D&D Beyond Changes

[PhoenixPhyre]

Yeah this could be a useful thing. I think some AL conventions do online events. Digital sheet recording for AL with a good app would save some trouble. If you join a DDB VTT game, rewards could be automatically added to your sheet after completion. For non VTT games, you can bring like a phone app and like scan a DM-linked QR code from the back of a module to get rewards added to the same sheet.

I could see that last sentence being a "value add" available for higher tiers. Like...free tier, VTT OR paper only. No transferability. Limited VTT characters (can't really limit paper characters). Paid tier: can use same character on both without doing special hacks to get logging to work/verify your rewards.

Also, WotC if you are listening, provide good services and people will be happier.

Yeah. This is the way. Compete on value and product merit, then everyone wins.

[Atranen]

You know...I could definitely see them trying to make the new VTT the primary (but not exclusive) home for Adventurer's League play. Free subs only get a subset of the options (like 1 character, limited to levels A-B and classed Q-Z, current adventure season only), paid subs get to join more games and have more access to earlier seasons and character options. Sign up as an "AL Beyond" DM and get a discount on a higher sub, various perks, free content (for use in the AL games), cosmetics, etc. They'd even be able to sell it as actually keeping track of your character better so you didn't have to deal with the log sheets and could guarantee you only had entitled content (as a "favor" to DMs).

AL in person would still exist, but would be relegated to second-class-citizen status with paper log sheets, no transferability to AL-Beyond, etc.

I'd be very opposed to this, as someone who runs for AL often. I'd be happy with VTTs as an option for organized play, especially if they added nice assets and premade maps to the AL adventures. Or at least let community members upload their own; there's enough people playing the modules that high quality ones would get made.

Yeah this could be a useful thing. I think some AL conventions do online events. Digital sheet recording for AL with a good app would save some trouble. If you join a DDB VTT game, rewards could be automatically added to your sheet after completion. For non VTT games, you can bring like a phone app and like scan a DM-linked QR code from the back of a module to get rewards added to the same sheet.

Also, WotC if you are listening, provide good services and people will be happier.

Digital sheet recording would be a big help. I do mine on an excel sheet. I think most people don't track all that well with the logsheet. I'd be happy for them to provide a good option. I'm much more worried that they would enforce using D&DBeyond for tracking, then limit the number of characters for non subscribers. I doubt they would, but I've doubted other things they ended up doing.

[da newt]

An easy to use online AL type game that you could play anytime (while in your PJs, at your house which doesn't smell like a Jr high locker room, and drink a beer) would fill a nice niche, but I really prefer in person to Discord/Roll20 type interactions.

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

[PhoenixPhyre]

An easy to use online AL type game that you could play anytime (while in your PJs, at your house which doesn't smell like a Jr high locker room, and drink a beer) would fill a nice niche, but I really prefer in person to Discord/Roll20 type interactions.

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

Personally, I gave up on OneD&D. I'd say 45% is pointless trivial changes (neither good nor bad), 30% "ewww why would you do that" changes and the rest are interesting concepts but shaky or bad implementations. Overall score is a D.

[Snowbluff]

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

Uh... Two Weapon Fighting doesn't take a bonus action, Bardic Inspiration can be a reaction to a failure, and rogues get a subclass feature at 6 I guess... Stuff like jump being an action really kills it for me and I don't like the features that are being delayed.

D-. I would give it an F except I would have to see it at summer school.

[PhoenixPhyre]

D-. I would give it an F except I would have to see it at summer school.

You sound like a teacher. I know that feeling...if I flunk him, he might have to retake my class. Is it worth it?

[Sigreid]

You sound like a teacher. I know that feeling...if I flunk him, he might have to retake my class. Is it worth it?

Should have take a queue from South Park. If you fail one and have him castrated, you probably will have another failure.

[Segev]

Also, WotC if you are listening, provide good services and people will be happier.

Yeah. This is the way. Compete on value and product merit, then everyone wins.

Exactly these points. WotC has the lock on the IP, and can include things in their VTT just based on that that nobody else can. Add in name recognition, and as long as they're making a product that is quality-competitive with other VTTs, they don't really NEED to force others out of the market with anti-competitive "licenses."

BECAUSE of this, the fact they're trying the anti-competitive legalism route makes me doubt their intentions, let alone ability, to make a quality VTT product, rather than throw something together and rely on "you have no other option" to force people to play it. (Note: they're wrong about "no other option" even if they released the license as it stands, but I am sure they think that's what they're doing.)

Should have take a queue from South Park. If you fail one and have him castrated, you probably will have another failure.

"Queue" sounds like the word you mean, but actually means "a line" or "an order in which things will be dealt with." "This process has been entered into the queue, and will be performed after the others ahead of it are," for example. The word you want here is "cue," which means "to signal" or "to point out." For example, "He missed his cue, and entered the scene late," or, "I am taking my cues from these instructions."

[Cheesegear]

Things I use D&D Beyond for:
- Spells
- The occasional statblock for a creature summoned by the players that I don't have planned, off-hand.

Things Gale Force Nine has index cards for:
- Spells
- (Almost) every monster.

Things I realised that I can photoshop:
- Index cards for anything I want.

[Atranen]

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

Some good but outweighed by the bad; my favorite class is the cleric, and I thought they missed the mark big time.

But the main thing it's lacking is any reason for existence beyond "this way we can sell more core books". I get they're a business and you want to make money. But it doesn't do anything more than shuffle the chairs around on an already popular system.

[Kane0]

Ill be generous and say D+, but thats largely because i can take the stuff for free as inspiration for my own tweaks and modifications rather than accepting their new stuff whole cloth.

[EggKookoo]

Things I realised that I can photoshop:
- Index cards for anything I want.

That's what I used to do before DnDBeyond became useful -- I'd say around mid 2020.

[Arkhios]

Things I use D&D Beyond for:
- Spells
- The occasional statblock for a creature summoned by the players that I don't have planned, off-hand.

Things I use D&D Beyond for:
Zilch. Nada. Nothing.

...well, except my subscription free account to access the OneD&D Playtest materials. They're free to use, even if I never ended up buying the final product.

[Psyren]

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

The new Ranger has my group actually excited, and everyone is really eager to see what they do with the Warrior playtest.

[Segev]

An easy to use online AL type game that you could play anytime (while in your PJs, at your house which doesn't smell like a Jr high locker room, and drink a beer) would fill a nice niche, but I really prefer in person to Discord/Roll20 type interactions.

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

I will acknowledge that the change to light weapons so that it no longer takes a bonus action to make the off-hand attack is good, and something I might consider trying ot talk DMs into using in 5.0 games.

[animewatcha]

Another vid drop. Take however you will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4kGMsZSdbY
If inappropriate, mods please delete.

[EggKookoo]

Another vid drop. Take however you will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4kGMsZSdbY
If inappropriate, mods please delete.

I caught this last night as well. Curious if the $30/mo. and AI DM things will resurface.

[MoiMagnus]

Another vid drop. Take however you will.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4kGMsZSdbY
If inappropriate, mods please delete.

Thank you for the link.
The leak about "they're trying to reach hit $500M by 2028" (so the triple of the current revenue) clearly explains the situation. There is not that many ways to triple the revenue generated by D&D in just 5 years.

[paladinn]

Suddenly I'm really glad I don't use D&D Beyond

[paladinn]

Suddenly I'm really glad I don't use D&D Beyond

[Atranen]

Thank you for the link.
The leak about "they're trying to reach hit $500M by 2028" (so the triple of the current revenue) clearly explains the situation. There is not that many ways to triple the revenue generated by D&D in just 5 years.

Agreed. It's too much of an increase too fast, and demands a radical change to the business model. Making a "Tabletop MMO" with subscriptions seems like one way to do it. But not a particularly bright one, and not one that someone familiar with the genres would land on.

[KorvinStarmast]

Agreed. It's too much of an increase too fast, and demands a radical change to the business model. Making a "Tabletop MMO" with subscriptions seems like one way to do it. But not a particularly bright one, and not one that someone familiar with the genres would land on.

"In five years, we want to grow the revenue from 150 million go 500 million."
Thinking big is one of the things people growing a company/corporation are taught to do, and try to do. There are some products that have done stuff like that. There are hopefuls who we see on TV shows like Shark Tank, which my wife enjoys watching, who have similar goals and dreams. And there are a lot of leaders at companies who feel that 'if you aren't growing you are dying' ... which may be true, not sure how true that is in this case. So, grow the customer base and grow the product line's range and breadth. That's how to grow revenue. (Well, if the product proves to be worth buying).

What I glean from that video (if it's roughly correct) is that the aim is to do that - grow revenue in leaps and bounds by broadening the options for the D&D Brand, such that the D&D-inclined consumer will spend money on more things. Yes, that puts them into competition with VTTs among others, which for a time helped their brand to grow.

What puzzled me on that video is the idea of a VP in charge of something holding the view (or so it was reported) that the players (who are the customers) are an obstacle.
(??)
You have to know who your customers are. What may underwrite that PoV is that the vision is of a whole group of customers who are not in the D&D Brand now, but who will be by 2028 if/when the implement their digital thing and the micro transaction revenue stream. (I confess, I bought a few skins for my LoL alts, like Corky's Triplane skin ... but most of the time I used the points I earned through play to get a skin here or there).

More to the point, I believe that the VP being referenced wants this brand to reach a wider base of customers, specifically new consumers, and assumes that most of the current customers will likely be there for the short to medium term.
If you come from the MMORPG world, I can see how one would make that assumption.

Which leads me to "DDO, let's try that again" as one aspect of the larger goal.

[Damon_Tor]

I just want to point out that the vast, vast majority of D&D's IP is just real-world mythology with the serial numbers filed off. You can't take orcs from WotC.

Plenty of creatures many people think of as D&D originals are ripped off (and I don't use that term lightly) from other authors. For example "Githyanki" are a species invented by George RR Martin (yes, that George RR Martin) for his Thousand Worlds setting. AFAIK nobody ever asked his permission to include them in D&D. If Hasbro suddenly gets tryhard about defending its IP it might discover that there are serious problems with it, and guys with deep pockets and axes to grind waiting to carve off their pound of flesh.

[Saelethil]

On a related note - I've been going through the DNDone playtest stuff with the folks at my local AL shop. Has anyone seen ANYTHING come out that would inspire you to change from 5e to a new version? We've all sort of agreed that the proposed changes we've seen so far are mostly OK (although without full context some changes are hard to judge on their own), but nothing that has any of us eager for a new version. How about you all?

I really like the new way Exhaustion works and the new base Ranger (mixed feelings on the Hunter). There are a couple other things that I think are slight improvements but most has been kind of meh. Fighter and Monk are two of my favorite classes (both of which could use a tuneup) so I’m really just waiting on the Warrior UA to see if I’m at all interested.
If the OGL stuff doesn’t get straightened out (not discussing it here) I probably won’t bother looking any further into 0DD anyway.

[Kane0]

Just pinch copies of all the UA and make off like a bandit with the rest of us lol

[Saelethil]

Just pinch copies of all the UA and make off like a bandit with the rest of us lol

That’s the plan. I’ve already switched to the new Exhaustion mechanic, I was just hoping to be more excited about the new system overall. We still have over a year of play testing though so maybe it’ll get better?

[Kane0]

There will never be a product that is better than what you tailor-make for your specific group-table, assuming you know what youre doing

[Arkhios]

Just pinch copies of all the UA and make off like a bandit with the rest of us lol

That’s the plan. I’ve already switched to the new Exhaustion mechanic, I was just hoping to be more excited about the new system overall. We still have over a year of play testing though so maybe it’ll get better?

This is the most likely route for me as well, at this point at least. Only time will tell how it works out in the end.

It's probable that the Skyrim/OneD&D game I'm working on ends up becoming more than just a playtest, having its own set of rules because of the playtest changes (maybe even more of my own design as well).

There will never be a product that is better than what you tailor-make for your specific group-table, assuming you know what youre doing

Indeed.