After reading
laby67's blog “
D&D insider” I got to thinking about my concerns about this new features impact on D&D as a whole and specifically on the RPGA folks.
First off I am a regular D&D gamer, I both play and DM games. I am also an RPGA GM (Harold Level) and as such I run a number of RPGA sanctioned games here in Lubbock. It “D&D insider” is going to have a major negative impact I see that happening here within the RPGA.
There are a number of articles on the WotC website that tout the glorious coming of “D&D Insider” all clearly claiming that all the information within “D&D Insider” is supplemental and will not be need for D&D. However that is always followed up with how much better your game will be with it.
There is also mention that the information within DDI will be RPGA compatible. My fear is how will as a GM run a game in which players have powers, feats, and the such gotten from a tool that I may not have access to. Also how will they balance. WotC claims that they will make sure everything is balanced. But we all know what a great job they have done with that in the past.
I see two solutions to this. First is that the players that have characters utilizing information from DDI will have print out verifying power, feat or whatever. The second solution I see is that there will end up being two track for RPGA players a track for those with DDI and one for those without DDI.
The first solution is somewhat akin to what has been done within the Expedition to Xendrik campaign. I is not an inharently bad solution it just requires that GM's either have all the books or take the time before the slot begins to read and attempt to fully understand all the ins and outs of the of each feat, or item the players have at their disposal. In my experience this is not done, the players word is taken if it sounds reasonable and then if there are questions the documents are checked. I think this is where things will end up, primarily because it appears that WotC will be taking a much stronger role within the RPGA.
I also can see a situation where there end up being multiple slots for the same adventures, one with DDI access and the other without. Given that WotC is out to make money I don't see this happening.
Now for my greater concern with DDI... What will happen in a couple of years when the bean counters at Hasbro notice that the cost to profit ratio is much higher on virtual recourses than it is on printed material. I see a point when our books begin to get smaller and smaller and less and less useful because most of the good stuff is accessed via DDI. WotC will not have gone back on their word that “All you will need to play is the PHB and to DM all you will need is the PHB, DMG and MM.” However, you will end up with nothing more than a very expensive and very pretty copy of the Open Game License material.
All that said I am going to participate in the DDI Beta testing before I decide if I ma going to be a “Have or Have Not...”
Now what do you all think?
Tags: 4E D&D D&D Insider DDI
