Theories/Opinions on WotC's Plan

[Jdvn1]

1) I doubt it. Magic's site is the important one; D&D and all its kin are a comparative sideshow, so why expect people to pay for them but not for the one with a much bigger fanbase? Besides, the 'pay only' model is the e-zine model, which usually fails. See ign.com for a good example of how successful sites divide pay and free content.

We've almost been already told free content is going to decrease.

http://enworld.org/showthread.php?t=177162
http://enworld.org/showthread.php?t=176816

(spreading the word)

 

[Glyfair]

1) We will soon see free content at wizards.com decrease to nearly none

We've already seen a serious decrease in D&D content at the WotC site (although it has picked up a bit recently).

 

[Glyfair]

- WOTC willingly gave up Paizo's licensing revenue to prevent the magazines from deflecting users from their pending Electronic Initiative (EI)

Don't forget they also gave up Code Monkey Publishing's licensing revenue as well. At the time it was pretty clear it was part of this, too.

Don't forget the sort of questions that were asked as part of that marketing survey reported a few months ago. This is going to be a big huge monstrosity of a project with both electronic tools and online magazine type content together. How they organize it and charge for it is completely unclear. But there is a lot of room for speculation.

 

[mhacdebhandia]

I do think that White Wolf's days as #2 are numbered - but I also think that they are in the MMO business now and won't much care.

I wonder why people say this, considering that White Wolf publish more roleplaying games now than they ever have all at once in the past: World of Darkness and four supplementary game lines in their own right, with two more on the way; Exalted; Scion; and the forthcoming EVE tabletop adaptation.

Who, exactly, is going to knock White Wolf out of the #2 spot?

 

[Wavestone]

What I read into this - the canceling of licensing by Paizo and CMP, is a change of direction for WotC - they want more control over things... and probably are convinced that they can make this profitable, while maintaining control.

My big questions are - will they be prepared to shoulder the responsibilities of having a (bigger) web/IT division (for the EI), plus a mag publishing division (needs quite a few people if the quantity and quality of content will be maintained at present dungeon + dragon levels..)? This in addition to WotC continues with producing supplements/adventures as usual..

In short - they now must to themselves what other people have done for them via license deals. (paizo - mag publishing, CMP - digital content)

I also agree with those who said that it was a big blunder to not give a peek at the coming EI. WHat they have said now, is "we're canceling dungeon + dragon." Nothing about what comes instead. Also, I must say that the Paizo people have been much more available - they have posted a lot on the other big thread - giving people ideas about their future post dungeon + dragon.. WotC has been pretty silent.. the recent reminiscing page was a small step in the right direction.

In general, I can't help but wondering about whether the decisions are made by people with gaming experience or not. Or if there is some exec seeing the company brand licensed out to other people and feeling some lack of control - and wants to consolidate content control?

I am not saying that the EI must necessarily flop, but I just hope that they have thought it through, and invests enough of resources in it, so that by september they can unveil a complete electronic D&D portal/content provider, and not just some limited content. That Would go over worse - no dragon or dungeon, and barely anything for show. Maybe I'm unduly pessimistic - I hope I am.

There is a big question whether this kind of initiative really can work as well as they think. Content will be strongly tied to a computer. A paper magazine gives you a lot of freedom to read it wherever you want, bring it to the game, or whatever you like. It wont feel the same on a screen. This is a big step psychologically, I think.

Plus, I'm a bit wary of the control tendencies. PCgeneration, new crunch content etc.. I can see some type of encryption/DRM/electronic control, to make sure the content is tied to the subscriber. For pdf and similar electronic formats, I really want to be able to print out my copy, or c&p stuff into my homebrew, or do with the content as I want (except spreading it on the net as freeware, of course..), and not run into restrictions on the use all the time.

well.. there's quite a few questions to straighten out.

I felt a little shocked at the axing of Dungeon and Dragon, as they have been part of my RPG life for quite a while. For many years I didnt get them so much, but I knew they were there.. I returned with 3e, and since have bought most of the 3/3.5 issues. This feels sad. But I hope WotC can come up with some decent content, but I will wait until I hear good things before jumping on.. there is a threshold to subscribe to an online service - not something done in a hurry, I think.

OK.. this became a little unfocused. Just wanted to share some thoughts.

-Wave out.

 

[Reynard]

I wonder why people say this, considering that White Wolf publish more roleplaying games now than they ever have all at once in the past: World of Darkness and four supplementary game lines in their own right, with two more on the way; Exalted; Scion; and the forthcoming EVE tabletop adaptation.

Who, exactly, is going to knock White Wolf out of the #2 spot?

Totally anecdotal, but I asked my FLGS owner about it yesterday when we were talking about the future of gaming in general, and he said that he orders 1 -- count em, 1 -- copy of each nWoD book at a time. That's as opposed to the 6 Exalted copies of a new Exalted 2e book (down 50% from 1e, btw) and the 12-24(!!!!) he used to order of WoD books.

 

[EditorBFG]

(Quoted from the above-referenced old post by FnordBear for new relevance.)

The Dungeons & Dragons Insider Package
Become a Dungeons & Dragons Insider and gain access to exclusive content designed specifically with D&D Dungeon Masters in mind. As part of your monthly subscription, you gain access to features designed to enhance your D&D experience, including:
D&D Insider Magazine, online magazine with new content updated daily, including:
-Product Previews (articles showcasing upcoming D&D products)
-Dungeon Master's Tower (articles and columns devoted to expanding and enhancing the fine art of Dungeon Mastering)
-Class Features (articles expanding existing character class options and debuting new character and prestige classes)
-Strategy and Tactics (articles relating to D&D roleplaying combat and spellcasting, and to D&D Miniatures Skirmish play)
-Design and Development (articles and columns exploring the many facets of the D&D experience, written by game designers in D&D R&D)
-Behind the Arcane Curtain (a special and exclusive section of the online magazine available only to Dungeon Masters)
-D&D Humor (comic strips devoted to the D&D experience)
D&D Product Enhancements (expanded content for D&D products you bought, including interactive content such as searchable indexes, extra features, behind the scenes articles, game designer and developer commentary, and more)
Exclusive Content that expands your favorite campaign world
-Eberron and Forgotten Realms ongoing content
-Interactive maps
-World events and adventure hooks
D&D University
-Rolling six-week course to help make you a better D&D player
-Course message boards
-Player tip of the week from D&D R&D
MyCampaign.Com pages that you can design and populate, dedicated to your ongoing D&D campaign, with a Premium Customization Kit that includes D&D art, frames, and icons
Create Private Groups so you can contact and communicate with your friends
Private Message Boards that give you a direct line to D&D R&D
Premium RPGA Membership Card mailed to you
Fast Lane Registration at all RPGA events (online and in the real world)
The Magic Shop, a virtual shop where you can outfit your D&D character
Private Playtests of D&D products currently in design
D&D Character Builder, a program that helps you create and manage your D&D characters. This program allows you to create a character for any D&D game, walking you through the process of rolling the dice and assigning your game statistics, as well as creating a visual version of your character using "paper doll" models and "drag and click" selections of armor and weapons. At the end, you can save your character and print out a character sheet, as well as go to any D&D tournament and call up your character for use, or use the character at the Virtual Gaming Table (see below). With this package, you get to create and store up to 3 different characters or up to 3 different versions of one character (your character at different levels).
DM Tools, a suite of online tools to help you manage and run your D&D games, including:
-Encounter Generators
-Dungeon Mapping Utility
-XP Calculators
-Treasure Generators
-Initiative Tracker
-and more!
Exclusive D&D-related novels and short stories written by your favorite authors
D&D Adventures at your fingertips. Choose 1 D&D adventure to download each month to use in your campaign.
Real-World D&D Search Engines (find D&D gamers, game stores, tournaments, and events in your area)
In-Game D&D Search Engines (find feats, spells, magic items, and other D&D-related topics)

I hadn't seen this yet. But it is certainly what we all had in mind. Clearly, competition for the above would include Dragon and Dungeon magazines, hence the cancellation.

Getting to download 1 D&D adventure a month with your subscription seems like their big draw, aside from maybe the character generator, and there was no way Dungeon didn't compete with that.

Like everyone says, they are competing with the MMO's. People seem to be indicating WotC will be replacing the magazines with an e-zine, but that does not seem to be the case; with this much stuff, it seems obvious that subscriber-only content would update daily, or at least more than once a week. They want customers to check in almost every day, the way MMO players do. It is not only about getting the money, but about keeping you on the hook.

Apparently, the free content has already decreased; but with all the job openings at WotC for online stuff, there is no question devoting more effort to their web presence rather than less. There may be some previews, as I suggested, but that will probably soon be all a D&D player can get for free.

I don't see Magic: the Gathering's web support going the same road-- the Magic content exists to keep an already somewhat profitable enterprise healthy, not to stave MMO competition. Clearly, WoW has WotC higher-ups soiling their drawers, and it seems rightly so, but I don't think they see MMO's as hurting CCG's the way they see them hurting D&D.

WotC ain't a charity, OGL or no OGL it goes without saying they want a larger share of all the dollars currently going into gaming, both digital and "analog"-- White Wolf's answer seems to be becoming an MMO subsidiary.

An important question is, what can the rest of the industry do to keep the customers the OGL brought them? Especially when 4E leaves them behind.

 

[3catcircus]

Whatever it is, I think it's poorly conceived or executed. On the day of the announcement that Dragon and Dungeon are no more customers should have had hard answers to question concerning what the online material is going to be like. Such as, cost, method of delivery, and volume of product.

They dropped that ball big time. Now, even the people defending their decision are just guessing about what's going to happen and hoping that it's better than what's currently offered by Dragon and Dungeon.

WotC should have showed their customers how it was a better decision and provided information to help their customers come to the same conclusion.

joe b.

Joe,

I've bought a few of your products. Somehow, I don't see WotC spending the time or effort (or paying someone to do so) to put out a product with as high a quality or "usefulness" of your stuff (or any of the other 3rd-party folks). I can just see them going "We are making tons of money without having to pay the printers with this digital stuff. Wait, we can make even more if we can cut the costs we *do* have... Well, only give authors a month instead of three. After all, they don't have to print and proof anything..."

 

[Steel_Wind]

I wonder why people say this, considering that White Wolf publish more roleplaying games now than they ever have all at once in the past: World of Darkness and four supplementary game lines in their own right, with two more on the way; Exalted; Scion; and the forthcoming EVE tabletop adaptation.

Who, exactly, is going to knock White Wolf out of the #2 spot?

I haven't a single solitary clue. Not a one.

I haven't seen much new from WW that indicates they truly want to be in the core pnp business though. I think their eyes are very much online. (Unlike many here, I honestly don't mean that in the pejorative, either.)

I simply suggest that when 4E hits, if the OGL vanishes, there is going to be divided attention, divided loyalties, and rush towards new competing products - one or more of which will find a real audience.

One could argue that in the wake of the d20 bust - that has already happened. But this production centric "industry" does far too much navel gazing from WotC on down. It's when the customers are in the mood to shift and switch that the biggest changes can happen.

 

[EditorBFG]

I simply suggest that when 4E hits, if the OGL vanishes, there is going to be divided attention, divided loyalties, and rush towards new competing products - one or more of which will find a real audience.

Exactly. My question is, is there a way to keep this phenomenon from gutting the RPG industry, such as it is?