The video the screenshot comes from discusses the actual product at the very start.
It's interesting to hear what Andy Collins has to say about it.

New and Improved System Mastery: Now Without Any of that Learning-by-Doing Crap!

Quote from: mhensley;321061So any doubt of them being paid shills for the game is gone.

I think it's hilarious that one of them spends his entire life eschewing pen and paper RPGs (meanwhile grinding through some of the worst video game sludge to be squeezed out of tube and calling it brilliant), and then when the chink of money is heard, he's drawing the cover of a fucking 4e book.

(Yes I'm aware he plays what wizards passes off as D&D now.)

Quote from: thedungeondelver;321078I think it's hilarious that one of them spends his entire life eschewing pen and paper RPGs (meanwhile grinding through some of the worst video game sludge to be squeezed out of tube and calling it brilliant), and then when the chink of money is heard, he's drawing the cover of a fucking 4e book.

(Yes I'm aware he plays what wizards passes off as D&D now.)

A more conspiracy minded person may think that WotC must be very desperate to have to go "bottom feeding" in such a manner.  4E may not have attracted and retained enough of the video game + MMO crowd, and this is their last ditch effort.

Quote from: ggroy;321079A more conspiracy minded person may think that WotC must be very desperate to have to go "bottom feeding" in such a manner.  4E may not have attracted and retained enough of the video game + MMO crowd, and this is their last ditch effort.

Eh, I'd say that there are just too many ways and reasons for WotC to have tapped the PA boys for cover art to immediately jump to the conclusion that this means that 4e is failing.

Quote from: GnomeWorks;321087Eh, I'd say that there are just too many ways and reasons for WotC to have tapped the PA boys for cover art to immediately jump to the conclusion that this means that 4e is failing.

Yeah, I'm not going to start hailing the imminent death of 4e just yet.

The cover art is shit, though.

Quote from: Malleus Arianorum;320819...
But I reject the assumption that Strategy guide = Computer game. There are also strategy guides for collectable card games, Chess, touring a city, and a million other non-MMO recreational activities that require a bit of knowledge to do enjoyably.

Maybe strategy guide doen't equal computer game... But I don't think it is good for RPG's either.

With all the other games you listed there is a definative final result that can be achived if certain 'strategies' are used.

 For real RPG's there should be no such thing as optimal strategies, or definative results. It is an organic game that depends upon the input of players and a good GM for an enjoyable playing expierience.

 RPG's are not games where a winner is determined by following a set of rules to thier conclusion. That's what makes RPG's special. By trying to remove or limit that element you rob RPG's of what makes them unique.

 A little Character optimalisation is expected. But not only to actively encourage it, but make it an essential part of the game...    People should just admit what they are doing, buy Munchkin, and stop lying to themselves.

That's how I see it anyway.

Quote from: Malleus Arianorum;320819But I reject the assumption that Strategy guide = Computer game.

But that is exactly the analogy WotC is using:

"June brings the Player's Strategy Guide, akin to a computer strategy guide but for Dungeons & Dragons."

I'm normally first in line to bash 4E, but even I can't believe that WotC would be so mindless as to think the words, "akin to a computer strategy guide" will make the MMO kids switch to tabletops.

4E is essentially a bunch of mathematical models interacting, and the guide probably demonstrates the best ways of reducing the odds against the player (though the fact that this is an accessory for a game designed to protect players from loss of any sort suggests that much of the 4E audience should only use cutlery when under supervision).

It does, however, say, "this game is so unintuitive, so far removed from the processes of imagination and creativity, that we can show you how to "win" it through technical mastery of the game system."

Quote from: Silverlion;320912Problem is I think that D&D continues to move towards being its own hobby, with little relation to the hobby it spawned--role-playing games.

I suspect that's part of the WotC strategy.  They want to sell "the D&D Hobby" because that's what they own and control.

I doubt Games Workshop is interested in growing the "minis wargamer" hobby - they just want to sell "the Warhammer Hobby"

Quote from: Jaeger;321096For real RPG's there should be no such thing as optimal strategies, or definative results. It is an organic game that depends upon the input of players and a good GM for an enjoyable playing expierience.

I doubt the book is about in-play strategies as much as it is about Character Building and Team Building.   This book is a synergy product.   It will show  gamers the various types of builds you could do with various race and class combos if you own all their PHBs, Race books and Power books.

I have made many characters for 4e because I do pre-gens for all my con games.   There is no uber-build, but there are certainly some builds that do particular things better than others.  

But this ain't new.   Every point based RPG and every D20 game had better and worse ways of making certain types of characters.   Min-maxing didn't start with 3e.   People were doing it with Champions in the early 80s.

Quote from: mhensley;321061So any doubt of them being paid shills for the game is gone.

That's just naysaying. They are little guys just like you, me or the talented Mr. Rouse -- underground comic artists with a genuine love for the game. Why so mean?

Quote from: thedungeondelverThe cover art is shit, though.

I had issues finding a clear shot of it. Honestly, though, PA's style is rather distinctive; it may be more important that they did the cover, rather than what it necessarily is.

Quote from: Melan;321128...or the talented Mr. Rouse...

Fuck Rouse. He's an asshat.

And if you decide to direct the "why so mean?" question at me: because when I tried to explain why I did not like 4e - in a thread on EN World in which he mentioned wanting to try to bring in "lapsed players" - from the perspective of someone who preferred 3.5, he pulled some bullshit about not wanting to get into an edition war. If you don't want to fucking discuss the issue, then don't claim you want to.

Quote from: GnomeWorks;321139Honestly, though, PA's style is rather distinctive; it may be more important that they did the cover, rather than what it necessarily is.

It's actually reminiscent of the cartoony style of early D&D artists.  I think it should be encouraged over the super-serious, demi-anime style of 4E so far.

I want more art like this.

Quote from: Hairfoot;321148It's actually reminiscent of the cartoony style of early D&D artists.

As in Erol Otus?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erol_Otus