If all the designers who left WotC...

[Gorgoroth]

ah

man, speaking of D&D videogames, Daggerdale was such pooooh (is that legal to say here? hehe)

I mean, you have the perfect edition ruleset for a direct-to-videogame translation, where every power is codified according to strict easy-to-program templates, and what do they they with it? They make a game that doesn't even use AEDU !!! I mean, come on! They should have had 5 games out by now. It's what I would have done. Even if they were all simple rinky dinky games like that facebook game (I tried it briefly, did they ever add the ranger class to it? if so I would try it again).

This is indeed very sad to me that Monte left, but today on facebook I learned the first public playtests of DDN are on May 24. To me the most important thing is the game rules itself. A close second is how any builders operate, because like a computer nerd, even though I hate Wotc with a passion, I will be giving them more money because hey, it's cheaper than coke and hookers and I have a ton of disposable income.

Then again, I'll probably be playing that other D&D love-letter thingy. Or just stick to Pathfinder. They need to get up on some more rule books. I can't get enough archetypes to play. The benefit of having a ruleset where PCs die is their operators get to try new archetypes. Such a rich game to try.

Maybe Monte SHOULD join Paizo again. I wonder if he has a non-compete clause. Pity if he signed such a thing. But I don't do the whole hero-worship thing. I like results, and look forward to trying the public playtest on May 24th

 

[Morrus]

The company really does come across like some kind of treadmill leading to a rotating saw which chews people up and spits them out. I guess the money must be good - if temporary - because it really doesn't sound like a place to go with any eye on long-term employment. Especially when these people relocate their entire lives. Heck, I gave up trying to develop relationships with WotC folks long ago - there's simply no point. As soon as you get to know somebody, they're gone. And these days they won't talk to you anyway, because they're not allowed to.

Ah well.

 

[billd91]

It does seem like a sawmill, however, I don't think it's too uncommon to see careers last at least 5 years, sometimes 10 or more. We see a lot of big names go down periodically, but when you examine them, changes are they've been there at least a little while.

That, of course, doesn't mean that WotC isn't frequently culling experienced designers. They are. If they can't make up the loss of the experience with greater productivity or the injection of new ideas from the new blood, they're only damaging themselves. What's worse, by cutting loose experienced developers that built up followings at WotC, they're effectively acting as a farm team for their own competition.

 

[Glade Riven]

I grew up with a dad who did contract work all his career. It looks to me like people are making a big deal about nothing. Then again, this is the internet.

People get hired and laid off all the time in every industry. WotC isn't that special.

 

[Umbran]

The company really does come across like some kind of treadmill leading to a rotating saw which chews people up and spits them out.

I can't really speak to their policies, but, in general...

Since 2008 or so, I think more of my friends have changed jobs than haven't. That WotC is a treadmill isn't telling when the economy leads many businesses to be treadmills.

That people go there is by no means mysterious when unemployment is between 8% and 10%, folks. For many people, having a job at all is something to be thankful for, much less one in your chosen field that you love. A contract, possibly short-term job is still better than no job.

 

[MerricB]

Mike Mearls has now been at Wizards for seven years. Where has the time gone?

(Incidentally, Monte worked at TSR/Wizards for seven years in his original stint).

 

[Kzach]

I just think it would be great if they all got together and created something truly spectacular. It could be the Holy Grail of RPG's. The One System, that in the Darkness of the Basement binds them to the sticky Mountain Dew.

Seriously, imagine if all the great designers that aren't even at WotC anymore all got together and worked on a system. Tell me you wouldn't be interested in that, regardless of whether or not it was labelled "D&D".

 

[Pramas]

Because they get paid.

Seriously: game designer is not a well-paid profession, and there would be very few RPG companies that pay as well as Wizards.

In addition, the resources Wizards can bring to bear on a product are significantly more than most companies can muster.

Yup. There's nowhere in the game industry you can make as much money doing pen & paper RPG design than WotC. Plus, most of us grew up playing D&D and the draw of working on it should not be underestimated.

 

[Kzach]

Yup. There's nowhere in the game industry you can make as much money doing pen & paper RPG design than WotC. Plus, most of us grew up playing D&D and the draw of working on it should not be underestimated.

So you'd never team up with Erik Mona, Monte Cook, Bruce Cordell, Heinsoo, Wyatt, Collins, etc. to make a super challenger to D&D?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The company really does come across like some kind of treadmill leading to a rotating saw which chews people up and spits them out. I guess the money must be good - if temporary - because it really doesn't sound like a place to go with any eye on long-term employment. Especially when these people relocate their entire lives. Heck, I gave up trying to develop relationships with WotC folks long ago - there's simply no point. As soon as you get to know somebody, they're gone. And these days they won't talk to you anyway, because they're not allowed to.

Ah well.

I think there are 3 good reasons to join WotC

1) The Money. If you want to get paid as a RPG designer, at least. If you just want good money, you may be better off in the first place in a different profession.

2) The People. Seriously, you get to work with a lot of other creative and talented people, That sounds like a great chance, even if it won't last beyond the next Christmas Eve.

3) You're working on not just some random RPG. You're working on THE ROLEPLAYING GAME. (and get paid for it.)