Regardless, "whataboutisms" aren't the best talking point when you're just tossing out hypothetically possible scenarios with no specific evidence to support the idea that they're likely to occur. WotC has been very clear that they're looking to make a VTT, and what you're describing is not a VTT, ergo we can logically infer that it is unlikely to bear much resemblance to the final product based on the available evidence.
Hence the "How long before?" question. You know, to infer it wont be immediate.
Which is still baseless speculation; we have no tangible reason to believe this will happen beyond the standard "watch out, those corpos all want your money, your life, and your soul" assumptions.
Which is still baseless speculation; we have no tangible reason to believe this will happen beyond the standard "watch out, those corpos all want your money, your life, and your soul" assumptions.
Not an assumption. Literally what they have already said; they want to "unlock the type of recurrent spending you see in digital games."
Guess what I see in digital games these day? That's right, monetized mechanics and loot crates.
Which is still baseless speculation; we have no tangible reason to believe this will happen beyond the standard "watch out, those corpos all want your money, your life, and your soul" assumptions.
Not an assumption. Literally what they have already said; they want to "unlock the type of recurrent spending you see in digital games."
Guess what I see in digital games these day? That's right, monetized mechanics and loot crates.
How does that work in D&D, you can't "win or beat" the game in the same sense you can "win or beat" a video game?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
I don't imagine it would have anything to do with winning or beating. Rather, how much money can they squeeze out of it. Which they have stated their intention of doing in their own cooperate terms, and the extant of which is my worry.
I don't imagine it would have anything to do with winning or beating. Rather, how much money can they squeeze out of it. Which they have stated their intention of doing in their own cooperate terms, and the extant of which is my worry.
I get where you are coming from, I am just trying to see how D&D could be monetized that way, where is the incentive? If you can break the game with money how is it still the same game?
if you can't break the game with money, then there is no pressure to pay other than ordinary marketing.
Paying $1.99 to animate your cloak of billowing on the VTT doesn't break the game
Being able to purchase the wish spell at any time just might
Which was my point, if mechanics are monetised and added into the ruleset it would be received negatively by the fanbase. But people have put more money into stupider ideas.
Even poker sites didn't add in loot boxes as a way to get better hands. They just give you tournament entry tickets and that sort of thing
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Which is still baseless speculation; we have no tangible reason to believe this will happen beyond the standard "watch out, those corpos all want your money, your life, and your soul" assumptions.
Not an assumption. Literally what they have already said; they want to "unlock the type of recurrent spending you see in digital games."
Guess what I see in digital games these day? That's right, monetized mechanics and loot crates.
Which still fails to explain how they can create a viable business model out of turning D&D into a gacha/mobile game, which is objectively contrary to their stated product. "Bait and switch" only works when people either can't see the switch until it's too late, or are already invested enough to stick with it. "Oh, by the way, we've decided to turn your VTT into a gacha, now pony up" is rather unlikely to meet either criteria.
The DM, obviously, is what’s stopping them. This isn’t a computer game where some kind of algorithm is running the show and needs to accept whatever inputs it’s given. It’s an aid for tabletop.
I get where you are coming from, I am just trying to see how D&D could be monetized that way, where is the incentive? If you can break the game with money how is it still the same game?
if you can't break the game with money, then there is no pressure to pay other than ordinary marketing.
Paying $1.99 to animate your cloak of billowing on the VTT doesn't break the game
Being able to purchase the wish spell at any time just might
I understand, the inherent nature of this game provides a high degree of immunity from monetizing mechanics. Loot boxes for instance don't break the game if all they offer are cosmetics, yet it still applies pressure on those susceptible to predatory sales strategies to engage in what is affectively gambling. While you and I, may not have anything to do with it, many do. It's highly effective, and the reason you see it everywhere. Here comes along this company developing a new platform to experience the game in a 'new' visual way, stating they want to unlock the spending habits of consumers not unlike they manner they conduct in with digital games. Whether D&D in essence functions like a digital game or not is irrelevant if the publishers start treating it like a digital game. I for one, don't want to see that here.
Even poker sites didn't add in loot boxes as a way to get better hands. They just give you tournament entry tickets and that sort of thing
[REDACTED]
Poker sites could stand to lose money if they offered better hands no? WotC lose nothing if their customers pay more. Am I missing something here? Admittedly, I don't gamble.
Which still fails to explain how they can create a viable business model out of turning D&D into a gacha/mobile game, which is objectively contrary to their stated product. "Bait and switch" only works when people either can't see the switch until it's too late, or are already invested enough to stick with it. "Oh, by the way, we've decided to turn your VTT into a gacha, now pony up" is rather unlikely to meet either criteria.
All due respect, this is the third time you've mischaracterised my arguments. [REDACTED]
I get where you are coming from, I am just trying to see how D&D could be monetized that way, where is the incentive? If you can break the game with money how is it still the same game?
if you can't break the game with money, then there is no pressure to pay other than ordinary marketing.
Paying $1.99 to animate your cloak of billowing on the VTT doesn't break the game
Being able to purchase the wish spell at any time just might
I understand, the inherent nature of this game provides a high degree of immunity from monetizing mechanics. Loot boxes for instance don't break the game if all they offer are cosmetics, yet it still applies pressure on those susceptible to predatory sales strategies to engage in what is affectively gambling. While you and I, may not have anything to do with it, many do. It's highly effective, and the reason you see it everywhere. Here comes along this company developing a new platform to experience the game in a 'new' visual way, stating they want to unlock the spending habits of consumers unlike they manner they conduct with digital games. Whether D&D in essence functions like a digital game or not is irrelevant if the publishers start treating it like a digital game. I for one, don't want to see that here.
Again I just don't see it being a problem other that how they market it think pop-ups and such. Other than that let them take advantage of impulse purchasers and let the people that spend have fun "painting" their mini's on the VTT.
My personal unhealthy D&D habit is physical books, I rarely use any of them, but I love having them on my shelf. Pretty much shut-up and take my money with most books from WotC for me.
I do have concerns about how they implement whatever they ultimately settle on and if the last 18 months shows me anything, smooth and trouble free are not my first bet.
I likely will never use it, I am just trying to see your argument.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
I do have concerns about how they implement whatever they ultimately settle on and if the last 18 months shows me anything, smooth and trouble free are not my first bet.
I get where you are coming from, I am just trying to see how D&D could be monetized that way, where is the incentive? If you can break the game with money how is it still the same game?
if you can't break the game with money, then there is no pressure to pay other than ordinary marketing.
Paying $1.99 to animate your cloak of billowing on the VTT doesn't break the game
Being able to purchase the wish spell at any time just might
I understand, the inherent nature of this game provides a high degree of immunity from monetizing mechanics. Loot boxes for instance don't break the game if all they offer are cosmetics, yet it still applies pressure on those susceptible to predatory sales strategies to engage in what is affectively gambling. While you and I, may not have anything to do with it, many do. It's highly effective, and the reason you see it everywhere. Here comes along this company developing a new platform to experience the game in a 'new' visual way, stating they want to unlock the spending habits of consumers not unlike they manner they conduct in with digital games. Whether D&D in essence functions like a digital game or not is irrelevant if the publishers start treating it like a digital game. I for one, don't want to see that here.
Even poker sites didn't add in loot boxes as a way to get better hands. They just give you tournament entry tickets and that sort of thing
This is a dumb argument
Poker sites could stand to lose money if they offered better hands no? WotC lose nothing if their customers pay more. Am I missing something here? Admittedly, I don't gamble.
Which still fails to explain how they can create a viable business model out of turning D&D into a gacha/mobile game, which is objectively contrary to their stated product. "Bait and switch" only works when people either can't see the switch until it's too late, or are already invested enough to stick with it. "Oh, by the way, we've decided to turn your VTT into a gacha, now pony up" is rather unlikely to meet either criteria.
All due respect, this is the third time you've mischaracterised my arguments and presented strawmen. I'm starting to think you're commenting in bad faith.
I think you are engaging in a slippery slope argument--which is a fairly common issue both on this thread and on this forum generally. You are raising hypotheticals about how the VTT can be monetized... but have not provided any real reason to support why those things might happen. Specifically, you seem concerned about the VTT selling in-game advantages and lootboxes. The first is a bit nonsensical; the second has existed in the game for years.
Regarding in game advantages, there are two reasons why this is a silly conjecture:
1. The VTT is going to be integrated with D&D Beyond. That means integrated into D&D Beyond's homebrew system (though I expect animations might not work for many homebrew things). All those things you speculate Wizards could sell on their VTT like extra spell slots? You could do that via homebrew. They are not going to fundamentally change homebrew--it is a major draw to this site--and that means they are not going to sell something that players could just get for free.
2. The point of a VTT is to virtually emulate a tabletop experience. Changing the fundamental way the game works would result in a bad emulation and thus render the VTT less effective in its fundamental purpose. Given how much competition there is in the VTT sphere, and how easy it is to go to competitors, D&D is not going to make a VTT that is a worse representation of their own game than the VTTs their competitors make.
Regarding lootboxes in this game for YEARS now. The Icons of the Realms WizKids products are exactly that--lootboxes where you get a random miniature from the box. I do not see anyone really complaining about that... but the second it is online? Suddenly now it is a problem?
Here is the reality, there have been microtransactions in the form of miniatures and maps and other additional purchases since the '70s. Making those microtransactions digital is not really all that big of a deal.
I would probably avoid saying others are acting in bad faith or engaging in strawmen arguments you are engaging in an unsupported slippery slope argument and asking folks to prove a negative future.
I'll bite on that second part--I think there are two fairly obvious reasons why your slippery slope hypothetical will never come to pass:
1. The VTT is going to be integrated with D&D Beyond. That means integrated into D&D Beyond's homebrew system (though I expect animations might not work for many homebrew things). All those things you speculate Wizards could sell on their VTT like extra spell slots? You could do that via homebrew. They are not going to fundamentally change homebrew--it is a major draw to this site--and that means they are not going to sell something that players could just get for free.
2. The point of a VTT is to virtually emulate a tabletop experience. Changing the fundamental way the game works would result in a bad emulation and thus render the VTT less effective in its fundamental purpose. Given how much competition there is in the VTT sphere, and how easy it is to go to competitors, D&D is not going to make a VTT that is a worse representation of their own game than the VTTs their competitors make.
Now, the VTT certainly will be monetized in some way. I expect they will monetize it with the same microtransaction they have been using in physical since the '70s--selling miniatures, map books, etc. Honestly, I do not know why folks get in such a tizzy about "but there will be microtransactions!" when... those are the same microtransactions we players have casually been accepting for decades.
Perhaps my argument was predicated on a slippery slope argument based on the companies actions and stated intentions in the last year or so, and how jaded I've felt towards them in response. But it does not make their argument any less of a strawman or enacted in bad faith. You on the other hand have concisely yet detailedly explained why my worries are unlikely to pass, so thank you for engaging with the discussion properly.
Regarding the microtransactions; which players have been casually accepting them? None that I know (Maybe that's not saying much). We get in a tizzy about them because we don't like the manner in which they are implemented. Often it's predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily. The trope of the kid running with their parents credit cards? Yeah, it happens. It's not nice, and many games have been ruined because of them.
I would probably avoid saying others are acting in bad faith or engaging in strawmen arguments you are engaging in an unsupported slippery slope argument and asking folks to prove a negative future.
I'll bite on that second part--I think there are two fairly obvious reasons why your slippery slope hypothetical will never come to pass:
1. The VTT is going to be integrated with D&D Beyond. That means integrated into D&D Beyond's homebrew system (though I expect animations might not work for many homebrew things). All those things you speculate Wizards could sell on their VTT like extra spell slots? You could do that via homebrew. They are not going to fundamentally change homebrew--it is a major draw to this site--and that means they are not going to sell something that players could just get for free.
2. The point of a VTT is to virtually emulate a tabletop experience. Changing the fundamental way the game works would result in a bad emulation and thus render the VTT less effective in its fundamental purpose. Given how much competition there is in the VTT sphere, and how easy it is to go to competitors, D&D is not going to make a VTT that is a worse representation of their own game than the VTTs their competitors make.
Now, the VTT certainly will be monetized in some way. I expect they will monetize it with the same microtransaction they have been using in physical since the '70s--selling miniatures, map books, etc. Honestly, I do not know why folks get in such a tizzy about "but there will be microtransactions!" when... those are the same microtransactions we players have casually been accepting for decades.
Perhaps my argument was predicated on a slippery slope argument based on the companies actions and stated intentions in the last year or so, and how jaded I've felt towards them in response. But it does not make their argument any less of a strawman or enacted in bad faith. You on the other hand have concisely yet detailedly explained why my worries are unlikely to pass, so thank you for engaging with the discussion properly.
Regarding the microtransactions; which players have been casually accepting them? None that I know (Maybe that's not saying much). We get in a tizzy about them because we don't like the manner in which they are implemented. Often it's predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily. The trope of the kid running with their parents credit cards? Yeah, it happens. It's not nice, and many games have been ruined because of them.
Every player who has ever bought a miniature, bought an official map pack, bought a small-scale Extra Life product, bought spell, item, or monster cards... all of those have been microtransactions. They're microtransactions that give you a physical product (or at least most of them are), but they are microtransactions nonetheless. These have been a feature of D&D since the 70s and have yet to kill the game. I highly doubt having them also be available in digital is going to drastically change anything.
Every player who has ever bought a miniature, bought an official map pack, bought a small-scale Extra Life product, bought spell, item, or monster cards... all of those have been microtransactions. They're microtransactions that give you a physical product (or at least most of them are), but they are microtransactions nonetheless. These have been a feature of D&D since the 70s and have yet to kill the game. I highly doubt having them also be available in digital is going to drastically change anything.
Again, it's not their existence that irks me so, I don't like the manner in which they are often implemented. Digitally you're buying pixels, and often it's more in your face/predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily.
Every player who has ever bought a miniature, bought an official map pack, bought a small-scale Extra Life product, bought spell, item, or monster cards... all of those have been microtransactions. They're microtransactions that give you a physical product (or at least most of them are), but they are microtransactions nonetheless. These have been a feature of D&D since the 70s and have yet to kill the game. I highly doubt having them also be available in digital is going to drastically change anything.
Again, it's not their existence that irks me so, I don't like the manner in which they are often implemented. Digitally you're buying pixels, and often it's more in your face/predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily.
What do you think you are buying with Netflix, Spotify, or DDB digital books?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
Every player who has ever bought a miniature, bought an official map pack, bought a small-scale Extra Life product, bought spell, item, or monster cards... all of those have been microtransactions. They're microtransactions that give you a physical product (or at least most of them are), but they are microtransactions nonetheless. These have been a feature of D&D since the 70s and have yet to kill the game. I highly doubt having them also be available in digital is going to drastically change anything.
Again, it's not their existence that irks me so, I don't like the manner in which they are often implemented. Digitally you're buying pixels, and often it's more in your face/predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily.
They may be predatory to some, but they are actively beneficial to others—the existence of microtransactions allows the monthly costs to be lower, since there is a different revenue stream making up the difference. There are plenty of folks who would rather have a smaller monthly payment and ignore the microtransactions, since that ends up cheaper for them than a non-micro-transaction game would be. Ultimately, the important thing is how it is set up—and that is something we just don’t know and have no way of meaningfully speculating on.
Now, could the system be set up so it is in your face and intrusive? Sure. But that is going back down the slippery slope. It also could be very non-intrusive, with you getting access to content you already purchased on Beyond (I.e. buy a book on Beyond, you get the monster minis for it). Or it could be something else entirely—either good or bad.
Right now, we don’t know anything. I’m not really willing to engage in rampant speculation over how Wizards might monetise the VTT—and I am certainly not going to stress over the endless possibilities of what it might look like.
My entire point was that while I hope it is the former and not the later, I do not have the full confidence in WotC to implement it in a non-predatory manner. Especially when the predatory manner is the norm in digital games these days, and WotC have actively claimed they’re looking monetizing D&D like digital games. I really do not see how that speculation is baseless. Could I be wrong? Of course. Is it baseless? Not really.
Which is still baseless speculation; we have no tangible reason to believe this will happen beyond the standard "watch out, those corpos all want your money, your life, and your soul" assumptions.
Not an assumption. Literally what they have already said; they want to "unlock the type of recurrent spending you see in digital games."
Guess what I see in digital games these day? That's right, monetized mechanics and loot crates.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].How does that work in D&D, you can't "win or beat" the game in the same sense you can "win or beat" a video game?
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
I don't imagine it would have anything to do with winning or beating. Rather, how much money can they squeeze out of it. Which they have stated their intention of doing in their own cooperate terms, and the extant of which is my worry.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].I get where you are coming from, I am just trying to see how D&D could be monetized that way, where is the incentive? If you can break the game with money how is it still the same game?
if you can't break the game with money, then there is no pressure to pay other than ordinary marketing.
Paying $1.99 to animate your cloak of billowing on the VTT doesn't break the game
Being able to purchase the wish spell at any time just might
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
Even poker sites didn't add in loot boxes as a way to get better hands. They just give you tournament entry tickets and that sort of thing
[REDACTED]
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Which still fails to explain how they can create a viable business model out of turning D&D into a gacha/mobile game, which is objectively contrary to their stated product. "Bait and switch" only works when people either can't see the switch until it's too late, or are already invested enough to stick with it. "Oh, by the way, we've decided to turn your VTT into a gacha, now pony up" is rather unlikely to meet either criteria.
Stops the DM from doing what?
I understand, the inherent nature of this game provides a high degree of immunity from monetizing mechanics. Loot boxes for instance don't break the game if all they offer are cosmetics, yet it still applies pressure on those susceptible to predatory sales strategies to engage in what is affectively gambling. While you and I, may not have anything to do with it, many do. It's highly effective, and the reason you see it everywhere. Here comes along this company developing a new platform to experience the game in a 'new' visual way, stating they want to unlock the spending habits of consumers not unlike they manner they conduct in with digital games. Whether D&D in essence functions like a digital game or not is irrelevant if the publishers start treating it like a digital game. I for one, don't want to see that here.
Poker sites could stand to lose money if they offered better hands no? WotC lose nothing if their customers pay more. Am I missing something here? Admittedly, I don't gamble.
All due respect, this is the third time you've mischaracterised my arguments. [REDACTED]
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].Again I just don't see it being a problem other that how they market it think pop-ups and such. Other than that let them take advantage of impulse purchasers and let the people that spend have fun "painting" their mini's on the VTT.
My personal unhealthy D&D habit is physical books, I rarely use any of them, but I love having them on my shelf. Pretty much shut-up and take my money with most books from WotC for me.
I do have concerns about how they implement whatever they ultimately settle on and if the last 18 months shows me anything, smooth and trouble free are not my first bet.
I likely will never use it, I am just trying to see your argument.
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
Mine neither, but I hope were wrong this time.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].I think you are engaging in a slippery slope argument--which is a fairly common issue both on this thread and on this forum generally. You are raising hypotheticals about how the VTT can be monetized... but have not provided any real reason to support why those things might happen. Specifically, you seem concerned about the VTT selling in-game advantages and lootboxes. The first is a bit nonsensical; the second has existed in the game for years.
Regarding in game advantages, there are two reasons why this is a silly conjecture:
1. The VTT is going to be integrated with D&D Beyond. That means integrated into D&D Beyond's homebrew system (though I expect animations might not work for many homebrew things). All those things you speculate Wizards could sell on their VTT like extra spell slots? You could do that via homebrew. They are not going to fundamentally change homebrew--it is a major draw to this site--and that means they are not going to sell something that players could just get for free.
2. The point of a VTT is to virtually emulate a tabletop experience. Changing the fundamental way the game works would result in a bad emulation and thus render the VTT less effective in its fundamental purpose. Given how much competition there is in the VTT sphere, and how easy it is to go to competitors, D&D is not going to make a VTT that is a worse representation of their own game than the VTTs their competitors make.
Regarding lootboxes in this game for YEARS now. The Icons of the Realms WizKids products are exactly that--lootboxes where you get a random miniature from the box. I do not see anyone really complaining about that... but the second it is online? Suddenly now it is a problem?
Here is the reality, there have been microtransactions in the form of miniatures and maps and other additional purchases since the '70s. Making those microtransactions digital is not really all that big of a deal.
Perhaps my argument was predicated on a slippery slope argument based on the companies actions and stated intentions in the last year or so, and how jaded I've felt towards them in response. But it does not make their argument any less of a strawman or enacted in bad faith. You on the other hand have concisely yet detailedly explained why my worries are unlikely to pass, so thank you for engaging with the discussion properly.
Regarding the microtransactions; which players have been casually accepting them? None that I know (Maybe that's not saying much). We get in a tizzy about them because we don't like the manner in which they are implemented. Often it's predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily. The trope of the kid running with their parents credit cards? Yeah, it happens. It's not nice, and many games have been ruined because of them.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].Every player who has ever bought a miniature, bought an official map pack, bought a small-scale Extra Life product, bought spell, item, or monster cards... all of those have been microtransactions. They're microtransactions that give you a physical product (or at least most of them are), but they are microtransactions nonetheless. These have been a feature of D&D since the 70s and have yet to kill the game. I highly doubt having them also be available in digital is going to drastically change anything.
Again, it's not their existence that irks me so, I don't like the manner in which they are often implemented. Digitally you're buying pixels, and often it's more in your face/predatory, and affects those with addictive tendencies more heavily.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].What do you think you are buying with Netflix, Spotify, or DDB digital books?
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
I'll tell you what I'm not buying. I'm not paying $1.99 for a 0.5% chance of unlocking the movie I want to watch.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].LOL, I am there with you on that!
CENSORSHIP IS THE TOOL OF COWARDS and WANNA BE TYRANTS.
They may be predatory to some, but they are actively beneficial to others—the existence of microtransactions allows the monthly costs to be lower, since there is a different revenue stream making up the difference. There are plenty of folks who would rather have a smaller monthly payment and ignore the microtransactions, since that ends up cheaper for them than a non-micro-transaction game would be. Ultimately, the important thing is how it is set up—and that is something we just don’t know and have no way of meaningfully speculating on.
Now, could the system be set up so it is in your face and intrusive? Sure. But that is going back down the slippery slope. It also could be very non-intrusive, with you getting access to content you already purchased on Beyond (I.e. buy a book on Beyond, you get the monster minis for it). Or it could be something else entirely—either good or bad.
Right now, we don’t know anything. I’m not really willing to engage in rampant speculation over how Wizards might monetise the VTT—and I am certainly not going to stress over the endless possibilities of what it might look like.
My entire point was that while I hope it is the former and not the later, I do not have the full confidence in WotC to implement it in a non-predatory manner. Especially when the predatory manner is the norm in digital games these days, and WotC have actively claimed they’re looking monetizing D&D like digital games. I really do not see how that speculation is baseless. Could I be wrong? Of course. Is it baseless? Not really.
Free Content: [Basic Rules],
[Phandelver],[Frozen Sick],[Acquisitions Inc.],[Vecna Dossier],[Radiant Citadel], [Spelljammer],[Dragonlance], [Prisoner 13],[Minecraft],[Star Forge], [Baldur’s Gate], [Lightning Keep], [Stormwreck Isle], [Pinebrook], [Caverns of Tsojcanth], [The Lost Horn], [Elemental Evil].Free Dice: [Frostmaiden],
[Flourishing], [Sanguine],[Themberchaud], [Baldur's Gate 3], [Lego].