Speculation on Running Wizards of the Coast

If I ran Wizards of the Coast . . . 

1. I'd fire the Legal Department and replace them with lawyers who like to create for Dungeons and Dragons.

2. Release Original D&D, BECMI D&D, Advanced D&D 1, Advanced D&D 2, and D&D 3.x into the public domain.
3. Put 4e on a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 U.S. free license and do the same with Forgotten Realms and Eberron.
4. Sell all non-selling properties relating to D&D back to their original creators.
5. Retain the Trademark on the D&D brand and peddle the Brand to Hollywood, Anime Tokyo, and everywhere to encourage derivative works in other media.
6. Transform the publishing department to work like a novel or book publisher where we'd publish other people's work as well as our own and make sure they retain all rights to their work.

So, what would you do if you ran Wizards of the Coast?

4th Edition: A boat dead in the water?

What is it about D&D and WotC's dropping of the Open Game License? Well, Greywulf looked at it pretty hard as to why it was dropped. But there are a few disenting opinions. My answer is that the reason why 4th Edition sales have dropped off is that:

I. WotC treats its customer base like children (or is that Hasbro?). It must be one of the two.
A. Changing the STL back when the Book of Erotic Fantasy was announced.
B. WotC not sharing all their toys after an appropriate time has passed.
C. Dropping the OGL and using the GSL. Only to make the GSL so restrictive that its legal language scares away people who could be providing good 3rd party support.
D. The revoking of all their PDFs, leaving the only way you can get a Wizards' PDF is through filesharing.

Really, most of WotC's customers now are my age. Some of us smoke, some of us drink, some of us have kids of our own who we are sharing the hobby with, and some of us still think of ways to change the World like the Hippy and Flower Child generations before us. We are adults now, and we are still treated like children. By companies run by people our age who grew up with us and the times we've experienced.

Another reason why WotC's 4th edition is dropping off in sales is that some people who played 4th Edition have decided that the edition doesn't work for them. Case in point, my cousin Eric and his group all made the decision that 4th Edition does not work for them and so they stopped playing it and took up Pathfinder instead. So, why is that WotC's 4th Edition of D&D doesn't work for a lot of people who played D&D for years?

I can't personally answer that question. All I can say is that Hasbro/WotC has not treated me or my peers as adults. But we are in our thirties now, we are an age group that can really affect change. We are an age group bringing up our own children, and we are an age group that has come into our own. Some of us are representatives in Congress. Some of us are Senators, and some of us could be Governors of our states in the not to distant future. So, why the missed love? Why the missed appreciation? Why doesn't Hasbro/WotC just treat us like adults and have the good faith to produce 3rd party support for 4th Edition or to buy PDFs?

Well, besides we Libertarians and our case against Copyright, there is a Pirate Party that has been organized. Apparently, the Copyright Laws give private companies to police their IP, and they don't really care whether IP is a myth or not. This includes WotC.

I really think people in the World are getting fed up with Copyright. The U.S. Pirate Party, the Swedish Pirate Party, and other Pirate Parties all have platforms that fight abuse of copyright and to reform copyright to make it more liberal and just for all, and not only gives a few the power. I support my fellow Americans in the reformation of the Copyright Acts, and the revocation of the DMCA. While I can't answer any personal feelings about 4th Edition, I do have personal feelings about Copyright abuse.

Wizards of the Coast has a fansite policy?

Oh, you can bet its up now. A fansite policy. Reading it, you can tell one thing about Wizards.

THEY HATE THEIR CUSTOMERS! THEY HATE US!

Come on, Wizards, where is the love? What happened to the hippy movement in the 1960's. The Summer of Luv, the Winter of Luv? What happened to the pioneering movement of the Open Gaming License? I think you just threw all of that away. So, just . . . stick your license up your proverbial donkey!

What? You're hiding behind that stupid Copyright Law guaranteed by the Constitution? Uhm, Wizards, you've abused that Law one too many times to hide behind it now. Look at what happened. You've set a legal precedent for games that can't be stopped (the Open Game License). Anyone can create a game now based off the d20 system, you can't stop it. Why, do you say, its your legal perogative? Look, you {expletive censored for those with sensitive eyes} Intellectual Property is a myth so DEAL WITH IT!

4th Edition, Again!

Oh yes, somebody tried to sell me the 4th Edition of Dungeons and Dragons today on the WotC boards. I told him to relax and calm down. Basically, 4th Edition is the current incarnation of the game, but really is it worth it to buy? Seriously, I ask myself this. Why buy a system that could change in the next year?

I have realized that there is more to life than playing Dungeons and Dragons; especially when it has become a game that keeps on changing every 2 years. Dungeons and Dragons follows all the trends, but now it's gotten out of hand. Looking at the History of Dungeons and Dragons, the game has gone from the iconic RPG to one that follows trends in RPGs. This is because I've heard that they are working on 4.5. And the game isn't even 2 yet!

So, what am I getting out of Dungeons and Dragons, playing it? So far, I made myself a social outcast. I mean really, I am a social outcast for much of my life. I either took life too seriously, or I found it to be too oppressive on myself. Or I was making myself into a victim, when in fact I create my life.

Looking around, I really don't like the results. Unmarried, hardly any friends except family and ward members. No girlfriend. And living with my parents and brother, who I question their ability to love me. Maybe I don't feel inspired, or I take on too many unproductive tasks for charity. Maybe, I lack inspiration lately. Maybe I fear marriage in a way, thats why I'm not taking any action towards that goal. Heck, I have enough RPGs to last a lifetime, and I don't want to get into the RPG race any more.

I'm not giving up RPGs, heck no! My favorite activity -- Worldbuilding -- is closely linked to it. Worldbuilding is the funnest, most beautiful ART in the Universe! I love doing it! I absolutely love worldbuilding to it's very core! It excites me to use this exciting knowledge of everything I have!

When I am building a world, I am in "the Zone." It's where everything clicks and I feel very, very happy. In fact, when I was adapting Eberron to Rolemaster, I felt happy. After all, I managed to stat out 14 different Martial Arts for use in Rolemaster! YAY!! And I did it in three days, YAHOOOO! The Force is with me, very, very much.



So, I feel unfulfilled, uncontent. And really, I didn't need a 4th Edition Fanboi to really make me feel explaining my feelings about Dungeons and Dragons. And you know what, he didn't. The Fanboi said all the flavor is in the system, after I said that flavor is more important for the DM and the players to fill and create. Because, it really is up to the GM and the players to create the feel of your game. Anyone who says different is selling something.

"4E will make your game better! It can do everything you want it to do!" Oh please . . . I don't really need that. I already know that Dungeons and Dragons is severely limited to what I want it to do. It's up to me to fill in the cracks and the spaces that D&D misses.

But what I need now is not the newest Roleplaying Game System to come out of Wizards of the Coast, especially when its going to be made obsolete already. What I need is something more lasting, something I can count on being there. Something I can get joy. Or rather, Someone. Isn't LIFE wonderful?

Dungeons and Dragons Classic

Too many people feel that there is something wrong with 4e. They aren't allowed to put their finger on it, the fanbois of WotC just shoot them down. But, 4e just doesn't feel like Dungeons and Dragons to them. 4e didn't feel like D&D to me!

A person on the ICE boards is figuring that WotC is preparing for something. Something big. This might be something like a new Digital Initiative. Or better . . . Dungeons and Dragons Classic. So, what is Dungeons and Dragons Classic? Hopefully, something real, something that will capture real D&D again. A game that will feel like what Dungeons and Dragons is supposed to feel like. But don't hold your breath.

A Full Frontal Assault on D&D

There is talk about how Iron Crown Enterprises can get itself back on top. It has been suggested a full frontal assault on D&D might be the ticket. I think an audiovisual assault on D&D might be best. Rolemaster is still more advanced than D&D 4e. To show that they are different games I present two videos.

Rolemaster:




D&D 4e:



D&D 4e is a swashbuckler's game. With Rolemaster, you can get in there and mix it up. In light of how Wizards of the Coast has been treating their fans in recent time, it's time for Iron Crown Enterprises to step up to the plate and show everyone that Rolemaster is still viable and can still compete.

Print on Demand, an Open Suggestion to Wizards of the Coast

To Greg Leeds,

IT has been suggested on Enworld that Wizards of the Coast should turn to Print on Demand for all of TSR's back catalog and for their 3e back catalog. I believe it is an awesome solution. It costs more to print it through lulu, but you won't be dealing with a large inventory. Although turning most 3e stuff to the open content community would work as well, PoD works better because you are making money when you do it. An open suggestion, to be sure.

This can quickly get you out of hot water with your fans: both 4e and 3e. It will also support old school gaming and give access to the D&D Basic Set to a lot of young kids. No need to reinvent the wheel, a basic product won't be necessary. A parent just needs to go to Lulu and order a copy of the Basic Set to be printed and buy a set of dice for their impressionable, precocious child. And you will have expanded the hobby by a lot.

This doesn't prevent piracy, but it is a satisfactory way to discourage piracy for both fans and production people. Just a little bit of insight into a brillant idea about regaining what you have lost through bad publicity.

Elton Robb

Wizards of the Coast and PDFs

Okay, a lot of the Blogosphere is in buzz over how Wizards of the Coast has stopped selling their books in Adobe's Portable Document Format (.pdf): both legacy pdfs (Dungeons and Dragons original to 3rd) and current pdfs (4th Edition). Understand something important, this is an anti-piracy measure. However, its both good and bad why they pulled their products out of .pdf distribution.

LETS TALK ABOUT HOW IT IS GOOD!

The Constitution of the United States has guaranteed protection of Copyright, the right for an Author or company, in United States law. This allows the user to defend their copyright if it has been violated by a 2nd or 3rd party. Wizards of the Coast is duty bound to defend their copyright of D&D 4e (and other editions that they own).

They are currently suing eight so called pirates because they managed to "steal" copies of the 4e PHB2. Wizards of the Coast has moved in to defend their copyright of that book. Their right to distribute that book has been violated and they did the right thing in doing so.

Because, if their material enters the public domain, they will lose their copyright if it remains in the public domain. Pulling .pdfs is regarded as a sound, legal move.

So, lets now talk about how it is bad!

We've talked about how it is good. Now lets take a look at the bad side. There are a couple of things wrong with pulling .pdfs so abruptly. It was legal, but the action was immoral.

Loss of Customers: WotC has lost many of their customer base for pulling .pdfs. A lot of customers felt that they got the shaft. Me included. There is a lot of legacy stuff I wanted to buy: D&D expert, D&D companion set, D&D Master set, D&D Imortal Rules -- some second editon (AD&D) .pdfs, and some first edition (AD&D) .pdfs (including the 1st edition DMG). Buy pulling .pdfs so abruptly, Wizards are treating their customer base as theives. And most of these people are law abiding, honest citizens. This is the main reason, actually.

Bad Publicity: in our economy, a move like this attracts bad publicity. Wizards of the Coast has already gotten a heap of bad publicity due to the dick like way they handled the Game System License at first (it was the major reason why I didn't buy 4e: for me to buy 4e, 4e has to be either totally open, or totally closed. Not somewhere inbetween). Pulling the .pdfs has attracted more bad publicity than the first GSL. In the eighties and the nineties, any publicity was good publicity. However, in the midst of a depression economy, bad publicity equals no sales.

Death of the Dungeons and Dragons brand: The game won't die. The brand will because of this move. Dungeons and Dragons has always been the gateway to the hobby that appeals most to highly creative people -- Roleplaying Games. Wizards of the Coast may be the juggernaut of the hobby industry, but it doesn't mean that juggernauts can not be slain. Wizards of the Coast may be unstoppable -- but the best thing to do as a participant is to buy a copy of another game in .pdf or in physical form. Don't buy Wizards of the Coast until this thing at least has been straightened out.

Other companies, good companies, to buy from include:
Malhavoc Press (Iron Heroes is high quality)
Steve Jackson Games (their 4th edition GURPS is of much higher quality than Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons and Dragons 4e)
Iron Crown Enterprises (love it or hate it, Rolemaster Classic is the best game of it's type of RPG out there).
White Wolf (Exalted was put out for free)
Palladium Books (Hell froze over when KS decided to put his stuff out in .pdf)
Green Ronin (Mutants and Masterminds)
Mongoose Publishing (Conan)
West End Games (d6)
Morrigan Press (Atlantis: the Second Age)

You may be a 4e fan when you read this, but by supporting the "rebellion" against WotC you are helping the economy over all and the hobby industry over all by buying from these fine companies. .pdf is really the future of roleplaying games, its the most economical way of distributing RPGs for both the consumer and the producer. Show everyone that this is the truth, buy a roleplaying game in .pdf. I have Exalted for free. So I count. In the meantime, I'm planning on purchasing the 1st edition of Palladium Fantasy Roleplaying (revised) sometime in the near future. :)

Reorganizing the Player's Handbook

In the unlikely event that I will purchase a Player's Handbook for 4th Edition, I wonder if it would be smart to break the binding of the book and to reorganize it into a logical fashion. Although I don't agree with the current Player Paranoia that grips WotC at this time (just look at the GSL); Uncle Bear has some good reasons to try it. And Greywulf tried 4e old style.

Here are the reasons why I don't have 4e yet:
a). my priorities have changed. I am unmarried, 34 year old virgin and it's about time I take care of that in my life.
b). Wizards of the Coast changed from a happy, fun loving company to one that fears it's customers (points to the GSL).
c). My gaming group isn't fond of it.

Largely, if I do get it I will have to break the binding on the pages and reorganize them so that it will be easily organized. It would be easier to get the PDF and probably redo the book that way. But I don't want to spend $40 twice.

Licenses and Lawyers?

Ever heard of the new game, Licenses and Lawyers? You haven't? It's the game we play when we play Dungeons and Dragons 4th Edition. There is a good reason why I didn't buy into 4e yet, and that reason is simple enough.

My gaming group is against it. However, over the past few months, a new reason has cropped up. WotC has jealousy. Wizards of the Coast (a subsidiary of HASBRO) is showing how jealous they actually are of their customers.

WotC is incredibly, and incredulously, jealous. This zealous feel of making everything in the Monstrous Manual theirs shows how jealous they actually are of their customers. And with the GSL, they also show how jealous they are of their customers. The Licenses and Lawyers game we are playing with them makes them reak of jealousy. And we put up with the crap. We put up with the crap because the U.S. Constitution guarantees Copyright protection -- and it's abused in this case.

Well, if you look at it literally, you can tell that they are jealous. WotC is run by Bean Counters and not by the people in the RPG R&D department. It's the Bean Counters who are jealous of their customers, not the RPG R&D department. I've talked to a number of RPG designers in WotC, and they are quite happy, wonderful guys and gals. However, I have not talked to the bean counters over them to get their side of the story.

I think it's an awful thing that WotC abuses the guarantees of the Copyright provisions in the U.S. Constitution to make us play Licenses and Lawyers. It would have been easier just to take the GSL away and tell everyone that D&D is closed again. :)

What if Hasbro gets itself out of the RPG business?

So, what would happen if the D&D brand fails and the RPG development department is suddenly out of a job due to Hasbro's corporate bullying and draconian tactics to protect its D&D sales? One thing for sure, people won't stop playing Dungeons and Dragons. Plus, a lot of talent from WotC will look to find work doing what they do best: create games.

Dungeons and Dragons is forever. There would be no official supplements, but it will be subsumed into the community. The community of gamers will support Dungeons and Dragons on the web and the internet. And various companies will fight to become top dog.

One person hopes that if WotC tanks due to Hasbro mis-management of the D&D brand, it would be sold to Iron Crown Enterprises and the Rolemaster revision of the game would be the 5th incarnation of the Game. Since wizards did everything to make D&D not D&D, Dungeons and Dragons is just a marketing brand if nothing else.

Just something to ponder . . .

Although, if WotC does tank due to mis-managment by the PARENT company; I do hope that D&D is sold to a company that understands how the D20 System and the OGL worked for Dungeons and Dragons. OR . . . even better . . . make it totally open sourced and COPYLEFTED; allowing anyone to produce work for the game with a simple game license like the OGL was.