My love letter to WotC

[Wicht]

But they're not even releasing 4E adventures now. If they aren't doing that for their current edition... why would they go back and write 3.5 ones?

And what is wrong with the Pathfinder adventures (or ANY 3.5 adventures released by any of the currently active 3PP companies) that you still want WotC to do it? That's what I don't understand.

What can WotC give you for 3.5 products that you can't get from the companies that are still actively producing OGL material? Why do you need them to backtrack so badly that we keep seeing letters such as these imploring WotC to return to a former form?

There is nothing wrong with Paizo adventures and for that matter, I'm perfectly capable of writing adventures on my own. So why do I care?

Firstly, I enjoy reading adventures. I already made the analogy to novels above. Just because there is one company (say Baen) that produces book after book I enjoy does not mean that I can't want another company (say Tor) to produce more books that I would also enjoy. Just because Paizo produces books I like does not mean I can't also desire WotC to give them competition and produce other books I like as well. I think the move by Wizards away from producing good adventures to be a mistake. I thought it was a mistake in the days of 3e and I still do. I don't mind buying a few new rules everynow and then, but I would much prefer engaging adventures and captivating worlds.

Secondly, I have an emotional investment of over 25 years in the D&D brand. I find it discouraging that the current ruleset is not one I like but I would still (due to sentimental reasons) like to financially support the company holding the reins of the brand that has played such a big part of my childhood and adult life.

 

[Tistur]

There seem to be a lot of people on ENWorld who are experts on generating free money. Maybe you guys should all pool your entrepreneurial talents, make $100 million or so and buy D&D for the good of the hobby.

I think what people are saying is that given 25 years worth of D&D IP, generating money should be next to free.

Of course, acquiring the 25 years worth of IP is another issue.

 

[Tistur]

Double post, sorry.

 

[Ourph]

I think what people are saying is that given 25 years worth of D&D IP, generating money should be next to free.

Yeah, it's amazing how many people could turn a huge profit if they only had WotC's resources and WotC's IP and lived in a fantasy world where making money as a publisher was easy enough that you could get the perfect advice from semi-informed fans on an internet message board for free.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I don't NEED to be a customer of WotC again - I'd LIKE to be.

The "hole in my heart" that "can't be filled" and I'm "baring my soul" over is that I wish WotC would do better for both themselves and lapsed customers like me at the same time. I miss things like Dragon Magazine in print format, older-edition adventures, PDFs, etc., and I'm guessing that WotC misses the lost business.

If they really missed you... don't you think they would have reached out to you by now?

Sounds to me like WotC's moved on from the relationship, but you're unable to. Makes my boyfriend/girlfriend analogy all the more apt.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I think the move by Wizards away from producing good adventures to be a mistake. I thought it was a mistake in the days of 3e and I still do. I don't mind buying a few new rules everynow and then, but I would much prefer engaging adventures and captivating worlds.

Wait a second... so Wizards didn't produce good adventures in 3E or 4E? So when exactly did they release these supposedly fantastic adventures that they've moved away from?

Doesn't the fact that WotC seems to have released only a cursory set of adventures in 3E (the Sunless Citadel / Forge of Fury line) and 4E (KotS / Thunderspire line) give a good indication that perhaps there isn't much of a 'market' for them after all? At least, not a financially solvent one?

Secondly, I have an emotional investment of over 25 years in the D&D brand. I find it discouraging that the current ruleset is not one I like but I would still (due to sentimental reasons) like to financially support the company holding the reins of the brand that has played such a big part of my childhood and adult life.

Then buy D&D novels. Or buy Dungeons Tiles. Or buy Magic: The Gathering cards. Or Axis & Allies. Or buy any number of other products that WotC sells. Then you can support the company that holds the reins to the brand that was a big part of your childhood.

But I fail to see why you need WotC to go back to producing Third Edition D&D material for that instead.

 

[Wicht]

Wait a second... so Wizards didn't produce good adventures in 3E or 4E? So when exactly did they release these supposedly fantastic adventures that they've moved away from?

You seem to be choosing to interpret my words in a way beyond what I actually said. WotC produced adventures; some of which I liked better than others. They also made it clear they desired to produce fewer adventures and more splatbooks. I thought this to be a mistake.

Doesn't the fact that WotC seems to have released only a cursory set of adventures in 3E (the Sunless Citadel / Forge of Fury line) and 4E (KotS / Thunderspire line) give a good indication that perhaps there isn't much of a 'market' for them after all? At least, not a financially solvent one?

No. It gives an indication that the people at Wizards think there is not a market for them. I would counter other companies have subsequently proved them wrong. What there is a weak market for is substandard adventures. But there is most certainly a sizeable segment of the gaming population (like myself) who like buying and reading modules.

This also leads to a side-point. The delve format, in my opinion, is a mistake because it makes the module less entertaining to read. But thats another thread.

Then buy D&D novels. Or buy Dungeons Tiles. Or buy Magic: The Gathering cards. Or Axis & Allies. Or buy any number of other products that WotC sells. Then you can support the company that holds the reins to the brand that was a big part of your childhood.

It is very kind of you to tell me how I should spend my money but I already have Axis and Allies, I don't really need Magic the Gathering cards and I'm not overly interested in Dungeons and Dragons novels. I much prefer campaign settings and modules. But thank you all the same.

 

[Alzrius]

If they really missed you... don't you think they would have reached out to you by now?

Yes; hence why their reluctance to do so makes little sense. There's a lot of lapsed customers out there they could get back with relatively minor changes, so their reluctance to do so seems like a poor decision.

Hence the letter.

Sounds to me like WotC's moved on from the relationship, but you're unable to. Makes my boyfriend/girlfriend analogy all the more apt.

And aren't they doing well for their having moved on.

By the by, in that analogy, you're the creepy stalker who keeps making phone calls in the middle of the night.

 

[dmccoy1693]

Wait a second... so Wizards didn't produce good adventures in 3E or 4E? So when exactly did they release these supposedly fantastic adventures that they've moved away from?

Doesn't the fact that WotC seems to have released only a cursory set of adventures in 3E (the Sunless Citadel / Forge of Fury line) and 4E (KotS / Thunderspire line) give a good indication that perhaps there isn't much of a 'market' for them after all? At least, not a financially solvent one?

Personally, I do not feel that Wizards made a good module in either the 3.5 or the 4E days. They're not good adventure writers, plain and simple. As others have said, there's a serious market for good quality adventures. I subscribe off and on to Paizo's Adventure Paths when the premise of the AP intrigues me. I buy their adventures, why, because they make good adventures. I didn't buy Wizards' adventures back in the 3E days because they didn't make good adventures.

 

[Dark Mistress]

There seem to be a lot of people on ENWorld who are experts on generating free money. Maybe you guys should all pool your entrepreneurial talents, make $100 million or so and buy D&D for the good of the hobby.

I didn't say it would make a lot. I said it would be like free money. Why? simple right now older stuff is sitting on some hard drive somewhere making zero money. If they put it up for sale then it is making some money. Which is more than they are making right now. I doubt it would make a ton of money, but every dollar counts when you have share holders to please. I mean they did it before sold older PDF's of books and pirated copies are still apparently fairly common. Cost for older books in stores still carry a decent price. So there is obviously a market there even if it is a small one.

I am only saying it would help WotC make money IMHO. I also never claimed to be right. I am just posting my opinion on the topic.