Kristian Serrano
Explorer
Keep in mind that some individuals might still feel jaded about "promises" regarding MasterTools made when 3e was released, too.
WOTC: Making a statement is not making a promise
- Thread starter catsclaw227
- Start date
Tewligan
First Post
It may not have been an actual promise, but I think it was damn close to outright deception that they kept pretty mum on DDI being unavailable at the launch of 4e. They KNEW people were reasonably assuming it would launch at the same time, and they were talking about how awesome it was going to be right up until that lame excuse of "Jeez, we were working so hard on it that we plum forgot to tell you guys it wouldn't be ready!"
I do not believe that WotC promised much. But I do believe that we were outright lied to in some cases.
D20 Spectaculars was in their release schedule, it was available on Amazon for pre-order. I would call that a promise.
We were told that the book was finished and that it was going to the printer the next week. I would call that a lie.
We were told that there was new material in the works for D20 modern, that they had specific staff working on it. It turns out that those people were working on 4e months before we were told this. That is what I would call a lie.
We were told that there were several articles and adventures for D20 modern finished and waiting to be put up on the website by the web staff. Then gleemax launched. At best I would say they blew us off, but I find it hard to believe that the WotC staff members that talked to the community were unaware of gleemax. Most likely a lie.
When the community was asked to offer suggestions for the forum reorganization at gleemax, we were told that our opinions mattered. That was a lie, the entire d20 modern section was removed despite the protestations of dozens of active forum members.
Bitter much? Why yes, I do. WotC abandoned me as a customer and had the gall to string me along with lies in the process so that they could produce the steaming pile that is 4e/GSL/Gleemax.
D20 Spectaculars was in their release schedule, it was available on Amazon for pre-order. I would call that a promise.
We were told that the book was finished and that it was going to the printer the next week. I would call that a lie.
We were told that there was new material in the works for D20 modern, that they had specific staff working on it. It turns out that those people were working on 4e months before we were told this. That is what I would call a lie.
We were told that there were several articles and adventures for D20 modern finished and waiting to be put up on the website by the web staff. Then gleemax launched. At best I would say they blew us off, but I find it hard to believe that the WotC staff members that talked to the community were unaware of gleemax. Most likely a lie.
When the community was asked to offer suggestions for the forum reorganization at gleemax, we were told that our opinions mattered. That was a lie, the entire d20 modern section was removed despite the protestations of dozens of active forum members.
Bitter much? Why yes, I do. WotC abandoned me as a customer and had the gall to string me along with lies in the process so that they could produce the steaming pile that is 4e/GSL/Gleemax.
Bingo! Right on target!
At the end of the day, a discussion about promises made versus kept, really comes down to managing expectations.
-Yes, as passionate (rabid?) fans, we get excited about previews and hearing about the latest plans that our favorite gaming companies are making. And yes, those companies want our buzz and excitment to help generate sales.
-I also believe that a company who consistently (please take note of that word) communicates with its customers and shares both good news and bad news in a timely manner, is likely to be given the benefit of the doubt when plans get changed and players become disappointed.
-But when companies knowingly withhold information or even use misleading information, they open themselves up to justified criticism by their customers.
In the case above, WotC knew full well that they were no where close to being able to offer the full DDI (as they were continuing to advertise ) well in advance of 4E's launch. Yet they made the conscious decision not to release the information. Does that warrant criticism? I certainly think so.
As I said above, its all a question of managing expectations. Some companies make an honest and consistent effort to do so, and garner the respect and appreciation of their customers because of it. Other companies don't adopt that practice, and face the pitfalls and speed bumps that with making that call.
The Little Raven
First Post
"Mum" means silent. Making an official announcement that most aspects will not be available at 4e's launch a month in advance of that launch is not silence.
Kristian Serrano
Explorer
1) One month isn't a lot of advance notice for those who have ended their campaigns and/or sold their 3e stuff.
2) It's silence when nothing was said at D&D XP 2008, just two months prior. In fact, they were talking as though these online tools and resources would be available at 4e launch, and now the game table won't be available until 2009? When did they get a clue that they wouldn't make the 4e launch deadline?
Why, though? It's been a few years now, it may be time to stop grinding that axe and let it go.
As for the rest, when pressed by hordes of screaming fans they mentioned things they hoped and dreamed and would have liked to have happened, be it a release date or a product or an idea. It didn't make it. That is life, sadly. I can understand the frustration, I can understand the aw shucks we didn't get that woobie we wanted. What I don't get is the frothing at the mouth vitriol I see from time to time.
Even if they used the word promise and double-dog swore on a stack of Bibles that they would do something, that still doesn't mean you are going to get it. Life happens. You run out of money, a dev runs off to Hawaii with all your plans, your dog eats your only copy of that rule, whatever.
Dunno. As I've gotten older, things like this just don't get a rise out of me. I equate it to my wife telling me she'll be home at 6 and getting home at 6:30. Gimme a call, let me know what is up, but being bitter about it years later?
Because in the business world, silence is usually worse than stating your plans, and having them change.
It isn't just publishing, or software - it is the world in general: The Plan often fails. But it is important to let people know what The Plan is, so they know you have one, that you're putting thought and work into it, because in the end The Plan isn't nearly as important as the process of planning.
Kristian Serrano
Explorer
I think it's a lack of faith. The absolute statements made during the 2007 GenCon presentation made it sound as though the tools were nearly complete, especially with all the screenshots and videos. At least that's when I thought, "Wow, they finally got this digital thing right!" after struggling with E-Tools and other products for so long (consider the lack of continuing support for official data sets by that point).
Now, there is nothing that has been shown or communicated that leads me to believe that the D&DI tools are anything more than what MasterTools were. I equate the current tools to be the equivalent of the Character Generator that came with the 3e PHB, and I won't be surprised if that's all we'll ever get. That's not to say that my opinion is that we will never get the other tools.
For me, it's more like my wife telling me "Go ahead and have dinner without me, I'm going to be really late. In fact, I will probably be home some time tomorrow, but I can't give a definite time."
The Little Raven
First Post
Ah yes, because everyone was ending campaigns and selling off 3e books only because they believed that all aspects of the D&D Insider would be available from launch day. Right.
And how is that relevant to my point that Tewligan's claim of "radio silence" is verifiably false?
Silence at the D&D XP? Yes. Total silence, as claimed? No.
No idea, but this claim that they never stated it would be delayed in advance is false. And when they learned it does not always figure into when it is announced, as anyone who has worked for a corporation that has ever delayed a product knows. The last game we launched at my (soon-to-be former) company was about 3 months late, and we knew six months ahead that it wouldn't be done. Management, however, didn't make the announcement until two weeks before the announced release date.
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