MockingBird
Hero
What did this say? Apparently the poster removed it.
OGL Critical Role Issues Statement
- Thread starter Haplo781
- Start date
While I agree the statement is basic PR fluff that doesn't really say anything, my question is what did people seriously expect them to say? Their show is sponsored by DDB and they have 2 books published by WotC, I don't see how or why anyone expected them to come out strong against WotC.
Incenjucar
Legend
It is my impression that people sometimes confuse influencers with leaders.
Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
WotC is a creator(singular) and not a peer. Critical Role said creators(plural) and peers(plural and more little guys). You have to morph plural into singular and make Critical Role equal to a multibillion dollar corporation in order to make them a peer for what Critical Role said to mean WotC. You also have to ignore what they said about taking risks making new games as meaning WotC and not the little guys talking about doing it right now. As I said, it's not strong, but it does mean Third Party Providers.
It looks to me, because of what I said above, that they want to support the little guys and stand with them against WotC, but can't because of contractual obligations. That or they want to side with the little guys without angering WotC.
Gammadoodler
Hero
WotC is a company which employs creators (plural).
Alternatively, since nothing here is explicit, WotC + 3PP would also be plural.
'Peers' are in the eye of the beholder.
WoTC and little guys both have taken risks to make new games.
...
At the end of the day, I'm inclined to agree with you regarding how the cast and crew of Critical Role feel about the situation.
I don't think the statement actually says it.
MockingBird
Hero
Now I have a YT video pop up with the title "Critical Role Failed Us". Why go after CR? They didn't make these crazy decisions. They are not accountable. I don't expect them to make business decisions based on emotion.
Greg Benage
Legend
I mean, I didn't memorize it or anything, but I remember the word "shameful."
Sidhanei
Explorer
Many don't want to doubt them and would strongly prefer to think of them as being on their side. They are rolemodels and heroes to many after all. Don't get me wrong, I get that. I know how creator contracts work and just how constraining they can be, and that CR of all people probably were never offered a new contract in all this as their existing contracts likely extend until 5e would stop being supported.
All that said, neutrality isn’t always side-agnostic. This is especially true for the little guys in any struggle where they are feeling very threatened. So I do not fault CR fans for feeling like they were left behind by the role models they built up—even if CR never had a choice in the matter and are victims of their own success.
It's a terrible spot to be in when you can only show apathy and I don't envy CR being in that position. But regardless of all the excuses in the world, that is ultimately still the hand they're showing.
YouTube is designed to make you mad. Don't let it.
Gammadoodler
Hero
When you don't pick a side, it's not unreasonable for one or both sides to be mad at you.
Greg Benage
Legend
Man, this is Twitter in a nutshell with the new algorithm. Instead of showing you posts from people you follow in chronological order, it shows you a selected assortment of posts on subjects you've shown interest in from people you've never heard of. I've read takes ranging from "WotC is trying to cancel cultural conservatives" to "this was all instigated by reactionaries against 'woke' D&D," with hundreds of conventional lefty "late-stage capitalism corporate greed" takes in the "middle."
Scribe
Legend
Someone choosing to throw shade at CR, in their own castle (Twitter)?
Echo Chamber or Hate Engine, or both. Social Media is a bane on our society.
Greg Benage
Legend
I mean, there are a lot more "Wow, this is a POWERFUL statement of support for #OpenDnD from our Critter Family" kind of takes, so I don't think the castle is in imminent danger.
MockingBird
Hero
Yeah I just saw a tweet that said "rumor has it now that WotC is putting OneD&D behind a pay wall, no physical books will be released" (not exact quote). They would be really, like in another galaxy, out of touch if they did this.
Scribe
Legend
I mean, there are a lot more "Wow, this is a POWERFUL statement of support for #OpenDnD from our Critter Family" kind of takes, so I don't think the castle is in imminent danger.
Yeah, I would assume so, hence the danger of trying to attack the king.
Greg Benage
Legend
There's crazier stuff than that! A lot of them are (willfully or otherwise) just completely uninformed. I've seen "Wizards is trying to force DMs to pay royalties for running their games!"
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MockingBird
Hero
I also saw Ginny Di being labeled as the whistle blower and she's had to correct people who ask her if she's been fired from WotC lolThere's crazier stuff than that! A lot of them are (willfully) or otherwise just completely uninformed. I've seen "Wizards is trying to force DMs to pay royalties for running their games!"
YouTube is designed to teach you how to fix your garage door opener for $4 in parts instead of hiring a repairman. Everything else is just noise to ignore
Ruin Explorer
Legend
The Guardian article was SO BAD it could be construed as saying that.There's crazier stuff than that! A lot of them are (willfully or otherwise) just completely uninformed. I've seen "Wizards is trying to force DMs to pay royalties for running their games!"
Though let's be real if WotC honestly thought they could get us to send them $10 every time we ran a game, they'd be working on that.
We haven't seen the business model behind their upcoming VTT yet. There's still time.
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