WotC announced non-randomized minis

[Treebore]

I think it is reasonably safe to say that customers didn't want randomized miniatures. They sold well because we didn't have any other options (for official d+d pre-painted plastic minis).

Well, not this customer, The only WOTC randomized mini's I own are from one starter set a friend bought for me. My mini's money has been going to Reaper, etc..., not WOTC. This decision will get WOTC some of my money.

 

[Wayside]

I think it is reasonably safe to say that customers didn't want randomized miniatures. They sold well because we didn't have any other options (for official d+d pre-painted plastic minis).

If all of your arguments depend on predetermining what is "safe to say" and then reflexively hitching your claims to that (otherwise known as begging the question), well, then good luck to you. Personally, I don't think it's safe to say what the company's motives are, and I know it isn't safe to say what the customers want. Feel free to speak for yourself, but please refrain from speaking for the rest of us.

As for the Rouse's remark, let's try and keep a little perspective here, shall we? There are some rather overbearing anti-WotC people roaming these forums--making snide little comments like "Wizards will never see another dime from me!" and worse--and if the only thing their posts elicit from WotC employees is a little sarcasm then we should be commending those employees for their restraint.

This goes for Paizo too, although the Paizo staff doesn't have to put up with nearly as much hate.

 

[sfgiants]

Treebore: You missed my point. My point was that randomized minis didn't seem to be popular with fans. You seem to agree with me.

Wayside: I have been perusing this site and others like maxminis for years. There are threads regularly about the topic of randomized minis. I probably should have said it is "safe to say" that many fans were not pleased with randomized minis. I think with a little digging it could be determined (note: I should have said many not all and wasn't attempting to speak for all fans)

Also, keeping perspective means realizing there is also rampant fanboyism as far as wotc goes. I understand your point but shouldn't we be expecting a little more restraint from the head of d+d? Why should he feel the need to even enter the conversation just to make a jab?

 

[Fifth Element]

I probably should have said it is "safe to say" that many fans were not pleased with randomized minis.

That one is probably true. But "many" is not remotely the same thing as "a significant proportion of", much less "a majority of".

Also bear in mind that people who are satisfied with the current product are much less likely to post on messageboards saying so, than people who are dissatisfied. Messageboard posts are not a randomized sample of the market.

 

[thalmin]

I'm sorry I started this.

 

[Harlekin]

Don't let the haters get you down Scott. Besides, you've still got ME!! I can never have enough mini's (I'm a minis whore), and I love 4th Edition (I'm also a gamebook whore). I LOVE the randomized aspect of D&D Minis, although I'd also love to see some non-random sets.

I know you are aware that our hobby is full of cranky gamers that like to complain histrionically, but I imagine it gets wearing every once in a while. You have my sympathy!

Keep those minis, books, and other games coming!!!

What he said. And thanks for acting like a human being rather than a corporate robot, even though it gets yo nothing but grief. Though frankly I'm surprised that you still consider it worth your time to visit these boards.

 

[El Mahdi]

I'm sorry I started this.

Dude, this is nothing compared to some threads. It seems most threads turn into arguments and rants after the first 1 1/2 to 2 pages (sometimes later, sometimes at post #2). But even then, they can be fun to watch (like a car crash).

 

[Wayside]

Wayside: I have been perusing this site and others like maxminis for years. There are threads regularly about the topic of randomized minis. I probably should have said it is "safe to say" that many fans were not pleased with randomized minis. I think with a little digging it could be determined (note: I should have said many not all and wasn't attempting to speak for all fans)

Which proves that not only does the internet attract people with a natural talent for kibitzing, but that complaint threads on the internet...well, you get the idea. Also, the fact that you've been seeing and posting in these threads for years undermines your claim that they're generalizable. The same people posting the same thing in thread after thread does not a majority make.

Internet faux-statistics aside, this also doesn't take into account the psychological component of collectibility, which for a lot of people is a huge source of pleasure even though they don't realize it and may not even be willing to admit it when it's pointed out to them. That might not matter to RPGers, but maybe, just maybe, the majority of DDM sales are to people who use them for DDM instead of or in addition to RPGs.

(And I'm serious about the 'not realizing/willing to admit it' part. I don't think games like Magic or Pokemon would ever have hit the levels of popularity they did without randomization, and the same can be said of DDM, which after Magic sells better than anything else WotC makes.)

Also, keeping perspective means realizing there is also rampant fanboyism as far as wotc goes.

If we're talking about ENWorld, I haven't seen it. Of course there are many 4e fans, but that's because, you know, they genuinely like the game, not because of some irrational love for the company that makes it. It's actually possible to like or dislike 4e without being a ponce.

I understand your point but shouldn't we be expecting a little more restraint from the head of d+d? Why should he feel the need to even enter the conversation just to make a jab?

I guess this is where we differ. I was a fan of the Justin Achilli approach to community management.

As far as the Rouse's post though, he was basically saying the exact same thing you just said about his post, only about the post he replied to. The flow was roughly:

Guy1: Hey WotC is finally putting out non-randomized packs of minis!
Guy2: Who cares, I already have all the minis I need. Oh, and this is totally irrelevant, but I'll never buy a WotC book again either.
Rouse: Let's just stop making minis and books then, yeah?

All told, that's pretty much the least offensive reply I can imagine him making. I mean, he could have reported it, but to no avail since ENWorld has always been pretty bad about handling the passive-aggressive stuff.

 

[S'mon]

I thought Rouse's reply was funny. OTOH I think it's perfectly reasonable to say you have so much stuff that you're not likely to buy more - because minis don't go out of date with an edition change there may be a substantial proportion of the market that's already saturated.

 

[Ahglock]

I'm curious how many people actually wanted randomized minis. I'm boggles that some one would even try to argue the point that most people did not want random. To me it is kind of like saying most people don't like getting groin kicked.

About the only people I can see liking random minis are retailers since they know people who want X mini are effectively forced to buy more packs then they want unless they get lucky, ebay reseller types, and maybe some gota catchem all types who like random things because it makes getting them all an achievement. The actual gamers who want minis, I kind of doubt want random.

I can see why they sell well, random while sucking hard until you get what you want puts you in the hole and you have to buy your self out, it is kind of like gambling. In fact I suspect it preys upon people on a psychological level in a similar fashion to gambling.

Most people I suspect just want the minis for there games, and the random packs just make it harder to get what you need for your games.