Using 3.5 to sell minis, or using minis to sell 3.5?

[Altalazar]

I agree, I think it is a synergy between the two.

I also agree that better sales for D&D related stuff can only be good. As long as they make some sort of profit on the RPG stuff alone, I don't think there is any danger of the minis overshadowing the RPG. If anything, perhaps the profits from the minis can help extend development cycles and give better RPG products in the long run. They will feel less time pressure and feel like they have more room to maneuver, which can have a definite psychological effect in any company.

Plus, I rather like minis - I have used them as far back as I can remember. I have probably over 100, most of them bought over 25 years ago. I have slowly painted them over the years, but as of this point, still only have like 25% of them painted. I prefer not to use unpainted ones for an actual game, so having minis pre-painted is kind of cool for game use. And I can satisfy my artistic and zen meditation urges with my other miniatures. Best of both worlds.

Given the heavy use of minis prior to this, I think it is good that WotC is finally giving some direct support and also making some money off of it.

 

[Wombat]

I think they are trying for a synergy, but mainly trying to get us to part with more cash. Thus the silliness that is 3.5, not really a new version of the game, but more than a single "update supplement".

As for mini gamers, there are a lot of them out there (no, I'm not talking about HeroClix or D&D, but the historical variety); my brother attends 3-4 cons a year, mostly back east, with attendance roughly equal to most non-GenCon gaming conventions. OTOH, mini gamers are even more divided in their market than rpg-ers -- not only do they argue about what specific set of rules is better, but also what brand of minis, what type of paints, what historical period, etc. You can get into a lot of arguments at those cons

As for me, nope, don't use minis at all in my rpgs. Nor gameboards. If I can't do it in my head, I'm not interested.

 

[diaglo]

...but mainly trying to get us to part with more cash. Thus the silliness that is...

THis is where i'm supposed to say:

OD&D(1974) is the only true game. ALl the other editions are just a poor imitation of the real thing.

 

[DaveMage]

I am not a fan of the random packaging idea, and yet I have gotten an almost "giddy" feeling of anticipation whenever I've opened a box (I own 3 expansion boxes).

I think it's a form of insanity.

 

[Kichwas]

The consumer has a low toleracne level for constant revisions in a game rulebook. By contrast a collectable toy market is built on having a constant supply of new product.

The minis are a way to keep the DnD brand commercially viable without having to risk the tolerance levels on other products within that brand.

 

[Altalazar]

I think they are trying for a synergy, but mainly trying to get us to part with more cash.

As for me, nope, don't use minis at all in my rpgs. Nor gameboards. If I can't do it in my head, I'm not interested.

You know, the sole reason for a corporation to exist is to get people to part with cash. If they don't try and do that, they don't exist (and in fact can be sued by their shareholders for a breach of fiduciary duty).

I wonder how you handle large combats, with 20 monsters and 6 PCs - I've found from past experience that without a solid frame of reference, like that given with miniatures or a whiteboard, it is very easy to lose track of where everyone is and for Players to feel cheated when there is a discrepancy between where you think they are in your head and where they think they are in their head - and if that adds up to the character dying, instead of living, that just makes for bad feelings all around.

Of course, if you only have two players and they only face one or two opponents at a time, perhaps this is less of a problem, but even then there is room for discrepencies.

 

[Wombat]

I have (usually) 5-6 PCs. That can run into a fair number of smaller critters, if we are using goblins (or equivalent thereof). All I can say is that I describe the situation and we go from there. We do not follow the combat rules 100%, mainly because combat is less important to my group than the broader storytelling aspects of the game. Yes, we often ignore AoO and other such minutiae, but that suits us fine. In general our games also have fewer combats than other people's campaigns; again, personal tastes.

As for the money aspects, of course a corporation is out to make money. That is the purpose of any business. But there are blatant ways of doing so and less blatant ways -- I find the minis to be very much a blatant grab for the bucks.

To balance this, however, these are only personal opinions. I have yet to meet anyone out here who actually does anything with the new minis other than collect them, but from the various boards I read I see that other people do use and enjoy them. That is to the good. For those of us who do not use them, and see the rules moving slowly towards "demanding" the use of minis, we can only sigh and hold onto a different line, the way of not using minis.

Heck, never used minis in Call of Cthuhlu, Runequest, Paranoia, Over the Edge, Star Trek, Cyberpunk, original D&D (pre-AD&D) and the like -- why start now?