D&D 5E I think the era of 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons had it right. (not talking about the rules).

[Shasarak]

Only ones with non-anecdotal evidence are WotC, and they seem to have settled on a path that has fandom consensus behind it: at least it works for most of is anecdotal folks.

That is strange, I thought WotC data said that it is not worth it for them to produce Adventures?

Just can not get the good data now a days.

 

[Parmandur]

*sighs*

Do you like multiple genres of movies and TV shows?

Sure, and I also like board and card games that take time or money from D&D: I don't subscribe to Netflix for one type of thing, why would I subscribe to an RPG service that did just one thing?

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

That is strange, I thought WotC data said that it is not worth it for them to produce Adventures?

Just can not get the good data now a days.

They only make AP's now though. Apparently the days of the cheap 24 page module is over for them alas. It is the one thing I wish they still did.

 

[Shasarak]

Two negatives make a positive though.

-2 + -2 = -4

Hmm, wait a minute!

 

[Shasarak]

Yes, see also In-N-Out, which is better than McDa or the King with exactly three menu options.

Better then McDonalds? Is that even possible?

 

[Shasarak]

Another thing I didn't mention is curating the experience. Quality control is one part of that, but there's also just something to be said for constructing an experience. All these analogies about food just keep reminding me of trusting a chef or a server at a restaurant. Sometimes you go for a four course meal and maybe have at most two options for each course and it's all designed to be fit together rather than a buffet. I mean, they both have their uses, but if I didn't know Pathfinder at a certain level I might be overwhelmed if I showed up at some random game store to play with some people using every rule ever.

If you turned up to play Pathfinder, why would you expect to have to know everything?

Do you have a character? Have you at least done the minimum work of looking at what abilities it has? Have you got some dice, or can at least borrow some dice?

Alright, now you are good to go.

 

[Corpsetaker]

Sure, and I also like board and card games that take time or money from D&D: I don't subscribe to Netflix for one type of thing, why would I subscribe to an RPG service that did just one thing?

Do you not see where this is going yet? Your answer has enabled me to win the argument. You use Netflix because it provides you with a variety of shows and movies since you enjoy multiple genres. I'm sure you wouldn't be happy if Netflix took a survey and found that the most popular genre was romantic comedies so they decided to only show romantic comedies and will only show those but may release one movie from another genre every two months.

I don't like their AP's so I have nothing else except for the SCAG and then Volo coming up. Netflix gives you choices. D&D at the moment does not.

 

[Parmandur]

Better then McDonalds? Is that even possible?

Indeed, shocking, I know; but one of the main reasons it is better, is the lack of options.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

When did playing a RPG and watching TV or eating at a restaurant become a similar activity?

 

[Sacrosanct]

My descriptor follows what most of the world uses. It's having the ability to pick and choose what I want. I don't walk into a supermarket and complain about all the different types of cereal on the shelf because I know I, and most other people in the world, have the ability to head straight for the ones I want and know there is still plenty of options for others out there who may not like the ones I like.

Society gives us options because businesses know that not everyone likes the same things. Do you get paralyzed when you walk into a library or a bookstore or do you just use your brain and a little common sense and just select what it is you want to purchase. Stores allow you to browse so I'm sure you've picked up an RPG you've never played before and skimmed through it. I'm sure you've looked at the back of the book that usually gives you a direction to go when going beyond the book you have in your hand.

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!

You have that RIGHT NOW with 5e. We've got the shelves lined with literally thousands of products for 5e between WoTC, DTRPG, DMsGuild, and your own imagination.

Before you come back with "But those aren't officially produced by WoTC directly", I'll point out that when you go into the supermarket, almost NONE of those items are produced directly by the store either. So either your analogy fails, or you do in fact have tons of options like you are wanting.

Since you raised the topic of Netflix earlier, a show with 100 episodes which are all inter-connected and build on each other is a deterrent for many to start that show. All production companies and distribution companies understand this. They adjust for this fact when agreeing to fund/distribute episodic versus non-episodic content. It's a major, HUGE factor for show balance, because the effect is so well known and studied and tested in that industry.

I will tell you right now that I will not watch shows like Arrow, The Flash, or League of Legends if I didn't start when they came out. They are all cross-overed for the most part, especially Arrow and Flash, and it's too much effort to figure out what and where and in what order to watch them.

It's also a reason why I haven't gone back to my comics from the 80s and not reread the Xfactor/Xmen/New Mutants because they constantly did cross over stories and it's too much a pain in the butt to try to figure out the order.

But to your point, you are 100% correct that I will often hesitate or not even bother starting a TV series if I know it's the same story that goes on for dozens of episodes. About 10 is my limit before I want a new storyline. And what you explain is exactly why traditional sitcoms were all resolved by the end of the episode.