The Monetization of D&D Play

[MichaelSomething]

If you want D&D to be free, run your own AL any let anyone join in! I'm sure it'll be easy and cheap to do!

 

[AriochQ]

If you want D&D to be free, run your own AL any let anyone join in! I'm sure it'll be easy and cheap to do!

I meant to the topic to be interpreted more broadly, in terms of the impact on the entire community. I currently do run AL games at my FLGS when they need a fill-in DM (usually twice a month) as well as at several local conventions. Most of my DM'ing is spent on my three home games, one of which is AL legal. Ironically, if I want to run at my FLGS in season 8 players will be charged $5/game (which I don't have a problem with, store has got to make money) and I will receive that money in the form of store credit (which I do have a problem with). The concept of a paid DM is distasteful to me as a long time D&D player/DM. I understand other's may feel differently.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I kinda love the idea of "cheating for charity" at public D&D events. Socially conscious and funny at the same time!

As I said, I think it's fine for charity events. But not all public games, please. At a normal event I'm there to have fun and play a challenging game, not save society.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Every hobby I have costs real money, because I don't work for fake money. Well, except in the sense that all fiat currency is fake money, but I majorly digress.

Now on to the topic at hand. In my game, we all pitch in for food, or rotate who buys Pizza and wings. However this would be the same if we were playing board games, or watching a movie.

As far as a spot at a public place goes, I'd have to really enjoy the game to spend $5 a session on it. That could be money going towards the next book, or minis or what have you.

And if I had a bad AL DM at a pay to play place I would definitely talk to the store about it, because by it's very nature it's changed from bad play experience to bad customer experience.

 

[neogod22]

Interesting. The store I play at never charged us to play, and it's a premier store at that, so we get all the books early. I'm also a play tester, so I get material before it's officially out and we play that in the store also. I have seen that the last Con I went to, they charged for a spot at the table for each adventure on top the entry fee. I'm hoping that doesn't become a trend here which I doubt it will, or I think a lot of people will find other places to play. I do know one store around here that charges to use the rooms, but they provide a premium experience for that that. It works for that store.

 

[Sunseeker]

I don't like, but fundamentally don't have an issue with stores charging "rent" on their space. D&D can consume a lot of space, produce a lot of noise and since as the OP says, there's no requirement to buy anything can generate very little income for a store.

I don't agree with it going to the DM, that seems all sorts of fishy. I get that DMing can be time-consuming, but again as the OP says, without quality control, there's a good chance you're paying real money for essentially nothing. What incentive is there for the DM to run a good game? I don't fundamentally have a problem with paying for a GM, but there's got to be some kind of Yelp-style system or something so that we know we're not getting a raw deal. I'd even pay more, and to the DM directly if there was some way to ensure this was a skilled individual who had a history of good games and happy players. I can see how paying the DM encourages more people to DM, but again, quality control is needed.

Although, something about that still strikes me as wrong.

There's always home-games of course, but stores need to be careful not to shoo away new players by charging too high of a fee.

 

[Gardens & Goblins]

Heck, I'd be of if folks charge money for DM'ing..

..assuming they're willing to do the work to obtain a DM Liscence.

..and we can leave feedback at some kinda DM rating site!

Also applies to gaming store - they better meet a certain standard if they're charging for anything other than space!

 

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[ccs]

I meant to the topic to be interpreted more broadly, in terms of the impact on the entire community. I currently do run AL games at my FLGS when they need a fill-in DM (usually twice a month) as well as at several local conventions. Most of my DM'ing is spent on my three home games, one of which is AL legal. Ironically, if I want to run at my FLGS in season 8 players will be charged $5/game (which I don't have a problem with, store has got to make money) and I will receive that money in the form of store credit (which I do have a problem with). The concept of a paid DM is distasteful to me as a long time D&D player/DM. I understand other's may feel differently.

Can I have your store credit?

 

[Olive]

One thing I've seen is game shops charging for table space but allowing that for store credit - so it's $5 but if you buy something that week (minis or dice or a PHB or whatever) then that $5 is part of that. That makes a lot of sense to me as it's getting you in the shop, keeping up the hobby but bringing a return to the store. It must suck when you have tables of AL and everyone using PHBs they bought off of Amazon.

Paying the DM I haven't encountered but I can promise you that my tolerance for nonsense would go way down if they were being paid... I have no general issue with it I guess and if it helps a DM buy the adventures or minis then it seems a good arrangement.