Well, yeah, maybe "merged" isn't the right word after all. The more I read about what's going on with DDM and the Guild and what I read on Heroscape sites, I'd say the two are far from 'merging' into one game. I don't think either fan base wants to see that happen (from what I've read on the message boards anyway).
What I do see, is an opportunity for cross-promotion. "New" games like Heroscape, Star Wars Minis, WOW Minis etc are great in that they reinvigorate the table-top strategy games market. They get the new kids who have probably been focused on just video games up to this point to stop and say 'hey what's this cool new game I keep hearing about? Maybe I should check it out'. Then, while they are getting into these games, we DDM gamers can say 'Yeah those new strategy games are pretty cool, but how would you like to have just as much fast-paced fun as your having with Star Wars Minis (or whatever game the kid has gotten into), but in the deeper, richer, more fully realized worlds of D&D?' Then show them how the different variants of DDM work, how they can use D&D minis in them, how the game can be used in different D&D settings etc. You know, show them that D&D doesn't have to be the slow-paced, drama-heavy but action-light game of sitting around arguing over everything it has a bad reputation for being with a lot of the younger gamers. I've talked (both online and in person) to a lot of people my age and younger and one of the main reasons why they say they are giving other table-top games a try instead of D&D is for that very perception I just mentioned. That D&D stereotype isn't true in most cases, but let's face it, perception gets in the way of the facts pretty easily.
I got the new Heroscape D&D Master Set a few days ago. I am actually impressed with the set overall. The minis are well made. I've got a Black Dragon now and some more Drow to add to my sets. Sure, the minis don't have the same black round bases with the info printed on the bottom. We don't really use that info in DDM much anyway other than to verify that we are using the right mini with the right card. I fixed the issue in a matter of minutes by writing on the bottom of these Heroscape minis with a fine sharpie pen. Now their bases are labled :).
I've found DDM stat cards on the DDM Guild website that will work for each mini in the set. I just wrote on the back of each of these stat cards that they go with the D&D Heroscape minis and what the Heroscape book calls the mini to help with cross referencing.
I've also started making Heroscape cards for some of my current D&D minis. I've been using the same stats as they have on the DDMGuild cards as much as possible, then adapting stats from other Heroscape characters of similar ability (archers, rangers, meat shields etc) and doing my best to keep each creature balanced. I'm using a template from www.heroscapeisfoundhere.com. The part that puts pictures on the card doesn't work yet, but the rest does. They look kinda neat when you print them out.
The main differences I see between DDM and Heroscape are the grid maps vs the hex maps (and the different movement options that go along with having hex maps that can also have elevations); the different mechanic for resolving battles (HS involves more dice but the math is a bit easier to figure); and the stats on the cards which look different, but wind up representing the same concepts: attack power, chance of hitting, defense ability etc.
Visually, it's an interesting contrast. The Heroscape cards are unique-looking and very colorful while the DDM cards are your basic CCG cards (I still like the DDMGuild cards just fine though). Meanwhile, the maps for DDM are colorful and beautifully made (both the published ones and some of the hand-made ones I've seen) while the Heroscape maps are rather drab looking by comparison. The fan-made Waterscape tiles I downloaded and printed off make the water look better though (also adds bridges, whirlpools, rapids etc). I like that the Hero Scape maps are modular, but then so are the D&D map tile sets. The Heroscape tiles are stackable to make elevated terrain though which brings a new dimension to the strategy.
For our chapter, we're going to experiment with playing some sessions using the DDM rules and other sessions using the Heroscape rules. We might even try blending the two rule sets together and see what happens there. I don't see why pretty much any D&D scenario, dungeon delve, campaign etc. couldn't be played with DDM and/or Heroscape encounter rules for movement and combat.
We've got a meeting coming up on January 21st at Action Comics and Sports in Las Vegas. I'll let you know how our experiments go.
At this point, I agree with those who say 'any new D&D sets are good or at least better than no new sets'. I like playing with all the old minis, maps etc. just fine, but I know that there are gamers out there who are always looking for what's new and what's coming up next. If a game doesn't have anything new to offer them, they start thinking its "dying" or "old news" or something.
DDM Guild is great! We need to do a better job of letting everybody know that they can indeed get new stuff from the Guild and that the death of DDM has been greatly exaggerated: that it is in fact alive and growing. There has been an upsurge, it seems to me, in interest in table-top games lately, so we need to make sure that the people who are getting interested in this kind of gaming for maybe the first time (or coming back to it) know about DDM Guild.
I wish I could come to D&D Experience in Fort Wayne, Indiana! Haven't got the travel budget for it right now though. Hopefully, next year I can.
