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Author Topic: When the Forgotten Realms went SJW; Gen Con Candlekeep meetup 2015  (Read 17818 times)

James Gillen

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When the Forgotten Realms went SJW; Gen Con Candlekeep meetup 2015
« Reply #225 on: August 12, 2016, 09:39:24 PM »
Quote from: yosemitemike;912570
I think the success or failure of the D&D movie will have more to do with whether it's any good or not than anything else.  I don't think the Marvel movies succeeded because of a geeky IP.  They succeeded because a lot of people like them.

That couldn't have been because they were good?  Nah.

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Spike

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When the Forgotten Realms went SJW; Gen Con Candlekeep meetup 2015
« Reply #226 on: August 13, 2016, 02:18:07 AM »
Quote from: daniel_ream;912396
Also, people complaining about Hasbro shutting down a division that's making money are missing that it isn't about just making net profit; it's about ROI - how many dollars does Hasbro get back for each dollar they invest in salary, benefits, lawyers, etc., etc.  If they can make back 3-to-1 by cutting a novel division that's only making 2-to-1 and putting those resources elsewhere, then not only should they, but in the US they have a legal duty to.
.

And you, gentletroll, are part of that reason we can't have nice things.
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daniel_ream

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« Reply #227 on: August 13, 2016, 04:17:47 PM »
Quote from: Spike;912628
And you, gentletroll, are part of that reason we can't have nice things.

Yeah, shit, knowing how large companies make strategic financial decisions makes me such an asshole.
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Spike

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« Reply #228 on: August 14, 2016, 01:45:59 AM »
Quote from: daniel_ream;912703
Yeah, shit, knowing how large companies make strategic financial decisions makes me such an asshole.

No, no... its not KNOWING how they make financial decisions, its the tacit support of decisions based purely on efficiency experts and bean counting, rather than serving the market that exists.

Its the same mentality that leads to deviled eggs tasting exactly like corn syrup, to french fries being made out of potato paste rather than, you know, actual potatoes.  

You know: Not having nice things.  We have bland, efficient, things. Lowest common demonator.*






*yes, that was deliberate.
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daniel_ream

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« Reply #229 on: August 14, 2016, 11:56:20 AM »
Quote from: Spike;912739
its the tacit support of decisions based purely on efficiency experts and bean counting, rather than serving the market that exists.

People who talk about "serving the market" generally don't know shit about "the market".  More accurately, they think a corporation has some kind of moral duty to produce the products they personally want, and to hell with everyone else.

A publicly traded company exists to serve its shareholders, not the market.  Period.  If you have a problem with that, you basically have a problem with private property, because a publicly traded corporation is owned by its shareholders.

Does it makes much sense for a large, publicly traded multinational to own a niche boutique brand like D&D?  No, not really.  But they paid for it, they own it, and they get to do what they want with it.

Quote
Not having nice things. We have bland, efficient, things.

Right.  Because "bland, efficient things" certainly describes the products available in the RPG hobby.
D&D is becoming Self-Referential.  It is no longer Setting Referential, where it takes references outside of itself. It is becoming like Ouroboros in its self-gleaning for tropes, no longer attached, let alone needing outside context.
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crkrueger

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« Reply #230 on: August 14, 2016, 12:49:57 PM »
You could argue that if they are not going to invest in what it takes to develop and strengthen a brand to its fullest potential, then they have the fiduciary responsibility to sell that brand and use that money for ones they will develop.

The problem is, a gigantic, bloated brand warehouse is great for a bureaucracy and theoretical valuation, but not all that great for dividends.  The idea of a vast library of fallow IPs and Brands is like a retirement plan based on Lottery tickets.  Praying for the big payout.  Casino Capitalism at it's finest.
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When the Forgotten Realms went SJW; Gen Con Candlekeep meetup 2015
« Reply #231 on: August 14, 2016, 02:06:26 PM »
Quote from: CRKrueger;912786
You could argue that if they are not going to invest in what it takes to develop and strengthen a brand to its fullest potential, then they have the fiduciary responsibility to sell that brand and use that money for ones they will develop.

The problem is, a gigantic, bloated brand warehouse is great for a bureaucracy and theoretical valuation, but not all that great for dividends.  The idea of a vast library of fallow IPs and Brands is like a retirement plan based on Lottery tickets.  Praying for the big payout.  Casino Capitalism at it's finest.


In today's world brands and IPs are way too powerful to sell off like that, and I think that's what keeps Hasbro from doing just that. If some other company gets the rights to a particular brand that won't necessarily mean they are even going to develop it they might just keep it to themselves and license it off to whoever actually wants to take development further.
Paradox is known for doing that, securing the rights to stuff like Mutant Chronicles and certain Conan products only to hold onto them and allow others to buy licenses to long dead games that would have otherwise been up for sale from closed companies. I'd rather see Hasbro hold onto their properties and wait for an opportunity to put some new stuff out than to have them sell the off to uncertain futures.

Armchair Gamer

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When the Forgotten Realms went SJW; Gen Con Candlekeep meetup 2015
« Reply #232 on: August 14, 2016, 03:19:20 PM »
Quote from: daniel_ream;912781

Right.  Because "bland, efficient things" certainly describes the products available in the RPG hobby.


The overall hobby? No. But D&D? The question makes for an interesting juxtaposition with your signature.

Spike

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« Reply #233 on: August 14, 2016, 05:15:46 PM »
Keep on digging Hoss.

Quote from: daniel_ream;912781
People who talk about "serving the market" generally don't know shit about "the market".  More accurately, they think a corporation has some kind of moral duty to produce the products they personally want, and to hell with everyone else.

Your ability to read my mind is astounding.  Is that you, Xavier?  


Quote
A publicly traded company exists to serve its shareholders, not the market.  Period.  If you have a problem with that, you basically have a problem with private property, because a publicly traded corporation is owned by its shareholders.

And you just contradicted your previous argument that I don't 'understand the market'... since corporations, in your own fucking words, don't exist to serve that market anyway.

Which is WHY WE CAN"T HAVE NICE THINGS.
Quote
Does it makes much sense for a large, publicly traded multinational to own a niche boutique brand like D&D?  No, not really.  But they paid for it, they own it, and they get to do what they want with it.

So what? I'm not arguing that Hasbro should, or should not OWN anything.   Seriously, I only wrote two line, almost exactly the same as each other, maybe a dozen words all together, and yet you've managed to find all these nuggets of wisdom I need to learn.  Seriously man, you should be working for the CIA or the FBI or some shit with that skill.


Quote
Right.  Because "bland, efficient things" certainly describes the products available in the RPG hobby.

Almost no RPG products are created by large corporations with stockholders, with accountants and efficency experts maximizing the ROI down to the last half penny on behalf of stockholders rather than the market that I totally don't understand at all. I mean... the market is related to meerkats, right?  

Seriously, how hard to you work at being this amusing?  You must spend hours practicing to be this obtuse and misguided.   Its like you have your own factory producing strawmen just for you to burn down.
For you the day you found a minor error in a Post by Spike and forced him to admit it, it was the greatest day of your internet life.  For me it was... Tuesday.

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When the Forgotten Realms went SJW; Gen Con Candlekeep meetup 2015
« Reply #234 on: August 15, 2016, 12:03:07 AM »
Ok, I'm not really following this anymore.
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