Why OGL 1.1 & D&D Beyond Could Destroy the Magic of D&D

[@storyrant]

Tabletop gaming is a formative tool for developing your imagination. And I believe that turning that experience into Fortnite could destroy that formative experience. Agree or disagree?

[@turtle2720]

I'm a normal abled guy. One time in GURPS I tried to play a paraplegic person needing a wheel chair. That was interesting... especially when the group was being chased... and we had to get down a flight of stairs. Tought me something valuable about needing a wheel chair.

[@solidsnek1776]

You're objectively right. Imagination is like a muscle that can be developed through use.

[@SigmaGE]

Thanks for the shout out to CoH, to your question, yes. But that's because I and most of my CoH friends play a bit differently, but we have a lot of freedom. Though City of Heroes has been taken over by the fans and resurrected better than it was Live with Quality of Life features that make roleplaying easier, that facilitate more original designs. Bare in mind my good friend, not everyone is able to visualize and that is not their fault or the DM's fault, their mind simply doesn't do that. City of Heroes Homecoming has even released a new update that gives us the ability to roll dice, facilitating the possibility for Mutants and Masterminds style Roleplay. I intend to try and craft a few stories in this way for my friends at some point, once I'm in a more stable spot.

[@storyrant]

I'm certain there are exceptions. However, I'd argue that visualizing is a skill. My main argument isn't that people SHOULDN'T be allowed to roleplay with figures or MMOs, but that it should be D&D's default skin, you know? It's the idea that by focusing the brand entirely on a Fortnite-esque VR/AR virtual tabletop is robbing them of the chance to discover that skill in the first place. Of course you should be able to play the game however you want, but I just don't think their current plans are the way.

[@ChristianIce]

Wizards? All they can do for kids is introducing them to gambling.

[@storyrant]

Sounds about right. It's so damn sad.

[@bedward320]

Hey, I think you nailed it regarding imagination. What a great first video. I like seeing someone that can articulate a philosophical and yes,an experiential intangible “feel”that so few can even come close touching . So many people get caught up in mechanics and the how-To’s (which is cool too) You seemed to be going to the heart of it, at least for me. You spoke about loosing the ability to use the imagination with the emphasis on VTT’s and other tools. I think that is right. Rarely have I found a movie better than what was in my imagination. You can do things in your imagination you can’t on a virtual tabletop . Furthermore, there is a feeling that is lost, there are limitations on imagination that really change the game when you go from an analog game to using for instance, a VTT. ) I am not dumping VTTs. … it is exciting to see the evolution of a game including VTT and although all this new media vehicles are all good and slick and cool, especially in a world of COVID, let us not forget that what built all of this was imagination, and way before all the great content. I think it could be argued that there needs to be a blank page for everyone to cast their imagination on to. But that’s just me. Good luck on your channel. What a great start!

[@storyrant]

Yeah, totally agree here. Even when I've used Roll20 just for Theater of the Mind games, it hasn't quite been the same as having everyone gathered around the table. Sometimes that can't be helped. I've played some incredibly visceral Call of Cthulhu games through Roll20. My main preferred group is scattered all over the US, so it can't really be avoided. But my first real world playtest of my first Call of Cthulhu scenario was waaaay more visceral as a result of everyone being around the table, watching each other's facial expressions while Atrium Carceri played in the background. To be clear, this channel is about storytelling, about my journey as a writer/artist/etc. D&D was formative in my development as a storyteller, and I imagine I will return to this topic from time to time. Glad you dug the video and I hope you stick around!

[@kennbillings4490]

First off, I do not support the new OGL, I like the structure the way it is. But I have been playing D&D for over 30 years, and over that time the game has evolved from theater of the mind, to graph paper and pennies, nickels and dimes, to grid maps and minis. Each new upgrade has both its pros and cons. And I'm sure that the future will take us even further into the future of RPG's. You do not have to use that tech if you don't want to. There is no rule saying that you MUST play the game in a specific manner. Older D&D players can play their theater of the mind game, and the younger generation who want the more hi-tech game can have that as well. Or you can combine the two and have the best of both worlds. I personally just love playing the game. And I will continue to play the game in the ways I want to play it no matter which direction the corporate suits decide to take it. But i disagree with you saying that "they could negatively impact an essential formative experience for first-time players all over the world." As long as we have a choice on how we play the game, it will still be D&D.

[@storyrant]

Maybe you didn't understand. Being able to visualize things is a skill. D&D/TTRPGs when played primarily in Theater of the Mind are excellent ways for both children and adults to develop that skill. Maybe you don't value that as much as I do, but I think it's pretty damn important, especially when those people go into creative fields, such as becoming novelists, artists, etc. I'm not just talking about D&D, or playing the game here. It's fine to disagree, but I wanted to be clear.

[@yourseatatthetable]

After 45 years of table top gaming I have long understood that the 'sandbox of the mind', that comes with such games has yet to be really matched by any digital or computer simulation. There is always something that we want to tweak; to create; to envision, that can be done with pen, paper, and our mutual imagination that cannot be duplicated electronically (without a s#load of work, coding knowledge, time, and/or money). Just an opinion, of course.

[@yourseatatthetable]

Video games, while entertaining, generally (in my opinion of course) promotes a lazy approach to gaming. It really doesn't feed our imaginations, or challenge them as deeply as the traditional books and paper have. If anything, I believe this helps explains why not only are the table top versions still around, but have proliferated, grown, and become deeper, and yes, even 'chunky' in pursuit of providing us what we crave.

[@BigGahmBoss]

Even if they 100% roll back on everything, they've still shown the community that they're capable of this. They clearly can't be trusted

[@dm4life579]

Great video! I've tried running a campaign using Divinity original sin 2 and it worked well .... buuuut it was weird it felt like a video game more than a campaign. It just didn't have the same feel.

[@storyrant]

I had a similar experience with dynamic lighting of Roll20. At first I thought it was so cool to have that option, but found that the role play suffered a bit because players were too busy ooing and aaahhing at the artwork. My eyes were forever opened when I GMed my first Call of Cthulhu scenario.

[@BigGahmBoss]

Overall though, I agree. The same idea can go towards the toys I played with as a kid. The action figures and Legos. I would just get a hunk of plastic with varying accessories, but the scenarios they got in out of the packaging were entirely from my brain. Maybe they were reenactments of my favorite video games, but they were my interpretations of them. And that's exactly what you're saying is missing if a lot of the work is done digitally

[@billybatson8448]

I think it’s heart. Heart is the element that we as people, put into things that make them worth doing. And too much fluff and sparkle for more money makes us bankrupt of spirit.

[@storyrant]

Yeah, while minis and maps and elaborate custom sculpts for dungeons are cool (and totally an art in and of themselves), the core of the game is imagination. We should always remember that.

[@jaceg810]

I like using maps, since I am more combat oriented than roleplay oriented, I dont think that better maps rob creativity, I do hover think that it is easy for them to, for instance, if you need a specific map for every battle, there are only so many battles the players can engage in, so limiting options. I think maps in themselves are not a problem, but an overreliance on them is.

[@TKFKU]

As someone who has been playing the game since 83/84, nothing will destroy the magic of D&D. Whores of the coin couldn't do it, hasbro can't either. Once you found the system you like nothing the company does after can kill your D&D game accept you. The ogl doesn't matter to the vast majority of people anymore than editions 3-5 of hasbro's d+d does to old timers like me haha. Once you have the mechanics you like nothing can affect that aside from you. Make your own worlds, monsters, etc. That was what drew us into it at the start anyway not buying up every kickstarter or book made to heap on more rules you will just argue about in the comment section later over.

[@lasselippert3892]

The good news is that absolutely nothing WotC/Hasbro can do, will have any affect on the magic of Runequest, VsDarkmaster or Thirsty Sword Lesbians etc. Let the D&D brand burn tf down already. Someone bring me a fiddle.

[@storyrant]

Right. This was more of a reaction to what new players (children included) might be facing if One D&D and D&D Beyond is their first experience with TTRPGs. I'm a big proponent of Theater of the Mind play, and as a writer, I feel like it's helped me a lot to developing my visualization skills/imagination.

[@MonStarGuy]

It's the $30 per month per player and AI DMs for me.

[@storyrant]

Jeez! That's stupid expensive!

[@darthknight1]

Nice video! I agree.

[@storyrant]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@andynonimuss6298]

D&D Beyond's 3D VTT will get destroyed by Nog Studio's Menyr anyway. Menyr will be FREE for everyone to play and will be supported by third-party artists. The Menyr business model will easily outdistance and overshadow the D&D Beyond subscription model. In the 3D VTT space, WotC is in for a world of hurt! I am all for the table experience with friends, but nowadays it's much harder to pull off unless you have a lot of friends close by. We should embrace the coming 3D VTTs. They will dominate 2D VTTs and will perhaps be the only experience some people will get at all... will be through 2D/3D VTTs. I'm on the Beta team for Menyr by the way. It will be amazing!

[@MrChiddler]

People who don’t live online will continue to play on a table with people and dice. If they can’t do it with D&D they will play something g else. KZbinrs live in a world that’s too much online. They think more people play online than actually do.

[@nonenope5517]

You make a very valid point but also your leave out a good portion of people a lot of people actually as surprising amount of people cannot visualize words in their mind as in their brain is physically unable to these people looking at movies and appreciate maps or tokens the many visual items so that they can tell the story because words don't process into images for them so yes while you make a valid point with this is kind of ruining the theater of the mind just keep in mind that some people don't have that. Edit: I forgot to add that personally I am one of these people and seeing all of these new tools come out of what he's seen in the woodworks is amazing yes you monetization part of it is Saddening but the fact these tools are being made available for people like me turning words and descriptions into images is a physical struggle

[@storyrant]

Hey, if that's what you dig and your group is in agreement, that's totally cool. I think they're cool too, to a certain extent. But visualizing things is a skill that takes time to hone. It took me years to be able to do this by reading books alone. And maybe one day you'll find that it comes as naturally as anything else.

[@nonenope5517]

@@storyrant yes for some it dose but the ability to put words into images is not something thats in everyone. some people are literally incapable of putting words into thought.

[@D_Boone]

Wait. So because you don't enjoy immersive virtual tabletop, you think it will ruin D&D? 🤣🤣🤣What kind of backwards selfish logic is that??? Let people play the game how they want. Geez. You sound super selfish and entitled to how YOU engage with D&D. It is NOT a good look.

[@storyrant]

That's the dumbest fucking take I've ever seen.