D&D 4E Well, Its Official. 4E is Going Online

[Keefe the Thief]

*Looks in back of PHB*

The VTT came out when 4e was launched, didn't it?

 

[Chainsaw Mage]

Besides, if the internet has taught us anything, it's that everything is more fun if you can be naked while you do it.

With the possible exception of being a fry cook.

 

[ourchair]

Funny enough, I'd say WotC is distinctly more FLGS friendly then most other companies.

Consider the recent push at card-based mechanics. Nothing - and I mean nothing - fueled the FLGS business like cards did when the MtG boom hit.

Agreed.

You could say all you want about collectibles-driven products like 'clix' and cards being schilled by 'money-grubbing whores' but these kinds of products gave the FLGS something with turnover, which is what they really need to stay in business.

 

[Plaguedguy]

I can see a lot of benefit for players that don't have a local shop or player community to get involved with. If they can get the VTT fully functional and relatively idiot-proof then it'd go a long way to padding DDI's appeal.

Still wouldn't really appeal to me though. I've got a good local group, and further a good local community of shops and gamers. If we've all got enough free time to play D&D we're probably playing it in person rather than paying to do it online.

Edit: I'm going to agree that amazon and similar discount online retailers have hurt brick and mortar stores more than WotC ever could. Amazon is underselling local shops by upwards of $20 USD in many cases. In a down economy that's going to push a lot of sales towards the internet.

 

[DMZ2112]

If D&D4 does go entirely online, how long before Wizards realizes a small minority of users are pirating their software and declares an immediate moratorium on all D&D4 sales to prevent it?

 

[Abstruse]

If D&D4 does go entirely online, how long before Wizards realizes a small minority of users are pirating their software and declares an immediate moratorium on all D&D4 sales to prevent it?

Who would be silly enough to do something like that?

 

[DMZ2112]

I hate explaining jokes, but I notice that you are brand spanking new to the site, so just in case you're serious, I can spare a little community education relevant to the topic at hand:

Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible (This link does work; go go Wizards.community)

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...izards-coast-puts-stop-online-sales-pdfs.html

Wizards and electronic have never really been two great tastes that taste great together.

 

[Abstruse]

I hate explaining jokes, but I notice that you are brand spanking new to the site, so just in case you're serious, I can spare a little community education relevant to the topic at hand:

Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible (This link does work; go go Wizards.community)

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...izards-coast-puts-stop-online-sales-pdfs.html

Wizards and electronic have never really been two great tastes that taste great together.

Sorry, I guess my sarcasm tags weren't working. I knew the joke and was kidding. I'm new to this site, but an old hat at RPG forums and WotC's shenanigans.

 

[BobTheNob]

Quite looking forward to an "all in one" electronic solution for the game, if its good enough to replace out current electronic setup...which is working quite nicely.

Wont change our group one iota if we changed over, we are all wise enough to recognize that the game is a good excuse to get together once a week, share bad jokes and ensure that we all stay in touch, and if there was the greatest electronic solution of just pen and paper, the game would still go ahead.

I suspect that Wizards wants the "Internet community gaming" concept working whereby virtual strangers are matched up for games, kinda like that the game forums do (the ones where people use a forum to actually play out a game) but with better software support.

Will it work for them? Who knows. If it does, they may just get a pretty grand slice of the gaming pie.

Will we (our group) use it? Yes, if its good enough, but it wont change our group dynamics.

Will I use it without my group (i.e. embrace the internet community gaming)? Probably not. But then, they have already sold so much to me, their objective is to sell to new markets, so I dont think Im their target.

 

[TerraDave]

Here's the video of the anouncement:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aLXuMb6WWw]YouTube - Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Presentation: Part 3[/ame]