A Technical Look at D&D Insider Applications

Nifft · Oct 24, 2007

"Technical look"? Geez, the writer was obviously not a technical person -- and it was just a summary of what we already knew. :\

Can't they get a technical person from whatever company they're buying the darn thing from to do a write-up?

Feh, -- N

Scribble · Oct 24, 2007

I'm wondering how this will effect the low budget PDF only market...

Lonely Tylenol · Oct 24, 2007

Remathilis said:
5.) Will it stop piracy? No. Will it slow it down by giving it a legitimate alternative (like iTunes did) yes.

I think that it's interesting that this endeavor is essentially demonstrating that the value of a pirated e-book is about $1 or $2. If a user has the choice between downloading a free copy of a book he owns so that he can put it on his laptop, or registering the book with WotC for $2 in order to get an official electronic version, I think most users will choose the latter. I will pay $2 for a hassle-free electronic document, but probably not $5 or $10.

Oldtimer · Oct 24, 2007

JVisgaitis said:
If I read the phrase "Windows rich" one more time I think my head would asplod.

There phrase is "Windows rich client". Just means that it runs as a native app on Windows and not in a browser or a Flash player or similar.

Seems like they are saying that the Game Table and the Character suite of options won't work with dual booting a Mac unless I am reading that wrong. Sucks for me/WotC. 7 subscriptions from my motley group that they aren't getting. On a positive note, I like everything I read. It sounds awesome. Just wish I could run it on my Mac...

Why won't it work with dual booting a Mac? If you can boot into WinXP through BootCamp, you should be able to run anything, right? Except for Game Table and Character Visualizer, everything should even run on MacOS through Parallells.

Am I missing something here?

Pyrex · Oct 24, 2007

Dragonblade said:
The only problem I see is that it pretty much requires them to shrink wrap their books. Otherwise, you could just go to Barnes and Noble, copy the code out of a book and then use the code online. Then that customer who did buy the book in good faith is screwed.

There are plenty of solutions that don't involve shrink-wrapping the book.

For example, say that each copy of the PHB that ships to retailers comes with a scratch-ticket with the individual code that is intended to be kept behind the counter and handed to the purchaser.

Or just put said scratch ticket in a sealed envelope on the last page of the book; kind of like how the 3.0 PHB came with a demo CD for the then-vision of the online toolset...

The Little Raven · Oct 24, 2007

Pyrex said:
For example, say that each copy of the PHB that ships to retailers comes with a scratch-ticket with the individual code that is intended to be kept behind the counter and handed to the purchaser.

Please, no. My local gaming store is horrible about that kind of thing. I had to argue with the guy for 30 minutes when 3e came out about the copies of the conversion document they got sent.

Or just put said scratch ticket in a sealed envelope on the last page of the book; kind of like how the 3.0 PHB came with a demo CD for the then-vision of the online toolset...

Much preferable.

Nifft · Oct 24, 2007

Dr. Awkward said:
I think that it's interesting that this endeavor is essentially demonstrating that the value of a pirated e-book is about $1 or $2. If a user has the choice between downloading a free copy of a book he owns so that he can put it on his laptop, or registering the book with WotC for $2 in order to get an official electronic version, I think most users will choose the latter. I will pay $2 for a hassle-free electronic document, but probably not $5 or $10.

Agree, though I'd prefer the $1 charge. I already feel entitled to "space-shift" the books I own to my laptop for easy transit, so the charge should be purely for the convenience of not needing to find the damn thing online.

Cheers, -- N

BASHMAN · Oct 24, 2007

TheSeer said:
Actually you WILL be able to have that spiffy feat/prestige class - IF you already know what it does according to the text:

To get access to the full details of the relevant rules and mechanical elements, though, you will need to own the E-version of the physical book where these rules or mechanical elements were published. When you purchase the printed book, a code will grant access to the E-version of the book for a nominal fee. As a subscriber, ownership of the E-version gives you access, when you are online, to the rules content while you’re filling out or updating your character sheet. Without the E-version, however, the character sheet will give you only the barest information (such as the names of feats and such) and refer you to the appropriate published books.

So you will be able to borrow your buddy's book to look up the feat, put it on your character in the generator, but just not have access to the full text of the feat/prestige class is what I get from that, right?

And if the feat has an effect on mechanics that would be reflected on your character sheet, it will also not get figured in? or will it and it just doesn't explain why it changed...

Mercule · Oct 24, 2007

Riley said:
It better be a VERRRY cheap cup of coffee of there's not a PDF involved. Especially considering that I have to re-login to Gleemax/DDI almost perpetually in its current incarnation.

I don't remember the full context (it was on ENWorld), but I made a statement along the lines of "$1-2 and I'm all there, but $5+ I'm definitely out" and someone from WotC (Scott, maybe?) was kind enough to tell me that I wouldn't definitely be out. I'm actually left with the impression that I was told I would be happy, but can't remember the exact response. Nor can I search.

My guess is that $2.50 is about the upper end that they're considering. Which is, pleasantly enough, the upper end of what I'd consider.

Edit: Crap. Should have read the second page. Scott popped in and gave the official answer.

BASHMAN · Oct 24, 2007

Scribble said:
I wionder if they'll have a CD included with the books... You put the cd in, log into the system and download the digital version plus unlock the features in DDI.

If someone else uses the CD to do the same, your copy disapears. (like if you sell a book now...)

I like that. It is much harder to steal, and easier to notice if someone else has. You go into a bookstore to buy a D&D book-- you have no way of knowing if someone has copied the serial number already and is using the digital version themselves. But if they do this via CD, then you can easily see-- the cd is missing from this book! Physical ownership of the CD could be enough to prove ownership of the book. I hope they go this route.

A Technical Look at D&D Insider Applications

Nifft

Penguin Herder

Scribble

First Post

Lonely Tylenol

First Post

Oldtimer

Great Old One

Pyrex

First Post

The Little Raven

First Post

Nifft

Penguin Herder

BASHMAN

Basic Action Games

Mercule

Adventurer

BASHMAN

Basic Action Games

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