D&D 5E Well played WOTC (or Free RPG Day 2015)

[Hussar]

I like to think-- as far as I am concerned-- that this is incorrect. I was disappointed that WotC didn't offer any thing for Free RPG Day; but I have been very pleased with their offerings from years past.

I think it's largely inevitable to be honest. If WOTC had offered something, but, it was a page shorter than Paizo's offering, or even the same size, they'd get criticised for not being generous enough. Or that it was the sign that WOTC was failing because their production quality, or the quality of whatever they were offering, wasn't, in the opinion of the person shouting from their soapbox, as good as what was offered by some indie company working out of some guy's basement. If they offered a free adventure, people would bitch that it wasn't good enough, or too (insert whatever is bad) and how dare WOTC insult the hobby by offering such shoddy work. If they offered some sort of supplement, it would be a sign that WOTC hates fans because the supplement wouldn't be widely available.

Take your pick about how it would be spun, but, no matter what the spin, WOTC would be the bad guy. If they did some fantastic product, then why couldn't they do it all the time? Bad WOTC.

No matter what they did, they were going to eat poop. So, why bother doing the work?

Fandom is getting exactly what it deserves. I mean, geez, they offer a free app with free fiction, interviews and gaming information and people complain about how crappy it is. You really think people wouldn't find a way to bitch about a free whatsit from WOTC?

 

[justinj3x3]

If WOTC had produced something for Free RPG Day, it is just as likely that these same irrational people would complain about the product not being what they wanted. We've certainly seen that repeated ad nauseum over the years. "WOTC, this twenty dollar bill you included in my PHB is folded entirely wrong! WotC can't do anything right!"

This thread, and others like it, only serve to reinforce my opinion that WOTC is doing exactly the right thing by refusing to engage.

I love how everybody pretends that the internet isn't filled with people complaining about anything possible. That no other company but WOTC has problems with negative feedback from customers. Other companies keep running business as usual so why does WOTC have to run and hide? I'm sure Mearls doesn't shed a tear every time a fan complains.

But again that's another discussion altogether and has no bearing on my statement, the ONLY statement I'm making, that fans have a right to feel disappointed they see no life from WOTC directly*. Irrational or not.

*A statement that may be null and void after Gen Con.

 

[justinj3x3]

I think it's largely inevitable to be honest. If WOTC had offered something, but, it was a page shorter than Paizo's offering, or even the same size, they'd get criticised for not being generous enough. Or that it was the sign that WOTC was failing because their production quality, or the quality of whatever they were offering, wasn't, in the opinion of the person shouting from their soapbox, as good as what was offered by some indie company working out of some guy's basement. If they offered a free adventure, people would bitch that it wasn't good enough, or too (insert whatever is bad) and how dare WOTC insult the hobby by offering such shoddy work. If they offered some sort of supplement, it would be a sign that WOTC hates fans because the supplement wouldn't be widely available.

Take your pick about how it would be spun, but, no matter what the spin, WOTC would be the bad guy. If they did some fantastic product, then why couldn't they do it all the time? Bad WOTC.

No matter what they did, they were going to eat poop. So, why bother doing the work?

Fandom is getting exactly what it deserves. I mean, geez, they offer a free app with free fiction, interviews and gaming information and people complain about how crappy it is. You really think people wouldn't find a way to bitch about a free whatsit from WOTC?

Aww. Snot bubbles and alligator tears, man. Seriously. WOTC is a company, not some kid getting bullied at school.

 

[Umbran]

I love how everybody pretends that the internet isn't filled with people complaining about anything possible.

Nobody is pretending such.

That no other company but WOTC has problems with negative feedback from customers.

Again, nobody is saying that - it is suggested that WotC has to deal with rather more negative feedback, often from non-customers, than other companies do - that the gaming world seems to have an unjustified sense of entitlement with respect to WotC, that they don't extend to other companies. Saying that everyone gets negative feedback does not counter that one receives rather more than seems reasonable.

Other companies didn't participate in Free RPG Day. Are *any* of them catching flack for it on these boards? I recall back in 2014, Evil Hat Games mentioned that we wouldn't see FATE represented on Free RPG Day, because the cost of participation was to high for the number of people they'd reach. I don't recall hearing of them participating in 2014 or 2015. So, where's the criticism of them?

(I don't have any criticism of them on this - I think for them it is a decent economic choice, as it may be for WotC. Plus, both EHG and WotC offer systems online for free every day of the year - every day is Free RPG Day for them!)

Other companies keep running business as usual so why does WOTC have to run and hide?

It isn't "run and hide". It is a simple business choice, rather like what Evil Hat Games did - for them, does participating or engaging yield a net positive benefit? Is that benefit equal to or larger than what they'd get from other things they could do with the same effort? If not, then they won't engage. Simple cost/benefit analysis, really.

The question you may wish to ask yourself is if you are on the wrong side of that equation - are you acting more as a cost than a benefit? Is the stick you wield disproportionately large compared to the carrot you have to offer?

the ONLY statement I'm making, that fans have a right to feel disappointed they see no life from WOTC directly*. Irrational or not.

Nobody has said otherwise.

You've offered a critique of WotC. Others have offered a critique of your criticism. That's all.

 

[justinj3x3]

Nobody is pretending such.
Again, nobody is saying that - it is suggested that WotC has to deal with rather more negative feedback, often from non-customers, than other companies do - that the gaming world seems to have an unjustified sense of entitlement with respect to WotC, that they don't extend to other companies. Saying that everyone gets negative feedback does not counter that one receives rather more than seems reasonable.

It's funny how the stories change though. In other conversations the story is WOTC does not need to pay attention to or care about what's said on the forums because people who post on forums are a rather small percentage of the customer base. People complaining there are an even smaller percentage of the forum participants. So which is it? Can I see some concrete numbers please?

Nobody has said otherwise.

You've offered a critique of WotC. Others have offered a critique of your criticism. That's all.

No. People have critiqued parts of my opinion to argue a different argument entirely while ignoring my statement as a whole.

 

[justinj3x3]

It seems like around here "People have a right to express disappointment" translates to "People have a right to go get their pitchforks" or "WOTC is the devil!". I guess I missed that class.

 

[delericho]

I mean, geez, they offer a free app with free fiction, interviews and gaming information and people complain about how crappy it is.

In fairness, Doppelganger+ is crappy.

 

[Morrus]

I love how everybody pretends that

It's funny how the stories change though. In other conversations the story is

People have critiqued

It seems like around here

If you're going to argue against a nebulous, anonymous "everybody" or "people", you're going to struggle to find an audience. Perhaps try addressing specific posts, rather than some unidentified class of people who can't respond. Otherwise you're just tilting at your self-created strawmen, attacking arguments that nobody has put forward.

 

[justinj3x3]

If you're going to argue against a nebulous, anonymous "everybody" or "people", you're going to struggle to find an audience. Perhaps try addressing specific posts, rather than some unidentified class of people who can't respond. Otherwise you're just tilting at your self-created strawmen, attacking arguments that nobody has put forward.

I really don't need to. Just read these forums and this thread. It's all there. In fact in some of those parts you quoted I DID quote what I was referencing (see post #92, the first thing you quoted)! Except maybe the forum customers being a small percentage. That may have been the WOTC forums. Again the semantics being debated to discredit me are not doing anything to argue my statement that people have a right to express disappointment.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Merely expressing disappointment over something here on the boards doesn't tend to bring the other posters out to "defend WotC". When folks just give their opinion that they didn't like or enjoy something that WotC produced, the other posters tend to respond along the lines of "Really? That's too bad. I've enjoyed it."

However... whenever that same expression of disappointment is coupled with the expressed belief that WotC was acting stupidly or maliciously, or doesn't know how to run their own business (usually because the poster feels like they have to use more charged language to really get across how big a deal they think this is)... that's when posters show up to run interference. Someone sarcastically posts something along the lines of "Great job supporting your fanbase by not producing something for Free RPG Day"... and yeah, people will come out and question the poster why they feel that piece of free RPG product was so important to get out there while apparently ignoring all the other free RPG product WotC produces every month in Unearthed Arcana and the like.

Invariably, it comes down to this-- if you post that you aren't getting what you'd like to have, not many people will make a fuss. But if you post that you aren't getting what you'd like to have and it's because WotC doesn't care or are bad at their jobs... that's when you'll see a response.