D&D 4E D&D 4E Presentation videos
- Thread starter Glyfair
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You know, a discussion of utilitarianism might be in order here.
Lets say I spend $40 for a book. I am happy with my book. Yay! Wizards of the Coast is happy with my $40. Yay! Everyone wins!
Now lets say I spend $40 for a book, and included in that book are a bunch of options which cost me extra money to access. I like my book, but I feel like those extra options are an attempt at extorting me for things I feel that, if I get at all, I ought to get included with my book. Now I feel angry. They're trying to rip me off! I already spent my $40, why should I have to spend more to use a book I already own! I do not spend the extra money, but now I know that I am missing out on neat stuff, and I am angry. BOOOO.
Sorry, this is how people think. Personally, lets say that I am at a restaurant with price gouging wine costs. Even if someone else is paying for the wine, I can't be happy drinking it because I feel like I am being ripped off by proxy. And if I go without, I am unhappy because I could have had something neat, but didn't because someone tried to gouge me. The effort at screwing with me reduces my happiness even if I don't actually suffer for it.
This has been today's lesson in why grasping consumer psychology is necessary to understanding economics.
Oh, and given that gameplay over the DI seems unlikely to support homebrew, SCREW IT. Such a great idea, but one that I will never, ever be able to use because of that one problem.
Lets say I spend $40 for a book. I am happy with my book. Yay! Wizards of the Coast is happy with my $40. Yay! Everyone wins!
Now lets say I spend $40 for a book, and included in that book are a bunch of options which cost me extra money to access. I like my book, but I feel like those extra options are an attempt at extorting me for things I feel that, if I get at all, I ought to get included with my book. Now I feel angry. They're trying to rip me off! I already spent my $40, why should I have to spend more to use a book I already own! I do not spend the extra money, but now I know that I am missing out on neat stuff, and I am angry. BOOOO.
Sorry, this is how people think. Personally, lets say that I am at a restaurant with price gouging wine costs. Even if someone else is paying for the wine, I can't be happy drinking it because I feel like I am being ripped off by proxy. And if I go without, I am unhappy because I could have had something neat, but didn't because someone tried to gouge me. The effort at screwing with me reduces my happiness even if I don't actually suffer for it.
This has been today's lesson in why grasping consumer psychology is necessary to understanding economics.
Oh, and given that gameplay over the DI seems unlikely to support homebrew, SCREW IT. Such a great idea, but one that I will never, ever be able to use because of that one problem.
Hjorimir
Adventurer
I think it is better to charge a small fee for those who want to get the online benefits than it is to charge more for the book to everyone who doesn't want the online benefits. At least this way the purchase of online access is optional saving money for those with no interests there.Cadfan said:
The cup is half full!
Also, I get the impression that the virtual table top will support homebrew campaigns just fine. I seem to even recall reading that you can turn on/off certain rules as you see fit.
F4NBOY
First Post
The good thing is that you don't! You don't need to pay to use the book you already own, you pay to buy online content regarding that book. If they put that extra content in the book, be sure you would have to pay more for the book.
If they don't ask to pay for the online content, then they will be giving you free stuff.
WOTC is not phylantropy, it's a bu$ine$$!
Last edited:
TheCrazyMuffinMan
First Post
F4NBOY said:
I think this is a gimmick.
Sorry, you guys can disagree with it, but its how people think.
Lets say you give me 5 things for $40, and I'm happy. Great.
Now give me 10 things for $40, but I don't want 5 of them. Now I'm unhappy. I feel like I got $20 worth of stuff, and was forced to pay extra for things I don't want. You ruined the deal.
This is how consumer expectations work. There's tons of ways you've seen these things happen. When a company announces that a product will be released in June, and it is, you're happy. When they announce it will be released in May, but they run a month behind and give it to you in June, you're unhappy. Even though you got the same thing!
The way you offer products crafts people's expectations about the products you offer. I think that including with every book the option to spend extra money to use the book in a particular way makes people feel like you're charging them for the book they already own. Even though previously they weren't able to use the book in that way at all, so really you're offering them something extra for extra money, you've shaped their expectations in such a way that they expect more for the same money.
As for including home brew in online play, they can't include all types of homebrew. If they did, you wouldn't need access codes at all. You could just enter in a real book as an alleged "homebrew" entry.
Lets say you give me 5 things for $40, and I'm happy. Great.
Now give me 10 things for $40, but I don't want 5 of them. Now I'm unhappy. I feel like I got $20 worth of stuff, and was forced to pay extra for things I don't want. You ruined the deal.
This is how consumer expectations work. There's tons of ways you've seen these things happen. When a company announces that a product will be released in June, and it is, you're happy. When they announce it will be released in May, but they run a month behind and give it to you in June, you're unhappy. Even though you got the same thing!
The way you offer products crafts people's expectations about the products you offer. I think that including with every book the option to spend extra money to use the book in a particular way makes people feel like you're charging them for the book they already own. Even though previously they weren't able to use the book in that way at all, so really you're offering them something extra for extra money, you've shaped their expectations in such a way that they expect more for the same money.
As for including home brew in online play, they can't include all types of homebrew. If they did, you wouldn't need access codes at all. You could just enter in a real book as an alleged "homebrew" entry.
TheCrazyMuffinMan
First Post
F4NBOY said:
My apologies, it just seems to show in every post re 4e, it sounds like you're trying to take the mick out of 4e mania via this handle.
The "F4nboy" thing seems to add to this.
If it was a false alarm, I apologize.
The_Furious_Puffin
First Post
tensen said:
This is highly unlikely - as with world of warcraft, Wizards also have the complete list of codes they have issue, so they can block any of the ones not actually issued.
The next part of that is that they will also probably have a validation code with the activation code - so that if you are locked out by a rogue code and you are the rightful owner, you'll be able to have your access restored.
However, unless this is carefully managed they will alienate people.
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