D&D 5E Mike Mearls - Reddit AMA

[reelo]

As a side note, if you want to support this hobby, please support your local--or perhaps your not so local depending on where you live--hobby store, rather than some big store/online widget peddler who neither knows nor gives a damn about the hobby, only that these widgets make them money. If the local hobby stores go away, they won't be coming back, and I promise you, Amazon will not support your hobby.

You do not "support your hobby" by buying tons of stuff (some of which you might not even need or use) at your FLGS, you do so by teaching the game to new players and by spreading word of mouth about it, in order to increase player-base.


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[RobertBrus]

You do not "support your hobby" by buying tons of stuff (some of which you might not even need or use) at your FLGS, you do so by teaching the game to new players and by spreading word of mouth about it, in order to increase player-base.


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Reelo, might I suggest you carefully read what others have written before responding. Nowhere in my post did I say "buy[ing] tons of stuff..." The point was about spending whatever level of money you intend or need to spend at places that support what we do. I think you might have missed that. Or perhaps I struck a raw nerve?

 

[RobertBrus]

The Amazon's and such are actually making the game more accessible due to being more affordable which means people who may of passed on the rpg scene due to affordability may give it a go. Also online purchasing enables those who do not have a local store to get in on the fun. So in a way Amazon and similar sites have supported the hobby. Maybe no intentionally but it has had effect.

Eubani, I would agree with you that Amazon et al has helped thru public awareness (marketing) and accessibility. I understand someone living where they don't have ready access using other means provided by the "big boys." I would also agree with affordability if the person can't afford to pay the higher price. However, if someone gets a hands-on view of the products then purchases elsewhere because they save $10 or $15 bucks, is both short-sighted and disrespectful. If you can afford it, but choose not to for the miserly $15 bucks, is, dare I say, cheap and idiotic behavior.

 

[abirdcall]

Eubani, I would agree with you that Amazon et al has helped thru public awareness (marketing) and accessibility. I understand someone living where they don't have ready access using other means provided by the "big boys." I would also agree with affordability if the person can't afford to pay the higher price. However, if someone gets a hands-on view of the products then purchases elsewhere because they save $10 or $15 bucks, is both short-sighted and disrespectful. If you can afford it, but choose not to for the miserly $15 bucks, is, dare I say, cheap and idiotic behavior.

Wow. This is super classist. Poor people are allowed to spend money on recreation. No one should feel pressured to pay more because a store owner somewhere has overpriced their items.

Brick and motor stores are becoming a thing of the past for good reason. There are 2 big stores in my city. They both have online stores. 1 has a lot of staff and space to play because people buying and sell a lot of expensive cards there. 1 mostly has staff that process online orders but will also help out people who come in. It is an online store first and brick and motor second. They had big places to play but people kept stealing from them so that space was slowly cut back and I think it might be gone now. Both stores prices' online and in store are competitive with Amazon and other online stores.

 

[Eubani]

Eubani, I would agree with you that Amazon et al has helped thru public awareness (marketing) and accessibility. I understand someone living where they don't have ready access using other means provided by the "big boys." I would also agree with affordability if the person can't afford to pay the higher price. However, if someone gets a hands-on view of the products then purchases elsewhere because they save $10 or $15 bucks, is both short-sighted and disrespectful. If you can afford it, but choose not to for the miserly $15 bucks, is, dare I say, cheap and idiotic behavior.

How on Earth is choosing to purchase from one business over another due to ease or economics disrespectful? You owe shop owners nothing, in fact most play spaces these days are for card players rpgers are an afterthought. How is paying a non competitive price being non idiotic? How is not wanting to pay marked up prices cheap and disrespectful. It is simple economics, if you are not competitive on things that matter to the market such as price and access your business will fail. Just because someone runs a small business does not mean they are owed a damn thing.

 

[MoonSong]

Eubani, I would agree with you that Amazon et al has helped thru public awareness (marketing) and accessibility. I understand someone living where they don't have ready access using other means provided by the "big boys." I would also agree with affordability if the person can't afford to pay the higher price. However, if someone gets a hands-on view of the products then purchases elsewhere because they save $10 or $15 bucks, is both short-sighted and disrespectful. If you can afford it, but choose not to for the miserly $15 bucks, is, dare I say, cheap and idiotic behavior.

$15 can make or break somebody. And there are additional costs to it than just those extra 10-15 dollars. If I want to buy a D&D book from a brick and mortar store, I have to hop on a train to the capital city and then take the subway/a bus line and go into a store hidden inside an old and mostly abandoned apartment building for the privilege, no playing space even. Or maybe take another line into a newer more safer looking mall where there's a gameshop that happens to stock some of these books, as long as I can afford a ten percent extra mark up. Still not playing space though.
Sorry for not wanting to pay double the money for virtually no improvement or slightly less than that but still more than Amazon for delving into a scary and quite devoid of people place.

(I have an official Wizards store near me, and they are friendly enough. But all of the space is for playing Magic and there isn't enough demand for them to justify stocking D&D over fast selling anime figurines. I've thought of trying to gather a group and ask for space on a slow day, but since they don't stock D&D in the first place there's no business for them on it and they'd be actually losing money.)

 

[Olive]

(I have an official Wizards store near me, and they are friendly enough. But all of the space is for playing Magic and there isn't enough demand for them to justify stocking D&D over fast selling anime figurines. I've thought of trying to gather a group and ask for space on a slow day, but since they don't stock D&D in the first place there's no business for them on it and they'd be actually losing money.)

Well that's depressing.

Anyway, my 2 cents here is that if you live in a city and have a good game shop and a bit of disposable income then you should support it. I'm lucky that I have about 4 within 20 minutes drive of me. Same goes for comic shops etc. but I do buy some stuff from Amazon as well.

 

[Eubani]

Well that's depressing.

Anyway, my 2 cents here is that if you live in a city and have a good game shop and a bit of disposable income then you should support it. I'm lucky that I have about 4 within 20 minutes drive of me. Same goes for comic shops etc. but I do buy some stuff from Amazon as well.

Should support them? Why? What do I owe them for? What do I gain out of it? What does anyone else gain out of me doing it? Price, service and accessibility are what gets the sale. I or anyone else for that matter does not owe any business anything. This idea that any business should be supported simply for existing is ludicrous.

 

[Olive]

Should support them? Why? What do I owe them for? What do I gain out of it? What does anyone else gain out of me doing it? Price, service and accessibility are what gets the sale. I or anyone else for that matter does not owe any business anything. This idea that any business should be supported simply for existing is ludicrous.

Because when done well, physical spaces allow for community to develop and provide an easier access point for new players and a wider variety of games. I don't really care if you do or not but if you've got a good local shop then it's good for you for it to survive for those reasons.

 

[Olive]

Should support them? Why? What do I owe them for? What do I gain out of it? What does anyone else gain out of me doing it? Price, service and accessibility are what gets the sale. I or anyone else for that matter does not owe any business anything. This idea that any business should be supported simply for existing is ludicrous.

I just noticed you're in Sydney. Every time I'm up n your city I mourn the fact that the Tin Soldier isn't on Pitt St anymore.