D&D 5E WTF Wizards of the Coast? *RANT* (video link)

[RCanine]

Heck, they are JUST NOW realizing that they need a streamlined, and integrated, digital MtG experience with the quality of Duels of the Planeswalkers and the breadth of Magic the Gathering Online. Pretty sure everyone has been shouting that for almost a decade now. So, as you can see, WotC isn't very maneuverable in the digital/tech arena; ESPECIALLY when it comes to their most analog brand.

Hmm Eerie And Rare Thing How Suddenly Their Online Needs Emerge.

 

[DM Howard]

Hmm Eerie And Rare Thing How Suddenly Their Online Needs Emerge.

Oh yeah, totally! Hearthstone called WotC's bluff on a well produced multi-platform CCG making money. They couldn't conceive it, even though their customers were clamoring for it, now Blizzard's little juggernaut is biting them in the arse and they are plotting damage control. It would be too little too late for any brand that wasn't MtG, so I wouldn't count them out yet on that front. Slow as molasses though.

Basically, if they couldn't innovate digitally with a flexible brand like MtG that already had a digital footprint then their analog brand, D&D, has little hope.

 

[Ancalagon]

Really? I didn't realise that was in effect from 3, I had thought the surface 4 was where they'd got rid of the non-pro and made pro the standard. I've been tempted to get a 4, but had to shell out cash for things I need instead of want recently so I have to wait for the funds to rebuild.

I am no expert (I would love a pro too, but well, priorities right?) but unless I completely misunderstood, the "non-pro" 3 is where they made the switch to full windows and ditched windows RT. So now it's a cheaper, smaller and less powerful "non-pro" line and a more powerful, larger and more expensive pro line. I think there is a market for both. either would be useful for gamers I believe.

 

[Ancalagon]

Back on topic: I've just barely started using roll20.net for another game that is not as well supported by this system (exalted 3rd ed). The GM told me it roll20.net was much better for established RPGs (since exalted 3e is barely out) , but I haven't tried it for those other RPGs. Would that do?

 

[ehenning]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/atomswitch/infinitas-dm

 

[spectacle]

Click here for a multimedia experience that expresses my disappointment over the lack of text content in the OP's rant.

 

[Jester David]

I skimmed my way through the video rant.

It actually does a pretty good review of pointing out the prior failures of D&D's digital tools. But somehow the OP manages not to connect the fact that WotC has had several expensive and frustrating digital failures with their reluctance to do it themselves, repeatedly calling it "easy" and saying it is wasted revenue since the fans have "dollars in hands".

It's not easy. Good software is slow and expensive. And, as painfully shown by 4e, if you DO have digital tools that do it all, people might stop buying the books since the tools do it all.
And the OP keeps talking about how WotC keeps sending C+D letters to people rather than hiring them to make the tools. Which is not how licencing works. People pay WotC to make the tool, and the fans making the tools that get shut down aren't likely to have the money WotC would ask for to licence their brand.

 

[fjw70]

Forget digital apps (which would be nice) but I would be happy with some PDFs of the core books/APs (well I am currently happy -- I love 5e -- but this would make me happier).

 

[feartheminotaur]

...WotC has had several expensive and frustrating digital failures

At least one of which, to be fair, wasn't due any fault of WotC.

 

[Jester David]

At least one of which, to be fair, wasn't due any fault of WotC.

I'd go so far as to say most of them weren't the fault of WotC. Excluding the 4e tools, most were licensed and done externally. And the 4e tools only went internal after the person they had tasked derailed the project, so there was a reduced development timeline.