D&D General Next million dollar kickstarter? Wyrmwood Game Master Screen.

[Argyle King]

Pretty cool idea.

Though, for the price, I'm more inclined to DIY with the tools I have in the garage.

 

[darjr]

Pretty cool idea.

Though, for the price, I'm more inclined to DIY with the tools I have in the garage.

cool! Post photos if you do!

 

[Argyle King]

cool! Post photos if you do!

I will. Honestly, it may be a while until I get around to it. I normally don't use a screen at all, but I've been looking at adding a few accessories to help organize things more.

One of my downfalls as a DM (and sometimes as a player) is that my random scribbles and notes make sense to me but not to other players when I need to hand out info.

Currently, when it comes to screens, I'm debating whether I want something more analog or something with a digital component.

 

[Malmuria]

Slyflourish - The best features of a near perfect game are free (25:53)

 

[Umbran]

A 4-panel hardwood screen held together with magnets, and featuring various acrylic panels, accessories, and a dice tower costs more than $65?

If I recall correctly it is $65 minimum per panel. So, a 4-panel screen is a minimum of $260, not counting shipping or any accessories (like the dice tower) at all.

 

[darjr]

Slyflourish - The best features of a near perfect game are free (25:53)

While all true, and Mike is a genius in my book. He'll let you know he has thousands of dollars of miniatures and terrain and in fact got into trying to earn money with his hobby to fund his hobby.

It's not like golf, you can't buy a better game, nor is it like Football, you can't just buy a better team.

Still, you don't need a nice car nor a nice house nor a cool shirt.

Given, you can play for FREE.

That's not the point of things like this. Who is saying you HAVE to have this thing? Anyone?

 

[Malmuria]

While all true, and Mike is a genius in my book. He'll let you know he has thousands of dollars of miniatures and terrain and in fact got into trying to earn money with his hobby to fund his hobby.

It's not like golf, you can't buy a better game, nor is it like Football, you can't just buy a better team.

Still, you don't need a nice car nor a nice house nor a cool shirt.

Given, you can play for FREE.

That's not the point of things like this. Who is saying you HAVE to have this thing? Anyone?

I think it can be easy, especially when you first get into the hobby, that having more THINGS will lead to a better game. Platinum editions, special dice, the perfect terrain and perfect minatures, large TV’s set inside specialized tables, etc etc. I’ve definitely personally backed things on kickstarter based more on FOMO than anything else. Do you not agree that this is a phenomenon within the hobby? So while I’m glad creative people are able to sell their products, I think it can be helpful to make clear that the $500 screen is likely not going to be the thing that makes your games organized and easy to run.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

They are both luxeries that some fail to recognize the effort and talent it takes to make them and, inmho, undervalue them.

That's not correct.

People aren't "undervaluing" them because they don't understand the effort/talent involved.

People value things based on the utility and prestige the give them. For a lot of people, including me, a DM screen for 5E, which I DM on a transforming laptop/tablet (even in person) is close to zero. And the prestige? For me? I'd feel none. I'd feel negative prestige, like a wasteful and dumb person (which I am, but this would just rub it in lol).

Especially given the pricing. These are about as expensive as laptop/tablet (in the same general "mid hundreds of dollars" bracket). Which is pretty hilarious I admit. But like, I could buy a whole new, additional laptop/table for the same price as this and get even better at DMing.

I do appreciate that, the prices are reasonable given the materials and workmanship. I'm not sneering at that, absolutely not. They're not gouging horribly or anything. But I'm not "undervaluing" them. They just aren't valuable to me, and indeed are ludicrously expensive (and I'm relatively well-off by UK standards).

 

[darjr]

I think it can be easy, especially when you first get into the hobby, that having more THINGS will lead to a better game. Platinum editions, special dice, the perfect terrain and perfect minatures, large TV’s set inside specialized tables, etc etc. I’ve definitely personally backed things on kickstarter based more on FOMO than anything else. Do you not agree that this is a phenomenon within the hobby? So while I’m glad creative people are able to sell their products, I think it can be helpful to make clear that the $500 screen is likely not going to be the thing that makes your games organized and easy to run.

Ah. You still miss the point. I’ve not said any of this, has anyone?

 

[darjr]

That's not correct.

People aren't "undervaluing" them because they don't understand the effort/talent involved.

People value things based on the utility and prestige the give them.

People value things for a wide variety of reasons. People also undervalue things for a wide variety of reasons. One of them is not understanding just what goes into making some things. Or undervaluing that effort.

Now if you’re trying to tell me no one does, well I think it’s obvious that’s wrong.

 

[Umbran]

They are both luxeries that some fail to recognize the effort and talent it takes to make them and, inmho, undervalue them.

Value is personal, and idiosyncratic. We can understand the cost required to make a thing - those woods, the tools and facility they use, the time of skilled craftspeople, cost money. But the fact that those things cost money does not automatically mean that the thing is worth $300+ to me, personally.

I say this as someone who has bought Wyrmwood stuff before, and am happy with those purchases. They do good work. That doesn't mean I think the thing is worth a month's groceries, to me, personally.

 

[darjr]

Value is personal, and idiosyncratic. We can understand the cost required to make a thing - those woods, the tools and facility they use, the time of skilled craftspeople, cost money. But the fact that those things cost money does not automatically mean that the thing is worth $300+ to me, personally.

I say this as someone who has bought Wyrmwood stuff before, and am happy with those purchases. They do good work. That doesn't mean I think the thing is worth a month's groceries, to me, personally.

OK. Then obviously you are not among that group of “some”.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Honestly, it looks like 3 kitchen door fronts bolted together. Normally I really like Wyrmwood stuff.

Yeah to make it dimensionally stable they used a frame and raised panel construction, but the result is kind of kitchen-cabinety.

WAIT…was it Wyrmwood that used to spam Cubicle 7 forums with kitchen remodel ads!?!?!?!

 

[Ruin Explorer]

People value things for a wide variety of reasons. People also undervalue things for a wide variety of reasons. One of them is not understanding just what goes into making some things. Or undervaluing that effort.

Now if you’re trying to tell me no one does, well I think it’s obvious that’s wrong.

I think you're moving the goalposts in a pretty funny way.

Some people under and over value things, sure, duh, that's not an argument or even a point worth making.

But you asserted why people were and implied it was most people who didn't like it, which is nonsense. Almost no-one is just "undervaluing" it, no more than those "overvaluing" it.

 

[pogre]

Very cool accessory, but for that price I could fill up my truck twice!

In all seriousness, I could see getting one of these, but I don't really use my screens for anything but holding maps and hiding minis.

The other thing that would make me hesitate is I used to watch the youtube series on their company - maybe I am way off here, but it did not inspire confidence.

 

[MacDhomnuill]

Why would anyone back anything from Wyrmwood? Their last kickstarter is years behind in fulfillment. This isnt even near the quality of competors products for significantly higher prices, look at dogmights screens that have custom cnc carving and selective staining. Wyrmwood has been in steady decline since they bought a failing furniture company and have to keep running kick starters to maintain cash flow.

 

[CleverNickName]

Currently at $661,000 with 21 days remaining. That's...impressive. I don't think they'll have any trouble getting the $1M mark.

 

[darjr]

Currently at $661,000 with 21 days remaining. That's...impressive. I don't think they'll have any trouble getting the $1M mark.

They did seem to stall at first but I think you might be right.

 

[dave2008]

I think you're moving the goalposts in a pretty funny way.

Some people under and over value things, sure, duh, that's not an argument or even a point worth making.

But you asserted why people were and implied it was most people who didn't like it, which is nonsense. Almost no-one is just "undervaluing" it, no more than those "overvaluing" it.

This is the exact quote you quoted: "They are both luxeries that some fail to recognize the effort and talent it takes to make them and, inmho, undervalue them."

@darjr literally says "some fail" to recognize. There is no implication of "most people." Where are you getting that? It seems you are the one moving around some goal posts, unless there was more to the quote that you didn't quote.

 

[jdrakeh]

I have a friend who works as a welder at his day job. He has made a fantastic steel GM screen with magnetic widgets to hold character tents and screen inserts. He says he'll make one for me at a reasonable price. I don't really GM in person anymore, but having a hardened steel GM screen is pretty enticing.