WotC Responds!!!

[mkarol]

"Open" also means "open for criticism", which is exactly what WOTC did. How ironic that you believe that third party companies should have a louder voice in d20 content than the company that created and owns the trademark.

a) i'm talking OGL, not d20

and

b) Yes, WOTC does have a louder voice. They set the tenor. They can influence the 'OGL' market with a word. Just like Alan greenspan could influence the U.S. economy with a word... and I never said that they couldn't distance themselves from the product. I was one of the first ones who assumed they were related! But when the 1000lb gorrila says "boo" (or when WOTC says "inapropriate") people listen... and listen more than they should.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

And maybe you would care to explain to me why only people who think everything is right should have the right to speak their minds.

What, exactly, is wrong with knowing what is right and saying something isn't right? That's what you are saying WotC should not have done. So, does that mean that you know what's right and are you willing to say it's not right to say something's not right? That's the implication of your statement: that it is innapropriate to call something innappropriate? If so, I would like to know on what grounds do you can make that claim?

They stated "We find the subject matter distasteful and inappropriate and do not endorse, condone, or approve of its use with the Dungeons & Dragons game."

That is more than just a wash off for something that is 'not to their taste.' That is a virulent response! That is strong language! That is "We know what is right, and this is not right!" speech. And _that_ is what i was criticizing. If you make an "OPEN" game license, you should not turn around and say "Well, when we meant open, we didn’t mean _that_ open!"

Yes, WOTC does have a louder voice. They set the tenor. They can influence the 'OGL' market with a word. Just like Alan greenspan could influence the U.S. economy with a word... and I never said that they couldn't distance themselves from the product. I was one of the first ones who assumed they were related! But when the 1000lb gorrila says "boo" (or when WOTC says "inapropriate") people listen... and listen more than they should.

The interesting thing is that these statements show the same confidence in knowing what is right and that "thing X is not right" that you criticize WotC for demonstrating. How much "should" people listen to WotC? Does that mean you know how other people "should" make up their minds?

 

[Angcuru]

They stated "We find the subject matter distasteful and inappropriate and do not endorse, condone, or approve of its use with the Dungeons & Dragons game."

Translation: As gamers we like this stuff, but as a corporation, we like to wear +20 Full Plate of Arse Covering.

 

[El_Gringo]

Four words prevent me from buying this product:

Naked bearded dwarven woman.

 

[Angcuru]

Four words prevent me from buying this product:

Naked bearded dwarven woman.

I think I'll hire someone to black out those pages with a sharpie, thank you very much! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some vomitting to do.

 

[Wayside]

I mean, who would have thought that a Business Manager at WotC would publicly proclaim his affiliation with an occult church and a fetish club?

This is why I still doubt it. I mean come on... even if the book itself was real, why would AV come out as a member of an occult church? The fetish club is more plausible, but I still don't think a serious press release would mention this.

 

[zoroaster100]

disappointed

All I have to say is that I'm very disappointed in WotC, and I think they should take a closer look at what employees they will allow themselves to be represented by. It really wouldn't bother me if some small time D20 publisher did this project, but to see it come from a current high level employee of WotC, on the heels of reading Monte Cook's recounting of how he had to resist pressure from WotC to put gratuitous crap (I'm paraphrasing here) in the Book of Vile Darkness...
I think that is pretty sad. D&D is a hobby dear to my heart and I hate to see run by people who seem to have such a low opinion of me as a consumer. I also don't get how WotC can say they can't stop an employee from publishing garbage using the OGL. They can't stop someone from using the OGL, but can't they fire (or threaten to fire) employees that act publicly in a way contrary to the values of the company? If they can't, then those WotC employees must have themselves quite a union representing them to have gotten them such job security. But as for myself, I just don't buy that press release from WotC as being sincere.

 

[Cedric]

They can't stop someone from using the OGL, but can't they fire (or threaten to fire) employees that act publicly in a way contrary to the values of the company? If they can't, then those WotC employees must have themselves quite a union representing them to have gotten them such job security. But as for myself, I just don't buy that press release from WotC as being sincere.

Fire him on what basis? He has different values and beliefs?

He's taking advantage of an open license for this project, so there's nothing wrong there.

Fire him because he's a member of an Occult Church? That's religious discrimination.

He didn't go public with any of this information in his capacity as a WOTC employee. He didn't violate any laws.

Anything they do to fire him, will likely result in him filing a very successful discrimination suit.

Cedric

 

[zoroaster100]

employment laws

I never said WotC should fire employees on the basis of belonging to a cult. I could care less what cult or orgy group WotC employees belong to. It is the publishing of this product in the same line of business as WotC (roleplaying games) that I think requires action on WotC's part. (And I'm not saying WotC should fire Mr. Valterra, but rather give him an ultimatum, if they truly oppose this product and if they have a legal right to do so based on his employment contract, which of course I have no idea if they do).

 

[Tiefling]

If Valterra's contract has a non-competition clause or grants ownership of his ideas to WotC when he's working there, I doubt he's stupid enough to miss it. Is there anything else that would give them a legal basis for firing him over the book?