Project Sigil 90% Of D&D’s Project Sigil Team Laid Off

Reports are coming in of a swathe of layoffs at Wizards of the Coast, constituting 90% of the team of the new Project Sigil virtual tabletop platform. In all, over 30 people have been laid off, leaving a team of around 3 people.

Sigil is still in beta, only recently made public three weeks ago. Recent reports indicated that the scope of the project was seemingly being cut back.

WotC’s Andy Collins—who has worked on multiple editions of D&D and other WotC TTRPGs going back to 1996—reported via LinkedIn that he was one of those laid off. He indicated that the small team left behind would continue to work on the project.

More news as it comes in.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Hyperbole, sarcasm and even being offended is the price we pay for free speech in a public forum.

That's what my wife says. I still hate hyperbole. And I don't believe that the price you speak of includes being offended and swallowing it without comment, at least not all the time.

 

[KYRON45]

And when it gets too annoying, there's the Ignore button. I find using that helps me not get more annoyed than minimally necessary. I'm sure many folks have done the same with me...

Oh man; if I ignore everyone that annoyed me I’d have to move to the bottom of a well.

 

[Micah Sweet]

And when it gets too annoying, there's the Ignore button. I find using that helps me not get more annoyed than minimally necessary. I'm sure many folks have done the same with me...

Since so many have used the ignore function on me, I feel it would be hypocritical for me to respond in kind.

 

[KYRON45]

That's what my wife says. I still hate hyperbole. And I don't believe that the price you speak of includes being offended and swallowing it without comment, at least not all the time.

I think we should all be grateful if
The term “rules mastery” is the most offensive thing we encounter on any given day.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Who are we responsible to?
Not everyone parses their language the same way. If I had a nickel for every time some excited teen started a sentence with “I literally…..”.

The people to whom you're speaking, in the interest of clarity?

 

[KYRON45]

The people to whom you're speaking, in the interest of clarity?

was the use of the term and the context it was used unclear or just disagreeable?

in the interest of clarity; what is this thread even about?

 

[AlViking]

I think this is so important! In my current group, we have a player who has trouble with the rules. His fighter character had to be reminded of things like Action Surge and Second Wind ... every session. He is a great roleplayer and a smart guy overall, so there's just something about the rules that he has issues with. I know he really doesn't enjoy reading rules so that may be it.

Now we were playing Feng Shui. As soon as he figured out how to make checks, he became so involved with action scenes and came out of his shell entirely. It was like he became an entirely different player.

I guess my point is that 5E really needs a class for that type of player. The player who just doesn't see the point of knowing the rules more than at the most basic level. If we move to the 2024 rules, I wonder what that player of ours will do, since the fighter got more complicated.

I have a player running a rogue that has to be reminded how sneak attack works repeatedly and never uses steady aim even when they don't move on their turn and without using it won't sneak attack even though other people at the table remind him. I had a guy running a battle master fighter who only used his maneuvers a couple of times during a campaign that went to 20th level. He only used action surge once every few games. It's not like these people are new to the game, they've been playing for a long time.

I really don't know what to do about these people, I can occasionally mention alternatives that get ignored but at a certain point I just shrug and move on.

 

[AlViking]

I guess I don't really have a horse in this race anyway. Don't really see any value to D&D Beyond personally, and that was true before I broke from WotC's version of 5e. I just object to the presentation you provided that you either don't know the rules to make your own PC or it's "rules mastery" you're after, as if those are the only two options.

The bolded is why I clarified.

 

[kayakingpoodle]

I have a player running a rogue that has to be reminded how sneak attack works repeatedly and never uses steady aim even when they don't move on their turn and without using it won't sneak attack even though other people at the table remind him. I had a guy running a battle master fighter who only used his maneuvers a couple of times during a campaign that went to 20th level. He only used action surge once every few games. It's not like these people are new to the game, they've been playing for a long time.

I really don't know what to do about these people, I can occasionally mention alternatives that get ignored but at a certain point I just shrug and move on.

Have you considered that is how they want to play their characters, not every one wants to play the classes and subclasses in the conventional way. Maybe you are inadvertently attempting to force them to play their characters how you want them played and not letting them play them how they want to play them and you're being politely ignored?

 

[AlViking]

Have you considered that is how they want to play their characters, not every one wants to play the classes and subclasses in the conventional way. Maybe you are inadvertently attempting to force them to play their characters how you want them played and not letting them play them how they want to play them and you're being politely ignored?

I don't tell people how to run their characters and I try to be careful not to cross the line between clarifying the situation and telling people what to do. Personally I appreciate people mentioning something I'm missing. So I will sometimes let people know they could do X, Y, Z or anything else they want if they seem hesitant, it's more making sure they've understood the scenario than anything.

But the player in question never ever uses cunning strike. As far as I can tell he does it because another player mentioned it when they turned 3rd level and they hate feeling like they're being told what to do. The guy playing the rogue is remote and we just point a camera at the battle mat so sometimes I do have to clarify the situation. For example I mentioned that they would not get sneak attack on the enemy they were thinking of targeting unless they had advantage. A player at the table mentioned steady aim and he ignored them even though he didn't move on his turn. I didn't say anything because it wasn't my place but it can still be frustrating.