Sure.
But, that also means that format was less profitable - print magazines and periodicals of all sorts are a hard business to keep afloat these days.
D&D General Is D&D Beyond Exclusivity Bad for D&D?
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
Sure.
But, that also means that format was less profitable - print magazines and periodicals of all sorts are a hard business to keep afloat these days.
mamba
Legend
not really parallel, you still get a PDF, just from a different ‘shop’, you are not locked in the way DDB does it.
If DDB offered me a proper PDF (proper layout, ToC) to go alongside the content, I’d much prefer that over the current approach. In fact I’d rather buy that over what DDB wants to sell me
I have to admit, I am no longer nearly as concerned as I used to be about whether I have a "permanent" version of content. I already have a house full of stuff, and more gaming content than I can really use in my lifetime.
More importantly, it isn't like I'm going to re-use gaming content a whole lot. I ran Lost Mine of Phandelver once. Had a bunch of fun with it. Never touched it again. I ran The Wild Beyond the Witchlight - same. Don't expect to ever touch it again. I don't expect to need Harengon stats ever again. Played Dragon of Icespire Peak. Played Rime of the Frostmaiden. Don't expect to ever see those again, either. I don't expect to play characters of the same classes any time soon.
So, I'm not really worried if the DDB version isn't separate - if I'm using it in DDB once, that's probably the only time I am using it.
More importantly, it isn't like I'm going to re-use gaming content a whole lot. I ran Lost Mine of Phandelver once. Had a bunch of fun with it. Never touched it again. I ran The Wild Beyond the Witchlight - same. Don't expect to ever touch it again. I don't expect to need Harengon stats ever again. Played Dragon of Icespire Peak. Played Rime of the Frostmaiden. Don't expect to ever see those again, either. I don't expect to play characters of the same classes any time soon.
So, I'm not really worried if the DDB version isn't separate - if I'm using it in DDB once, that's probably the only time I am using it.
Thank you for reinforcing my point.
The only difference between your view here and my view above regarding the need for "permanent" records of all these random D&D materials that get made is that I am of the belief that you and I are not alone in our feelings here, but rather most other players feel as we do.
Professor Murder
Hero
Upon reflection, I did wish to offer another take.
The thread title does ask if exclusivity is bad, but a better framing might be does the bad outweigh any good? There is a notable positive, which is that the model may be encouraging WotC to release materials that they otherwise would not bother to. There is very likely a minimum size for a release to be worthwhile to publish physically for Wizards. The current model, while having flaws, may be the only conditions where publishing say a brief monster book with say 20ish creatures worthwhile.
The thread title does ask if exclusivity is bad, but a better framing might be does the bad outweigh any good? There is a notable positive, which is that the model may be encouraging WotC to release materials that they otherwise would not bother to. There is very likely a minimum size for a release to be worthwhile to publish physically for Wizards. The current model, while having flaws, may be the only conditions where publishing say a brief monster book with say 20ish creatures worthwhile.
mamba
Legend
so we are back to ‘99% do not care’, still as bad an argument as the first time around…
mamba
Legend
it’s not either DDB only or print only though, there are other options too
myrkulyte
Explorer
The discussion of archival records and the like is subsidiary to the main issue, which is that on DDB you do not have ownership rights to the content you spend money on.
If you don't care about keeping content after you're done using it that's not an issue but wotc is fully within their rights to remove content while you are using it.
The problem isn't that DDB isn't offering good value or isn't worthwhile, it's that the ecosystem itself is one with diminished consumer protections. The fact that this is the new normal across various industries doesn't mean this isn't a problem here.
If you don't care about keeping content after you're done using it that's not an issue but wotc is fully within their rights to remove content while you are using it.
The problem isn't that DDB isn't offering good value or isn't worthwhile, it's that the ecosystem itself is one with diminished consumer protections. The fact that this is the new normal across various industries doesn't mean this isn't a problem here.
Imaro
Legend
Youre assuming they offer a pdf format... that isnt always the case.
Case in point... sometimes its access to their discord and the content are posts there.
mamba
Legend
if it is a post that is not also a PDF, I dislike it just as much as DDB. I’d never spend money on that patreon, unless these cases are very rare rather than the norm
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