D&D 5E Dungeon Master's Guild: The Long Term

jgsugden · Jan 22, 2016

I'm not a fan. It is a money grab that may have long term negative impacts for the RPG community. There are a lot of people out there that will refuse to look at a site that has a paywall involved, even if there are products on the site that are free. Others will only go after free stuff. That reduces the free exchange of ideas.

In a similar note: RPG communities, like EnWorld, where people share their work product will be hampered as people reserve their material to place behind a wall where they might get some cash. The people most likely to put their stuff behind a pay wall are the people making the best material. I see this as a risk to communities like this one. I think we were much better in a world where people saw no practical way to make money off their contributions, so we shared them more freely.

Awesome Adam · Jan 22, 2016

jgsugden said:
I'm not a fan. ..... I think we were much better in a world where people saw no practical way to make money off their contributions, so we shared them more freely.

Are you ignorant of the existance of I'm not a fan. ..... I think we were much better in a world where people saw no practical way to make money off their contributions, so we shared them more freely.[/QUOTE] Were you ignorant of the existance of www.rpgnow.com/"]RPGNOW , DRIIVETHRURPG , and En5ider ?

Sacrosanct · Jan 23, 2016

jgsugden said:
I'm not a fan. It is a money grab that may have long term negative impacts for the RPG community. There are a lot of people out there that will refuse to look at a site that has a paywall involved, even if there are products on the site that are free. Others will only go after free stuff. That reduces the free exchange of ideas.

In a similar note: RPG communities, like EnWorld, where people share their work product will be hampered as people reserve their material to place behind a wall where they might get some cash. The people most likely to put their stuff behind a pay wall are the people making the best material. I see this as a risk to communities like this one. I think we were much better in a world where people saw no practical way to make money off their contributions, so we shared them more freely.

I'm confused. DM's Guild doesn't have a paywall. There is no fee to make an account and/or look at all the products. Only if you want to buy a product that has a cost to it.

jgsugden · Jan 23, 2016

Awesome Adam said:
Are you ignorant of the existance of RPGNOW , DRIIVETHRURPG , and En5ider ?

No. My criticism applies to those as well, although this is an additional level of problematic as there is control and profit participation by WotCover the content and sales. All of these things hurt the community contribution side of places like EnWorld, but this is a step deeper.

Sacrosanct said:
I'm confused. DM's Guild doesn't have a paywall. There is no fee to make an account and/or look at all the products. Only if you want to buy a product that has a cost to it.

See my first paragraph: Yes, some materials will be free, but you need only look to The Apple Store or Google Store to see how "free" is often a lie in environments like this one. Chapter 1 of an adventure is free! Chapter 2 through 10 are each $4. The new Witch class is free! The spells on the Witch Class Spell list only exist in a paid download spellbook. Even if those games are not played everywhere on this site, people are often so frustrated by their presence that they don't bother looking to find the materials that are free and good that are hidden between the trick costed materials.

The RPGworld is better when the official materials are a product and the rest of the community materials are traded and exchanged freely. It isn't the most l;ucrative model for the people making the materials, but it is the one that best supports an environment where good materials are getting the maximum exposure and use.

Morrus · Jan 23, 2016

jgsugden said:
The RPGworld is better when the official materials are a product and the rest of the community materials are traded and exchanged freely. It isn't the most l;ucrative model for the people making the materials, but it is the one that best supports an environment where good materials are getting the maximum exposure and use.

Producing high quality material costs money. We spend tens of thousands on the ZEITGEIST adventure path. Not allowing us to sell it would harm that effort, not help it. The economic barriers to producing high quality product aren't solved by goodwill.

Sacrosanct · Jan 23, 2016

jgsugden said:
No. My criticism applies to those as well, although this is an additional level of problematic as there is control and profit participation by WotCover the content and sales. All of these things hurt the community contribution side of places like EnWorld, but this is a step deeper.
See my first paragraph: Yes, some materials will be free, but you need only look to The Apple Store or Google Store to see how "free" is often a lie in environments like this one. Chapter 1 of an adventure is free! Chapter 2 through 10 are each $4. The new Witch class is free! The spells on the Witch Class Spell list only exist in a paid download spellbook. Even if those games are not played everywhere on this site, people are often so frustrated by their presence that they don't bother looking to find the materials that are free and good that are hidden between the trick costed materials.
.

Um...there are hundreds of free products, and I can't think of a single one that matches that description. They are all complete products. You should seriously download some. It's not like you'd be out of any money

jgsugden · Jan 23, 2016

Morrus said:
Producing high quality material costs money. We spend tens of thousands on the ZEITGEIST adventure path. Not allowing us to sell it would harm that effort, not help it. The economic barriers to producing high quality product aren't solved by goodwill.

There is a point when you cross over from community development into business. Something like this makes sense when you're making professional level content, although giving up half your revenue to your distribution channel is more than a bit steep, especially given the availability of other distribution routes. Many companies have been selling D&D adventures over the years. Those professional efforts are not the type of community sharing that I'm primarily focused on. After all, if you were going to sell it regardless of the existence of DM Guild...

Sacrosanct said:
Um...there are hundreds of free products, and I can't think of a single one that matches that description. They are all complete products. You should seriously download some. It's not like you'd be out of any money

It was just announced. If you think the models proven as fund generation techniques on the stores I mentioned will not develop (quickly)... well. Time will tell.

Sacrosanct · Jan 23, 2016

Well, I see it following the RPGNow DTRPG model pretty closely, seeing as how it's OneBookShelf that owns all of those. And free products have been out there for YEARS. They are all full products to my knowledge. Seriously, go look at them. All evidence seems to point to alleviating your concerns.

DM Howard · Jan 23, 2016

Sacrosanct said:
Well, I see it following the RPGNow DTRPG model pretty closely, seeing as how it's OneBookShelf that owns all of those. And free products have been out there for YEARS. They are all full products to my knowledge. Seriously, go look at them. All evidence seems to point to alleviating your concerns.

Indeed. I'm not concerned in the least. I do, however, hope that people review much more for the DM'S Guild so that we can more easily wade through some of the inevitable chaff.

Henry · Jan 23, 2016

I have to agree with [MENTION=1]Morrus[/MENTION]. Like it or not, sheer capitalism drives higher production values; fan efforts are cool, and always welcome, but just like with the OGL, the best support products under the OGL are those which cost momey, even micropurchase-sized amounts.

And that whole hypothetical about chapter 1 being free and the rest costing money? You've just described Paizo products (the player's guide versus the six adventure paths), savage worlds fast play booklets, OSRIC (rules were released free, but people like Expeditious Retreat Press released support content for sale) and pretty much every one in free market.

first one is lways free...