The Fatal Catch-22 of Gaming

Settembrini · September 04, 2006, 09:25:51 AM

In Defense of Wilderlands, I have to say: It's a fatbeard's wet dream, and i love it. but it's neither newbie friendly (a lot of improvisation needed) nor entry level priced.

JongWK · September 04, 2006, 10:38:14 AM

Quote from: BalbinusBollocks, as you yourself say elsewhere, the problem isn't the high end books - it's the lack of low end books.

I agree with Balbinus here.

This reminds me of movie producers who make huge blockbusters in order to finance their personal (but less profitable) projects. We wouldn't have Good night, and good luck without George Clooney starring in a few box office hits before, for example.

S. John Ross · September 04, 2006, 01:29:22 PM

Quote from: BalbinusThe problem is not those guys being catered to, it's the new guys not being catered to.

Or, for those that follow my line of thinking: the problem is neither, and both are inevitable symptoms of the general scale shift.

Settembrini · September 04, 2006, 02:19:27 PM

QuoteOr, for those that follow my line of thinking: the problem is neither, and both are inevitable symptoms of the general scale shift.

Elaborate! To me it sounds like hen and egg. What's your take on it?

S. John Ross · September 04, 2006, 03:02:17 PM

Quote from: SettembriniElaborate! To me it sounds like hen and egg. What's your take on it?

I did a post about that just a page or so back.

RPGPundit · September 04, 2006, 03:08:59 PM

Quote from: SettembriniCool for you, but don`t tell me it's easy to use or low-prep time.

Settembrini, are we talking about the same wilderlands?
Its the ULTIMATE low prep-time. You plant the adventurers down on a hex, they start moving and you see what they move into.

RPGPundit

RPGPundit · September 04, 2006, 03:13:24 PM

Basically, Ross is apparently one of those who believes that the RPG industry is utterly doomed and nothing will save it at this point, so it doesn't really matter.

A position which, if that is indeed what he thinks, I find utterly silly.

RPGPundit

Settembrini · September 04, 2006, 03:16:10 PM

QuoteYou plant the adventurers down on a hex, they start moving and you see what they move into.

OK, say me a hex number, I'll look it up, and I'll come back and talk to you about it. Deal?

Levi Kornelsen · September 04, 2006, 03:19:06 PM

I couldn't care less about the industry.

Growth in gaming comes from writing accessible, fun games, and from having gamers willing to teach games, to be friendly, to encourage others to get good play with people they like.

The industry is doing a little of that, but not enough. So to hell with the industry. I'll do it myself, and I'll do it for myself.

S. John Ross · September 04, 2006, 03:25:42 PM

Quote from: RPGPunditBasically, Ross is apparently one of those who believes that the RPG industry is utterly doomed and nothing will save it at this point, so it doesn't really matter.

No.

QuoteA position which, if that is indeed what he thinks, I find utterly silly.

I would, too

Zachary The First · September 04, 2006, 03:29:05 PM

My personal prediction for how it will all end:

That's thanks to some insider info I got from the same guy who told me D&D 4e is coming out this November.

RPGPundit · September 04, 2006, 03:39:42 PM

Quote from: S. John RossNo.

I would, too

Ok, so what the fuck are you saying, then? Because that's certainly what your earlier post sounded like. You implied that RPGs had been dealt a "fatal blow" back in the 90s, and that the "disruption" of the patterns from that moment on meant that nothing could really be realistically done to save the industry from being reduced to a tiny cottage industry. You also expressed that Wizards has no interest in saving the industry, just in keeping it limping along trying to detain the hemmorage long enough to make a few bucks.

That's what I got out of your diatribe. Now tell me what you really meant, and try to keep it simple.

RPGPundit

S. John Ross · September 04, 2006, 04:21:10 PM

Quote from: RPGPunditOk, so what the fuck are you saying, then?

I've already said it, and you've had your fun mischaracterizing it, so we've all done just fine.

A hint: If you want to try to stir things up with me, pick a topic I care about and that'll work ... Don't try it with something I've already stamped with the brand of my deepest apathy.

Silly indeed

JamesV · September 04, 2006, 06:44:03 PM

Quote from: Levi KornelsenI couldn't care less about the industry.

Growth in gaming comes from writing accessible, fun games, and from having gamers willing to teach games, to be friendly, to encourage others to get good play with people they like.

The industry is doing a little of that, but not enough. So to hell with the industry. I'll do it myself, and I'll do it for myself.

And if you write a newsletter, I'll subscribe to it.

RPGPundit · September 04, 2006, 06:57:57 PM

Quote from: S. John RossI've already said it, and you've had your fun mischaracterizing it, so we've all done just fine.

A hint: If you want to try to stir things up with me, pick a topic I care about and that'll work ... Don't try it with something I've already stamped with the brand of my deepest apathy.

Silly indeed

I wasn't trying to mischaracterize it, I was honestly giving my reading of what you wrote above. If you intended to mean something different, I would be very interested in knowing what that was, because I didn't get it, and I suspect others didn't either...

RPGPundit