D&D General On gatekeeping and the 'live-streaming edition wars'

[MichaelSomething]

If you're looking for more 5E crunch, En5ider will give you a brand new thing every week for less then a candy bar!

 

[Olrox17]

Whenever we talk about this, we would do well to complete our sentences.

"Fifth edition might be too little."

Too little FOR WHAT? What is the result that more would fulfill? Because the answer to that is kind of important? Too little to meet my personal desires? Too little for me to continue playing the game? Too little to support the business of D&D?

Once you honestly complete the sentence, then we can discuss in earnest. Because you see, every one of you who says it is "too little" is saying that in the face of what appears to be five years of the best sales of the PHB since the 1980s. You are arguing with apparent business success.

Are folks saying, "This is too little," when they mean, "I would personally pay for more if they made it."? Because those aren't the same thing at all.

I mean, I could attach an IMO at the end of all my sentences, but it would get rather annoying after a while, so just assume there's one.
Yes, 5e is doing very well, and we're all very happy for it. Yes, part of the success could be connected to the much lighter release schedule. In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a connection: the amount of releases in previous editions was insane.
Now, if you go a few post back, you'll see that I'm mostly ok with the amount of content we're getting, with some exceptions.

But if you're going to ask me if I would like one more small, crunch-focused supplement every year, I'd say hell yeah. Would it be a good business decision? Difficult to say.
I mean, we can agree that the current amount of releases is working well, but is it absolutely optimal? Could it be better, potentially? Again, hard to say. I know I would like a little bit more, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Chaosmancer]

IME Critical Role brings in tons of actual players, so I'm in favour even though I don't enjoy watching streamed games.

"people claiming that livestream viewers "don't play D&D"

If saying that is a banning offence you better ban me though, since obviously watching =/= playing.

I think you are missing the point S'mon.

I do not think anyone is trying to say that "Watching" = "Playing" because, logically, it can't.

But, what we are saying is that it is not right to declare that people who watch and do not play cannot be fans. Because, we don't get to decide who fans are and are not.

I'm a fan of the current Dali Lama. Never met, don't have any of his writings, probably didn't even spell his title correctly. But, I like the things I have heard about him, and would consider myself a fan.

And I don't think someone should come along and tell me that I can't be a fan unless I have done X,Y and/or Z.

That literally all that is being said here. Don't tell other people what they are or are not.

 

[S'mon]

Why does that matter?

We have noted - the act of watching a live stream is not playing, sure. But doing the dishes is not playing. Mowing the lawn is not playing. Having a day job is not playing. We each do tons of things that are not playing. Saying, "You do a thing that is not playing," is not meaningful. I mean, if it was....

You, reading this here and now, are not playing! OMG!!!1!

Well if you only watch streams and don't play, you aren't a player of D&D. You can certainly be a 'fan' of D&D, though this seems to be a pretty new concept. I've had a couple people recently tell me they're "D&D adjacent."

 

[gyor]

The best part is today's bright eyed and up for anything new players are tomorrow's cranky stuck in their ways grognards!

This so much this. Before young ones judge Grognards as "neck beards" they should realize it will be their turn someday.

 

[generic]

This so much this. Before young ones judge Grognards as "neck beards" they should realize it will be their turn someday.

Also, before the Grognards judge young ones, remember that you were once like them.

 

[gyor]

2019? There were four hardcovers in 2019, plus two boxed sets. Eberron, Avernus, Aacquisitions Inc, Saltmarsh. Plus the Stranger Things, and Rick & Morty boxed sets. (I'm not counting Tyranny of Dragons revised). It was the busiest year so far.

You forgot Essentials Box Set, but if your not into the box sets and don't feel AI counted (which I don't), then it felt smaller, no MTOF or XGTE like release, just a couple APs and one good Campaign Setting Book, which compared to 2018 which saw MTOF, two great Waterdeep Books/APs, Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, Wayfarer's Guide to Eberron.

2019 was the year of the box set, but hopefully that is over now, making for room for setting books. FR outside the Swordcoast and other settings need love now.

 

[DemoMonkey]

Y'know, considering the amount of general griping around here, I'm not 100% sure that people who play can even be counted as "fans" of D&D.

 

[Al'Kelhar]

Watching a live stream is not playing.

Ah, but what are they doing with their hands while watching?

 

[Zardnaar]

I just don't care there's always been people who consume D&D in some way but don't play.

As long as they're not telling me how to play I just don't care.

CR watchers into players tend to be annoying at first. They do a lot of stupid crap but I deal with a lot of that session 0 with table rules.

I use 3pp for more stuff. Still digesting the Midgard Heroes book.