As you can tell by the caveat attached to my name, I am now on board with Pathfinder. By subscrbing, the cost is only 1$ more for me to get (I was previously buying both Dungeon and Dragon at my FLGS) The reason I felt it necessary to jump on board, is that for the better part of 2 years, the only D&D purchases I have not had buyer remorse for have been the Paizo published content. WOTC's Hardcover books are $30-40 each, and they publish 2-3 a month. As I am currently running an AOW campaign, and eagerly looking forward to playing in Savage Tide, (OK, so I haven't read my last 7-8 Dungeons completely), the guarantee that Adventure paths are going to continue is worth it to me.
It seems that Wizards is pulling all its licsenses back, though I don't understand why. Last November, e-Tools was de-liscensed, leaving me out the $250 dollars that I had spent on the program and data patches. Now Wotc pulls the plug on Dragon and Dungeon. I read that Paizo got a 4 month extension to finish out Savage Tide, so this announcement would have come Back in January or December. Hmm....just wondering how long OGL is going to be allowed. WOTC has the right to modify the liscense at any time which also means they can pull it at any time.
Anyway, the name Dragon and Dungeon are just that: Names. The heart of the content is the authors, editors, cartogaphers, etc. that have made the last few years enjoyable and memorable. With that, count me on board, just make sure I get a window seat.
As you can tell by the caveat attached to my name, I am now on board with Pathfinder. By subscrbing, the cost is only 1$ more for me to get (I was previously buying both Dungeon and Dragon at my FLGS) The reason I felt it necessary to jump on board, is that for the better part of 2 years, the only D&D purchases I have not had buyer remorse for have been the Paizo published content. WOTC's Hardcover books are $30-40 each, and they publish 2-3 a month. As I am currently running an AOW campaign, and eagerly looking forward to playing in Savage Tide, (OK, so I haven't read my last 7-8 Dungeons completely), the guarantee that Adventure paths are going to continue is worth it to me.
It seems that Wizards is pulling all its licsenses back, though I don't understand why. Last November, e-Tools was de-liscensed, leaving me out the $250 dollars that I had spent on the program and data patches. Now Wotc pulls the plug on Dragon and Dungeon. I read that Paizo got a 4 month extension to finish out Savage Tide, so this announcement would have come Back in January or December. Hmm....just wondering how long OGL is going to be allowed. WOTC has the right to modify the liscense at any time which also means they can pull it at any time.
Anyway, the name Dragon and Dungeon are just that: Names. The heart of the content is the authors, editors, cartogaphers, etc. that have made the last few years enjoyable and memorable. With that, count me on board, just make sure I get a window seat.
Rixxen -
They CANNOT pull the OGL.
They CAN pull or modify the d20 license at any time.
The two are not the same. The d20 license entails some rights that aren't given under the OGL, and the ability to use the d20 logo for margetability in exchange for certain restrictions on your content.
- Ashavan
Stupid bratty children, taking their toys and to go play with themselves they go...
Hm. I hadn't heard about the other licenses. I wonder what their game plan is, but they're not talking. This month's Wired magazine has a fantastic article about "Radical Transparency" that Wizards would do well to read.
The short version: opaque business practices alienate customers, while openess invites them to identify with you.
I don't (and will never) hate Wizards, but I am starting to get worried that they're not doing a good job caretaking my favorite game.
Nope. No need to hate Wizards. Just do like Merlin in the mini-series did to Queen Mab........turn your back and forget 'em. If the brand tanks, it won't be the first time. Just ask anyone who used to work for or play Rolemaster from I.C.E. They screwed up royaly and ended up bankrupt and having to auction off their IP. Last I heard, some fan picked it up for about $50K and started his own company.
Paizo's got my money from now on, even if the end product doesn't end up being D&D. They do it right.
Heh. Just read the Pathfinder blog.
Key phrase? How about "Yet as all evil empires must......."?
Legend of the Five Rings was purchased from Five Rings Publishing (I believe). After around 18 months or so, the product went into limbo... and then the right produce the game went Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). AEG still produces the game, but who knows what the future holds... as WotC still holds the license.
Actually, the rights to the Legends of the Five Rings IP are now AEG's property.
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I'm over it; there's nothing I can do by lamenting and complaining, so I'm through talking about it. Nobody's listening; nobody cares; I don't like wasting the keystrokes.
So I'm done yapping about it, onnyhoo.
Me too, brother. Still ain't buyin' no mo o der stuff! WOTC is dead to me. Even if they put out a Greyhawk sourcebook.....god that is hard to say.
FH
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Several years Wizards rolled out a game called Chainmail -- a miniatures game. I climbed on the band wagon has some fun and then the game was cut short. I'm not sure if lasted even a year. Some time later D&D miniatures was born. Will at last? I don't know. My local gaming store was stuck with a bunch of Chainmail minis that dropped dramatically in value. Thanks WotC!
I got into chainmail too and the way the line was treated sucked. That being said, the replacement minature line is making money like gangbusters for WotC and it may even survive tabletop D&D (which would be the ultimate irony given D&D's origins as a minatures game). Anyway, even though I would've preferred Chainmail, switching to the prepainted model was clearly in the best interests of the company and a good decision from that standpoint.
Not all good business decisions make everyone happy; there's always some customer who prefers new Coke over old Coke. Heck, you can find people that say 3e was a bad business decision and will claim that it was a complete failure despite the monumental evidence to the contrary. I'm not saying this is a good business decision, but we haven't see this play all the way out. WotC is still keeping their cards close to their chest, and I am interested to see what they're holding.
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I'm over it; there's nothing I can do by lamenting and complaining, so I'm through talking about it. Nobody's listening; nobody cares; I don't like wasting the keystrokes.
So I'm done yapping about it, onnyhoo.Me too, brother. Still ain't buyin' no mo o der stuff! WOTC is dead to me. Even if they put out a Greyhawk sourcebook.....god that is hard to say.
FH
True all that. I'm just not beating my head against a tree anymore.
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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It just seems that I have a track record of picking the wrong game at the wrong time.
How do you figure? The D&D minatures line that replaced Chainmail is extremely successful, much more so than Chainmail ever was. Ditto 3e v. 2e. Ditto Magic (who's doom has been forecast with every single expansion and yet still accounts for enough revenue to be mentioned in Hasbro's SEC filings).
WotC has a decent track record, it's just that the product they produce inspires (intentionally) strong emotional ties from an audience that is naturally inclined to being fanatical. If WotC were to start offering their books as free downloads, including art and elements not in the SRD, you'd hear an outcry from someone, somewhere bemoaning how they are ruining the hobby.
It seems that Wizards is pulling all its licsenses back, though I don't understand why. Last November, e-Tools was de-liscensed, leaving me out the $250 dollars that I had spent on the program and data patches.
Well, not quite out $250 -- the software still works, at least for now.
But I'm with you ... how did WotC get my money? E-Tools (I didn't buy the books -until- the E-Tools data was available), Dragon, and Dungeon. And they've killed them all in favor of some online thingy that I have no interest in and will not buy.
They've gone from three revenue streams from me, to none. Nice going, guys.
-The Gneech
I picked Chainmail and it got canned...I decided not to play D&D minis and they live on...
:)
Just like bad shows on television.