another rpg industry doomsday article (merged: all 3 "Mishler Rant" threads)

[ggroy]

James Mishler's rant about depression style economics is laughable.

Every time there's a recession or some economic hiccups, all kinds of permabears talk about the "next great depression" like a chicken little. After so many years of seeing crap like this, it becomes like the "boy who cried wolf".

Rinse, repeat, and recycled every time.

 

[JoshuaFrost]

I started gaming in 1988.

In the 21 years since then, I've heard every single year that this industry was on the cusp of failure. I don't think the assertion is any truer now than it was 21 years ago.

 

[ggroy]

I started gaming in 1988.

In the 21 years since then, I've heard every single year that this industry was on the cusp of failure. I don't think the assertion is any truer now than it was 21 years ago.

It's nothing more than cannon fodder for rpg industry "armchair pundits" and other "monday morning quarterbackers". Though it is amusing to speculate to wild extremes.

In the business consulting world, this type of extreme "armchair punditry" is better known as "scenario planning".

Scenario planning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[an_idol_mind]

Wonder how many bucks per word somebody like a Stephen King, John Grisham, or Dan Brown would make for writing.
​

For what it's worth, Stephen King talked at my university some years back and was asked something along these lines. His only answer was that if he were to stop writing entirely, he would still be pulling in about $50 million a year.

 

[tylerthehobo]

All I can say is the 4e core books cost me slightly more than the 1e core books did when I purchased them back in the mid 1980s, in currency unadjusted for inflation, or for the fact I, along with a big chuck of the graying RPG market, have a lot more disposable income now than we did as adolescents. That's not a sustainable pricing model.

I realize you're quoting the author's logic, which is largely sound, and applying it to the core books, but my take from a marketing perspective would be that WotC (and even TSR back in the day) is applying the "Give away the razor, sell the blades" model that Gillette has applied to their razors for about a century. Make the core products hyper-affordable (or even a loss leader like the XBox is) and make the money off of the ancillary products (the blades for a razor, the modules/accessories for d&d, and the games for XBox).

Not saying it's right or wrong of them to assume that - just saying I think that's what's at work here.

 

[Ulrick]

Well, here's my plan to save the industry...

1. From here on out, every RPG book must have a "tastefully" scantily clad woman on the cover. Perhaps getting actual pictures of celebrities dressed up in fantasy constumes might help.

2. A certain portion of each book will be dedicated to advertising. Such adverstising would cater to the average gamer, everything from miniatures to deodorant. Coupons could be included.

3. Maybe each book could contain a centerfold of the person on the cover.

4. Along with tips and advice of performing well at table, relationship advice could also be included. "10 ways to tell if that gamer girl is into you!" Or "Only gamer chick at the FLGS? Try these 7 things to WoW them!"

5. Gaming books releases should be monthly (they practically are now anyway).

6. Perhaps the teen demographic could be reached with books that contain articles for them. "Miley Cyrus: D&D or not D&D?" "Parents think you worship Satan? 10 ways to prove them wrong!"

7. All RPG books can repeat the same topic every 2-3 years or so. (Wait minute...they almost do that already...)

----

Even though I'm not really being serious, upon closer consideration these ideas might actually work...

 

[ggroy]

All I can say is the 4e core books cost me slightly more than the 1e core books did when I purchased them back in the mid 1980s, in currency unadjusted for inflation

There's also the possibility that the 1E AD&D core books may have been way "overpriced" back in the day, compared to today's 4E D&D core books.

 

[ggroy]

Part II of James Mishler's rant.

Adventures in Gaming: The Rambling II: Replies and Ripostes

 

[ggroy]

Mishler's rant part II. (Forked Thread: another rpg industry doomsday article)

Forked from: another rpg industry doomsday article

Part II of James Mishler's rant.

Adventures in Gaming: The Rambling II: Replies and Ripostes

 

[thecasualoblivion]

Well, that's certainly a rant. He ends up sounding like a 3E/OGL fanboy upset that the current gaming market doesn't make it easy(or perhaps even possible) to turn a profit producing 3E/OGL games. That seems to be what he wants to do, as he has shown a clear disdain for 4E.

Edit: addition

He also seems to equate his take on the "adventure game" industry as the same as the industry as a whole. We've been a community since 1974, and if one thing can be said its that D&D always wins. Before the OGL, we had alternative systems and the indie gaming movement. The OGL marginalized both of those, with the exception of White Wolf. The release of 3.5E and WotC's decision to stop supporting the OGL community during 3E marginalized the OGL community, and the release of 4E was just the final nail in the coffin. The "alternative to D&D" section of the RPG community is at a low ebb thanks to external factors, and is being currently dominated by previous editions of D&D of all things and not new products. I believe there is a demand for alternatives to D&D, and those alternatives will turn up at some point, probably being something new we haven't seen before.