The OGL: Why is this really happening, and what to do now...

[Aspirinsmurf]

My more general point is this: You can still play D&D if you don't give WizBro a single penny.

 

[mamba]

Only 25,000 people cared enough to sign a petition… not to boycott, just to click a link and tick a box indicating disapproval.

and yet more cared enough to cancel their DDB subscription

 

[mamba]

On the other hand, every time someone makes a statement like this it undermine the case that 3pp is good for WOtC and strengthens their justification for revocation.

you do not know whether what he buys is 3pp, sounds unlikely if he has not bought D&D for 10 years

 

[Aspirinsmurf]

He always wanted to make his own RPG, this just pushed the timeline. You could also see this as entirely strategic, when will there ever be as much interest in D&D alternatives again...

Every edition change has brought at least some interest in other systems. But more importantly, if you're willing to recruit players outside of the realm of TTRPGs, they don't usually give a hoot about what system you're using. Why would they?

 

[Aspirinsmurf]

There's the academic question of OGL1.0(a)'s revocability/deauthorization, and then there's the practical matter of having the money and risk tolerance to litigate the issue against a billion dollar company. You might win. You might not. Are you able to spend 6 or 7 figures to find out?

I'm absolutely willing to contribute money to the poor, unfortunate company that faces their wrath and is willing to take it to court. It won't be me though. I'm nobody, and I'm in a bad jurisdiction for them.

Actually, I'd wager that a lot of people would be willing to contribute to such an effort. Paizo has already declared their stance here. And I'd furthermore wager that we could recruit powerful allies in that cause, if it made some ripples. The whole IT world depends on permissive licenses like this being irrevocable, even if they're not explicitly drafted to say that they are.

 

[mamba]

Every edition change has brought at least some interest in other systems.

WotC goes out of their way to tell us that this is not an edition change...

But more importantly, if you're willing to recruit players outside of the realm of TTRPGs, they don't usually give a hoot about what system you're using. Why would they?

and what is the likelihood that someone new to TTRPGs would go to Matt's game right away? Chances are he will attract a lot more existing players of other systems than altogether new ones

 

[Aspirinsmurf]

WotC goes out of their way to tell us that this is not an edition change...

They appear to be exiting the industry entirely, according to this Matt Colville. And I might be inclined to agree with him.

 

[mamba]

They appear to be exiting the industry entirely, according to this Matt Colville. And I might be inclined to agree with him.

yeah, I get his take, but that is not how I see it. Sure, they want to have D&D to themselves and do so via their VTT, but that does not mean they do not in a way still sell you a TTRPG, even if you play in front of a screen and it has microtransactions and lootboxes.

My 'problem' is more that this makes for a bad video game, not for a good TTRPG, and, if the leaked prices are anything to go by, an expensive one on top of that. So what 13 year old would rather play that than say WoW (or better yet Diablo IV). If this is where they are headed (and it looks that way), then this is the stupidest part of the plan. That is what you get for hiring guys that only understand video games... if all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail

 

[lvl20dm]

⁸

They appear to be exiting the industry entirely, according to this Matt Colville. And I might be inclined to agree with him.

I keep seeing references to Loot Boxes and so forth. This really doesn't jibe with the One D&D playtest or its stated goal of producing new core rulebooks. Colville's prediction here is pretty grim, but if this is the plan then I'm not seeing it.

 

[MoonSong]

No. This is not what I say.
I can do boycotts. But I can lift them if I think they have fullfilled their job.

So after WotC makes an offer that is not an insult anymore, I can buy/subscribe again.
Using the nucular option, which is NEVER EVER BUYONG ANYTHING AGAIN WITH WOTC OR D&D ON IT, is misplaced right now. We can resort to that later.

Exactly, if WotC makes things right, I'll go back to buying books, legacy content, magic cards -and playing on Arena-, ponies, transformers, starwars figures, and if it happens soon enough, watch the movie. Perhaps even write stuff for their new game. But only if they make things right. I'm im no hurry.