New D&D Website

[Scribble]

No oversight; the 4e "core" books (PHB, DMG, MM) are all free. Any other book? $$$.

Ahhh thats what I did. I clicked on tne monster manual and was very confused since it was all free.

I'm thinking they might release the art gallery for each product free when it comes out, and then lock them down later on when they go archive.

All in all it doesn't really bother me.


And if, in the end, someone was only going to the site for the free art... Was that person really worth keeping as a visitor to the site?

 

[Mercutio01]

And if, in the end, someone was only going to the site for the free art... Was that person really worth keeping as a visitor to the site?

Yes? Because it was good for marketing. In other words, I knew what products were coming out and when because of the art galleries, and the art was a big part of the reason I would consider buying books.

 

[Scribble]

Yes? Because it was good for marketing. In other words, I knew what products were coming out and when because of the art galleries, and the art was a big part of the reason I would consider buying books.

Maybe- but it seems to me people are claiming now that the art is no longer free they have no more reasons to go to the site.

Which effectively says they only went there for free stuff, not as a client.

If they're only going there to download free art, and free maps, but they aren't playing the system, buying the books, or subscribing to DDI, then they are just a system drain.

(I have no idea if this was you or not.)

Sure maybe they got some people's interest now and again who was originally only there for the art, but is the gain worth the cost? (Or more importantly would the potential benefit of doing it another way exceed what it's brining to the table currently.)

Giving out free stuff isn't the best way to market a product. It can be a good incentive to get people to stop and listen to you, sure but it's not the end all be all of getting people interested in the product.

Personally for someone actually playing the game, and interested in the products WoTC offers, I think the previews they've been releasing are FAR more effective at getting me interested in the products then free art ever was.



Let me give an example from my own job- I attend a lot of Health Fairs, giving people info about their benefits. I also give out a lot of free do dads and gizmos with our name stamped all over it. The marketing guys told us though that while this stuff is great for getting people to wander over to our table, we should never just give it to them and let them be on their way. We need to engage them and have a conversation with them about their benefits. This is a far more effective way to get them knowing/using their benefits then a free chipclip will ever be. The chip clip is just bait.

You could say the free art was bait, but it's lacking in the second department. It's effectively giving out the chip clip and saying, hey if you want take some info about you plan.

That's why the free previews are better. They are bait (oooh free stuff!) bu they also engage the client, by giving them an idea of what toexpect from the product, and how it might effect their game.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Yes? Because it was good for marketing. In other words, I knew what products were coming out and when because of the art galleries, and the art was a big part of the reason I would consider buying books.

So... why didn't you explain this reasoning in the first post?

Because I totally see how you might be right that this is something important that might be lacking now.

 

[Mercutio01]

Well, it was in my third post, not the first, but it was in the first vehemently angry post -

For almost 10 years I have been able to look at small low quality (72dpi) images from products to help me determine if I want to buy said products, and to use in my home games for visual aids and handouts.

(I just added the bolding for emphasis).

 

[The Little Raven]

I like it. After learning the new organization, I like it way better than the old site.

My only problem is that I cannot logout on the D&D site unless I logout from the Community site first.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

RE: Art

In 3.5 days, I've seen people buy books because someone else used those free galleries to link art to them on top of describing what was in the book itself. Don't discount the ability to show someone a picture while talking about how totally awesome a new class or spell is.

The reason for the art being there has shifted. Previously, it was both an advertisement for their books and a method for people to easily obtain cool art to post online. Now, the art is there as a reward to DDI subscribers.

 

[Scribble]

RE: Art

In 3.5 days, I've seen people buy books because someone else used those free galleries to link art to them on top of describing what was in the book itself. Don't discount the ability to show someone a picture while talking about how totally awesome a new class or spell is.

And therein lies the "engagement" I was talking about. The art serves to peak interest, talking about it clinches the deal.

Free art on the site might peak interest, but that interest isn't connected to by WoTC. (Because the person is able to gab the freebie and leave.)

The reason for the art being there has shifted. Previously, it was both an advertisement for their books and a method for people to easily obtain cool art to post online. Now, the art is there as a reward to DDI subscribers.

Who said it was a way for them to post it online? I don't think you were ever really allowed to do that. (Isn't that why some of the SRDs just posted links back to WoTC's site? Because they technically couldn't repost the actual pictures?)

 

[ProfessorCirno]

And therein lies the "engagement" I was talking about. The art serves to peak interest, talking about it clinches the deal.

Free art on the site might peak interest, but that interest isn't connected to by WoTC. (Because the person is able to gab the freebie and leave.)

On the contrary - the interest is connected completely to WotC and, more importantly, their books. While I obviously can't count numbers, there were plenty of people who talked about buying the Pathfinder book if just for the art.

Art in a book in of itself can be a selling point.

Who said it was a way for them to post it online? I don't think you were ever really allowed to do that. (Isn't that why some of the SRDs just posted links back to WoTC's site? Because they technically couldn't repost the actual pictures?)

I don't mean post them on websites, I mean link them to friends. I can't exactly link people to my physical book pictures ;p

 

[Mercutio01]

And therein lies the "engagement" I was talking about. The art serves to peak interest, talking about it clinches the deal.

Free art on the site might peak interest, but that interest isn't connected to by WoTC. (Because the person is able to gab the freebie and leave.)

Don't underestimate piquing interest. Indeed, that was the real reason behind having the galleries online in the first place. It wasn't to give people art to use in a game (although it certainly did that). The art, mixed with an inside look at a class, a few feats, a location, and a few monsters, were there to get people to buy physical books. Now, moving the art and the classes behind a wall of subscription shows to me that it's not as much about the books anymore, as it's about getting people onto a subscription.

That's fine and dandy. That's not me. I'm not that target demographic.