So the 2024 Players Handbook (PHB) is set to release in September. I’ve already bought and paid for the book. In fact I get early access in early September.
However a bunch of YouTube and other folks got the books much earlier and the embargo for them to talk about it lifted in early August.
So now I have to learn piecemeal how the new rules work. I have to hope whatever YouTube video I watch got the rules right. My only reference is random videos.
Luckily someone did write down a rough outline at https://rpgbot.net/2024-dnd-5e-transition-guide-and-change-log-everything-thats-different-in-the-new-players-handbook/
Anyone else find this to be bullshit? It’s like Christmas morning for “influencers” but my gifts arrive in a month.
In short if folks know of a good copy of the 2024 PHB I’d love to read it.
It’s mostly that I love making characters and theory crafting.
In terms of actually playing, all the games I’m in at the moment are sticking with the current rules for a while.
But also doesn’t this just seem like a terrible way to roll out a product? A product that has the term Rules As Written (RAW) and then not having the written rules available, but presumably paying people to make videos about them? Just annoying I guess.
Tech and video games do the same thing. It’s so the influencers have time to make proper informed content prior to the release date and so channel partners who develop things like online support tools have time to match the launch date with updates to their tools.
If the influencers/reviewers get a long period both before the embargo lifts and before the actual launch it means they’re pretty confident in their product and believe it will be reviewed favorably. The smaller those windows are the more likely they’re trying to get you to preorder something half baked that will get ripped apart on review.
So I agree with your first part, but for the second part, why make me wait?
If I wasn’t going to buy it or was going to wait for the reviews. Now that they are out and I want to buy it, why make me wait?
The correct behavior here seems to be ignore all of influencers and ignore all of the news and ignore all the hype. Ignore all of the things the company wants me to pay attention to, because of I do pay attention then all I get is annoyed that I don’t have it yet.
Maybe what I find so frustrating is the influencer part. Specifically that YouTube videos are a terrible terrible terrible method to convince me to buy your product, this specific product.
Like if I wanted to see a film, I might watch a trailer. But in this case someone has already seen the film, and to understand what it is I have to watch them give an interpretive dance. They can’t tell me exactly what was in the film, but they can sort of dance to it and I can probably figure it out.
The company doesn’t care if you’re happy, they care that you’re going to spend money. Most people don’t have the self control to not pay attention to the hype and the delay makes people talk about the product. The delayed gratification only makes you want it more as now you have to wait and think about how you don’t have the thing that you want.
It’s actually a great way to roll out a product. The reason they are paying content creators is to drive engagement on their product so that people get excited and pre-order/buy said product. They don’t care about fairness or rules or whatever. They just want to make more money.
If you don’t like it, try to remember it next time they release a new product.
Sure, but if the embargo was September 1st, or even the same day I get my book, that all would still apply; and I would have access to the product.
What is the purpose of building hype for a product I can’t have?
If you still want to buy it after them doing this, then that’s exactly the purpose.
I mean I already bought it, before I knew about any of this pre-release or embargo stuff.
I’m also not sure your logic tracks even if I hadn’t bought it.
I am excited for a product. They build hype. I’m still excited, but also annoyed.
But if I weren’t excited. They build hype. Now I am excited, but also annoyed.
I fully understand why they release it to “influencers”, but why prevent me from having the product? They’ve made the sale. I’m in. All they’re doing is preventing further sales. If I can’t have the thing I bought then I can’t want more of a similar thing.