The OGL mess & WotC's promises, 1 year later
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- Опубликовано: 13 июл 2024
- One year later, let's recap the D&D OGL controversy and the "promises" WotC made to the community. ▶️ More below! ⏬
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00:00 how D&D almost destroyed itself
04:15 how D&D tried to make things right
06:15 an important reminder about "dnd"
08:35 an important rule for this video
09:13 reviewing each of D&D's promises
#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #opendnd 
Игры
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Brancalonia is really cool, I love it!
The Brancalonia book is sold out already! D:
I really appreciate the language of calling it all “scandals” rather than just “drama”. Drama feels reductive compared to how bad it actually is and how exploitative and awful it has been.
Yes!
Drama is people bickering and spreading rumours.
This is far beyond that.
Drama is my ex girlfriend stealing my Wu-Tang Clan T-shirt and me acting snotty over it.
I appreciate the recognition! Some D&D/WotC decisions were just "drama" but several of the 2023 incidents were legitimately controversial or hurtful. I'm not a big fan of "OGL debacle" because it sounds silly.
The choice to call it "drama" is a calculated PR play. When you frame the public narrative you control the damage. Anyone who reduces it to "drama" is complicit in protecting the corruption.
@@nicks4802 I hope you got that shirt back
I've taken to calling it the OGL crisis because that's what it was. It was a time of crisis, and it forced thousands of people to take action. And in the wake of that crisis, there are broken trusts that can't simply be mended.
I love this sort of long-term (well longer term) journalism. So many "outrages" are forgotten within days, or weeks at the most. It is truly a super rare thing for anyone to have long[er]-term follow up or consistency.
Mad props for being one of the amazingly few out there with long term memory
I really appreciate the sentiment, but this is 100% "commentary" not "journalism"
Fair enough, I ammend my previous statement to "long-term (well longer term) editorial" rather than journalism. But it is editorial that leverages most of the artifacts of journalistic integrity, and not just full-on opinion based commentary.
Pepperidge Farm Remembers!
@@michaelsbagley The "artifacts of journalistic integrity" would've included an upfront disclosure that as a creator he was personally impacted by the OGL, including possible financial implications, at the very beginning of the video, including mentioning that he was working on his own TTRPG and that his videos are sponsored by independent game companies that compete with WotC. I'm not saying he's biased (he is but not for those reasons; I think with what he and other creators went through it would be tough not to be), but I'm saying that journalistic integrity would've included a disclaimer about possible sources of bias in his commentary. Stop trying to make this more than it is. It was a content creator giving his commentary on the situation.
YES indeed. Reminds me of creative assembly with the total war franchise - they did awful anti consumer trash and the fans went for their throats. Thus far they have said "oopsie poopsie we're sowwy we took all your money 👉👈 we'll do better" and SO MANY PEOPLE have praised them for turning around. So far they've reduced the price of their latest game because it shipped with awful quality and little content, and they have done NOTHING ELSE but promise they'll change things.
Companies should not get praise for saying sorry or making promises. They should get praise for DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I'm with the ones who dropped WotC/Hasbro crap. I still play the game, but I'll not spend another dime with them directly. All the money I've spent this year was for other smaller companies, and I don't regret doing it, not even for a second.
Exactly!
Doing the same here and I also have no regret.
Same here
Dropped WotC when 4e came out and I realized that they were marketing to the online gaming community and not the TT community…and nothing has changed.
I don’t own any 5e content and yet I’m still running a 5e game.
Grab your ketchup and crunch away my friends.
Too many superior third party 5e products to even bother with the new crap official D&D products.
I have to thank D&D for last year, because if they didnt royal ruin their reputation i wouldn’t have even thought about branching out to new games, and last year I have started playing so many other tabletop games and enjoying this hobby a whole lot more that i ever did playing d&d. Also thank you bob for promoting these game systems and encouraging us to try new things
Great content, Bob. Really love the somber tone you use for this. No sensationalism, no hyperbole, just your thoughts around a few quotes. Refreshing in the so-often loud RUclips world.
I appreciate that. No kidding, after I watched the footage back and noticing how solemn it was, I thought about reshooting it with more energy. I'm glad I kept it this way though.
@@BobWorldBuilder Your measured approach is one of the things I value very highly on this channel. Good, balanced energy.
If you were to make a BWB video with you all riled up & spitting fire... Nope, that's just not you. I'd suspect doppelgangers.
Agreed that this is the right tone for this topic. Appreciate the follow-up and factual approach.
A great video, Bob.
The shit sandwich between the OGL and Hasbro laying off 1100 people was really frustrating and a horrible year of my favorite RPG.
Thank you, and well said
This is sone unnecessary Rage Bait, Bob.
Look, I get you feel betrayed by WotC and have fallen out of love with D&D. So make videos on other games exclusively. If you don’t want to keep supporting WotC then stop letting them live rent free in your head and making videos about internet drama for clicks.
This video goes against your mandate about making videos that help make people’s games better and is mostly just speculation about promises that *might* be broken in six months.
@@DavidJWGibson calling on someone to be better and make something to keep them accountable is not rage bait. There are other accounts that absolutely traffic exclusively in rage bait or have regrettably leaned into it over the course of the last year.
Bob has done a great job of promoting other games, or other content that isn’t strictly accessible to people who play fifth edition. I don’t see him becoming a new questing beast, though. But I would love to be proven wrong on that. I would love other perspectives on a OSR games.
@@steppeone Bringing up the problems of the OGL, mentioning the layoffs, and repeating the misinformation about Cocks’ “salary” is emotionally manipulative rage bait. The thumbnail that implies Bob will be dead before WotC keeps their “promises” is textbook rage bait.
Especially when WotC can’t even keep their “promises” until we’ll after this summer’s rules update. Heck, even calling them “promises” rather than “goals” or “plans” is reframing the statements to make them sounds more firm oaths that can be broken.
Bob had done a decent job or promoting other games… inside videos that still namedrop D&D. Promoting OSR games in videos that don’t invoke said OSR games in the title or thumbnail. It’s not selling me on the OSR by just selling the alternative game, but by criticizing D&D in the process. While also making it hard to find the reviews of any given OSR game.
@@steppeone The part where he ties a bunch of unrelated innocuous things together to try to imply WotC may be looking at getting rid of printed books is 100 percent rage bait of the tinfoil-hattiest kind. I'm all with being pissed at Hasbro, but there's no need to make up reasons, which is what a lot of this video does.
Here's a few reminders. This is not the first time WotC tried to change the OGL! WotC tried to changed the OGL near the end of D&D 3.5. It was likewise met with a great deal of backlash. However, those changes got rolled back except for no adult content and no digital use in terms of software and games. Then, 4th edition hit with its GSL. In the nesting dolls of the business world, WotC is owned by Hasbro Gaming (formerly Milton Bradley (MB), Parker Brothers, and others), which is owned by Hasbro Inc. Even though WotC is a company on paper, it is ran by its parent company like most companies owned by conglomerates. This kind of greed and political intrigue is just part of the business world. Nothing is sacred or safe!
6e / OneDnD will have the new OGL, sadly.
You are mixing up the OGL with the d20 STL, a trademark licence used during 3e.
I remember the adult content of 3.5. So cringe and lame
Amazing recap dude. Thank you for always getting all the facts, delivering them with proof and sharing your honest opinion. Not many D&D youtubers do that. Many pass their feelings, personal experiences and opinions about this topic as fact and it has led to so much misinformation.
Been waiting for this video for ages. It's been quite the journey to experience this and predict what was going to happen to the game and the community. It has been a great year for indie ttrpgs and other companies. It was a negative change that worked out for everyone in one way or another.
As for WOTC, I hope they keep being held accountable and actually learn from their mistakes. Probably not much will change before the new corebook's release but fulfilling these promises should be the road to follow.
Thank you very much. I'm sure there's some errors in this, and more certain that my feelings came through, but I did my best! This was a tough year. 2024 will be better.
I love seeing these TTRPG creators highlighting games other than D&D.
I do enjoy 5e, but options are best.
So all in all, would love to see a recommendation every video for new games.
The recap of all 15 TTRPGs I tried last year is coming later this month!
I switched from 5e to PF2e a few weeks after the OGL. And I have enjoyed those months more than the years of 5e I've been running. Other TTRPGs definitely have what you're looking for.
Agreed. Pf2 has its issues, but on the whole I'm loving it.
Me too. Given WotC's general behaviour over this year, I am still completely boycotting them. Switched to Pathfinder AND gave up Magic: the Gathering.
WotC/D&D talking about their ecosphere and encouraging community has all the same vibes as Bethesda handling Skyrim and modders. Release a popular game that leaves a lot out, 3rd party people work to patch and mod it into something better, then the company can add it to their "ecosystem" and advertise it as offering greater options. Adding 3rd party content to D&D Beyond and anything else they own is a good opportunity for visibility to those creators, but WotC may just as likely present it in a way that it looks like it's theirs, effectively outsourcing writing and developing its own game.
You’re comparing oranges to kumquats. Skyrim was a complete game. Mods add replay value but, are not necessary. Even with the bugs there was console commands to go around them this no need for the patches if you didn’t want to mod it. I won’t excuse their lazy writing *glares at Starfeild*
@@ReplicatorFifth I can agree that this comparison doesn't map 1:1. There's places where it falls short, but D&D 5e was itself also sold as a complete game (with its own flaws) when it was released. While there was some excellent early 5e material, it was only a couple of years before content became lacklustre, and adding 3rd party inspired content (essentially modding it) kept it fresher. I absolutely do not have to use 3rd party stuff to play 5e. It just wouldn't be great of the corporate expectation is to continue putting minimal effort into content with the expectation that 3rd party publishers will fill in the gaps for them and WotC can add it to their content creator club as if it was their plan.
Refreshingly level headed assessment as always Bob.
Love the tone of "im not angry, im disappointed" as you draw out each of the things they promised.
At the end of the day I think they'll get away with it, new players almost exclusively start on D&D (and I don't blame them, its most well known) and they're less likely to be aware of or as invested in the community to feel the impact of what has been done.
Thank you, and I agree that most D&D players will never know about any of this :/
@@BobWorldBuilder Most won't, but still more will thanks to creators like you. Talking about new games like DCC is great for the community and, hopefully, some new players will try them out too.
Keep up the good work, Bob.
I'm italian and I've known of Brancalonia for quite a while now, even though I've never actually played it (yet). I didn't even know it was translated into english so it was pretty cool to see you talking about that. Lex Arcana, too! My uncle told me he used to play it when he was younger, and my group and I have wanted to try it out for ages. That's some good stuff!
Adding *5e Hardcore Mode* by Runehammer Games. I know some people don't like it, but I loved the twists it attempted in making 5e more deadly and less confusing.
WotC got very lucky with Larian. Like a literal unicorn, that's what Larian was for WotC. While I would love more of what BG3 had to offer, only Larian is capable of producing and providing that.
Loved the video Bob, and always looking forward to more.
Oh and we absolutely can point some more fingers towards the singular CEO whom made the lay-off announcement.
If we don't start holding Greed accountable then it will continue to spread un-checked, ravaging and perverting the things we love.
They didn’t get lucky … they stayed out of the way
@@kevoreilly6557 given WotC’s track record I’d say its damn near a miracle that they did.
I canceled my DDB sub, brought my table over to play other systems, and have gladly never looked back.
Every time you do non-D&D content, I thank you.
I worked for a game store few years back and I was shocked to find that this enormous company doesn't have non-English options.
Companies spend millions of dollars a year circumventing and rewriting law constantly. During the OGL I kept hearing people say "legally, they can't do that." I they put rules in creative commons. I said it on Twitter and I'll say it here. "Who's stopping them? And, they can afford the consequences."
The speed at which they put things under CC is also suspect. I'm not convinced that was a carefully thought out process. Either they made a previous assessment, and deemed it low value to their future plans; or they quickly assumed it was "cut our losses", and would not affect their future plans. Either way, they wouldn't have done that if they thought it would negatively impact their plans for a walled garden. And everything about OneDnD screams "platform oriented ecosystem".
Considering things like "the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich" are now released under CC, it is obvious it was not well thought out or executed. Seeing how they screwed that up is clearly what made releasing the older SRDs into CC take so much longer (the exec quoted stops just short of outright stating that as the reason for the longer review). Which is ironic since the 3.x SRDs were developed with more care and are far more clean of IP than the 5.x ones ever were.
While I am not giving up playing D&D, I will be very hesitant to spend any money on their products. Meanwhile my Dungeon Crawl Classics starter set came in yesterday and I'm so excited to try it out!
You are absolutely right! You can still play the genre “D&D” without using and buying Hasbro’s products
Welcome back from the dark side. ; )
Same! D&D as a hobby goes way beyond WotC/Hasbro. I've just made it a habit to check out more third party 5e, other games, and be as critical of D&D as any other brand. Haven't bought an official D&D book all year, but it could happen in the future if they make something like a new starter set.
@@BobWorldBuilder It is only day 3...
If they come out with a new starter set, I'd prob buy it as well to be fair...I'm a sucker for a good starter set.... 😅@@BobWorldBuilder
The people must not rest until D&D 4th edition is published under CC-BY! Thank you Bob for the video!
God, wouldn't that be such a nice thing. Imagine people being free to make their own tactical RPGs on the chassis of 4e.
Remember that game mechanics can't actually be copyrighted, so, as long as you are re--wording you can use ideas from 4E.
@@trikepilot101go for it if you think it’ll be successful. The thing is though… 4.0 failed miserably. Not hacking on your idea but it you do need to be honest about that…
@@davidmuzia814 I don't think it's fair to say 4e failed miserably. Compared to 3e and 5e, sure it wasn't as successful, but it was still a popular game compared to the wider selection of ttrpgs.
@@matthewparker9276I’ll respectfully disagree. 4th Ed and its tactical table top/WOW style drove away the old timers and completely drove away any semblance of the “performative” class for RPG’s. It practically killed the brand. By the end it I think there were 5 people left working in D and D. Did you know 5tj Ed was only written/created by three of those people? Now it’s not all WOTC’s fault - they listened to a scam artist who sold them on a complete integrated computer experience and 4th was supposed to complement it. It turns out what he promised was completely impossible with the resources available.
Up until 4th Ed I bought everything they published (practically).
Been doing that since the early 80’s. I’m read their 4th Ed books and stopped cold.
It may have been a great game (and probably was) for someone - but I think the group that enjoyed it was by and far the smallest fan base. Impressive feat - curing my addiction.
The build quality of current D&D books is absolutely woeful as it is, and I can't see them getting any better
Several of my first prints of 5e just fell apart.
I know Mike Mearls has some issues, but since he stopped working on D&D, the product quality has definitely taken a dip.
To be fair, they do replace a faulty book without requiring a return. I had an upside down Xanathar (you opened the front cover, and there was the last page upside down) and Rime of the Frostmaiden with several loose pages falling out of the covers. Got replacements for both. It would be best to not need replacements for sure.
Thank you for continuing to provide coverage on WOTC/Hasbro's behaviour. Surprisingly only a few content creators made videos about the mass layoffs and although I know journalism isn't the goal of your channel, I (and likely many others) would not have known about this and it would probably have been swept under the rug. Also kudos to either you or Grace for the nice display of plants in the background - clearly one of you is secretly a druid.
As a point of comparison, the SRD was originally updated to 5.0 for 5th edition rules (from 3.5e) in January 2016, a little under two years after the first 5e books came out, then to 5.1 in May 2016. So we may be waiting for a bit after the rules updates to see an SRD refresh.
I like what you're proposing to do in regards to speaking about other games. This feels like the best thing for both you and the hobby. Wishing you success with your writing projects, too!
Thank you! Yeah, using "D&D" in titles and thumbnails is unfortunately important for viewership, whether the video is purely about D&D or if it's about a similar game
@@BobWorldBuilderthat’s unfortunate. That probably feels very limited and constricted especially since you seem to not want to promote hasbro/WOTC.
I appreciate the fact-based approach here. I’ve seen many other creators wildly and incorrectly speculate. We don’t need to make up issues, there are enough real ones.
Unrelated to the video, but so happy Brancalonia and Acheron sponsored your video. As an Italian it's the first time I see them mentioned outside of Italy, they did a great job as game dev and honoring some of the coolest parts of italian culture. So happy they're going international. Check them out, they're great (personally I LOVE the inferno ruleset)
Good luck on your book and ruleset! 🎉 Keep building that Bob World
I refuse to give money to Hasbro; any "official" first-party D&D materials I need for my game will be obtained with tricorne hat on head and cutlass in hand.
Third-party creators? Yeah, I'll support them. They deserve it.
I hope (though expect it to be a forlorn hope while Hasbro owns it) that official D&D will get its shit together and create good stuff with decent business practice at some point - so that very fancy hat can hopefully be retired till the next beancounter/suit starts messing with the stuff they don't understand in the quest for more money right now...
@@foldionepapyrus3441 Abandon that hope, friend. Even if they get "better" folks in charge, the shareholders won't stand for any positive changes. They want to keep the game as exclusive as possible, and the olive branches they've given are diversions.
Don't give money to Hasbro.
Thank you for keeping this in the public's mind. Even if most people have already turned their backs forever or forgiven Hasbro, what they did should never be forgotten.
I already played lots of different RPGs, the OGL mess just made me double down on not focusing on D&D. There are so many awesome games out there, why limit yourselves to just one?
I ran Pugmire and Lancer campaigns over the last few years and there are a whole bunch of new games that I'm looking forward to running next. It's an exiting time for TTRPGs!
My guess is that a LOT of this went out the window along with the employees necessary to keep these promises. I sincerely hope that I'm wrong and am just being cynical.
EDIT: Oh? A Bob World Builder RPG you say? I hope that you'll do some videos about developing it as you go. It'd be fantastic to see your design process!
Love to see the Runehammer representation, and Brancolonia! Big ups Bob.
Fantastic Work! Love the recap of everything, and I really appreciate people keeping track of WotC's promises and deliveries. I'm in the camp that has moved on from WoTC DnD (I've fully adopted Shadowdark as my system of choice), but the looming presence of the biggest dog in the yard is hard to miss.
~sips tea from the skull of my enemy and kicks up my legs~ a good ol' Bob World Builder to unwind to. A good day.
Daaamn you've put a lot of editing into this :o
Aw that is so cool! So excited for you to create your own works and publish them! That is epic! And I am very intrigued as to what second game system your book will be compatible with 👀
I may have an idea of what it might be~
Not going to lie, since the OGL and their repeated fumbles Hasbro has driven me FIRMLY into Pathfinder 2e and a feverish impatient wait for Daggerheart
I know that one of the other results of the OGL event(s) was the creation of the Open RPG Creative (ORC) License.
I'd be interested in a video talking about the current state of that and highlighting all of the companies and creators that are using it.
Rule n.1 - You can't buy Bob
Rule n.2 - Don't f*ck with Bob
Rule n.3 - Bob doesn't forget
Respect!
I got to say you are doing an excellent job holding Wotc accountable
Thank you Bob 👍👍
I suspect I already own the last D&D book I'll ever buy. Slightly sad to leave it after over 40 years, but...
Just prior to the OGL debacle I was starting to get back into D&D and began to purchase 5th edition. Concurrently I was also dabbling into the wealth of indie ttrpg that had was and still is flourishing. The events that unfolded pushed me right into OSR camp and support of projects like shadowdark, knave 2nd edition, mothership 1st edition and dolmenwood. And I could be more thankful!
7:00 - "hmm, who are Acheron? never heard of them" .... segway into an ad :D
You got me there, Mr. The World Builder.
Thank you for this, perhaps your most important video to date. Keeping watch is the most important job of journalists (which you occasionally are). I love the always calm demeanor and matter-of-fact delivery, filled with facts that we all remember (when reminded), and your use of their words as the tool of correction. I hope whoever is left at D&D sees and takes this to heart. I wonder though whether they have the staff to implement very much now. Or worse, the continuing will.
Great video and a recap of the whole debacle. the quality of the videos and your reporting / writing has really come along way. I'm excited to see these two projects your working on and to be along for the ride!
Thank you for being such a dedicated, level-headed, and thorough voice in the community. In addition to keeping pressure on WotC to keep their promises, I love that you've compiled a bunch of information into one video, since information was somewhat disparate and changing very rapidly last year.
Thanks for the update on these issues! We're still keeping an eye on Wizards/Hasbro (and you!)
Thank you for staying on top of these promises/commitments. If you haven't already done so, I think it would be great for you (or anyone, really) to reach out to D&D and ask them for status on these efforts.
We owe so much to the fast, clear, united messaging of RUclips creators about the OGL situation and to the players who immediately dropped their D&D beyond subscription. Immediately showing monetary consequences worked so much better than a cry to boycott. Hasbro and its stakeholders couldn't spin or deny the community's outrage when the evidence was shoved in their faces.
There was some amazing journalism done by basically amateurs. The strength and unity displayed by the TTRPG community makes me proud to be part of it.
I appreciate how hard BOB is trying to hide who the "executive" is.
He was very clear at the front - hassling Brink would be the wrong way forward, he was just the mouthpiece for Hasbro, not the decision maker.
Nice work, Bob. You're protecting pico-publishers like me, and while I can't speak for everyone, I'm sure many share my appreciation.
Keep up the good work!
This has been interesting to watch from the "outside", meaning, I used to play D&D/AD&D back in the (very) early '80s, but quickly switched to Call of Cthulhu, Stormbringer, various Palladium games, and many other different games/systems. It wasn't until late 2022 (oof...40 years later...ouch) that I decided to run some 5e (at the behest of my player group who was curious about it). I find the system to be interesting, but nothing that particularly makes me want to play it over other systems.
Now, I'm not hating on 5e, I do think it's fun and simple (compared to more "crunchy" games), it's just not my favorite (another confession - I don't have a favorite, there are too many great games out there). I absolutely love that you are working to expose other systems to your viewer base.
Bob, you have consistently gotten better and better at making the great content you make. This was a wonderful recap, I'm excited for the new year and more BWB!
Thank you! This was the second video I made collaborating with a professional video editor for the final product. I think it was well worth it for this one.
I love that you actually have cassettes and a cassette player on the shelf behind you in this video!
22:00 is really the reason why I started writing my own RPG. I don't want my content to become just another reason why someone feels like they're stuck playing DnD.
Thank you for keeping track of all this
I absolutely love that you're keeping up with these issues, holding people accountable, and generally helping people play games in ways they didn't know they wanted.
On another note, you need to do a TTRPG-themed ASMR. Your voice is perfect for it!
Great video, as always, Bob. Thanks for keeping track of all of this stuff. I personally got so tired of the OGL thing and One D&D Drama I kinda tuned out a lot of news, it's nice to hear about these other things and seeing how they do on it. Only thing I slightly disagree with is the comment about "Making people more comfortable staying in the D&D Ecosystem". Maybe it's my naivety in hoping that not everything is awful that their parent company is so bent on destroying, but when I heard that I was thinking more trying to keep people in the Dungeons and Dragons game sphere and not splitting off to Pathfinder or other entirely new game systems. Especially since Critical Role is working on Daggerheart, and I think it's safe to say a large portion of D&D's newer fans are from Critical Role, so if they make a successful product D&D is in a bit more of a tricky spot. A lot of people have limited time and can barely even play one RPG System let alone 2.
Though, I also see where you're coming from and it does put people who make games like MCDM RPG, Shadowdark, Knave, etc etc etc in an awkward spot because it's sort of like they're trying to monopolize the general space more. Which I guess was also your point, so I half disagree with you? I don't know. I thought this made sense.
Anyway great video. Thanks Bob.
Haha based on your comment, I think we agree. WotC wants (as any company should want) people to play their game, but WotC has enough power to keep people focused on only one game, while no other TTRPG company does. So if Pathfinder was just as big, maybe they would be trying to build a wall around their content too. But for now, every other TTRPG company is pretty open about encouraging (or at least, not preventing) people from checking out other games and third party materials.
Echoing others that I like the low-drama, deep analysis style here.
Bob, you hide your sarcasm and true feelings about this situation like vodka in orange juice 👌 nice
Even notice back then how a certain someone was careful to specify "no loot boxes" instead of "no digital microtransactions" which becomes relevant in the later part of 2023 when they started to push small paid supplements on DDB!
I haven't paid for a WotC/Hasbro D&D product since before the OGL and I still will not.
Happy new year everyone! and as I know there's a lot of bad out there and hope to help counter it with good, I just want to start the new year off with sincere thanks and love for all you do and remind you that you are awesome, and we appreciate you!!!
great job. i remember all these things vividly. im sure with all the layoffs and how bad hasbro is doing....keeping these promises are the LAST thing on their mind!
Ahh. Just a couple months ago I was thinking "Whatever happened to the OGL fiasco" and trying to look for articles, but really couldn't find much. Thank you for keeping up coverage, and good luck with the releases!
This is a really emotive topic and can often spiral into something nasty, so I appreciate you calmly working through the promises made and their outcomes. 2023 was a rough year in D&D, so I'm glad there's people out there like you holding WotC etc. to account in a responsible manner.
Maybe I missed you mentioning it, Brancalonia (sp?) has a free quick start. Other settings as well! Thanks Bob, you have me checking out a new game every week.
I really appreciate your follow through with this. Holding them accountable to their word and all in such a professional, respectful, and thoughtful manner. This was truly an amazing video. Thank you for your work.
Very well said, Bob. Thanks for being an advocate for the community.
Great way to open up the New Year with your very own game system and book! You always produce quality videos Bob and I appreciate your videos on the Essentials and Dragons of Stormwreck Isle Starter sets! Xin Nian Kuai Le and Happy New Year!
Really loving the Shadowdark shirt, Bob!
Thanks for being so critical about all of this. I think that's really important.
You were talking about many small productions to choose from, and I was thinking about Brancalonia. Then you went into the sponsored segment about Brancalonia. Amazing!
Brancalonia is awesome, an absolute must have for Italian players, and a very intriguing setting in his own right, even if you won't get all the references and inside jokes from 80s italian pop culture. Very happy that Acheron games put Italy on the D&D / TTRPG map (metaphorically AND literally 😅) - oh! And by the way: great video Bob👍🏻
The OGL is more than just an agreement between WotC and its players/content creators. In fact, nowhere in the OGL v1.0(a) was D&D mentioned. It only mentions "Content Contributors"... which would be, by definition, anyone who contributes content in under the OGL v1.0(a).
It permits any other company, or solo designer, to use it for their game(s) (examples: Paizo's Starfinder, Evil Hat Productions' Fate, etc.). _That's_ why it was such a huge scandal. It wasn't WotC vs Fans, it was WotC vs the entirety of the RPG hobby. Completely ignoring these independent companies, who are using the OGL to permit their fans to share content for their games, undersells the true effect of the OGL scandal. The true cost of what was going to happen to their content creators.
Remember, the draft of OGL v1.2, which WotC wanted our "feedback on", stated:
*NOTICE OF DEAUTHORIZATION OF OGL 1.0a.* The Open Game License 1.0a is no longer an authorized license. This means that you may not use that version of the OGL, or any prior version, to publish SRD content after *(effective date).* It does not mean that any content previously published under that version needs to update to this license. Any previously published content remains licensed under whichever version of the OGL was in effect when you published that content.
*Open Game License 1.2*
This is a License between Wizards of the Coast LLC (“Wizards,” “us,” “we,” “our”) and anyone who wants to use the licensed content in their own TTRPG (“you,” “your”). By using Our Licensed Content, you agree to the terms of this license. As used in this license, “we” (or any other term referring to us) includes our affiliates, successors, and predecessors.
This was WotC's attempt to turn the OGL into 4e's GSL by a bunch of executives who had no idea _what_ the OGL was. Even after learning it was a bad idea to turn the OGL into the GSL v2.0, they still doubled down with OGL v1.2. Only when people were talking about suing WotC, various companies and former WotC _employees,_ did they back down... it also helped that the vast majority of the feedback they received in their public survey was "eff you".
So, please, don't downplay the scandal to by ignoring all the companies WotC was going to eff over just so they could have a monopoly on D&D content.
Glad to see you’re finally doing the analysis Bob. Never forget that a corporation can be defined as both an ingenious device for individual profit without individual responsibility, and a dragon/hydra, you might feel warm and comfortable under their wings but you are still something to be devoured or hoarded later.
Good stuff Bob! Great video to keep the feet to the fire. And keep pushing those indies!
Thank you! Your videos were part of what inspired me to try an essay approach on this one
I actually am semi glad WotC semi forced me to look into more TTRPGS. I have already played 2 new systems in the past few months and planning to try out more with 2024 because creators deserve it.
Thanks for making this video! Its really good to know what they are keeping to and what might be.
I hope they can fix there big corporate mess, but tbh if it never happened i would of never been confident enough to try a new TTRPG.
Bob, may the gods bless you for what you do for this hobby. Your work is strongly appreciated.
Bob, you rock. I really appreciate your great content and your smooth presentation. Have a great 2024!
Great video. I really like holding them accountable for what they promised. Just goes to show my continued boycott of WOTC is fully justified. As a 30+ year fan of DnD it's hard. But worth it to move away from their game system due to the company's greed.
Great video Bob, looking forward to seeing what your first book will focus on!
Bob's so calm and friendly. Of all the online creators who DM, I'd most like to play a game with Bob. Shorts would be fun and crazy, the Dudes would be great but it would be such a fun experience with Bob.
Thanks for approaching this in a straightforward break it down kind of way.
I already felt the urge of branching out and doing my own stuff even before the scandals because of the general direction that WotC where going with D&D, but 2023 made it easier to branch out and explore new games (and start developing my own, independent system). Although I'm not dropping my support for 5e just yet. At least not until I have all the modules and sourcebooks that I have legit interest (will wrap it up with CoS, ToD, Guide to Giants and TotYP).
I'll praise the algorythm for throwing your channel my way, dude. Nice video and summary of what's been going on. Ya got a sub on me!
The OGL scandal had a major impact over here in the brazillian RPG scene and our local market is seeing somewhat of a spring season. Lots of our veteran DMs are trying their hand as indie publishers with new systems but also 5e material. I hope this will also be a reality in other countries. Been curious to see what other developers in Europe and Asia are cooking when it comes to RPGs.
When Kyle mentioned earlier editions going under Creative Commons, I was excited for 4e to become available. It seems like an interesting system that can't be properly enjoyed _without_ some digital aid to handle the fiddly auras and what-not. Its license was also _far_ more restrictive than 3/3.5e or 5e. So going CC would make a bigger difference to what can be done with it. (I poked at making a 4e system for Foundry VTT ages ago. The license was so restrictive and unclear as to be really disheartening.)
So, please, let the community work with 4e! I want the digital tools that never materialized so the game can be properly played and enjoyed! Rather than just letting 4e rot under a restrictive license held by a company that'll probably never touch it again.
Wonderful piece Bob. Really could feel the love you poured into this one
Love you, Bob! Happy New Year.
Bob, I got one of your shirts. Gonna keep using what I have for 5e As Crom Intended. I get much more worth from taking parts of other systems and adding it on to baseline 5e than I do from much of anything wotc has released or will release. I love ShadowDark but it isn't conducive to my table for a long term campaign, it's still a wealth of inspiration to pull from.
Thank you for your thoughtful take on these issues.
I have stopped buying WOTC products and am focusing my attention on other systems for future games that I run for my friends and family. It breaks my heart how poorly D&D got handled at the height of its popularity, as I've owned and played every edition of the game.
Looking forward to see what Bob would be bringing to the hobby!
It is sad but unsurprising that Hasbro haven't release older version of D&D in the creative common. I personally would love to see an alternative version of 4th brought back from the dead by a third party publisher.
I love how your channel has grown and developed over the years. I enjoy the quality tips, the heart, the creativity, the ideas, the excitement.
Keep up the great work and I wish you all the best in 2024!
I haven't forgotten these promises, especially the 3rd edition ruleset going to CC. I'm still waiting, but I think it's pretty clear they have no intention of following thur at this point. Disappointing.
I'm done with D&D from WotC. I've not purchased nothing from WotC in the past year. And was regularly spending $200 a year for the past 4-5 years. And I've pushed my group way from WotC as well.
the name of hasbro's ceo literally sounds like when you have an npc you forgot to name so you just make something ridiculous up lmao
Feels like evil twin Bill World Hoarder pulled this together. Love the energy. Bob you got this.
Great video dude. There are a few promises in there that I will now be keeping my eye on as well. The one that I will be shocked if they actually follow through on is including the new 6th edition 1 d&d whatever rule set in the SRD and or creative Commons like they promised. They definitely seem like they want to create a walled garden and putting the new rule set in those will be a direct blow against that goal. So my money is on them not doing that.
I'm glad that you and other creators have shined light on the predatory practices of WOTC/Hasbro and hold these companies accountable.
Serious question- what is “predatory” about what Wizards has done? I’m trying to understand the community sentiment.
@@willeric55 So with the unexpected disruption to the OGL and the way things were done for the last 20 years, WOTC basically tried to use their bigger resources and reach to squeeze out smaller creators. Instead of it being fair competition they were trying to seize a larger share of the market, at the expense of the independent creators who's contributions have made D&D so successful.
@@pricerowland that's pure speculation though. You don't actually know that.
Bob I really wish I had the will within me to try seeing things the way you do. I've done too much adventuring to expect a vampire to keep his word, ever.
More great content. Thank you for following this through.
Thank you for this great video and for being a truth teller. You rock!
Although I have made up my mind about how I wish to deal with Hasbro and WotC, this was a very informative video and I appreciate the fact that you're watching them. Great video and yes, I do support third party content creators very much. All of my purchases since "The OGL" have been to third party content creators. Keep up the great work!