Forked Thread: How much does WotC policies matter to your enjoyment of the game

[Lord Zardoz]

Forked from: Weaning Off the Sauce

This is a thread about letting go.

Like many others, I'm irked about WotC's PDF decision. Now, let me first say that this isn't another thread about the PDF decision. We've got enough of those. This is about where to go from there. This is about what you're going to do after you accept the fact that Wizards did something you think is pretty uncool.

I can understand the threads about gamers stating distaste with 4th edition and how they no longer wish to support the company because of that. What I cannot understand is the mentality that has people saying they will no longer support a company for reasons that hvae nothing to do with the price or quality of their product.

Corporate policy on copyright with respect to electronic formats is an issue that will affect availability and possibly usability of a product. But given the volume of response, I must say that I would be very surprised if even a 50% +1 majority of those posters are really going to be negatively impacted by the cessation of sales for .pdf products. If it turns out that my unreasarched assumptions on how many people actually purchase .pdf products is that far off, then I will happily retract my astonishment if someone can show me some credible statistics. Otherwise, I will assume that most of this is just the result of people being unhappy with what they see as unwarranted corporate strong arming.

And going onto my point, I must then ask, why does it matter so much, if the corporation is run by s? Until it affects the quality of the product, I do not see a reason to care quite that much.

I understand that many feel very strongly about this. Thats ok. However, I just seriously do not undestand it. So why does it matter?

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Crothian]

If I had to see how all my sausages (and other foods) were made it might effect my food choices. I know there are fiction writers who I've liked till they opened their mouth and spoke and then I really didn't like the writer anymore. Same can be said for actors and other high profile people. So, I can understand were people are coming from.

 

[DaveMage]

What I cannot understand is the mentality that has people saying they will no longer support a company for reasons that hvae nothing to do with the price or quality of their product.

Same reason some people don't buy products from manufacturers who are known to use child labor in sweatshops. They don't want to support a company that performs in ways that the buyer objects to (even if they like the end product).

(Note: I am not comparing WotC's actions to child labor.)

 

[Ktulu]

I couldn't care less. So long as the stuff they make is quality and at a reasonable price, that's it. I don't care if they share with GSL, OGL, MSG, whatever. I also don't care if they have policies on .pdf's, or if they rape older editions/campaign settings. As long as their stuff is new and interesting, they've got my money.

They haven't lost me as a consumer, nor have they caused me to limit my funds (my wife takes care of that job).

Ktulu - Proud Player of 4th edition.

 

[caudor]

As I said in the 'Weaning off the Sauce' thread, I've let it go. Yes, I'm not happy that I can't buy .pdf files anymore, but don't see any reason to punish myself (not playing or buying D&D) to protest.

Also, I don't see why so much anger is directed at WotC while seemingly less anger is directed toward the pirates that caused this action in the first place.

Where is the outrage against the piracy? It seems like they get a free pass just because they seem unstoppable.

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

The policies don't change my enjoyment of the game, but they do have an effect on how much of their product (if any) I will buy.

 

[Qualidar]

Forked from: Weaning Off the Sauce
What I cannot understand is the mentality that has people saying they will no longer support a company for reasons that hvae nothing to do with the price or quality of their product.

It's called "ethics". Putting the current disaster aside for a moment, if you honestly don't understand that there is more to consider in life than price and quality, I doubt that someone here can explain it to you.

 

[Xyxox]

Everything in life is a choice.

I choose not to support companies with policies I find reprehensible.

 

[SKyOdin]

The only factor that weighs into my decision to buy an RPG book is: "Do I think I will get enough use out of this book to justify its price?" That is it.

If I actually thought that WotC was doing something truly horrible or criminal, I would avoid their products, but I haven't seen anything like that. The only thing they are guilty of are unpopular decisions.

 

[Solodan]

Agreed, lining up WotC as some evil villian, calling a poor marketing decision unethical, or comparing their practices to child sweatshops seems a bit overboard. I'm not going to change my personal preferences simply because WotC's marketing wing is dumb.

That said, the dumber they get, the sooner this product gets to the end of its life cycle. However, I won't have to worry about that in the short term. I can still do what I want - if that's play D&D or something else.