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<blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 3900261" data-attributes="member: 3192">I think this is a fine Variant Rule for kids 10 and under.&nbsp; It concretizes things and makes it easier to remember.&nbsp; It also helps lead them around the world to the more interesting parts instead of relying on them to be independently creative with their decision making.&nbsp; Shyness is very common in young children and standing out while in front of your peers is the definition of peer pressure.For me, however, this was the Red Flag being waved.&nbsp; WotC is no longer in the business of making tabletop roleplaying games.&nbsp; It will be at best a side project.&nbsp; I'm not being facetious here, I am serious.&nbsp; This isn't something I really wanted to admit to myself, but my Ref had it right when he and I spoke earlier.To illustrate, RPGs are known by over a billion people worldwide as computer games.&nbsp; Mention &quot;Tabletop RPG&quot; and almost always these same folks emit a &quot;huh?&quot; in response.&nbsp; This is simply the world at large not knowing our very niche community's jargon.&nbsp; Instead, &quot;D&amp;D&quot; or &quot;Dungeons &amp; Dragons&quot; are how TRPG'rs have to predominately identify their pastime to anyone outside the tiny hobby. (and plenty of non-D&amp;D TRPG'rs resent it I hear)With 75-80% of all TRPG sales already going to Wizards where can they possibly grow?&nbsp; Taking into account the sheer fact of ongoing innovation, this percentage is more likely to decline than stay the same.&nbsp; Wizards has to change venue, if they want to show profitability.&nbsp; The obvious answer of course is computer RPGs.&nbsp; I'm very happy the hobby is becoming more computer accessible. I'm happiest about the new 4 prong initiatives. But, in truth, I think Wizards is going farther than computer-aided tabletop design.&nbsp; I believe they are building a set of rules to be equivalent between TRPGs, MMORPGs, and their own cross over online game hosted at their website.&nbsp; The exhibited so far have increasingly displayed a lack of expansiveness in the style TRPGs excel at, but MMORPGs do not.&nbsp; This Quests option really switched on the light for me.&nbsp; D&amp;D Online, Digitial Initiave online play, &amp; TRPG D&amp;D will all use the same rules.&nbsp; And IMO the tabletop game will suffer for it.&nbsp; Maybe the community will be better off for profits, but quality by my measure will sink to the lowest common denominator.&nbsp; MMO play is what I'm guessing.If a game can be played with all its parts on a computer, why bother playing it face to face?&nbsp; Sure, we the diehards will, but I can no longer believe we are the customer base WotC is after.&nbsp; And let's not kid ourselves.&nbsp; If you play a TRPG, you are a Hardcore RPG'r.&nbsp; The niche of a niche game (RPGs not on a computer) is a field only for those purposefully going out to find it.&nbsp; It's a great field and I love it, but it isn't World of Warcraft.&nbsp; Or Wii.&nbsp; Or XBox.&nbsp; How much of the toy market is computer games anyhow?&nbsp; This course seems an inevitability and a sad one for me.&nbsp; Until VR gets to the point were my imagination can alter its description as fast as my words can in a conversation, computer RPGs are going to be lacking.*&nbsp; *And that's supremely hard given visuals require predesigned computer animation - the weakest part of all CRPGs.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="howandwhy99, post: 3900261, member: 3192"] I think this is a fine Variant Rule for kids 10 and under. It concretizes things and makes it easier to remember. It also helps lead them around the world to the more interesting parts instead of relying on them to be independently creative with their decision making. Shyness is very common in young children and standing out while in front of your peers is the definition of peer pressure. For me, however, this was the Red Flag being waved. WotC is no longer in the business of making tabletop roleplaying games. It will be at best a side project. I'm not being facetious here, I am serious. This isn't something I really wanted to admit to myself, but my Ref had it right when he and I spoke earlier. To illustrate, RPGs are known by over a billion people worldwide as computer games. Mention "Tabletop RPG" and almost always these same folks emit a "huh?" in response. This is simply the world at large not knowing our very niche community's jargon. Instead, "D&D" or "Dungeons & Dragons" are how TRPG'rs have to predominately identify their pastime to anyone outside the tiny hobby. (and plenty of non-D&D TRPG'rs resent it I hear) With 75-80% of all TRPG sales already going to Wizards where can they possibly grow? Taking into account the sheer fact of ongoing innovation, this percentage is more likely to decline than stay the same. Wizards has to change venue, if they want to show profitability. The obvious answer of course is computer RPGs. I'm very happy the hobby is becoming more computer accessible. I'm happiest about the new 4 prong initiatives. But, in truth, I think Wizards is going farther than computer-aided tabletop design. I believe they are building a set of rules to be equivalent between TRPGs, MMORPGs, and their own cross over online game hosted at their website. The exhibited so far have increasingly displayed a lack of expansiveness in the style TRPGs excel at, but MMORPGs do not. This Quests option really switched on the light for me. D&D Online, Digitial Initiave online play, & TRPG D&D will all use the same rules. And IMO the tabletop game will suffer for it. Maybe the community will be better off for profits, but quality by my measure will sink to the lowest common denominator. MMO play is what I'm guessing. If a game can be played with all its parts on a computer, why bother playing it face to face? Sure, we the diehards will, but I can no longer believe we are the customer base WotC is after. And let's not kid ourselves. If you play a TRPG, you [I]are[/I] a Hardcore RPG'r. The niche of a niche game (RPGs not on a computer) is a field only for those purposefully going out to find it. It's a great field and I love it, but it isn't World of Warcraft. Or Wii. Or XBox. How much of the toy market is computer games anyhow? This course seems an inevitability and a sad one for me. Until VR gets to the point were my imagination can alter its description as fast as my words can in a conversation, computer RPGs are going to be lacking.* *And that's supremely hard given visuals require predesigned computer animation - the weakest part of all CRPGs. [/QUOTE]

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