A weepy "open letter" to Wizards from a third-party 4E supporter

PaladinCA · March 18, 2011, 12:38:53 PM

Quote from: Novastar;446968But I have to agree with you: the only reason MMO's haven't already completely destroyed the PnP RPG market, is because they haven't evolved (yet) to give the same sandbox experience.
Once they do, I think it's game over for the majority of PnP RPG's.

I've been saying this for years. MMO's are limited by their own programming limitations. Tabletop will trump an MMO's limitations every time. At least until those limitations are removed from MMOs. This will happen gradually as tech improves and better AI is developed.

The holodeck is the future of the tabletop RPG. It probably won't happen in my lifetime, but I can see it happening eventually.

RPGPundit · March 19, 2011, 12:34:53 PM

Bah, the holodeck. I'll be on that starship still pulling out the paper and pens. Unless you can invent a holodeck that can wire directly into my brain, and create exactly what I imagine without me having to try to settle for a programmed set of images, it would not be the same.

In fact, you could argue that unless it could do the same for each player so that each player saw my set-up but with the aesthetics as he imagined it, it wouldn't be the same.

RPGPundit

greylond · March 19, 2011, 01:28:53 PM

Exactly. I make my primary income from Computer Support. I lurve tech stuff. However, nothing, and I mean NOTHING, will ever replace sitting around a table interacting with friends. Doesn't matter if it is a RPG, board game or Card Game, hanging out with like minded geeks playing a game is what it is all about.

Gamers are social creatures. To use a tired quote, "Demented and Sad, but Social"...

greylond · March 19, 2011, 01:33:47 PM

As far as the OP though, I don't think WOTC should promote the competition but I don't think there's anything they can do about it other than try to produce better game products than the 3rd Party companies. As far as the 3rd party companies? Make better product and then run a business, like a business. You may be able to produce the best thing ever made for a game but if you can't run a business then don't give up your day job!

Phillip · March 19, 2011, 03:10:37 PM

Quote from: RPGPunditBah, the holodeck. I'll be on that starship still pulling out the paper and pens.

Someone else might be on the holodeck pulling out virtual paper and pens!

I think most people who preferred the digital experience went to it long ago, even before graphical MMOGs took over from MUDs. Heck, I remember meeting people who were into Wizardry or Ultima or other computer games but not D&D-type games. The "holodeck" conceptual ideal also got partly realized in LARP (some Brits, IIRC, even going to the extent of advertising clubhouses in castles).

I think the major appeal of using paper and pencil, of using figurines and scenery on a table, of talking even by telephony, has for a long time been the visceral experience. Some people, even if they don't outright prefer it, appreciate it in its own right.

Benoist · March 19, 2011, 03:29:58 PM

Quote from: Novastar;446968[T]he only reason MMO's haven't already completely destroyed the PnP RPG market, is because they haven't evolved (yet) to give the same sandbox experience. Once they do, I think it's game over for the majority of PnP RPG's.

I don't really believe so. Sure, many more people will go for the MMO instead of the tabletop experience, because it's easier, can be experienced any time you want on your own individual schedule, but tabletop RPGs won't completely disappear, even then. There is still the genuine RL experience that you get to live out of playing on a tabletop. You manipulate real dice, sit around a real table with real people besides yourself, crack open a pack of cheetos, and so on. It's like saying in a single breath that electronic documents will replace physical books and that Skype will replace face-to-face conversation. It's not going to happen, no matter how subtle the illusionism of the electronic medium becomes.

Peregrin · March 19, 2011, 05:24:27 PM

Who needs concerts of theater when we've got mp3's and movies? Who needs parties and social games when we've got raids and clan matches?

Oh wait...

ggroy · March 19, 2011, 06:13:31 PM

Quote from: Benoist;447313I don't really believe so. Sure, many more people will go for the MMO instead of the tabletop experience, because it's easier, can be experienced any time you want on your own individual schedule, but tabletop RPGs won't completely disappear, even then. There is still the genuine RL experience that you get to live out of playing on a tabletop. You manipulate real dice, sit around a real table with real people besides yourself, crack open a pack of cheetos, and so on. It's like saying in a single breath that electronic documents will replace physical books and that Skype will replace face-to-face conversation. It's not going to happen, no matter how subtle the illusionism of the electronic medium becomes.

The same can be said of casinos.

Casinos are still big business. The nearby ones still have fully packed parking lots, even during weekdays and during a recession.

Online casino games haven't put them out of business.

Doom · March 19, 2011, 10:37:24 PM

As a hardcore computer gamer, I still have fun in casinos, and I rather loathe the table games.

Slot machines have REALLY come a long way the last few years, I've been looking forever for decent emulators for such games. Closest I have are Reel Deal games, which, even when really good, aren't as much fun as casino slots.