To be brief...

1)  The digital age isn't just about kids.  Brother and wife both had laptops out this weekend, and I know you can find a zillion GM "what do I do about electronics" threads via Google.

2)  I think I'll video my 12 year old when we level his cavalier from 3 to 4, just to sort of illustrate the brain-shift required to go from Minecraft to Pathfinder.  Maybe you'll see what I mean then.

3) I don't expect television ads for D&D, ever.  Satanic Panic and all that.  Motivated moms will bitch about the slightest thing on TV these days.  There's a lot more leeway online.

Quote from: jeff37923;754779Another first step is taking off the blinders that see any possible criticism or negative statement about something that even isn't out yet as edition rage.

Who's doing that though, with "any possible criticism"?  Haffrung and everyone else on this forum who has said they like 5e has also criticized it as well in the past.  I guess your big issue with that is you somehow feel betrayed that people who previously were very vocal about their love for OSR style games and dislike for 3e and 4e now also say they like this new edition?  Do you feel like a jilted lover or something?  That's it's inconceivable that someone could be a huge fan of AD&D, dislike 3e and 4e, and also be a fan of 5e?

No, what people have been taking issue with are statements like "the game can go die in fire", or "unless you create your own PC, you're missing the whole purpose of the game."  Those statements most certainly aren't just "any sort of criticism" against 5e.  And when people do take issue with those types of statements, your response is to paint them as some sort of 5e fanboi by doing things like "5acrosant", despite the noticeable lack of any one post of mine in this entire thread that remotely is irrationally defending 5e.

No, what it is, is you painting anyone who doesn't agree with your ridiculously hyperbolic criticism as someone who must be a fanboi instead.  Which means you're behavior is exactly the same as the SJWs at TBP.  Needless to say, that's some serious irony going on there.

Quote from: jeff37923;754779Another first step is taking off the blinders that see any possible criticism or negative statement about something that even isn't out yet as edition rage.

I wasn't responding to criticisms of the game - I was responding to your comment that WotC will do what it likes regardless of what the audience wants. Just pointing out that there's no single audience for D&D, and regardless of what they do some people will like it and some won't. But this edition does seem to be based more on broad market input than other versions of the game. So whether you or I ultimately like it doesn't really speak to whether it finds a popular audience.

Quote from: mcbobbo;7548193) I don't expect television ads for D&D, ever.  Satanic Panic and all that.  Motivated moms will bitch about the slightest thing on TV these days.  There's a lot more leeway online.

Did you miss the various World of Warcraft tv ads?  I mean they had the Prince of Darkness himself (Ozzy Osbourne) in one of them.  Those could have easily been D&D ads, if WotC had Blizzard's budget.  Diablo as well.  As far as I can tell, the "satanic panic" as a phenomena is over  (as opposed to just a parent being an idiot).

Quote from: Sacrosanct;754827I guess you're big issue with that is you somehow feel betrayed that people who previously were very vocal about their love for OSR style games and dislike for 3e and 4e now also say they like this new edition?  Do you feel like a jilted lover or something?  That's it's inconceivable that someone could be a huge fan of AD&D, dislike 3e and 4e, and also be a fan of 5e?

I don't know if Jeff has taken that stance, but there are certainly a lot of OSR folks who have. There's nothing a Bolshevik hates more than a socialist. The capitalists they understand - in fact, capitalists are necessary to provoke the revolution. But socialists are compromising traitors.

Quote from: Brander;754836Did you miss the various World of Warcraft tv ads?  I mean they had the Prince of Darkness himself (Ozzy Osbourne) in one of them.  Those could have easily been D&D ads, if WotC had Blizzard's budget.  Diablo as well.  As far as I can tell, the "satanic panic" as a phenomena is over  (as opposed to just a parent being an idiot).

WotC would have Blizzard's budget if D&D had WoW's income.

Quote from: Haffrung;754838WotC would have Blizzard's budget if D&D had WoW's income.

It would be cool if they could do that though, with real celebrity D&D players.

"I'm Tim Duncan, and I am a wizard." (this one is particularly interesting because he's not only a jock and "jocks hate geeks", but he's arguably the best PF to every play in the NBA--lots of credibility there)
"I'm Vin Diesel, and I'm a barbarian."
"We're Ben Afflec and Matt Damon, and we're lovers...er...we are a wizard and a fighter."
"I'm Dame Judy Dench, and I am the dungeon master.  What else did you expect?"
"I'm Kari Byron, and I am a warrior." (from mythbusters)
"I'm the Rock.  What do you think I play?"
"Hi, this is Joss Whedon, Wil Wheaton, and Nathan Fillon.  Want to join our game?"
"I'm Stephen Colbert.  Maybe you've heard of me. Or my rogue assassin."

Quote from: Brander;754836Did you miss the various World of Warcraft tv ads?  I mean they had the Prince of Darkness himself (Ozzy Osbourne) in one of them.  Those could have easily been D&D ads, if WotC had Blizzard's budget.  Diablo as well.  As far as I can tell, the "satanic panic" as a phenomena is over  (as opposed to just a parent being an idiot).

Ads are tax deductible, budgets are what they are to a point ~ 25% of an automobile and 50% of prescription drugs are cost of advertising, be careful of what you wish for.

Quote from: Haffrung;754837I don't know if Jeff has taken that stance,

I haven't.

But facts and rational thought can't stop 5acrosanct. He's on a mission from God.

Quote from: Sacrosanct;754746they just need to do a cartoon already.  Animators from Avatar The Last Airbender and writers from the Teen Titans (NOT Teen Titans go)

My Little Pony is popular due to the writing, apparently. Nab their writers and do a cartoon about the powers of TEAMWORK and FRIENDSHIP and ADVENTURE. Merchandise the hell out of it.

The RPG would probably end up just being this wierd side-thing off to the side of the rest of the brand, but I think people would be a lot happier with that being the case than they'd think; Hasbro evidently know how to deal with an unexpected fanbase.

Quote from: Sacrosanct;754827No, what people have been taking issue with are statements like "the game can go die in fire"

And... no one said that.
I said the STARTER SET can go die in a fire... I acknowledged that it was pure hyperbole... that the Basic will suit all my interests. I've NEVER made any remarks about 5e itself because I know very little about it.

Quote from: Ladybird;754847... do a cartoon about the powers of TEAMWORK and FRIENDSHIP and ADVENTURE.

... and KILL THEM, LOOT the CORPSES, pray the strange EVIL GODS for MAGIC POWERS. lol

D&D has a way to go before it is acceptable for kids.

Quote from: dragoner;754850... and KILL THEM, LOOT the CORPSES, pray the strange EVIL GODS for MAGIC POWERS. lol

D&D has a way to go before it is acceptable for kids.

It's no more or less acceptable than World of Warcraft or Skyrim. And does D&D really need to be marketed to 10 and 12 year olds to be successful?

Quote from: dragoner;754850D&D has a way to go before it is acceptable for kids.

I'm right now watching a 7yr old gun down hundreds of enemies in a fairly realistic FPS... AND he is looting their corpses... in a game his mom bought him.
True, there is no worship of strange gods... though some of the noises the boy is making might lead you to think he is possessed.

Quote from: Haffrung;754852It's no more or less acceptable than World of Warcraft or Skyrim. And does D&D really need to be marketed to 10 and 12 year olds to be successful?

Quote from: Simlasa;754853I'm right now watching a 7yr old gun down hundreds of enemies in a fairly realistic FPS... AND he is looting their corpses... in a game his mom bought him.
True, there is no worship of strange gods... though some of the noises the boy is making might lead you to think he is possessed.

Just saying, that there really can't be a mlp type cartoon made from D&D without totally toning it down, and then at that point it loses it's appeal to the older group.