What do you think the 2012 setting is gonna be?

[Scribble]

You don't get to ignore the obvious reason your proposal would not work. If you're going to propose a scenario, then you have to prove that it's viable. You instead ignore that, and speculate wildly while ignoring basic facts.

Wrong. You are the one claiming that such an idea could potentially be financially viable, you're the one who needs figures to back up your claim. The burden of evidence rests with you.

Ok cool.

Happy gaming!

 

[Gargoyle]

Ideas like this have been tried several times, inclduing using online resources. They tend to have... underwhelming results, and if anything, it just leads to frustration by fans who feel that their contributions were not properly considered or 'weighted'.

Notably the warhammer franchise had a huge event a few years back based on a war between chaos and the empire in their setting. The result? The messia-like hero of the empire's armies was assasinated by a bunch of evil mutant rat dudes. Yyeah, that didn't go over so well.

Additionally, there's a lot of ill will towards 'metaplot' as an idea, in the fandom. Many games had some form of metaplot for instance in the owod era, but it was broadly seen as a way to railroad the players and override their contributions. Even in a system where player contributions were valued, the idea of various ongoing outcomes being asserted is fraught wiht peril.

It would take a very deft touch to manage such a system. . . not to mention, positive fans- and frankly wotc has a lot of people who bash it if given any excuse to do so.

These are well reasoned arguments why it wouldn't be well received.

However, it has not been done in D&D to my knowledge, at least not on this scale, and the attitude of WotC's fans is the biggest reason to try something new. Their previous strategies haven't worked.

 

[Matt James]

I'm guessing it will be a Care Bear setting. This includes the Kingdom of Caring, which is made up of Care-a-lot (the home of the Care Bears proper) and the Forest of Feelings (home to the Care Bear Cousins)

 

[Gargoyle]

I'm guessing it will be a Care Bear setting. This includes the Kingdom of Caring, which is made up of Care-a-lot (the home of the Care Bears proper) and the Forest of Feelings (home to the Care Bear Cousins)

Bah, I guess Strawberry Shortcake was too dark and gritty.

 

[Umbran]

If you're going to propose a scenario, then you have to prove that it's viable.

No, he does not. This is a thread speculating about content, and what folks might like to see. This is not a business-case presentation to the WotC board of directors.

You are spending most of your time in this thread dumping on other people's ideas, requiring "proof". Do remember that you are not an authority, to which they must answer. It is fine to say, "I would not find that entertaining, and I don't think it would sell very well," but your demanding here is excessive.

So, back off on the aggressiveness, please. Let folks play with ideas without you taking a hammer to them. Thanks.

 

[Bold or Stupid]

Ideas like this have been tried several times, inclduing using online resources. They tend to have... underwhelming results, and if anything, it just leads to frustration by fans who feel that their contributions were not properly considered or 'weighted'.

I can name one instance of it working, and being fondly remembered by most fans. Back in 96ish FASA ran an Election in Shadowrun, you voted via a post card in the books. They got listed as postal votes in the IC count up. Voters got entered into a draw. People voted for Dunkelzahn, a dragon, he won and was assassinated setting off plots that still have effects 15 years down the line. If people had voted for someone else other people would have won with different results.

 

[malraux]

I'm guessing it will be a Care Bear setting. This includes the Kingdom of Caring, which is made up of Care-a-lot (the home of the Care Bears proper) and the Forest of Feelings (home to the Care Bear Cousins)

With the rise of Bronies, now would actually be a good time to release the My Little Pony RPG. It depresses me to realize that statement is almost believable.

 

[catastrophic]

People voted for Dunkelzahn, a dragon, he won and was assassinated setting off plots that still have effects 15 years down the line. If people had voted for someone else other people would have won with different results.

Yes, for instance, they wouldn't have been assasinated. Do you honestly think that a fan-selected in-cmpaign president who was immediately killed off counts as a genuine player influence? How did they even kill a dragon for crying out loud? All I can remember at the time were complaints, although I wasn't in the shadowrun comunity, itself.

To me, that sounds exactly like the kind of thing that will frustrate fans, and again I must note, there is a vocal comunity of people online who basically have wotc-bashing as their hobby.

 

[Shemeska]

I'm guessing it will be a Care Bear setting. This includes the Kingdom of Caring, which is made up of Care-a-lot (the home of the Care Bears proper) and the Forest of Feelings (home to the Care Bear Cousins)

Oh man, you've done it. Now we're going to have people fighting over which is better, Care Bears 4e or Ponyfinder.

 

[Matt James]

Oh man, you've done it. Now we're going to have people fighting over which is better, Care Bears 4e or Ponyfinder.

That's almost as serious of an argument.