D&D (2024) D&D Pre-orders; this is sad

[DarkCrisis]

I am one of the nicest people around, if I do say so myself, but I am literally enraged at the continual "here's some bonus frames, character sheets, etc" that Beyond keeps pumping out...yeah I get it, its low cost bonuses, but I'm starting to feel insulted.

It's not that it's free. I love free stuff. It's just a thinly disguised incentive to use their online service which is the end goal.

More people get free digital only items. They feel the need to use them. Find an online game. Buy more digital items. Perhaps sign up for a monthly fee.

Go deeper down the rabbit hole, do I need my physical books? Can just stay digital, look at all the $ I've spent on DDB already? Seems a good move.

 

[KYRON45]

This is what the future looks like. And still no jetpacks or colonies on the moon.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Because you WANT to create. It takes money out of it as a driver ... or at least significantly reduces the draw.

People would make D&D content because they want to advance the game.

Disney could take what you made and market it themselves, but then you could take what they make and market it yourself and they couldn't take you to court and force you to stop just because they have better lawyers.

This scenario drives everyone out of the market but the megacorps, the independently wealthy and the hobbyists.

Someone who wants to make a living creating something without working for a megacorp would never stand a chance.

This is a terrible idea and not just because you're making me agree with what the Walt Disney Corporation would say if they were posting here.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Shame on them.

Oh wait. You can buy bundles where you get both early access and a book later.

I also got my digital version of A5e LevelUp way before I got my printed copy. And while I backed it up, I got some extra boons.
And patreon is not that different from preordering.

With Patreon you get something for your money every month, and you get to keep it. At least the ones I subscribe to.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

This is what the future looks like. And still no jetpacks or colonies on the moon.

Remember to pay your air supply subscription!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Thank you for sharing.

Even if I agreed with the last part of your post, I don't believe the choices to be 100% or 0%.

For the sake the conversation, let's say that my only possible choice is to play D&D. Okay, sure, that means I have to purchase the books from the company (WoTC) publishing the books.

However, maybe I forgo buying the "official dice," Matt Mercer's Marvelous Mustard*, or whatever else and instead purchase a polyhedral set from SJ Games (real product,) Paizo, or whomever else I feel is closer -or at least closer than WoTC- to the 100% than they are to the 0%.

(*to the best of my knowledge,not a real product)

This achieves 2 Things:
1) It stops rewarding companies for bad behavior, and
2) it helps support companies which you mind for palatable -meaning that the companies producing things you want (while treating the customer base better) stay in business and produce more stuff.

I think we're in agreement. Do what you can, to the best of your ability, if this is something that's important to you.

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

Remember to pay your air supply subscription!

Why would I subscribe when I can just buy their albums?

 

[Micah Sweet]

From how I read it:

"Ive seen this before. This is the beginning of how they start to over-monetize things."

And of course a lot of people rush in to say "Nah, it's different THIS TIME."

For me, this did all start with their claim a couple years back that D&D was "undermonetized". They definitely seem to working on "fixing" that.

 

[Oofta]

Oh for sure, I spent $60 on a token pack for PF2e from Paizo for Foundry so I get it. A couple clicks and all the standard monsters had art without me needing to go make a token every time I needed something. The only thing I wonder about this gold dragon is they give no indication I can see about how it might be available later, which creates that FOMO urge to buy for some. I don't see the word exclusive anywhere though it does say 50th anniversary so maybe this is just a Malibu Stacy with a new hat or something and there will be a regular version available as part of a Monster Manual pack or something.

People have been buying things they don't really need once they have basic needs taken care of since time immemorial. No one is forcing you into purchasing anything. I don't blame companies for selling things I don't really need, I take responsibility for my own choices.

Just like I chose to pre-order and save some money. I use DDB because it's convenient, and the time and convenience is worth it to me. If I did use a VTT again I'd do the same cost benefit analysis, but it would be my choice.

 

[ECMO3]

This scenario drives everyone out of the market but the megacorps, the independently wealthy and the hobbyists.

Someone who wants to make a living creating something without working for a megacorp would never stand a chance.

This is a terrible idea and not just because you're making me agree with what the Walt Disney Corporation would say if they were posting here.

I think it actually drives the megacorps out of the market.

Think about it, the very people working at the megacorps can sell the same products too.

The reason the megacorps exist is they buy all the content and then claim they have the sole right to it (whether they buy it from other people or buy it through the labor of their own employees).

How could WOTC exist if they did not have a sole right to certain content.

Disney could still exist because they still own land, theme parks and actual masters of old movies on film, but they would not have the sole rights on the other things they own.