@dawngreeter Honestly, that's what bothers me the most about it. As if literally the last 40 years of game developers, designers, and PLAYERS who didn't play D&D never existed and certainly didn't contribute anything, and all of MCDM was simply divine revelation.

That and the fact that they can't come up with a better way to sell it than repeatedly telling people what it's not.

When you don't pay your dues and acknowledge your inspirations… You're not people I want to do business with.

#TTRPG #MCDM

@lextenebris @dawngreeter

I'm a little confused about your first paragraph. Where do you get that assersion from? Who suggested it's akin to "divine revalation."?

It's just another TTRPG, but they've been able to leverage Matt's "fame" to get people to buy into it.

I don't think it's particularily ground breaking, but I do disagree that he's not ackowleging insperations or paying dues. Could you show me where I'm wrong?

@AshtonBlack @dawngreeter By reading their ad copy, listening to their interviews, and seeing what they've written? You know, direct observation which anyone can do. They consistently portrayed themselves as having drawn something from the in ovo with no nods to inspirations, no drawing from other sources, no particular explanation of what other games they were inspired by and drew from.

You know, as if it was received by divine revelation. Words. They have meaning.

It is literally just another TTRPG which they are not selling on the basis of "hey, this game is cool, look at what you can do in it" but "this guy who you have a parasocial relationship with thinks it's cool so you should, too, and it's NOT D&D!"

Also – you just asked me to prove a negative. "Show me where I'm wrong about him NOT doing something!" He's not. Now the burden of proof is on you to show the rest of us where they are acknowledging inspirations and paying dues. Which you should be able to do because it's a positive assertion and thus provable.

@lextenebris @dawngreeter

Can you explain what you mean by "paying dues"?
MCDM has published a number of fairly well-received products over the years. Who are they paying the dues to? Us? You talk like they've come out of nowhere.

As for inspirations, in the interviews, Q&A etc they've mentioned, for example, Midnight Suns for at least some of the mechanics and of course "Fantasy Trope" standards for some of their races.

You are aware too, that this isn't even close to finished, right?

@AshtonBlack @lextenebris
MCDM: I invented a new system of government that is different from monarchy!

Me: Ok, lots of systems have come about since then. What are the specifics?

MCDM: There will be no kings! Maybe even no crown!

Me: Yes, this is understood. Can you explain how it relates to some other modern systems of government?

MCDM: If you are interested in primogeniture and inherited power, this system is not for you!

Me: Is monarchy your only reference point?

MCDM: No Divine Right!

@AshtonBlack @lextenebris I am obviously aiming for comedy here. But I feel it accurately represents the process of reading their campaign page.

You are a fan. That is cool. Clearly a lot of the people are fans. More power to you.

But honestly engaging what they are trying to sell for the purpose of evaluating if I am interested, the takeaway is that the product seems set to reinvent the wheel while having no awareness of the wheel industry.

@dawngreeter @lextenebris

So what would you have them do instead? How could their pitch be improved?