Why the D&D Miniature Line Failed...

[thalmin]

Really? I didn't know that. Which DDM sets were re-issued after their initial release?

Deathknell was rereleased, using the newer tabbed boxes.

 

[D'karr]

So, it was initially released at DDXP 2 and then again, as "Underdark" more recently?

No, Underdark was released twice. The announcement for the re-release of that particular set was done at DDXP 2 years ago.

 

[Lanefan]

I've never played the skirmish game, and don't know *anyone* in real life who has; but I and others I know have sure bought enough of those bloody random-box mini's!

I, like many others, use them only for D+D...but in a slightly unusual way: player character or party NPC mini's in my game are all metal (the players enjoy painting them, with frequently amazing results) while the opposition or non-party NPCs are all plastic. It sure makes it easier to tell who's who!

The best part is that knocking over a defeated enemy doesn't risk breaking the mini if it's plastic.

Lanefan

 

[ssampier]

1. Lack of Time / Commitment

I read somewhere that all social recreational activities, from poker to badminton, were down. Activities that can be coordinated online are up from social networking to MMORPs.

2. Economy

No more needs to be said

3. Gamers are fickle

People want large selection, quality paints, and low prices; something has to give.

 

[BradfordFerguson]

Though there are some things to "not like" or are suboptimal about DDM, I'm not sure why it is being called a "FAILURE"...? Did WotC announce that they were ceasing to produce DDM?

The quality of DDM has increased. The random issue can be avoided if you don't buy the mini packs, but instead buy non-random stuff from eBay or gaming stores. Buying this way increases demand for the minis. You can go online to look at the galleries, so if one doesn't appeal to you, then don't buy many from that line.

If storage is a problem, that means you bought them, which makes them less of a failure. I dunno, though you (the OP) is posting about a bunch of mini stuff (which is cool with me), your post seems more about a person who goes to a movie, but nitpicks it to death until they don't like it. Back to storage, there are boxes at craft stores that you can use to store stuff, or even go with the fishing tackle box.

 

[JoeGKushner]

My initial post was somewhat tongue in cheek.

 

[pawsplay]

Randomness was always a problem. Ok, if helped the price point of some specific minis, but you paid for pounds and pounds of extraneous plastic, ultimately. Things like the peasant with a pig or Farmer Brown with his scythe should have been uncommons. Commons should be PC-ready or things you fight or things you summon.

Some thought might also have been given to making the minis more useful for portraying different characters. For instance, somwhat toned down looks for the fiendish or celestial creatures would have allowed them to double as natural creatures. A bunch of Drow that look virtually alike is less useful than some variation among the various figures so that a variety of Drow characters could be depicted.

From a miniatures play standpoint, the figures were designed to be "interesting" but not necessarily predictable or all that balanced. The value of a figure hinged on synergy yet that was hard to measure when you did not know what a player would be holding. That is what ultimately doomed DDM as anything more than casual play. And a fistful of Farmer Browns was worse than useless. It created a responsibility to see that the useless figures were sold or traded or converted or something, because it's just so painful to think about throwing the figures into the trash, even knowing they cost fifteen cents apiece on most web sites.

 

[Glyfair]

Things like the peasant with a pig or Farmer Brown with his scythe should have been uncommons.

A point of view that I know many would disagree with. Having a rarer slot filled up with a figure like that had many complaints just from the RPG players (and the skirmish game players were even more against it).

There were always complaints about the distribution. Some wanted more monsters and hated the PC type miniatures. Some wanted every sex/class/race combination available in miniatures (you can even add weapon types to that for an additional complication). There was a very large group that was insisting on more and more dragons for the miniatures (and was getting them). Some wanted the more obscure monsters created, others hated when they were. Don't forget the issues when "campaign specific" miniatures were made (exemplified by the warforged debates).

Yes, this supports your argument that randomness caused some problems. However, it also solved some (such as the large number of niche monsters some wanted that would never appear in a non-random format).

 

[jdrakeh]

The random issue can be avoided if you don't buy the mini packs, but instead buy non-random stuff from eBay or gaming stores.

This is true, but it can also be a major hassle to hunt down a score of common figures for use in a mob/army/hoard/etc in this manner. One can order entire squads or packs of themed minis from other companies with much less hassle for only a bit more money. Also, even at its best, this isn't a feature of DDM at all but, rather, a feature of eBay and other third party sellers.

 

[JoeGKushner]

In all seriousness though, I wonder if the rising price points were partially to blame. What did they start off as? $9.95 or something like that? At $14.99, that's essentially a 50% price increase in a span of... five years? 10% a year? With the new sets being priced higher again, I suspect we'll see immediately how much people think the quality vs price will be. I suspect that the player pack with Dragonborn may have a build in audience though. And I really hope that they can get the game stats right.

Dragon doing monsters of the demonweb and others pointing out that the stats on the cards are wrong is not doing my hopes any favors in that arena though.