Weaning Off the Sauce

[I'm A Banana]

This is a thread about letting go.

Like many others, I'm irked about WotC's PDF decision. Now, let me first say that this isn't another thread about the PDF decision. We've got enough of those. This is about where to go from there. This is about what you're going to do after you accept the fact that Wizards did something you think is pretty uncool.

I'm going to try and not buy WotC books. I'm starting small: I'll hold off on buying Arcane Power until the material shows up in the DDI.

Now, I'm no grandstandying boycott enthusiast. This is a quixotic idea, not a practical one. I don't expect WotC to notice my $40/month. I don't expect them to change their tune. But, for me, this isn't about trying to make them change. I accept them for what they are, and I need to decide what to do about that.

I've decided at least to stop being an enabler.

And it's not going to be easy for me. I play 4e, and probably will continue to do so for the foreseeable future (This isn't about edition warz, either). Beyond that, I just like buying and owning D&D books. I like talking about them at ENWorld and other places. I like having the ability to pull a reference out of the aether and deliver it on a silver platter to my expectant players. I like just breaking them apart and seeing the design logic behind them. I buy D&D books because they are fun for me as a current 4e DM and Player, and as a game-design mind.

So I'm not doing this to "hurt" Wizards, and I'm not doing this because I'm critical of 4e.

I'm still allowing myself a DDI subscription. I rationalize it by saying "they did the PDF thing because they wanted to sell more physical books, and this won't give them any more physical book purchases!", but really it's more of a crutch for me. I'll also be messing around with Pathfinder/Trailblazer and buying PDFs. I'm not INSANE, after all.

I'm showing that it can be done, I hope: that you can play and DM and enjoy 4e, and still not improve WotC's physical book sales.

The reason this is a thread instead of a blog post is because I want to hear from others who have been thinking about what to do now, or those that have gone through similar moments. Like an AA meeting where we help each other stay sober, I'd like to hear your stories, or your ideas.

They can be small. Maybe you just won't buy Arcane Power until next month. That's small, but maybe they'll notice!

They can be large. Maybe you're group is going to switch to EXCLUSIVELY using pirated books?! Woah.

I'm going to start small myself. Little steps, right?

Step 1: Don't Buy Arcane Power Until It Shows Up In The DDI.

There. I think that's a reasonable goal. I won't go out next week and buy Arcane Power. I'll wait until the end of the month, until they put the information online. That'll make me feel like I've helped their initial numbers be one less than it could have been.

Anyone want to support me by doing the same thing? All you have to do is NOT go out and buy Arcane Power right away. Can you do it? Do you have friends who might do it?

Maybe when the thread about the book starts, I'll start a thread about what else I can buy instead?

So, tell me your stories. If you're annoyed at WotC, let me know what you're doing because of it. Remember, don't do it because you want them to change (they won't), and don't do it because you hate 4e (they're making it anyway), do it because it is right for you.

It's right for me, basically, because I accept that Wizards is engaged in a practice that I'm not a fan of, and I think I can sacrifice at least Step 1.

My name is Kamikaze Midget, and I am a bookaholic.

 

[caudor]

I've let it go. I'm going to let the storm rage without me, play the game, and keep having fun.

I might not be able to get pdf files anymore, but the only person/group/thing I'm worried about enabling is me...to play.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

I support the message of the OP.


If I feel disrespected, I'll not support the one disrespecting me. That's not an economic decision, it is a personal one.

I feel disrespected.


Tonight, I bought mayfair games "chill" off of ebay for $2.99, including shipping. My group is going to try that for a while.


Maybe we'll come back.


We'll see.

 

[Nagol]

Well, they say the first step to recovery is acknowledging the problem.

Now choose your targets wisely. I'm becoming sure that DDI is much more important to WoTC at this stage than the book counts. Certainly not in total revenue, but the continuous predictable revenue stream coupled with much lower direct costs probably means more eyes are focused on that stream than the books. Additionally, pulling the pdfs is more likely a move that will help DDI (assuming any new distribution method will leverage their in-place infrastructure) than book sales.

Perhaps you should consider subscribing only when you need to update the character builder and exist offline otherwise? I understand that could be too daunting a first step, but think about the freedom you'll feel when you can be unplugged.

Unfortunately, I can't join you on this journey. I took these steps a year ago and wish you well. Just remember, you could use the service, but you don't need to today.

This is a thread about letting go.

Like many others, I'm irked about WotC's PDF decision. Now, let me first say that this isn't another thread about the PDF decision. We've got enough of those. This is about where to go from there. This is about what you're going to do after you accept the fact that Wizards did something you think is pretty uncool.

I'm going to try and not buy WotC books. I'm starting small: I'll hold off on buying Arcane Power until the material shows up in the DDI.

Now, I'm no grandstandying boycott enthusiast. This is a quixotic idea, not a practical one. I don't expect WotC to notice my $40/month. I don't expect them to change their tune. But, for me, this isn't about trying to make them change. I accept them for what they are, and I need to decide what to do about that.

I've decided at least to stop being an enabler.

And it's not going to be easy for me. I play 4e, and probably will continue to do so for the foreseeable future (This isn't about edition warz, either). Beyond that, I just like buying and owning D&D books. I like talking about them at ENWorld and other places. I like having the ability to pull a reference out of the aether and deliver it on a silver platter to my expectant players. I like just breaking them apart and seeing the design logic behind them. I buy D&D books because they are fun for me as a current 4e DM and Player, and as a game-design mind.

So I'm not doing this to "hurt" Wizards, and I'm not doing this because I'm critical of 4e.

I'm still allowing myself a DDI subscription. I rationalize it by saying "they did the PDF thing because they wanted to sell more physical books, and this won't give them any more physical book purchases!", but really it's more of a crutch for me. I'll also be messing around with Pathfinder/Trailblazer and buying PDFs. I'm not INSANE, after all.

I'm showing that it can be done, I hope: that you can play and DM and enjoy 4e, and still not improve WotC's physical book sales.

The reason this is a thread instead of a blog post is because I want to hear from others who have been thinking about what to do now, or those that have gone through similar moments. Like an AA meeting where we help each other stay sober, I'd like to hear your stories, or your ideas.

They can be small. Maybe you just won't buy Arcane Power until next month. That's small, but maybe they'll notice!

They can be large. Maybe you're group is going to switch to EXCLUSIVELY using pirated books?! Woah.

I'm going to start small myself. Little steps, right?

Step 1: Don't Buy Arcane Power Until It Shows Up In The DDI.

There. I think that's a reasonable goal. I won't go out next week and buy Arcane Power. I'll wait until the end of the month, until they put the information online. That'll make me feel like I've helped their initial numbers be one less than it could have been.

Anyone want to support me by doing the same thing? All you have to do is NOT go out and buy Arcane Power right away. Can you do it? Do you have friends who might do it?

Maybe when the thread about the book starts, I'll start a thread about what else I can buy instead?

So, tell me your stories. If you're annoyed at WotC, let me know what you're doing because of it. Remember, don't do it because you want them to change (they won't), and don't do it because you hate 4e (they're making it anyway), do it because it is right for you.

It's right for me, basically, because I accept that Wizards is engaged in a practice that I'm not a fan of, and I think I can sacrifice at least Step 1.

My name is Kamikaze Midget, and I am a bookaholic.

 

[Mallus]

I'm going to try to base my purchasing decisions on whether the company in question is selling a product I'd like to consume. If so, then yes. I will exceptions for companies that club baby seals, exploit children, and poison tracts of land.

In the case of companies that make business decisions that consider fundamentally dumb, but violate no principle that I consider important (outside of "don't do dumb things"), I'll give them a pass. After all, they're selling something I want.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

My problem right now is that I love D&D 4e, but hate WotC as a company. I'm not sure how I'm going to reconcile that.

I've got a weekly D&D game going on that I'm really enjoying, but I can't shake that bitter taste in my mouth.

I think it very likely that my cash goes to Steve Jackson (GURPS) or White Wolf once this campaign is completed. I'm tired of being punished for being a loyal customer. WotC had better shape up and hire some competent management; or they are going to lose my business.

 

[Crothian]

If you have reached a point were you feel you can no longer play D&D then it should be simple to find a different game. D&D as we all know is not the only RPg out there and unlike most other games it is the game the other games many times try to be. So, you can find a game that is not D&D that fits what you want.

That said I'm still sticking with the game, but I do enjoy the other games out there as well.

 

[Hadrian the Builder]

I support the OP's message.

 

[Twowolves]

Over the past year, it's been one kick in the pants after another from the WotC guys. Dungeon and Dragon dead tree editions gone, massively overhyped on-line support that only half-arsed materialized, "screwing up" the GSL launch (if by "screwing up" you mean it wasn't a deliberate attempt to ice out all the 3PP, and if by "launch" you mean it's actually out there almost a year and a half after it needed to be), promoting 4th ed by slamming 3.X ed (the same edition of which they just spent the last few years singing the praises), and now yanking PDFs with about 6 hours notice to retailers (and nary a word to customers, as if they are an afterthought).... how can anyone really defend this lack of professionalism from THE LEADER in the hobby? It's not like this is a couple of guys in a basement with a mimeograph and a stapler, it's supposedly the industry standard. Come to think of it, the guys in the basement in the 70's were more professional in a variety of ways...

Sometimes I wonder if WotC/Hasbro is secretly being controlled by the Dille Trust again.

KM, come to the dark side. We have better health insurance. Since the D&D ship sailed out of port with me standing on the pier, my group and I have played my 3.5 Scarred Lands game, a Pathfinder Beta playtest of one of their APs, we've played a couple of Savage Worlds campaigns, and I've recently rekindled my old miniature wargame passions (thanks to AT-43, you know, the game that is doomed to failure because they have non-randomized pre-painted figures, which the DDM guys assured us was impossible to do).

Hopefully, the guys piloting the USS D&D will either run it aground and someone else will take over, or it'll crash and burn and a worthy successor will rise from the OGL ashes to save the day, assuming Pathfinder RPG hasn't already done the job for them.

 

[Xyxox]

I've recentkly discovered the wonders of Mutants & Masterminds, so I think I'll be spending time and money on that.