4.33 Years in: What Now for 5E? (and have we reached "Peak Edition?")

lowkey13 · Nov 29, 2018

*Deleted by user*

robus · Nov 29, 2018

It seems to me that the best way for WotC to "sell more stuff" is to offer setting options for players and DMs in popular fictional universes, for example Harry Potter (who wouldn't buy the DMs Guide (and Players Handbook) to the World of Harry Potter), or heck tie in with Avatar (there's a bunch of probably mediocre movies coming out for that...) And of course many video game worlds. In fact there are 3 books to sell: Players Guide, DMs Guide (setting details + monsters), and introductory Level 1-10 adventures. 3 ~ 256 page books (maybe the players is only 128 - but really you could make it 256 with a bunch of nice art/pictures

)

Now this will mean cutting the pie a couple more ways (for the licensing) - but Hasbro knows that business inside out.

In fact this is the way a movie tie-in should go IMHO: Loved <insert popular movie here>? Continue the fun with the official D&D compatible RPG "Adventures in <movie world>". Rather than WotC making their own mediocre movie, ride the pop culture coattails of someone else's!

Parmandur · Nov 29, 2018

lowkey13 said:
Can't agree enough; I have to admit, I'm a little bit long in the tooth for the target audience, but it's remarkably good all-ages viewing.

If they could get something like that for a D&D Cartoon reboot (just, um, no whiny Barbarian, please), that would be AMAZING!

One of the things I have learned from having toddlers is how to appreciate truly all-ages entertainment. They'll be about the right age for the toys too.

Parmandur · Nov 29, 2018

robus said:
It seems to me that the best way for WotC to "sell more stuff" is to offer setting options for players and DMs in popular fictional universes, for example Harry Potter (who wouldn't buy the DMs Guide (and Players Handbook) to the World of Harry Potter), or heck tie in with Avatar (there's a bunch of probably mediocre movies coming out for that...) And of course many video game worlds. In fact there are 3 books to sell: Players Guide, DMs Guide (setting details + monsters), and introductory Level 1-10 adventures. 3 ~ 256 page books (maybe the players is only 128 - but really you could make it 256 with a bunch of nice art/pictures )

Now this will mean cutting the pie a couple more ways (for the licensing) - but Hasbro knows that business inside out.

In fact this is the way a movie tie-in should go IMHO: Loved <insert popular movie here>? Continue the fun with the official D&D compatible RPG "Adventures in <movie world>". Rather than WotC making their own mediocre movie, ride the pop culture coattails of someone else's!

WotC sells IP, they don't buy it. Haven't for yeeeeeeaaaaars.

Why pay to make a RPG book for a big movie, when a movie studio will pay for your RPG to make a movie?

Hasbro as a whole has been on a quest to make their own IP work for them and not put themselves into the same position that they were with George Lucas twenty years ago.

robus · Nov 29, 2018

Parmandur said:
Why pay to make a RPG book for a big movie, when a movie studio will pay for your RPG to make a movie?

Well when every last D&D movie has been an abject embarrassment it seems risky to try and reverse that trend just when D&D is bursting into the pop culture.

If it was the first ever D&D movie that would be one thing, but there's a pattern of failure.

Hasbro as a whole has been on a quest to make their own IP work for them and not put themselves into the same position that they were with George Lucas twenty years ago.

Sure and most of those efforts have been terrible. "Battleship, the movie" anyone?

(And really George Lucas almost managed to sabotage his own IP with the prequel debacle... and that franchise is still on a very wobbly path to recovery...)

But sure, you're probably right. WotC will cross-pollinate with M:tG but that's still a very limited market compared to things like Harry Potter.

Parmandur · Nov 29, 2018

robus said:
Well when every last D&D movie has been an abject embarrassment it seems risky to try and reverse that trend just when D&D is bursting into the pop culture. If it was the first ever D&D movie that would be one thing, but there's a pattern of failure.

Sure and most of those efforts have been terrible. "Battleship, the movie" anyone?

(And really George Lucas almost managed to sabotage his own IP with the prequel debacle... and that franchise is still on a very wobbly path to recovery...)

But sure, you're probably right. WotC will cross-pollinate with M:tG but that's still a very limited market compared to things like Harry Potter.

They also have the Transformers CCG. The Transformers movies have not been "good" per se, but have made billions of dollars before you even consider toy sales. If Hasbro can get "not 'good' per se" D&D movies that make them money and sell toys, they will be happy.

All previous attempts came from the same unprofessional yokels. The big studios are in on it now...which means Hasbro can make millions from development fees, even if no movie happens in the end.

lowkey13 · Nov 29, 2018

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Parmandur · Nov 29, 2018

lowkey13 said:
Oh, I'm going to regret this, but ...

Transformers (Hasbro IP), ignoring the original, animated, and best movie, has five movies.

With the exception of Last Knight, they have all made money hand over fist.

And Last Knight? Yeah, it was a disappointment domestically, but did you know that it made more than $605 MILLION dollars once you included the international numbers?????

Most of their IP has been ... eh (Clue? Ouija ... did you know it had a movie, and a sequel? My Little Pony? Jem and the Holograms? Battleship?) ... but Transformers and GI Joe have at least shown that they have some IP. Even the terrible stuff can make money.

As long as Bumblebee and Optimus Prime show up in Happy Meals and entertain small children, I'm good.

Umbran · Nov 29, 2018

Eric V said:
There are quite a few things that 5e could use improvement upon from a (long-time) gamer perspective, and from the point of view of game theory, mechanics, etc. Doesn't mean these things are completely broken or whatnot, just that they exist in the game for reasons other than pure game design.

And, it is important to note that D&D is not pure game, in the game theory or mechanics design sense. Pure game doesn't care about this pesky narrative stuff. The lean to have more rulings, rather than rules, is a strong acceptance of that fact.

robus · Nov 29, 2018

Parmandur said:
They also have the Transformers CCG. The Transformers movies have not been "good" per se, but have made billions of dollars before you even consider toy sales. If Hasbro can get "not 'good' per se" D&D movies that make them money and sell toys, they will be happy.

I do keep forgetting about Transformers (probably because I've never seen them...

) - but they're definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Touché to you and [MENTION=6799753]lowkey13[/MENTION] !