Insider

[Don Ventresca]

Yes, D&D Insider, is it worth it or not?

 

[Shroomy]

Yes, D&D Insider, is it worth it or not?

If you play 4e, then yes it is worth it. If you plan on subscribing, I'd do it before the Character Builder goes live and the prices go up.

 

[I'm A Banana]

If you subscribe, the books get less useful (especially the crunch-heavy products).

I'm subscribed, and it has been a little underwhelming, but it's been useful to look up stats on the fly while DMing my online games.

 

[Lhorgrim]

I've been wondering the same thing, but I've been too tied up in other threads to post the question. Thanks DV.

Here is my major misgiving. If I plunk down $60 for the year subscription, and it takes 9 months for everything to be functional, I'm going to feel like I got hosed.

If Shroomy is right and they raise the price as the features come online, then I'll feel like I was rewarded for signing on early, but I'm not sure I'd be able go with a follow up subscription if the price got much higher.

I have a concern that I'm buying a bag of "magic beans". I haven't followed the DDI thing very closely, as I came to 4E a bit later than most, but I seem to recall that the thing was supposed to be up and running months ago.

I guess I'm just not 100% confident that DDI will be fully working before my sub would run out.

Does any of that make any sense?

 

[Dedekind]

I haven't subscribed, but I find the article teasers inticing. Enough to get me to subscribe? Not yet, but the Druid might push me over.

On the one hand, I think it is useful to give people who want extra access a way to get it. On the other hand, if most of the teasers/previews for a product are in DDI, then non-subscribers may never get the message (and therefore not buy the product). I wonder how this trade-off is affecting the content?

 

[Shroomy]

I haven't subscribed, but I find the article teasers inticing. Enough to get me to subscribe? Not yet, but the Druid might push me over.

On the one hand, I think it is useful to give people who want extra access a way to get it. On the other hand, if most of the teasers/previews for a product are in DDI, then non-subscribers may never get the message (and therefore not buy the product). I wonder how this trade-off is affecting the content?

It looks like WoTC will be doing free weekly previews for their monthly releases through the D&D website. In addition, the DDI previews serve two purposes, first they get people to subscribe and they begin to generate word of mouth for new releases several months in advance. Just look at the druid thread.

 

[Shroomy]

I've been wondering the same thing, but I've been too tied up in other threads to post the question. Thanks DV.

Here is my major misgiving. If I plunk down $60 for the year subscription, and it takes 9 months for everything to be functional, I'm going to feel like I got hosed.

If Shroomy is right and they raise the price as the features come online, then I'll feel like I was rewarded for signing on early, but I'm not sure I'd be able go with a follow up subscription if the price got much higher.

I have a concern that I'm buying a bag of "magic beans". I haven't followed the DDI thing very closely, as I came to 4E a bit later than most, but I seem to recall that the thing was supposed to be up and running months ago.

I guess I'm just not 100% confident that DDI will be fully working before my sub would run out.

Does any of that make any sense?

If you buy the $60 yearly package, you're actually paying for the two magazines, the DDI Compendium, and the bonus tools. At $5/month that's not bad, especially when you consider were a month or two from the general release of the Character Generator, which seems to be a great application.

 

[Pour]

I opted for the 3 months for 20 bucks and I haven't been disappointed. The online tools are very helpful in my online and live games. I LOVE the Compendium, especially since it updates with supplemental material and eDragon material. I'm also becoming a fast fan of the Character Builder.

The magazines are no small thing either. I tend to use Dragon more than Dungeon, but that might just be me. I have a soft spot for Minotaurs, so when they released all the wonderful material on them and the Labyrinth it was really the push. I think the material, as many have said, is pretty great. Previews are nice and overall I like the updates given 3 days a week. It's fun to check out a little after midnight.

So after writing this I guess I am an official fan of DDI. I just hope it continues, and in fact improves, despite the layoffs.

 

[Lhorgrim]

If you buy the $60 yearly package, you're actually paying for the two magazines, the DDI Compendium, and the bonus tools. At $5/month that's not bad, especially when you consider were a month or two from the general release of the Character Generator, which seems to be a great application.

When you put it that way it does sound like a reasonable deal.
I hadn't heard that the Char Gen utility was that close to release. I knew it was in Beta, but I was afraid it would languish there. If it's a couple months away from working, then I think I'll go ahead and subscribe.

The magazines and the bonus tools are probably worth $60 a year to me. The Compendium might be worth the money too, but the free preview seems a bit...cumbersome.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

The Compendium too will pay for itself in that books like the Martial Power or new PHBs will be basically entirely covered in the Compendium so won't need to buy those books. So save money there.