What am I doing to promote the hobby?
I am playing, and promoting, Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG, including running World Tour events. The new D&D covers do not "do it" for me, although I think the Starter Set cover is the best of the grouping, and the DMG cover is not too bad.
In my neck of the woods, rpgs are not dying at all. I personally find the multiple covers of the DCC RPG to be evocative, although I like the red "fire" cover the best. The interior art not only has energy, but strongly implies story.
(And I do not mean "character building" or "railroad" by "story"; I mean a sequence of events that might happen in the game, or in a good pulp fantasy story.)
There are a lot of RPG materials that inspire me, and that I enjoy. I do not feel a need to pander to WotC's current iteration in order to "do something" for the hobby. I do not feel that WotC need even do well for the hobby to prosper - Paizo has taken the lead role these days, and there are games waiting in the wings to steal the top position should it become available.
I am really happy with a game that focuses on adventures, instead of endless new editions to end all editions. That doesn't mean that I would never play 5e, but I don't see any reason to switch at this point. I have found my bliss, and I don't need to spend $170 plus tax to see if WotC has something to add to it.
Thanks for the shout-out. Ultimately, my post was trying to get across my frustration with the tendency among some old-school gamers just sitting around and grumbling about "the damned kids on my lawn with that damned in-print D&D game!" I've just gotten fed up with it, that's all. I saw the latest grumbling and nit-picking about the 5E covers as just the most recent exhibition of that "grognard" tendency, and it got to me.
ReplyDeleteI applaud your efforts with DCC RPG. I have a similar experience with C&C.
The OSR doesn't need to ride the coat tails of D&D to be viable. Rather, I was merely suggesting that we take advantage of the brand name doing a big marketing push. Free publicity for the hobby, man! Or rather, WotC is paying for it, so let's capitalize on it!!!
Game on, my friend! And may your roleplaying tao be ever stronger than, well, you know who!
Heh. And now, when people read your post and our exchange there, or the comments here, they will know that, once we have talked about what you meant to convey, I agree with you completely.
DeleteAll's well that end's well. As for not being clearer in my initial message, I place the blame entirely on pesky adult responsibility. Makes me type a bit faster than I can think, because I don't have a lot of time to do said typing (let alone thinking and organizing a coherent message)!
DeleteA failing to which we all fall victim.
DeleteGlad I am not the only one who was underwhelmed by the covers. Yeah, at this point, I have no reason to play this game. 13th Age does what I want more meaty D20 to do, DCC handles the rest. Not to mention the 10-15 other games I enjoy.
ReplyDeleteIf I hear things I really like, I may still check it out, but just having "D&D" on the cover is not enough.
DeleteI'll buy the "possibly crippled but maybe only limping" Starter Set box and go from there ;)
ReplyDeleteThat one has, IMHO, the best of the covers. Let me know what you think!
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