WotC Character Builder release schedule

[Orcus Porkus]

It's not really news what I found here but I thought I share it, because there is a lot of speculation and pessimism.

The open beta will be late next week and will have some new content but still levels 1-3.

The full version with levels 1-30 will be in the second half of January.

 

[Sunglare]

I would love to try the character builder but I can't even get .net framework 3.5 sp1 to install on my computer. Keep getting error 6303 (i think this was it, maybe is was 1603).
What ever it was when I search the net on how to fix the error it seems to be related to IIS which I gathered is a VISTA issue but I'm running XP so I don't know what the hell to do.
Anybody else get this problem and been able to fix it?

 

[Whimsical]

Check this KB article out and follow the instructions:

You receive an "error 1603: A fatal error occurred during installation" error message when you try to install a Windows Installer package

Since this is a failure to install a Microsoft component onto its system software, you can call Microsoft for further assistance. You can do this by clicking on "Need More Help?".

Before doing that, open Internet Explorer, go into the Tools menu, select Windows Update.

You may need to run Windows Update several times before your computer is fully updated.

Afterward, try installing the latest .NET framework directly from
Microsoft .NET Framework

 

[hopeless]

Got it uploaded trying to find the thread which had the link to comment on it having little luck though.
So far the only problem I've faced is that it treats holy symbols as having to be used in your main hand and won't count it as equipped otherwise, anybody else noted anything else about it?

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Well, the level 1-3 beta is great stuff! Love it.

Not being a programmer, I don't understand what's the big hang up with going all the way to 30 considering the beta works so well. I haven't tried it extensibely, but all four characters I made worked like a charm.

 

[FrozenChrono]

still some bugs to work out. For instance when you make a sword mage you can't qualify for any ranger feats.

 

[James McMurray]

The problem with jumping straight to 30 is at least twofold. From a programming perspective, the number of rules interactions involved in combining all three tiers is much harder to account for than just three levels. An exception based system makes a good game, but a programming nightmare. From a marketing perspective, they don't want to give it all away at once because there's enough information in there for anyone to play an entire campaign. Since the data gets downloaded, there's no need for an ongoing subscription like there is if you're getting your rules out of the compendium. Giving that away all at once means that peoiple could sign up for a single month, download it, and never need to buy a PHB or any of the other books that are in the beta.

 

[evilgenius8000]

Yes, I'd wager that its all the rules interactions and exceptions that start to affect your character once you start getting paragon and epic features like feats, PP's and ED's.

All I'm hoping is that they make the sheet nicer.... the rules that get displayed on the cards and the various fields for features and such never fit and so they just trail into nothingness.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Good points.

 

[eleran]

still some bugs to work out. For instance when you make a sword mage you can't qualify for any ranger feats.

maybe I am missing the joke, but why should being a Swordmage make you qualified for Ranger feats?