If you were head of WotC what would you do?

[DaveMage]

If I were in charge, I wouldn't change too much, but we would release 1 special campaign/adventure box set per year.

What is a campaign/adventure box set?

It's an adventure and campaign in one that lets characters advance 10 levels (from levels 1-10, or 5-14, or 11-20, etc.). It doesn't have any campaign-specific info you will never use - it only focuses on that which is relevant to the adventure. For example, if the characters are visiting the town of "Riverdell," that town would be described in fair detail. But the nearby town of "Lakeford" - while it would appear on the map, would have no more than a 1-sentence description if it was not relevant.

The set would include player handouts, battlemat overlays, and even a few pre-painted miniatures that are specially created for the adventure (such as the BBEG and his closest minions).

And it would be written (or co-written) by Bruce Cordell.

 

[francisca]

Could be worse. You could watch work you did while an employee get recycled with no credit being given to you.

Dude. That sucks. I know how you feel. I've had it happen to me in my own line of work.

 

[Mystery Man]

I would spend the companies reserve funds on cheap booze and hookers.

 

[maddman75]

Here's what I'd do personally

- Rehire as much of the lost talent as possible.
- Start up an annual 'd20 collection', with bits and pieces from various d20 authors. This is the point of the OGL isn't it? Its something I'm suprised I haven't seen already. Sure it will be reprints from other companies stuff, but reprints in a big hardback full color book with the official WotC logo on the front.
- New Policy - no book gets published without playtester credits.
- Focus books on different aspects of D&D - maybe one for high powered gaming, one for grim and gritty, one for political games, and so on.

Start work on 4e. Here's what I'd like to see.
-OGL firmly in place
- Skill list condensed. Lose Hide and Move Silently, and give me stealth. Replace Listen, Search, and Spot with Notice. I really don't need three different 'chance to notice stuff' skills.
- No set attribute from the skill! I can't believe they didn't do this in 3e actually. Take a cue from Storyteller and Unisystem. The appropriate attribute depends on what you are doing with the skill. For instance, the Intimidate skill. Trying to do it by flexing muscles? Str+Intimidate. Veiled threat? Cha. You could even do things like Wis+Intimidate to see if trying to intimidate someone would be a good idea or not.
- Simplify combat system. If I could have less agruments about AoOs and FIve foot steps I'd be a much happier camper.

 

[francisca]

Mmmmmmm. I think I'd resign and go find gainful employment elsewhere, where every move I made wasn't scrutinized and second-guessed by guys (like me) on Internet message boards.

(Not that I'm about to stop gnashing my teeth and stomping my feet..... )

 

[Sigurd]

Be Really Clear with your Customers

WOTC should, and I'd be willing to help them with this, be really clear in its decisions. Success in the middle of an open source market starts with leadership which must be declared and understood to be accepted.


1. Decide if they are a rules & inspiration company themselves or a referee, publishing company for others. Its ok to be a benevolent dictator but you have to play fair.

TSR was a born company, WOTC D&D was a purchased one. They require different managment styles -- I think this is WOTC biggest failing.


2. Actively use their influence to understand D20 publishing - product & consumer. This includes readers for everything and author appraisals to find out who are the best authors in the industry.


3. Publicise & produce game teams of successful authors with 2 year terms. Just like a lot of computer game companies are distributing work from other places WOTC could publish the best projects - they have an ease of use\procduction advantage. These licenses for other stories\adventures must have a really clear statement on continued support. I think most gamers would accept, if they were told from the outset, that only successful licenses will be continued.

Let the web tell you when there is a high approval for a particular product.


4. Blur the line between Game & Fiction, Game & Culture to open up sales opportunities. Collectables, movies, video games, etc.... the imperative is that they produce quality base material. People accept a lot to support something really good or original. Look for licensing deals and spin offs for extra (perhaps crucial) income.


5. Trust the gamers they hire. Have clear goals. Make the game more fun again.


6. Realize that they are not a game company so much as a shared culture\game platform.

Sigurd

 

[Crothian]

Back in the 1980's, someone put out a Sancuary city setting boxed set. Great maps, backround on the city of Theives world. Also one of the best city random encounter tables ever. Best of all, it had stats for all the major characters for alomost every major RPG system out at the time, including Travellier.

I know, I have it. But I still want to see a redone version and more support for it. It's been 20 years!!

 

[Kalendraf]

I'd create a semi-autonomous group within the company that was solely responsible for looking ahead at future gaming industry trends and doing heavy R&D. The group would also be responsible for getting the ball rolling to make sure the right changes are in place well ahead of time so that the company begins developing the right products and has the right people available when needed. Perhaps some of this is done currently, but if so, it needs more attention.

For example, what will RPG's be like in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? What types of changes are likely to happen, and what can be done starting now to take advantage of those trends? What cool things might be possible with future technology advances? Sure there'd be a lot of unworkable goofy ideas. Any good brainstorming session will have its share of impossible dreams. But there could also be some gems suggested that may well change the future face of gaming, and ensure WotC's place at the forefront for years to come.

My other major change would be to take back control of Dragon and Dungeon and begin publishing them in an online format (probably pdf) in addition to the printed version. Subscribers would have the choice of getting the printed, pdf or both versions with varying prices (pdf = cheapest, print = current price, both = slightly more than now). As part of the change to Dungeon, I'd incorporate a technology similar to DireKobold's adventure scaling (might require some licensing) and allow subscribers to download scaled versions of those adventurers either for a small fee or as a part of their subscription. When a mag goes out of print, it could still be purchases as a pdf for a greatly reduced rate.

 

[Greatwyrm]

Instead of a campaign setting search (which I thought was a neat idea), I'd do an in-house product search. I'd take everybody in the company, from the lead designers down to the receptionist, and put them in a meeting. I'd tell them I want all of them to describe the game book they always wanted to see.

No topics off limits -- no sacred cows. Goblinomicon, Bigby's Big Book o' Spells, The Complete Commoner, whatever. Just be able to tell me what should be in it, why you think it's cool, and how it's different from the bajillion (sp?) other d20 products already out there. Take the top dozen or so and call it next year's product catalog.

 

[Greatwyrm]

One other thing. I'd start exploiting the heck out of the M:tG IP. Everybody fusses so much about alienating CCG gamers or RPG gamers by doing this. If it's well written and reasonably faithful to the sorce material, it will go over well.

I'm not talking about rules for playing a planeswalker. I want to see a MTG Monster Manual. Gimmie Thrulls, Thallids, and Slivers. I want to see an MTG to DND spell book. Let my wizard cast Hammer of Bogardan and my druid cast Stormseeker. I want to see a book of artifacts. Let the PCs try to stop Urza's War Machine or find an Icy Manipulator. I want to see a book of one or two page location descriptions. What spells can a wizard research at the Library of Alexandria? What are the planar traits of Phyrexia?

There you go. A year or more of cool products. All from existing IP -- just start statting.