3. Which of the following d20 products do you think are official Dungeons & Dragons

[JohnNephew]

I think it's an immensely interesting poll. It seems to be geared to ask, For buyers, who important is the D&D brand today versus the D20 brand?

I've heard anecdotal reports about non-WotC products being perceived as WotC products by consumers, but it's interesting to ask the question in a poll and see what actual awareness is. (Though I'm not sure how statistically valid web polls are.)

 

[Lady Dragon]

Forgotten realms definently is official, Freeport and Dragonstar are not but Ravenloft, Rokugan and Kalamar all involve special lisences and are therefore somewhere in the middle,and a case could be made for or against them.

One really has to wonder what there motivation is in asking this question. Especially considering that 3 out of the 6 choices are somewhat subjective in there answer.

Its especially interesting considering that most people would consider Kalamar to be official and Ravenloft and Rokugan not official simply based on what logo is where, yet Kalamar is not owned by WoTC they only lisense the Logo and Ravenloft and Rokugan are owned by WoTC they just lisence out the rights to 3rd party companies. So what makes a product official the Logo or the ownership?

I do find it intersting that as of the time I'm posting that 86 people have voted and only 79 though Forgotten Realms was official. What's up with that?

 

[Tsyr]

Its especially interesting considering that most people would consider Kalamar to be official and Ravenloft and Rokugan not official simply based on what logo is where, yet Kalamar is not owned by WoTC they only lisense the Logo and Ravenloft and Rokugan are owned by WoTC they just lisence out the rights to 3rd party companies. So what makes a product official the Logo or the ownership?

The logo.

A products "official" status has nothing to do with who owns it or who publishes it. It has everything to do with what the company that owns the parent product (dnd 3E) decides to call "official".

 

[Gez]

Kenzer's KoK isn't a D&D product per se, but it's published under the D&D logo through special licence with WotC. (Also, they market it as an official D&D product. Strange.)

It is an official D&D product, but not an official WotC product since it's published by Kenzer. However, as official D&D products, the rules meant to go in KoK books are sent for approval to the D&D rule staff at WotC and don't get published as long as they don't receive the approval (which means they may have to do corrections and erratas to it before printing; of course you could say that given the amount of bugs in WotC products that rule council is not very efficient).

This allow them to reprint rules from WotC books (like FRCS feats, spells and domains, for examples); but I believe the reverse if of course true also.

 

[CRGreathouse]

It is an official D&D product, but not an official WotC product since it's published by Kenzer.

It's all a matter of how one interprets the term "official D&D product". I don't consider it one, but can see the case that could be made for it (along with, say, Rokugan).

 

[kenjib]

It's all a matter of how one interprets the term "official D&D product". I don't consider it one, but can see the case that could be made for it (along with, say, Rokugan).

Despite the fact that both WotC and Kenzer say it's an official D&D product and it has the D&D logo on it? What more do you expect beyond a clear and concise statement from the people producing both Kalamar and D&D? I agree that Rokugan and Ravenloft are both shady areas, but I don't see how there can be any dispute regarding Kalamar.

 

[Ulrick]

None.

Viva GREYHAWK!!!


Ulrick

 

[JohnNephew]

Forgotten realms definently is official, Freeport and Dragonstar are not but Ravenloft, Rokugan and Kalamar all involve special lisences and are therefore somewhere in the middle,and a case could be made for or against them.

One really has to wonder what there motivation is in asking this question. Especially considering that 3 out of the 6 choices are somewhat subjective in there answer.

It's actually NOT subjective at all. What is "Official Dungeons & Dragons" depends on either being WotC and putting that logo on your product, or having a contract with WotC that licenses you to use the Dungeons & Dragons logo -- and the only company that has that license is Kenzer, for Kalamar. (Perhaps Paizo, the new publisher of Dragon/Dungeon, has a special license as well.)

I think anyone at WotC would say the fact of a product being "official Dungeons & Dragons" or not has about as much gray area as a pregnancy test.

However -- where WotC is probably interested is the perception. So this answers the motivation. WotC would like to know if consumers are clear on what is or is not Dungeons & Dragons, because that has an impact on the value of Dungeons & Dragons as a brand and trademark. Why should Kenzer go through the trouble of approvals and all, if people think Dragonstar is as official a D&D supplement as Kingdoms of Kalamar? Is "D20" now in the eyes of consumers all but synonymous with "D&D"?

I'd be very interested to know the results of the poll. I'm also very curious as to what action WotC might base on it -- from efforts to tighten up the D20 license further (if they fear it is undermining the value of their brand), to efforts to license the D&D trademark more broadly (if they perceive that they don't have anything to lose; or, for that matter, if they perceive that it has substantial value in the eyes of the consumer, and they want to monetize it or use it as a mark of quality/approval within the D20 field).

Very, very interesting.

 

[gamecat]

You forgot SPELLJAMMER!

 

[Nightfall]

They didn't include the Scarred Lands?
I am shocked!

They knew better. I don't want WotC to get their grubby paws on my precious!