What WOTC can do to spur interest in the game..

[Corinth]

Make a deal with Wizkids; integrate Chainmail (which is now dead) into Mage Knight in return for their aide in making the D&D-compatible minis line. Screw the painting, gluing, etc.; sell pre-painted minis using the Clix technology, and then make the D&D line open for user modification.

 

[Alcamtar]

Yeah, I kind of think of D&D as a board game too. Not in the board/miniatures sense, but in a RULES sense.

Everything is so cut and dried and "metagamey". Stuff like levels and classes and experience points are such obvious GAME mechanics. They aren't realistic, they are deliberate meta-game mechanics designed to enhance *game* play, at the player level, but providing artificial structure and goals that are totally unrelated to any notion of plot or simulation. Other things, like hit points, are clearly abstractions designed to speed game play and provide meta-game tactical opportunities. Or how about alignment, which is really just an artificial method of labeling "us" and "them." In so many ways, D&D is *designed* to encourage and enhance out-of-character play.

This is not a slam, it is IMO a stroke of genius and directly responsible for D&D's success and enduring popularity.

 

[jdavis]

D&D in happy meals? "Hey Mom I got a githyanki from my Happy Meal." or "can we go to Mc Donalds, I only need Mephistopheles to complete my Devils collection." I think the target audience might be a little to young to get D&D. Not to mention Parents would have a fit.

How would my children react, well any D&D figure they got would be living with Hello Kitty and would end up dating the Britney Spears doll in about a month. (it's what happened to my Classic Planet of the Apes figures, Ken got dumped for a Gorrilla with a capture net. Most of my old toys were hidden in order to save Megatron and others from having to babysit Kelly dolls or being Rock Star Barbie's Bass player.)

 

[Ds Da Man]

Big kid meals, man, big kid meals!!!!

 

[Anime Kidd]

Hero Quest was what got me into D&D...It was all downhill from there.

Same thing happened to me. My parents got Heroquest for my brother for christmas and we stayed up all night play it. That game was such fun. I loved painting the minis! It was only when my cousin bought the basic D&D box set in the early 90s.

Anyone remember or have seen the elusive Heroquest Advanced game? Not Warhammer Quest though, I know AHQ was bought by Games Workshop for that.

As for the whole "Little Green Army Orcs & Elves" minis. I'd go for it, even if they were kinda crude. Just as long as the minis looked like what they represent is all that matters to me!

 

[WizarDru]

How would my children react, well any D&D figure they got would be living with Hello Kitty and would end up dating the Britney Spears doll in about a month. (it's what happened to my Classic Planet of the Apes figures, Ken got dumped for a Gorrilla with a capture net. Most of my old toys were hidden in order to save Megatron and others from having to babysit Kelly dolls or being Rock Star Barbie's Bass player.)

My kids keep wanting me to get the Cave Troll from Fellowship, everytime we see it in the store. I keep thinking that if I get it, he'll be a customer for Shop with Me Barbie.