In a Perfect World

In a Perfect World
– Turning it All Around

(Originally posted in 2010 on my WotC blog. Note: It can often appear to people that I am biased towards WotC. I am! But, I think I can also be critical when there is reason to be. I try to be constructive and fair, and I generally don’t make posts like this one unless I think they will have a positive impact for the company and for gamers. The post below came at a time when DDI subscribers felt ignored, with constant delays to releasing promised software. I have not edited the post below except for adding a few notes.)

Here is what I would love to see happen in D&D and the RPGA/Organized Play:

DDi

• The DDi team acknowledges for how difficult they have made it on everyone the last half a year
• The DDi team announces they will allow for offline access for the web tool via an offline browser or client
• The DDi team announces that before the end of September we will have both a fully functional Monster Builder and an Encounter Builder that integrates what you do in MB
• The new MB supports offline use, storage of custom monsters outside the web app, and export so you can embed monsters in image or word processing programs.
• The new MB supports monster themes, templates, and traps
• The RPGA content from the current MB can be imported into the new MB if the user so chooses
• The DDi team promises not to announce functionality unless they can provide a date they will actually meet

D&D

• WotC provides for free, right now, the conversion rules between Essentials and 4E “classic” that are to be published in the upcoming Heroes of Sword and Spell book. (It is my belief that providing those conversion rules now would help reinforce that it really is one system and not two separate ones) (Note: The book was canceled)
• WotC announces that from now on they will ensure that every bit of content for either Essentials or 4E “classic” will be compatible with the other (Note: The two ended up being very compatible. Even the WotC process of tagging DDI articles as either 4E or Essentials didn’t last long.)
• WotC revamps its communication strategy so that the lack of clarity around Essentials won’t happen again with future products
• WotC improves the quality of Dragon and Dungeon content
• WotC continues to periodically releases minis of the quality of the excellent Lords of Madness set
• WotC continues to support Dark Sun with Dragon and Dungeon (don’t treat DS like Eberron)
• WotC continues to improve the Community web site to support commonly requested features, such as RSS for blogs.

Organized Play

• WotC pledges to support and promote LFR while giving it space to operate
• WotC stops playing games with LFR adventures and gets them on a new site yesterday
• WotC continues to make the improvements in D&D Encounters. Encounters has shorter seasons in the future and better tips for DMs.
• In the future, all Encounters seasons allow any 4E content, not just Essentials
• The rewards program is updated to not cater just to stores and to reward all types of play, even if different types of play have different incentive levels. Everyone needs love.
• The convention support pack is changed to something that is worthwhile as judge rewards instead of being vastly useless. It can be ordered by conventions and not just through stores.
• LFR really embraces better story and RP as a campaign (this is already one of their stated new design goals, which I want to see fully realized) (Note: I think this really improved over the course of the campaign.)
• LFR exceeds the current target for how many adventures will be released
• LFR stops just saying they want feedback and starts implementing feedback.

That’s my list, largely written for my own sanity.

I’ve clarified a few points based on feedback. (Thanks!)