D&D General What D&D reflects today, media wise...

[The-Magic-Sword]

20 something's are for sure kids.

Can confirm, 28, am baby.

 

[Argyle King]

More broadly, the original DotA ("Defense of the Ancients") was a very successful Warcraft III mod that spun off the "MOBA" genre of games - including League of Legends, DOTA2, Heroes of the Storm, and certainly many others.

I think it's safe to say that I've likely grown out of the target demographic. Without Google, I didn't know what much of anything beyond "Warcraft..."

Thanks for the info.

 

[Reynard]

20 something's are for sure kids.

I was over 40 with wife, 2 kids, mortgage and 2 college degrees before I realized I wasn't a kid anymore.

Mostly because I could no long house a large pizza and a six pack without feeling like crap.

 

[Scribe]

I was over 40 with wife, 2 kids, mortgage and 2 college degrees before I realized I wasn't a kid anymore.

Mostly because I could no long house a large pizza and a six pack without feeling like crap.

Its when I realized that if I stayed up later than midnight, I wasnt getting up at 7am without feeling like trash.

It was in that moment, I realized, I was old.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

You seem to missing the direction of influence.

That's "influenced by D&D"*

Not "influencing D&D"

They're kind of the opposite. DotA 2 is ultra-derivative and frankly extremely boring drivel. There's a reason Arcane is an absolutely huge hit (despite/because it fits the aesthetic I descried) and DotA 2 anime is not particularly successful.

* = Actually Warcraft III, which is where DotA originates, which is just a mash-up of D&D and Warhammer. Both of which were just a mash-up of Tolkien and Moorcock.

DOTA 2: Dragons Blood is a really fun show and is getting a third season so it can't be doing that bad. I also love Blood Zeus and Castlevania.

 

[MGibster]

Anywho, it got me to thinking while LotRs is far far more widely known period, what younger D&D fans may care about more now-a-days is Pokemon or Warcraft. Should D&D reflect the more current modern popular fiction? A monster hunter that catches Beholders in special magic balls?

I think it's clear that D&D has been a living game that is constantly evolving due to changing expectations of the audience. The D&D I played in 2000 was different from the game I played in 1989 which was different from the game in 1980. For D&D to remain relevant, it needs to cater to contemporary sensibilities and tastes.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

I think that D&D largely reflects the desires of players to create their fantasy OCs, and so it reflects pretty much everything, in some way or other. What it doesn't reflect yet, it will eventually.

 

[Aldarc]

There are two bases, with three paths between them called lanes, with a small wilderness called "jungle" where neutral monsters spawn between the lanes. Cannon Fodder Soldiers from each base spawn and fight each other in each lane in a perpetual stalemate. Each team has five players, each of whom chooses a character from a massive array of pre-existing characters with specific sets of abilities and play styles-- many of them should be reminiscent of DND characters or named monsters (Lord Sothe, Raistlin Majere, Strahd, Drizzt Do'Urden, Ganon from Zelda, would all fit right in.)

Players go into the lanes and fight the other side's soldiers and the enemy players, or go into jungle to kill the monsters there. The whole time they're getting gold and exp to level up and buy magic items (many of which have their roots in DND), leveling up also lets them buy and upgrade abilities from their set. Each has the goal of eventually pushing into the enemies base and destroying a building at the center in order to win (which can only be destroyed if the buildings in front of it are destroyed first, creating natural battle lines.) They engage in Teamfights where they square up and try to destroy the enemy team to give themselves time to make progress unmolested.

DOTA, and its more popular clone League of Legends, are massively popular esports with major audiences in America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. They put on tournaments where teams of players compete for millions of dollars, and their promotional material include a lot of worldbuilding so that people get attached to the characters.

Plus both Dota 2 and LoL are expanding their setting universes into new game types (e.g., digital collectible card games, auto battlers, MMORPGs) and media (e.g., cartoons/anime, novels, comic books, etc.).

That said, while 4e D&D got a lot of flack for its four roles reminding people of MMORPGs (i.e,. tank, DPS, support), I could ironically seeing MOBAs providing an alternative model with its character design (e.g., slayers, bruisers/fighters, tanks, mages, support, etc.). I honestly wouldn't mind seeing more TTRPGs that are inspired by video game design ideas, models, and concepts rather than shying away from it.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

it is definitely shifting away from serious and strategy to a more entertaining and humorous tone.

There was a lot of wackiness in 1st edition days. 2nd-4e was D&D's serious phase.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

you would've hated planescape

I think the issue that @Ruin Explorer was alluding to is not the particular look - there is no reason dress in fantasy worlds should be historical - the issue is everything having the same look.