down too hard on anyone.  That's certainly not my 
intention; I just wanted to clear the air, and hopefully reaffirm the mostly 
unsung efforts of a great group of people (and one in particular, who should 
get the lion's share of the credit).  Now that my computer's back up and 
running again, I hope to start making some contributions of my own - and even 
solicit a few from some of you creative types out there.  More on that in the 
near future....

- Scott