D&D 5E (2024) Have we potentially seen the end of the OneD&D Playtest?

Krachek · Jan 12, 2023

They could make a live show of actual meetings in the head office of Wotc!
Critical OGL!
it would be as much entertaining as instructive,

Reynard · Jan 12, 2023

Is there any reason to believe that the people most invested in the playtest and interested in 1D&D would not be on WotC's side in this? I know it feels like "everyone" supports the OGL and 3PPs right now but that could very well be an echo chamber effect.

Snarf Zagyg · Jan 12, 2023

Counterpoint-

Right now would be the perfect time to re-release the Bard, and release the Elf.

Reynard · Jan 12, 2023

Snarf Zagyg said:
Counterpoint-

Right now would be the perfect time to re-release the Bard, and release the Elf.

You misspelled "remove."

Snarf Zagyg · Jan 12, 2023

Reynard said:
You misspelled "remove."

Oh, I didn't misspell it! I think now is the perfect time for Hasbro to get full feedback on the Bard! Really probe people's feelings about, um,. D&D, and Bards.

Parmandur · Jan 12, 2023

Retreater said:
As I wrote in other threads, I think the playtest (as it was) is over. I could see them doing a scaled back playtest - such as doing it through organized play events with select Dungeon Masters. But I expect just opening the development to a potentially angry community right now wouldn't be a good idea. And to wait until it all boils over would put them behind schedule.
I also expect to not see as many cheerfully optimistic promos. Or if we do, I think many fans will view them as false and may even make the situation worse.
I think the hype train has gone off the rails for the time being.

Doubt this, honestly. The rage news cycle moves on fast.

Vaalingrade · Jan 12, 2023

Somehow, the D&D community would be far, far more up in arms if they released a product without a signed, sealed and notarized playtest than trying to vaporize the OGL.

Ruin Explorer · Jan 12, 2023

Vaalingrade said:
Somehow, the D&D community would be far, far more up in arms if they released a product without a signed, sealed and notarized playtest than trying to vaporize the OGL.

I don't think so.

The D&D Next playtest was a MESS, with very few releases with big, odd changes in each, a whole secret secondary smaller-but-more-important playtest which got more releases, and with a whole tons of last-minute changes which weren't playtested at all by either group (AFAWCT), and a lot of other stuff it was far from clear WotC was following the community on (which is fine, sometimes designers know better than fan-opinions, esp. on rules-design).

But there was basically zero outrage over that. Again, that's fine, I just think it speaks against the idea they need a playtest. 3E and 4E also didn't have any public playtests to speak of.

DMZ2112 · Jan 12, 2023

My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play in it, for good or evil, before this is over.

I would hope anyone who cares about D&D conceptually would continue participating constructively in the playtest. I stand with the open gaming community, but I will still be doing so.

In fact, as a D&D fan, I am asking other D&D fans to please continue to participate constructively in the playtest. D&D is not going away. Don't throw away any opportunity to influence the game and Wizards for the better. I'm not thinking about oneD&D at all; rather I am thinking about the next 50 years of the game. D&D is an iterative part of all TTRPG design, and a bad iteration will resonate.

If the last few years have taught me anything, it is never to take anything, good or bad, for granted. Kobold Press could be publishing D&D in 2073.

Reynard said:
Is there any reason to believe that the people most invested in the playtest and interested in 1D&D would not be on WotC's side in this? I know it feels like "everyone" supports the OGL and 3PPs right now but that could very well be an echo chamber effect.

I've posted snapshots of polls from D&D Beyond's General Discussion forums in a couple of other threads, and the interim results suggest inconclusively that the prevailing tone there is substantially against Wizards.

Just sharing data that seems to interest people, not trying to express an opinion.