"But Muh Socialization!" the Cargo Cultist says.
Really? Most of you play via Discord or some similar application now, or there would not be an explosion of demand in Virtual Tabletops.
Cut the shit. All of you would be just as well served by picking up a videogame alternative, jumping into a Discord call, having one guy share his screen and play together that way. Divinity: Original Sin, its sequel, and Baldur's Gate 3 do this as explicit features.
IS THERE A MULTIPLAYER MODE?
Yes, the game offers a multiplayer mode that focuses on cooperative gameplay. You can team up with your friends or other players online and embark on exciting co-op adventures, tackle challenging quests together, and strategise as a team to overcome formidable foes. Experience the game's immersive world in a collaborative multiplayer setting.
You can do this with other games too. Everything in the vein of XCom (BattleTech, Xenonaughts, Jagged Alliance, Blades of the Shogun, Desperados, The Lamplighter's League, all of SSI's AD&D games (and their originals such as Star Command and Phantasie), Wizardry, Might & Magic, Bard's Tale, Wasteland, Fallout, etc.) can be easily played as a group just by having everyone in a call, one guy share a screen, and talk your way through the game together.
It would be even better than the usual experience because the game can't cheat, unlike the usual Soup Aisle derelict behind the screen.
This is why I don't care to play Conventionally anymore, and why most who try Conventional Play bounce off when they can compare it to videogame counterparts: Vidya Is Superior ACROSS THE BOARD!
Tabletop has to return to the Real Hobby, centered out of the Clubhouse, to compete and win.
And yes, there's a way to square this with Network Effects. That's Monday's post.
If your home D&D game isn't more entertaining than playing BG3, then you suck as a GM.
ReplyDeleteConventional play being beat out by video games is largely due to the fact that the majority of GMs suck. I feel truly sorry for the majority of gamers that have to make do with weak GM's. (Although there is a portion of players that just want to follow along, and do not function with actual player agency.)
You have written earlier of players migrating to becoming mech pilots because of this.
I am interested to see how the clubhouse style play overcomes the few good GM's in an ocean of suck situation that we have now.
How do you think the clubhouse will be able to gain traction once WotC cuts the advertising umbilical that the rest of the hobby is dependent on?