DnD Shorts final video

[SAVeira]

And that's exactly what Hasbro are - quite literally - banking on.

In this case it's quite possible that the only way to win really is not to play, or at least not to play in the way they want us to.

That would be asking someone like me or in similar situations to give up playing completely. That is a non-start. There are plenty of ways to play online that will never see a single cent go to Hasbro. So, it better to say, just keep on playing how you are playing and ignore Hasbro attempts to monetize. It is not like their tools are needed, asked for and in a lot of cases asked for.

Stick with whatever tools you are using today. Support your favour VTT (Fantasy Grounds, Roll20, FoundryVTT or whatever). Use whatever means you use to communicate online like Zoom or Discord.

To be frank, there was no way I would move to a WotC D&D VTT only environment. First, I already use Fantasy Grounds for D&D and many other RPG systems. Second, if I could not use Fantasy Grounds for future D&D products, still would abandon it as I have too much invested into it for D&D only. Third, due to the structure of Fantasy Grounds (like other VTTs) I can create add-ons with some ease, and I have items available (free) at the Forge for Fantasy Grounds.

Have just written the above, I am realizing how out of touch Hasbro must be with the current VTT user base. Especially those who pay for content, we really will not be interested in purchasing items over or elsewhere. With Fantasy Grounds, I have and running: D&D, Call of Cthulhu, ICONS, Mutants & Masterminds and Savage Worlds for starters. I and I believe others would want a Swiss Army when it comes to VTTs, not something limited to just OneD&D.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Alternately, don’t use the fancy features of VTTs.

Or use discord, video or voice chat, and theater of the mind. This is a perfectly viable means to play.

It’s the bells and whistles that they’re trying to monetize. Bells and whistles are extraneous to play, not necessary to play.

I agree. But there is nothing wrong to offer sonething mire fancy for people who want that.
I mean, noone needs jewelry, diamonds or fancy cloths too...

 

[Lanefan]

That would be asking someone like me or in similar situations to give up playing completely. That is a non-start. There are plenty of ways to play online that will never see a single cent go to Hasbro. So, it better to say, just keep on playing how you are playing and ignore Hasbro attempts to monetize. It is not like their tools are needed, asked for and in a lot of cases asked for.

Stick with whatever tools you are using today. Support your favour VTT (Fantasy Grounds, Roll20, FoundryVTT or whatever).

The assumption here is that these will all either be bought out (by WotC) or forced to shut down (by WotC) within the fairly near future, as will any others who try to start up.

Use whatever means you use to communicate online like Zoom or Discord.

True; voice-only fully-TotM play can't be shut down.

To be frank, there was no way I would move to a WotC D&D VTT only environment. First, I already use Fantasy Grounds for D&D and many other RPG systems. Second, if I could not use Fantasy Grounds for future D&D products, still would abandon it as I have too much invested into it for D&D only. Third, due to the structure of Fantasy Grounds (like other VTTs) I can create add-ons with some ease, and I have items available (free) at the Forge for Fantasy Grounds.

Great. And when Fantasy Grounds gets bought out by WotC and made newD&D only, then what do you do?

 

[Haplo781]

The assumption here is that these will all either be bought out (by WotC) or forced to shut down (by WotC) within the fairly near future, as will any others who try to start up.

True; voice-only fully-TotM play can't be shut down.

Great. And when Fantasy Grounds gets bought out by WotC and made newD&D only, then what do you do?

If the plan was to buy them out they wouldn't be trying to shut them out.

 

[SAVeira]

The assumption here is that these will all either be bought out (by WotC) or forced to shut down (by WotC) within the fairly near future, as will any others who try to start up.

True; voice-only fully-TotM play can't be shut down.

Great. And when Fantasy Grounds gets bought out by WotC and made newD&D only, then what do you do?

I really doubt that that Fantasy Grounds or any of the other will be purchased by WotC. If they were going to do that they would have done so already.

The other option of a force shut down will not happen as that would cause an even greater storm of issues, such as the fact most VTTs have licences from other companies for their game systems. Even if they removed the ability to sell WotC products going forward, they could not stop individuals from using the VTT for D&D.

In fact, either action would like to trigger some form of government oversight when people start yelling about monopolist behaviour.

Hasbro/WotC might be the big fish in the pond, but even they have limits.

 

[MockingBird]

So with rumors of upper managements mistreatment of employees do you(general) think WotC employees may unionize?

 

[SAVeira]

So with rumors of upper managements mistreatment of employees do you(general) think WotC employees may unionize?

At the least I would not be shocked to see Chris Cao employee with Hasbro/WotC terminated to earn a PR win and maybe as a means to justify a complete reverse in direction. Given report of his behaviour it would be extremely use for him to be thrown under the bus and have all the blame placed on him.

 

[Justice and Rule]

So with rumors of upper managements mistreatment of employees do you(general) think WotC employees may unionize?

That would be at least an excellent side-effect of this whole fiasco.

 

[Dreamscape]

So with rumors of upper managements mistreatment of employees do you(general) think WotC employees may unionize?

One would hope so regardless of any rumours. Working in a large (or any size, really) corporation without unionisation is never the better option.

 

[darjr]

I am very wary of DND_Shorts. So much so that I will take it as hearsay for now.

However Stan! has chimed in and he usually stays out of things like this.

As a former WotC insider, I found this report not only insightful and compelling, but as I read between the lines and applied it to my knowledge and experience (and combined that with what I've heard from my personal connections in and near to the ongoing troubles), I found it to have the ring of bone-chilling accuracy.
The one piece that it solidified for me was how deep and complete the separation has become between the C-suite and what we usually refer to as the "D&D Team." I have to remember as this situation continues to develop that when news or commentary talks about what the "D&D Team" is doing, they are NOT talking about the creative team, or even the highest level of brand management that deals with the game we play and the game products we buy—they are talking about upper-level, C-suite management.
To use names from the past (who were ALL passionate stewards for the game and the community, no matter what you may think of any individual's contribution), this is not something that's happening at the Bill Salvicsek, Mike Mearls, Nathan Stewart, Liz Schuh level ... it's happening at the Peter Adkison, Vince Calouri, Loren Greenwood level.
In all my time at the company (with all of the names listed above), the C-suite, Brand Team, and Design Team all worked TOGETHER. Today it seems like the executive team is simply running amok without any knowledge of or care for opinions or input from the people who actually work on the game we know and play (and in many cases love).

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