The Culture: Dunder Talks Rollin' Bones

Last night Dunder Moose had on Ryan Howard, formerly of Rollin' Bones.

Ryan has decided to close up shop on YouTube; he explained why here.

It's not a bad idea. He's seeing the writing on the wall and getting out on his own terms. Smart move.

D&DTube is a shithole. Tourists who don't know what they're talking about. Grifters shilling Latest Thing. "Advice" that isn't. "Instruction" that doesn't. Clout-chasing fart-huffing bullshit everywhere, and that's from the people who ought to know better (but don't).

Ryan's correct to conclude that when "Big Names" have to go e-begging to keep up their audiences, or trying to get them to buy merch no one wants (including your "games"), that's a niche in sharp decline and it's time to head out of Dodge before you're dragged feet-first to Boot Hill.

The only thing I have to disagree with is not with Ryan specifically, but with the scene generally: none of you are replacing D&D.

Not your Daggerheart. Not your Shadowdark. Not your Precious Darling. Not your half-assed B/X clone. Not even the whole-assed B/X clone. The only thing that can replace D&D is D&D. (Only a previous edition will fill the gap.)

There is nothing in place to usurp D&D's supreme Network Effect. Therefore there is no alternative to D&D; there are only the D&Ds of even narrower niches (Traveller, RIFTS), all which bow to the Master.

That's what everyone is going to be forced to confront as the collapse goes on, but all those alternatives get eaten before D&D does due to the Network Effect providing D&D the power of resilence and anti-fragility; we'll see that mirrored in the lesser niches as only the masters of those niches will survive. Furthermore, when it comes to editions, only the most turnkey-complete one will stand when it's over.

You will be rolling 3d6 in order down the line when it's over. You will be rolling for Surprise. You will roll Morale Checks. You will roll for random encounters, random dungeons, and random treasure. You will play the game preserved in the Clubhouse, if you are admitted at all.

And the D&D channels are not ready for that- only those ready for what is now coming, which is none of them, will still be around.