I like D&D Beyond. It's a fantastic tool for homebrew and accessing the official content. I like using it. I would miss not having it. So would my players, who enjoy my shared content.
There is a lot going on in the community at the moment and like many I think about where I stand and what the future of this hobby and this community might look like. There is a more or less confirmed version leaked of the OGL 1.1 and I don't agree a bit with the new direction of how Wizards of the Coast want to run this game.
That being said, I still believe that there are still enough people at Wizards of Coast that love the game equally as much as I do. Atleast I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but that get's harder and harder everyday of official silence.
Why do you not explain your reasoning behind the new OGL? Why do you not try to defend yourselves? Is the leak true? Are you still committing to your plan?
I really don't want to be a drama queen, but are we not even worth an explanation to you? How should I take this silence? All this talk about the community and how we shape what D&D will look like in the future... You say a lot by not saying anything at all and the message I get, is that you simply don't care.
Based on leaks. They were watching subscriptions and then a massive wave of cancellations caused them to pause.
Of course, I'm sure they are pissed at the leak, except for the fact that was going to happen anyhow if they went through with it.
Now the downside is the damage is done and D&D won't likely recover for years. They shit on their most hardcore fans. Now their hardcore fans will play and build worlds for other games instead of D&D.
The worst part about this? There are true through and through D&D lovers who work for Hasbro and WotC (and DnDBeyond for that matter) They had to be a part of the wrong side of this debacle.
To all DnDBeyond, Hasbro, and Wizards of the Coast employees who wanted no part of this corporate power / money grab. We, the TTRPG community. We still love you and we thank you for everything you've done for the game and our community. You have mine and many others respect. You will always be welcome at my gaming table!
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Info, Inflow, Overload. Knowledge Black Hole Imminent!
Now the downside is the damage is done and D&D won't likely recover for years. They shit on their most hardcore fans. Now their hardcore fans will play and build worlds for other games instead of D&D.
The damage is done, indeed. WOTC/Hasbro has shown us what they will do if they can get away with it: they've shown us there is no love for the game or community involved in their decisions. Everything they've made attempts at in the last few years in particular (inclusivity, creating adventures and scenarios that aren't just about combat, etc.) now feels like thin, performative crap done only to placate people.
And just as with other betrayals, even if they come back with a less draconian version of a new OGL, now we know what they're capable of. We know what they would do if there were no external checks. And what they would do is **** us over as often and lucratively as they could.
I think my only hope at this point is that this turns into such a debacle that Cocks and Williams are both let go/leave the company soon and quickly, and perhaps folks with a bit more focus on the people and things that helped make 5E and WOTC a success replace them.
WotC are cowards. And so are the mods. Sorry but I felt like I had to say that.
You know, if you go to their Discord, Reddit, etc. This chatter is being ban / deleted by their mods there. They aren't doing that here, and I cannot tell you how both surprised and pleased I am at that.
I only had one post deleted and in truth. The reason for the removal was something I said that broke a different rule. (my bad!)
The answer is very simple: money talks. Put a short position on HAS, invest in other systems, and spread the word to boycott any wotc content. There are TONS of other great systems to play out there with base D20 and D6 systems. I’d recommend anyone to dig up some really popular TTRPGs and go play those ones.
WotC are cowards. And so are the mods. Sorry but I felt like I had to say that.
Honestly I'm surprised the mods haven't locked any threads so far. I'm wondering if some of them quit after being told to quiet us up, and the executives are just giving up and telling the mods to not respond at all.
Hosted a battle between the Cult of Sedge and the Forum Countershere(Done now). I_Love_Tarrasques has won the fight, scoring a victory for the fiendish Moderators.
WotC are cowards. And so are the mods. Sorry but I felt like I had to say that.
Honestly I'm surprised the mods haven't locked any threads so far. I'm wondering if some of them quit after being told to quiet us up, and the executives are just giving up and telling the mods to not respond at all.
I dare the mods to intervene, it’ll only add timber to the ever growing wildfire.
While I understand wanting to stick with a game you love, you should really divorce the idea you have of Dungeons and Dragons from the corporation running it currently; as far as I'm concerned, D&D is a community game that is built on the backs of human storytelling and shared experiences, which happens to be monetized by a company due to it having to exist in a capitalistic structure. As a game, and really what it is and has come to be over the decades? No company can genuinely claim ownership of that; it was forged by many, many people over many years. This isn't some IP that rolled off the corporate conveyer belt fully formed, this was something much more homespun that a company happens to kinda-own. Legally speaking it may be less grey for some people, but I'm talking about ethics and morals and ownership of concept, not human laws.
WOTC and by extension Hasbro don't even see you as worth the time of day to write up a quick paragraph and send it out there. They sure as hell aren't going to value the 3rd party content creators that largely made 5e the popular powerhouse that it is today due to their combined creative efforts in conjunction with the WOTC offerings for 5e in any meaningful way, either. I'm not sure why anyone would want to support a company like that, which is so clearly going to great lengths to spell out for it's customers in broad daylight just how little they matter to them.
It's a community game and they're blowing up the community and then sticking their heads in the sand. They do not care.
We (my friends and I) started playing DND during the pandemic, and we all deeply dove into CR (which I can only imagine is another can of worms with this drama) but also into homebrew content from small creators. We likely spend equally on official WOTC content as we did on homebrew content to bring our campaign to life. Each of us split off creating our own campaigns and one shots using a beautiful blend of official and unofficial content. I know this is anecdotal but we are the consumers of this blended TTRPG experience which this OGL change effects. We are watching our favorite creators who helped get us through the pandemic being hurt by an organization that sparked their creativity in the first place.
Their silence, no matter caused by the drop in subscriptions or planned, is telling of how disconnected WOTC is with their creators and consumers. My friends and I who have used DDB since the very beginning of our love for this game, are ready to delete our accounts and leave it behind for those who care about our rights as consumers and potential creators.
What could they even do at this point to salvage the damage done with DDB accounts dropping so quickly every hour they don't respond.
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I like D&D Beyond. It's a fantastic tool for homebrew and accessing the official content. I like using it. I would miss not having it. So would my players, who enjoy my shared content.
There is a lot going on in the community at the moment and like many I think about where I stand and what the future of this hobby and this community might look like. There is a more or less confirmed version leaked of the OGL 1.1 and I don't agree a bit with the new direction of how Wizards of the Coast want to run this game.
That being said, I still believe that there are still enough people at Wizards of Coast that love the game equally as much as I do. Atleast I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but that get's harder and harder everyday of official silence.
Why do you not explain your reasoning behind the new OGL? Why do you not try to defend yourselves? Is the leak true? Are you still committing to your plan?
I really don't want to be a drama queen, but are we not even worth an explanation to you? How should I take this silence? All this talk about the community and how we shape what D&D will look like in the future... You say a lot by not saying anything at all and the message I get, is that you simply don't care.
Sincerly,
A once very happy customer
I think they’re trying to figure out what to say.
I really like D&D, especially Ravenloft, Exandria and the Upside Down from Stranger Things. My pronouns are she/they (genderfae).
Based on leaks. They were watching subscriptions and then a massive wave of cancellations caused them to pause.
Of course, I'm sure they are pissed at the leak, except for the fact that was going to happen anyhow if they went through with it.
Now the downside is the damage is done and D&D won't likely recover for years. They shit on their most hardcore fans. Now their hardcore fans will play and build worlds for other games instead of D&D.
The worst part about this? There are true through and through D&D lovers who work for Hasbro and WotC (and DnDBeyond for that matter) They had to be a part of the wrong side of this debacle.
To all DnDBeyond, Hasbro, and Wizards of the Coast employees who wanted no part of this corporate power / money grab. We, the TTRPG community. We still love you and we thank you for everything you've done for the game and our community. You have mine and many others respect. You will always be welcome at my gaming table!
Info, Inflow, Overload. Knowledge Black Hole Imminent!
I am beyond disappointed with the OGL leaks if accurate. Definitely will be holding off buying any more material from them for the foreseeable future.
The damage is done, indeed. WOTC/Hasbro has shown us what they will do if they can get away with it: they've shown us there is no love for the game or community involved in their decisions. Everything they've made attempts at in the last few years in particular (inclusivity, creating adventures and scenarios that aren't just about combat, etc.) now feels like thin, performative crap done only to placate people.
And just as with other betrayals, even if they come back with a less draconian version of a new OGL, now we know what they're capable of. We know what they would do if there were no external checks. And what they would do is **** us over as often and lucratively as they could.
I think my only hope at this point is that this turns into such a debacle that Cocks and Williams are both let go/leave the company soon and quickly, and perhaps folks with a bit more focus on the people and things that helped make 5E and WOTC a success replace them.
WotC are cowards. And so are the mods. Sorry but I felt like I had to say that.
I uses to be dndlover_2.
You know, if you go to their Discord, Reddit, etc. This chatter is being ban / deleted by their mods there. They aren't doing that here, and I cannot tell you how both surprised and pleased I am at that.
I only had one post deleted and in truth. The reason for the removal was something I said that broke a different rule. (my bad!)
Info, Inflow, Overload. Knowledge Black Hole Imminent!
The answer is very simple: money talks. Put a short position on HAS, invest in other systems, and spread the word to boycott any wotc content. There are TONS of other great systems to play out there with base D20 and D6 systems. I’d recommend anyone to dig up some really popular TTRPGs and go play those ones.
D&D is B&
D&D is Now Trash
Goodbye
Honestly I'm surprised the mods haven't locked any threads so far. I'm wondering if some of them quit after being told to quiet us up, and the executives are just giving up and telling the mods to not respond at all.
Subclass Evaluations So Far:
Sorcerer
Warlock
My statblock. Fear me!
Hosted a battle between the Cult of Sedge and the Forum Counters here(Done now). I_Love_Tarrasques has won the fight, scoring a victory for the fiendish Moderators.
This reminds me of early 2010's when EA made similar money grabbing moves in the video game industry.
Sad that WotC/Hasbro are repeating history here
What's sadder is that they're repeating their own history here. This is very much what happened in 2008 when 4E came out, but bigger and worse.
I dare the mods to intervene, it’ll only add timber to the ever growing wildfire.
I uses to be dndlover_2.
If what we're seeing about how WOTC leadership views customers and runs the company, DDB staff might be not-so-secretly cheering us on.
While I understand wanting to stick with a game you love, you should really divorce the idea you have of Dungeons and Dragons from the corporation running it currently; as far as I'm concerned, D&D is a community game that is built on the backs of human storytelling and shared experiences, which happens to be monetized by a company due to it having to exist in a capitalistic structure. As a game, and really what it is and has come to be over the decades? No company can genuinely claim ownership of that; it was forged by many, many people over many years. This isn't some IP that rolled off the corporate conveyer belt fully formed, this was something much more homespun that a company happens to kinda-own. Legally speaking it may be less grey for some people, but I'm talking about ethics and morals and ownership of concept, not human laws.
WOTC and by extension Hasbro don't even see you as worth the time of day to write up a quick paragraph and send it out there. They sure as hell aren't going to value the 3rd party content creators that largely made 5e the popular powerhouse that it is today due to their combined creative efforts in conjunction with the WOTC offerings for 5e in any meaningful way, either. I'm not sure why anyone would want to support a company like that, which is so clearly going to great lengths to spell out for it's customers in broad daylight just how little they matter to them.
It's a community game and they're blowing up the community and then sticking their heads in the sand. They do not care.
We (my friends and I) started playing DND during the pandemic, and we all deeply dove into CR (which I can only imagine is another can of worms with this drama) but also into homebrew content from small creators. We likely spend equally on official WOTC content as we did on homebrew content to bring our campaign to life. Each of us split off creating our own campaigns and one shots using a beautiful blend of official and unofficial content. I know this is anecdotal but we are the consumers of this blended TTRPG experience which this OGL change effects. We are watching our favorite creators who helped get us through the pandemic being hurt by an organization that sparked their creativity in the first place.
Their silence, no matter caused by the drop in subscriptions or planned, is telling of how disconnected WOTC is with their creators and consumers. My friends and I who have used DDB since the very beginning of our love for this game, are ready to delete our accounts and leave it behind for those who care about our rights as consumers and potential creators.
What could they even do at this point to salvage the damage done with DDB accounts dropping so quickly every hour they don't respond.