Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="fusangite" data-source="post: 2137324" data-attributes="member: 7240">Development CriteriaI think the first thing to do would be to take advantage of D20's modularity so as to produce essentially three fully compatible versions of the game. Basic D&D needs to be ressurrected so that there is a version of the game that 9-12 year olds can learn to play with some degree of fidelity. The rules, as they stand now, are simply too complex for a group of kids to figure out and play without constant house ruling and confusion. A simplified game that can pull kids right in is desperately needed if we're going to begin rebuilding the younger part of our demographic. Similarly, a miniatures-free version needs to be developed so that older people who are not combat wonks can enjoy playing.Actual MarketingNow, if I had a game that could be marketed a little more widely, I would undertake the following measures:1. Community Centre Leadership: There are many after school programs out there that are short of ideas and trained personnel. In my view, WOTC could recoup its investment in 18 months or less if it established a program of donating one free copy of the core rules and a set of modules to non-profit or subsidized after school activities and provided training or a database of volunteer GMs so that there could be new opportunities for kids to play RPGs. It makes WOTC look like it's doing community service and it fosters a youth market. A friend of mine has done this kind of thing unilaterally and has enjoyed tremendous success -- there are dozens of kids in Vancouver's inner city and an Indian reserve on Vancouver Island who now play RPGs simply because he gave them an opportunity and provided GMing. (And he was paid $15/hour)Yes, WOTC will take some flak who see their kids being indoctrinated with a game they don't like -- but look at McDonald's and sick children. It doesn't matter that their food is carcinogenic; the fact that they're doing charity makes them look good.2. Mr. Plow: I don't know how many of you have seen the Mr. Plow episode of the Simpsons but Homer shares with us a brilliant marketing insight: "C'mon Marge. Lots of people watch TV at 3am... insomniacs, the unemployed, angry loners..." Now, while this was not the ideal market to require snow removal, this pretty accurately describes to core of D&D players. Cheap TV ads on local or cable channels (ie. non-network) that show sci-fi movies in the middle of the night could also help us regain people who gave up the hobby in the hopes that they would stop being losers as a result and have now discovered that they're still losers anyway. So what have they got to lose by going back to D&D?3. Steal White Wolf: If D&D had an adult game that didn't require a battle mat, it could much more effectively produce a setting marketed specifically to girls. Strong branding of an especially female-oriented setting could deliver a lot. I'm thinking of a Celtic twilight setting in which an evil monotheistic religion is destroying the beautiful pagan matriarchy a la Mists of Avalon. While nauseating to people like me, it could really sell.All for now. I may add more.</blockquote>

Verification