Changing older content for Beyond?

[Jahydin]

From Kwhan's Blog:

Personal question from me. As someone who got ruthlessly targeted by a pocket of the community for speaking out about racist legacy content about Asian cultures, I'd love to get clarity on if that content will migrate to D&D Beyond. Will Oriental Adventures be ported into D&D Beyond in the marketplace?

“Any content that we publish today goes through robust review and we hire and retain consultants that help us make sure that we’re putting things out there that are appropriate and inviting to everyone. If it comes from us, it’s going to go through that process.”

“Because of those standards that we have for anything we publish, I’m going to say that that’s going to make a lot of work to bring those old edition to D&D Beyond because we won’t do it without doing that work. If you’re wondering why it hasn’t happened yet...we’re not going to half-ass it.”

This seemed like an odd decision to me. Between players who have no interest in older editions and players who just want play the game as they remembered it, I'm not sure who the market for this would be?

Anyone here excited about this news?

 

[Dross]

There has been a lot of talk by people, even here, about numerous settings being converted to 5e..
However some of those settings were, lets say, handled in ways not compatible with modern sensibilities.
I'd be interested in a couple of setting myself but not hanging out for them.

 

[kenada]

Anyone here excited about this news?

What news? WotC is sunsetting the D&D website, but it’s focused on 5e. The older edition content is gone and has been for a while. As far as I can tell, DM’s Guild will remain. If WotC does sunset it in the future, I’d hope they would return D&D Classics or allow OBS to continue hosting the PDFs of older games. I’d hate to lose them to a proprietary web platform.

 

[Alzrius]

I'm having some trouble with the premises that seem to be assumed here.

Is there an understanding that pre-5E D&D materials are going to be available at some point on D&D Beyond (or any similar online hubs that WotC is making)? Because that's not something I'd heard about. I'm vaguely aware that there was a mention of creator-made products being put up for sale on the VTT (or some related store), but I'd assumed that these would have to be for 5E/Revised 5E, and I'm still not sure what any of that means for the DMs Guild/DriveThruRPG/OneBookShelf.

Now, if WotC is planning on making older edition content available on whatever new platform(s) they're launching, (i.e. the actual old materials, not 5E conversions) and is intending to bowdlerize them, that's definitely alarming; but I'm not at all sure that's what's being said here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

From Kwhan's Blog:


This seemed like an odd decision to me. Between players who have no interest in older editions and players who just want play the game as they remembered it, I'm not sure who the market for this would be?

Anyone here excited about this news?

I don't really understand what they're talking about here. Is there a plan to update older editions content to the new rules?

 

[Jahydin]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I guess I'm as confused as everyone else, especially since I don't use Beyond.

Just going by what was said, I think the premise is IF older material is sold on Beyond (specifically of interest is Oriental Adventures), it will be run through the same sensitivity process as the newer material and be adjusted accordingly.

The way the question was answered made it seem like that was exactly the case, but would take time. And an admission they would have done this sooner (for the current marketplace?), but it was something they wanted to get right.

I found the entire idea interesting since I don't know anyone who actually plays with this material and wants these changes. And for those that do, what exactly needs to be changed and to what extent is going to differ pretty wildly. I bolded "actually plays" since it's easier to be on board with a great sounding idea if it doesn't impact you.

Anyways, if I'm wrong please correct me. Also, if you're excited about this, let me know why!

 

[Voadam]

“Because of those standards that we have for anything we publish, I’m going to say that that’s going to make a lot of work to bring those old edition to D&D Beyond because we won’t do it without doing that work."

I take that as merely don't expect old stuff on D&D Beyond. Not a comment on future old D&D availability on Drivethru.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I found the entire idea interesting since I don't know anyone who actually plays with this material and wants these changes.

There are a lot of people who would like material like this, but aren't using it because the name and some of the content wouldn't fly today.

That the people who bought in despite that like it as-is makes sense, since that's a prerequisite for them using it.

But to your larger point, I don't think there's that much of an audience for a 40-year-old take by Americans and a European (as I recall) tackling Asia for D&D. The better way to do it, in 2024 or beyond (they're not doing it this year) is to get folks with real expertise, including lived experience, on the case.

 

[Jahydin]

Good points @Whizbang Dustyboots.

I frequent a lot of older edition forums and most folks are still grumpy over 3e because Gnomes can be Paladins. I can't image a single one waiting for something like this to drop.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Oh, man. Now I want to make a gnome paladin of Garl Glittergold.