D&D General WotC is at it again

[Morrus]

1) The point is not to steal your stuff. The point is for WotC to go ahead and keep publishing its own stuff without being accused of stealing your stuff, now or in the future.

And, indeed, the fact that this thread immediately turned into "WotC is stealing our stuff!" perfectly illustrates why such terms are needed. Because WotC hasn't stolen your (general you) stuff.

 

[TwoSix]

This is the Internet. Ideas aren't even a dime a dozen; ideas are barely worth what it costs to pay for the electrons that store them.

The ability to execute on a idea and move it to a stage where you have something salable and monetizable is what is actually worth something.

 

[Morrus]

This is the Internet. Ideas aren't even a dime a dozen; ideas are barely worth what it costs to pay for the electrons that store them.

As I've said a million times, ideas are easy. I'll have 50 ideas down the pub tonight. Ooops, I think I just had a little impromptu idea just now! Ooh, and another!

The ability to execute on a idea and move it to a stage where you have something salable and monetizable is what is actually worth something.

Exactly. Ideas are easy. Work is hard.

 

[The Soloist]

This is the Internet. Ideas aren't even a dime a dozen; ideas are barely worth what it costs to pay for the electrons that store them.

The ability to execute on a idea and move it to a stage where you have something salable and monetizable is what is actually worth something.

Very true.

As someone currently trying to write a solo adventure game, find play testers, do the lay out, draws the illustrations, get it published and distributed, it's really hard work. Maybe more effort than I'm willing to put into the project at age 60.

 

[TwoSix]

Very true.

As someone currently trying to write a solo adventure game, find play testers, do the lay out, draws the illustrations, get it published and distributed, it's really hard work. Maybe more effort than I'm willing to put into the project at age 60.

For sure. The ability to look at a set of ideas, and see which one might be worth developing and iterating on is a valuable skillset. But it isn't because the idea itself had some inherent value.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

I never claimed they stole my idea. I did sign away my right and I'm okay with that. WoTC are not thieves.

I'm just curious about how they came up with the term 'Points of Light', because I used it as a main idea in my proposal. Maybe, they looked at submissions from the contest, which is entirely possible, or they came up with it by themselves. No one talked about Points of Lights in D&D before 4e (that I'm aware of).

Points of Light is a common expression, so not much of a stretch, particularly for a setting that is bits of civilization in a bog standard generic D&D land.

 

[The Soloist]

Points of Light is a common expression, so not much of a stretch, particularly for a setting that is bits of civilization in a bog standard generic D&D land.

TV Trope says this:
The Trope Namer and Trope Codifier is Nentir Vale, the official default setting of the 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons. "Points of Light" was an unofficial nickname for the setting used during development before it was given an official name. Later, it caught on in writing and roleplaying circles concerned with worldbuilding, becoming its own term. While D&D 4th Edition certainly didn't invent such a type of setting, many of its traits were first defined on paper as its traits by Nentir Vale design principles.

So, was it a common expression, in the RPG world, before 4e? I don't recall seeing it before.

I'll do more research on this.

 

[Azzy]

Former president, and famous DM George Bush also used the term.

 

[The Soloist]

Former president, and famous DM George Bush also used the term.

In 1989. I guess he 'trumps' me!

 

[coyote6]

In 1989. I guess he 'trumps' me!

There's even a song: