WotC How much does Hasbro / WotC impact your feelings towards D&D?

[Vaalingrade]

This thread is not about acknowledging feelings, it's about if what Hasbro does impacts your relationship to D&D.

Relationships have nothing to do with feelings.

Good to know.

But mostly, this thread appears to be about people affirming their loyalty to the concept of D&D.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It’s possible to aim for both. Developing a good product that beats its competitors and make some schmeckles doing it.

I often see that product-that-I-don’t-like gets equated with bad-product. I don’t buy that.

Folks should go and pick a selection of D&D adventure products from the early 1980s and see if what you get now is better value for money. On the basis that £10 then is around £40 now. Interestingly I pre-ordered my PHB for £32. How good a product would £7.50 have got me in the early 1980’s? Rose tinted spectacles all round.

Instead of using a comparative standard to judge WotC products, we use the What-I-Can-Find-Wrong-With-The-Assistance-Of-The-Entire-Internet-Using-Gaming-Comunity Standard. Which is notoriously judgemental and picky. If the same standard was applied to any product it would be found wanting.

I generally don't bother with adventures for any edition. Product-wise I mostly care about core books, supplements, and setting material, all of which I feel was a average higher quality in previous editions of the game (including 4e, which was well-made but which I didn't like for other reasons). Modules don't really matter to me for the most part, except occasionally as a source of lore and maps. Not sure I've ever run one straight all the way through actually.

 

[TheSword]

I generally don't bother with adventures for any edition. Product-wise I mostly care about core books, supplements, and setting material, all of which I feel was a average higher quality in previous editions of the game (including 4e, which was well-made but which I didn't like for other reasons). Modules don't really matter to me for the most part, except occasionally as a source of lore and maps. Not sure I've ever run one straight all the way through actually.

It applies to any products. You think there werent mistakes and inconsistencies in early
Editions of D&D. Poor art. Badly designed maps. Poorly thought out kits. Unbalanced class abilities. Trap spells. Overpowered spells. The list goes on.

The standard we hold WotC to now is not the standard we held 40 years ago. Yet people toss out low quality like somehow things have gone down hill. Maybe I’m easy to please. I don’t know.

 

[Micah Sweet]

It applies to any products. You think there werent mistakes and inconsistencies in early
Editions of D&D. Poor art. Badly designed maps. Poorly thought out kits. Unbalanced class abilities. Trap spells. Overpowered spells. The list goes on.

The standard we hold WotC to now is not the standard we held 40 years ago. Yet people toss out low quality like somehow things have gone down hill. Maybe I’m easy to please. I don’t know.

I know that previous D&D wasn't perfect, but it also produced far more product than D&D 5e, so yes, the average was in my estimation significantly higher, and there a lot more choices than WotC currently provides. I used the word "average" on purpose.

 

[Retreater]

It's discouraging to me to see that 65% of respondents are cool with what we've seen from WotC/Hasbro.

 

[grimmgoose]

Their antics/mismanagement? a 2.

Their design sensibilities? a 4. I just generally disagree with most of their design choices.

 

[payn]

It's discouraging to me to see that 65% of respondents are cool with what we've seen from WotC/Hasbro.

You really dont want to see what folks in general think then.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

It's discouraging to me to see that 65% of respondents are cool with what we've seen from WotC/Hasbro.

That's not what the poll is asking.

I know that, since this is a site where feelings run hot, people feel strongly about the company. And that's fine! But this is asking how those feelings impact how people feel about D&D- which isn't the company.

In addition, I am guessing that if this was a survey of the greater D&D playing population (and not Enworld), you'd be a lot more disappointed.

 

[Stormonu]

It's discouraging to me to see that 65% of respondents are cool with what we've seen from WotC/Hasbro.

Not "cool", but more like "don't give a rat's arse." and don't let what the company is doing interfere with their fun.

Seriously, as posted above, TSR was a far worse shepherd of D&D than WotC has been. Remember that TSR had a legal department devoted to harassing its fans - and would have NEVER allowed the OGL to have been created. WotC aren't saints, but they've been more hands off the D&D line and letting the fans do with it as they desire than nosey TSR ever did.

 

[Nikosandros]

That's not what the poll is asking.

I know that, since this is a site where feelings run hot, people feel strongly about the company. And that's fine! But this is asking how those feelings impact how people feel about D&D- which isn't the company.

Exactly this. I answered 1, but it doesn't mean that I'm a huge WotC fan. It means that, basically no matter what WotC does (and TSR did back then), I still really love D&D as a game.