Quote Originally Posted by AgentPaper View Post
Just because they're asking for feedback doesn't mean they're doing whatever the playerbase says. They're still developing the game the same way they usually would, except that now they get to see what people like and don't like before the game is released, rather than after. This allows them to make informed decisions about what to work on, what to change, what to leave alone.

Game developers (and developers of all kinds) have been using this process forever. The only difference now is that the people testing the game is all of us, instead of the designers, or a handful of paid game testers over in WotC.
So... the way that these games have always been developed is (1) throw together a combat mechanic (2) test the combat mechanic (3) throw in new elements willy-nilly and see what sticks?

How do you get a game like Mountain Witch or Bliss Stage or Burning Wheel working like that? When I design games I start with the Purpose of the game and then define Resolution Mechanics, Character Creation and Character Advancement before I start playtesting.

So far I've seen half of one of these steps (no definition on Skills, for example) and in the meantime WotC is tinkering with spell descriptions rather than, say, describing how non-combat interactions are resolved.

Yeah, I don't buy that this is normal procedure for game design. Or if it is, then I guess that explains a lot