Master To... er... D&D E-Tools. Is anyone actually going to buy it?

[Psychotic Dreamer]

I probably wont pick it up. Not because of how I feel about the software, but due to the fact there are lots of games coming out. I'd rather pick up new game books than buy software I may or may not get alot of use out of. Especially since my resources are VERy limited currently.

 

[Eternalknight]

Guys, there is a preview of E-Tools at Wizards right now

 

[Solarc]

Don't know...

I'm going to have to wait and see. I was severly dissapointed that the product will not have a mapper (or rather... they will wait and see about adding a mapper later.)

It's a real turn off for me when a product looses focus (computer based mapper for computer based adventures instead of PnP games) without looking at their legal and fiscal obligations.... then says that they will *maybe* give their customers the basic tools they asked for.

I'm glad that they are going to produce a character generator... but I already have a number of tools and options that do that. I need something to manage adventures and a mapper to go with it.

So I'm going to wait and see.

Solarc

 

[Ranger REG]

Again, with the mapper.

Fine. Petition Wizards to reconsider their decision about the crappy mapper, if THAT will satisfy you. But I'm not paying for it.

 

[Agamon]

I'll be getting it...just as soon as someone figures out how to make custom classes with it. Until then, it'd likely sit dusty in the corner.

 

[maddman75]

Definately not getting it.

- About a third of my players have prestige classes from splatbooks.
- I greatly enjoy using bad guys with prestige classes from splatbooks.
- I need a mapper and encounter manager more than I need a character and monster generator.

From what I can tell, this doesn't do anything that PCGen doesn't do. The interface will improve. In the open source world, this board is not the correct place to complain about a product. Email the developers! They will listen and fix a bug or take into account your thoughts on useability.

 

[Jasperak]

Several months ago I said that I would buy MT/ET, whatever it is, but I have to change my mind... My almost three year old computer cannot run a character generator that needs 4MB video ram and 400mhz. Oh well, sorry WOTC.

 

[Jeremy]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/iw/iw20020607a

Is it just me or did they bury this article? Here is the only article I can find that talks about what is actually in E-Tools. The press release is easy enough to find, but it's a press release so they can use power words and vague euphemisms without telling you anything about the product.

Well here looking at the product we find with it you can make a character and level a character as long as he is only from the 3 Core Rule books.

No web feats, no prestige classes from any of the expansions, no dragon magazine, no new spells, no magic of faerun, no sword and fist, no masters of the wild, nothing...

Well, as far as I'm concerned the demo cd for master tools that came with my PHB can do that if I want to have a character with only the core books..

How do they justify all that wasted time? I mean, this CD was in the first print of the PHB and it's basically got at least half of the functionality of the full product already.

What a waste...

 

[Ranger REG]

Actually that article was posted on June 7. It's now June 16. It's a week old.

As for comparing E-Tools to Chargen Demo, it's different. You cannot create monster PC or NPC with Chargen Demo, only the standard PC races. You cannot apply prestige class from DMG with Chargen Demo.

(Although I am aware of unofficial utility to the Chargen Demo that allow such modifications.)

And while E-Tools will provide data from ALL THREE core rulebooks (as opposed to the Chargen Demo that covers the bulk of PH with a smidgen of DMG, namely the magic items and weapons portion to equip your character), I'm sure you can input data such as feats from other sources, including the (appropriately named) splatbooks.

 

[Jeremy]

So you have to pay them for a product you are going to have to write the code for?

And as far as character generation goes, as the core rulebooks don't support Monsters as PC's (that system has been sorta implemented in Dragon and in the FRCS, and might be better implemented in Tooth and Fang), the PHB and the Magic Chapter of the DMG is about all you need to make a core pc. Unless Dwarven Defender is really your schtick.

When compared to free products that not only have core + supplement books including psionics, but also have 3rd party information that is commonly used like stuff from Monte Cook, or Swords and Sorcery, AND also have web based spells and classes from WotC and Dragon magazine prestige classes, feats, and spells... It really seems like a poor product.

I guess if the only thing you use are the three core books it'd be more attractive. Maybe they'll have really pretty pictures or colors. But I like to be able to make a Duelist or a Cavalier or a Hunter of the Dead or a Templar or a pressure point focused NPC using Falling Star Strike and Freeze the Lifeblood. If it prints out on a WotC looking character sheet and uses WotC rules accurately, then that's all that matters me when I come to the table to play...