CB's biggest failing by far: No custom content possible

[Dumnbunny]

It's funny that for all the hue and cry from certain parts of the fanbase that making all these changes to the CB is supposedly so "easy"... that not a single one of them has programmed their own version that does it in all this time.

You don't think that's maybe because the GSL prohibits such products?

 

[mudbunny]

You don't think that's maybe because the GSL prohibits such products?

The GSL only applies if you have signed up for the GSL. If you haven't, none of the restrictions found in the GSL apply.

 

[Dumnbunny]

The GSL only applies if you have signed up for the GSL. If you haven't, none of the restrictions found in the GSL apply.

Good point. One can instead dance between "you can't copyright game rules" and "you can't use WotC trademarks and other IP". That's not a dance I'm comfortable with, either as an individual developer or doing it as a company project, without IP lawyer oversight. And that's my core point, that there are barriers to creating a character builder for D&D 4e beyond desire and technical expertise.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Ah... so it's the GSL that's stopping you from programming a workable personal character builder that does everything the offline one did... not the fact that it's just pretty fricking hard. Gotcha. Sorry, my mistake.

Well, if any of you have bucked the trend and whipped up one of these "easy" computer programs anyway... send me a DM cause I'd love to see it in action compared to the online builder.

 

[eamon]

Well, if any of you have bucked the trend and whipped up one of these "easy" computer programs anyway... send me a DM cause I'd love to see it in action compared to the online builder.

Right, so you ignore the responses, and repeat your previous snide comment. Classy.

 

[DEFCON 1]

So let me get this straight... you genuinely believe WotC could easily build the new CB to match the functionality of the old one, but are just choosing not to. But in order to prove your opinion to have any merit, it would mean doing work for free and going against the GSL... so rather than that, we're just supposed to take your statements at face value that it's easy and that WotC are either just idiots or jerks. Right.

THAT'S why I didn't address the responses... because none of them had anything substantive to say with regards to proving your claims that matching functionality of the two CBs is a piece of cake. You do that... and maybe I'll be able to respond with something substantive to say as well.

 

[jimmifett]

The developers of both CBs are definately idiots, at least design wise, but at least thier implementations work(-ish) and they spent some time actually trying to build something.

 

[rjdafoe]

So let me get this straight... you genuinely believe WotC could easily build the new CB to match the functionality of the old one, but are just choosing not to. But in order to prove your opinion to have any merit, it would mean doing work for free and going against the GSL... so rather than that, we're just supposed to take your statements at face value that it's easy and that WotC are either just idiots or jerks. Right.

THAT'S why I didn't address the responses... because none of them had anything substantive to say with regards to proving your claims that matching functionality of the two CBs is a piece of cake. You do that... and maybe I'll be able to respond with something substantive to say as well.

The problem is that it has already been proven in the 3.5 era and the 4.0 era with programs that are already available and have more features than what Wotc offers.

Hero Lab is an example for both 3.5 and 4 and they have less people and are working on more types of systems.

There were at least 2 others for 3.5 that were made by people in their spare time that did not take 3 years to make.

So the answer to your question is that for whatever business reason they are not addressing this and are moving slower than fan made products.

 

[Herschel]

So let me get this straight... you genuinely believe WotC could easily build the new CB to match the functionality of the old one, but are just choosing not to.

You know they'd have to take time away from eating babies and killing kittens to build it right, but those things are their priority instead of me, the bastages.

 

[Herschel]

Hero Lab is an example for both 3.5 and 4 and they have less people and are working on more types of systems.

So the answer to your question is that for whatever business reason they are not addressing this and are moving slower than fan made products.

Then answer these two questions:

1. How will Hero Lab interface with WotC's Moster Buiilder and Virtual Table Top?

2. Does Hero Lab have to pass through compliance review before being released?