D&D 5E Why I believe these survey's are worthless but not useless?

[joshinminn]

They seem pretty honest to me. I don't buy this theory, sorry.

 

[EthanSental]

He says even if Wizards feedback showed that the general populace of gamers wanted more material and are not happy with the overall release schedule, which he believes to be true, Wizards would not change it because it would disrupt their already dedicated future flow. What these surveys do is they act as a PR tool for Wizards in order to give the illusion that we the players are actually driving the direction of the game.

It is a good PR tool, no doubt there in my book. Unfortunately, the majority of gamers are in agreement for a slower release schedule so that's where your friend, I believe is wrong when you state the opposite.

Do do I think they are going to look at the survey and say, wow, people really want Ravenloft setting or another monster manual then start planning it. It's been on the table since the beginning. So now instead of waiting for year 2 for a Ravenloft setting, they move it up in the batting order to then next 6 months and outsource it like they've done most 5e books. I don't think think the number of books they planned to produce will change much but the release of certain books might change based on surveys. We will still see 6 books in the next 2 years as an example but the 6 books release schedule might change based on the survey feedback of what people want. Just my opinion

 

[RedShirtNo5.1]

Truthiness!

 

[Corpsetaker]

Unfortunately, the majority of gamers are in agreement for a slower release schedule.

Majority of gamers where? You keep saying this like it's some undisputed fact.

Look at it this way. They had their team downsized before they really asked the question about a release schedule. Their plans were already in motion before they asked for our input which says to me that no matter what we said different, they were going to stick with it. Why not officially pitch the question, see what people really want, and then downsize your team accordingly?

 

[abirdcall]

The irony of this statement of course being we are in the midst of a period here on the boards where it seems like everybody is instead currently complaining about "bloat" now that we are seeing the Adventurer's Guide previews and the prestige class UA article.

Six months ago there wasn't enough stuff and WotC was making a horrible mistake. Now, six months later, WotC hasn't yet even technically released anything new and yet people are saying there's going to be too much stuff and WotC is making a horrible mistake.

I get the sneaking suspicion that all 100% of us here on EN World is full of complete and utter crap.

Yeah, there are a group of people who are going to hate on Wizards no matter what they do.

There was even outrage about them putting on a charity drive and giving away content for free.

 

[EthanSental]

Besides the feedback from the playtest on release schedule as well as the more recent survey results on the release schedule. Granted we don't really know the numbers BUT since every time a post is made that says they don't like the release schedule or it doesn't work for them, you have greater numbers of reply saying WoTC is follow the feedback received from the playtest. So for every 2 or 3 that want a faster release schedule, you have 10 or 12 saying it fits for them.
Granted its the same 2 or 3 people that continually bring up that it doesn't fit and the same 10 or 12 that says it does but i digress. its still more that it fits than doesn't.


As far as the downsizing, that has little impact since they've outsourced every book printed besides the core books. They can call Green Ronin, Sasquatch, or whoever, even after they downsized or not, and ask them to work on a book for them.

 

[Parmandur]

Yeah, don't buy it: they are making decisions based on $$$, giving people what they want. Baseless paranoia.

 

[JediGamemaster]

Majority of gamers where?

the survey who's results we just got...

 

[Jester David]

He believes Wizards has already made commitments to a specific number of products that are already laid out and planned. He says even if Wizards feedback showed that the general populace of gamers wanted more material and are not happy with the overall release schedule, which he believes to be true, Wizards would not change it because it would disrupt their already dedicated future flow. What these surveys do is they act as a PR tool for Wizards in order to give the illusion that we the players are actually driving the direction of the game. If you want something different and it doesn't go with what Wizards has planned, then it makes you seem like you are basically the only one who wants change and that the majority of gamers want exactly what Wizards is currently doing.

He says if Wizards made one product at a time, sat back and looked at how well it sold before moving on to the next, then the release schedule would be even slower.

So... Wizards of the Coast is lying to us.

They say that the surveys showed most people are happy with the slow release schedule and want more monsters and campaign setting products rather than splatbooks. But, according to you, the majority really wants more player crunch and want it now.
So rather than release products that people want and would make them money, WotC is not only holding back books people want but outright lying to us over what we want. They asked for feedback, purposely choose to ignore the numbers, and then chose to say the opposite.
...
Why?
What could they possibly hope to gain from that? That's literally the worst business decision they could make. That's throwing away their jobs, and working to kill a game they love and grew up playing.


Here's the thing, it does take a year to make a book. Which is a long time, but not so long that they couldn't shift or change things now for next year. It would take work, but it could be done. And, since they're not announcing books a year in advance, they can shift and refocus things. If they had three books loosely in the works (playtesting monsters, playtesting subclasses, etc) they could look at the feedback and decide which to prioritize.

One of the comments Jeremy Crawford made during GenCon was how WotC wanted to be "flexible" in terms of its release schedule. Because they wanted to respond to feedback and see how people were liking the new style of releases and focus on adventures.

 

[JediGamemaster]

Yeah, don't buy it: they are making decisions based on $$$, giving people what they want. Baseless paranoia.

I think the theory is they don't really want $ they are only in business to troll us...