Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="DreadPirateMurphy" data-source="post: 2745762" data-attributes="member: 20715">Is anything truly innovative?  We as a species have 6,000 years of human history upon which to draw, deeply ingrained cultural contexts, and occassionally the humility to admit that no matter what we do, somebody, somewhere, has probably done it better.The question isn't really, "have they been innovative?"  The real question is, "have they excelled beyond the norms of their industry and position?"  In many ways, Wizards of the Coast has.They put out quality product that sells.They took a proprietary, popular mechanic and made it an open license.  In so doing, they provided smaller publishers with a pre-existing market for product.They opened up a setting search to the general public, giving everybody the opportunity to contribute to the universe of Dungeons and Dragons.Wizards of the Coast as a company effectively saved D&D when they bought TSR, recognizing the value in what was a very sick company.They rewrote the rules of D&D to make them more consistent and accessible, argue what you will about the details.They have aggressively expanded the brand into the realm of computer gaming.They are actively promoting the hobby to the public, more so than TSR ever did.They created D20 Modern, an attempt to drive the game mechanic out of just fantasy.  That effort is at least indirectly responsible for a raft of great modern/sci-fi products from companies like AEG, Green Ronin and Mongoose.They regularly come up with new content, much of which is useful, some of which is truly interesting and thought-provoking.  In this regard, it is easy to say, "big deal, it is just another X book."  However, I have yet to find a book from WotC that doesn't have a few items of interest, at least at an inspirational level.  Take a read through Unearthed Arcana or Dungeon Master's Guide II and tell me that they aren't great sources of options and ideas.I don't think any company is innovative in the strictest definition of the term.  Wizards is certainly innovative within the context of their industry and time.</blockquote>

Verification