JamesDJarvis
First Post
diaglo said:
Like the mindflayer, displacer beast, rust monster and beholder?
[Theory] Why D&D is Popular
- Thread starter mythusmage
- Start date
Like the mindflayer, displacer beast, rust monster and beholder?
Gruns has a big point here. In the broad sense, D&D is not popular. It's a niche product. There's something like 300 million people in the US, and I expect less than 3 million RPG players. And not all of those play D&D. So, really, it isn't popular.
So, perhaps a rephrasing - "Why is D&D the most popular RPG?" With this question, we can recognize that the most important thing determining popularity is the interconnection between the gamers - and being first then becomes a very powerful thing. "Network externalities" and all that.
So, perhaps a rephrasing - "Why is D&D the most popular RPG?" With this question, we can recognize that the most important thing determining popularity is the interconnection between the gamers - and being first then becomes a very powerful thing. "Network externalities" and all that.
JamesDJarvis
First Post
fusangite said:
or the Drow , Ropers, Piercer, Carrion Crawler, Gellatinous Cube, Shrieker, Purple Fungi, Eye of the Deep, Rot Grub, Gnolls and Buellete. not to mention things like Trolls as per the D&D version. ( i was gonna put blink dog here but have they ever been popular?)
I don't think monster traditionality or nontraditionality on a case per case basis has a thing to do with it but there is definelty something about a fairly quick and direct tie to a mythic base but part of the wonder of the game is still the fantastic and as such the unknown.
fanboy2000
Adventurer
Brand name recognition doesn't cut it as an explanation.
That was the a mistake Williams made, thinking the brand would carry TSR through everything.
Also, Microsoft is the most popular software company in the world, but none of its programs were the first of their type. They didn't make the first DOS, the first GUI, the first word processing program (or even the first office suite), or the first web browser, yet they now dominate all of those markets.
That was the a mistake Williams made, thinking the brand would carry TSR through everything.
Also, Microsoft is the most popular software company in the world, but none of its programs were the first of their type. They didn't make the first DOS, the first GUI, the first word processing program (or even the first office suite), or the first web browser, yet they now dominate all of those markets.
Quasqueton
First Post
I might not be playing any RPG right now.
Quasqueton
Kanegrundar
Explorer
The brand name is a big part, but WotC took the brand and repaired the image that Queen Bavmorda...er...Williams did to the system and the D&D image. They took the core ideas and reworked the system into something better than people had seen from the brand before. That's an arguable point for sure, but the amount of sales and the people that left D&D in earlier editions that are playing D&D again speaks for itself.
Kane
Kane
The reasons are mutually exclusive?First, best known, open to new players. All coming together to produce an evergreen product. Much as I disagree with certain aspects, Wizards did right when they put the focus back on D&D's Core Story. It's all about the adventure.
BTW, I was trolling after a fashion. I wanted to see what sort of responses I'd get, and I was not disappointed. I will say WizarDru did give the best reason, D&D is fun. You play it to have a good time. Not every adventure, not every playing session is going to give you the happy fuzzies, but a good session will leave you with a positive experience. Even if it's a TPK.
A TPK?
A good TPK is a source of legend.
When you're dealing with why people do things there's rarely just one reason. We tend to complicate things for ourselves. We got into D&D because we heard about it, we found people ready to take us in, and it was fun. Had any of these been missing D&D would be known to a very few and Col. Pladoh would be an insurance adjuster. {You know, that might not be such a bad thing. Emily, I heard the Parks Department is looking for you. Eek! (sound of sauropod speedily tiptoeing away)}
Emily Bronte-saurus, the bane of my existence. Anyway ...
... amending my hypothesis I present the four reasons why D&D is more popular than any other RPG: Precedence, exposure, openness to new recruits, and fun. But the chief of these is fun.
Campbell
Relaxed Intensity
JamesDJarvis said:
Bingo. While speaking to mythological symbols we hold dear can help to bring a monster to life, I think that indicates that popular mythological creatures have a particular resonance due to the fact that they serve a singular purpose as powerful symbols. The mistake I believe that is made often in monster conception is that sometimes designers do not attempt to associate their creations with any sort of concept that speaks to us on symbolical level.
Campbell said:
In addition new monsters lack a very important item, context. We associate the pegasus with greek myth, Grendel with Saxon or Danish legend depending on where we grew up. When Col. Pladoh invented drow and mind flayers he put them in context, all too often today's monster creators provide no context at all for their creatures.
Monsters hold more power when they belong somewhere. When they have a purpose.
(Consider this thread hijacked.)
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