When is D&D Insider actually launching?

[Xyxox]

IIRC, Core Rules 1 was a mess and CR2 wasn't really all that great until the expansion was released.

I'm a little fuzzy on those though.

Well, Core Rules 1 did exactly what it was advertised to do. It supported the Core Rules, nothing more.

Core Rules 2 gave you a bit more flexibility, but was still lacking. It was only when Peter Adkison demanded a prodcut that could support his 30th level Dwarf Paladin that the Expansion was commissioned and returned superb results. I sitll have the product and am currently moving back to 2E completely because CR2+E gives me the flexibility I need and I always loved the version of the rules.

The Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas was also a great product. I'm currently editing the undeveloped continet that exists approximately on the other side of Toril from Faerun to use as a campaign setting.

...all colossal failures. If its software, WOTC doesn't have a clue.

CR1, CR2, and CR2+E were done by Evermore Entertainment. Sadly, they went under shortly after WotC was sold to Hasbro.

 

[Drkfathr1]

The other problem I think, is the whole attempt to compete with WOW. Which if you read some of the interviews, and read between the lines on others, is exactly what they intended with the whole DDI.

Poor idea to begin with.

 

[Wicht]

Granted, it's a bit delayed. I'm especially disappointed since a year PRIOR to 4e launch they showed off demos that looked to be in a semi-working state, and here we are more than 13 months later, and still no release... I'm crossing my fingers.

Just so long as you aren't holding your breath.

 

[Xyxox]

Just so long as you aren't holding your breath.

Definitely not.

My expectations are that in 9 months they'll announce that it is no longer the D&D Initiative (DDI) But has been scaled back to D&D Virtuality (DDV) where you get something along the lines of a really scaled back OpenRPG virtual tabletop and nothing else.

 

[renau1g]

*sigh*

This is what I was afraid of.... I seem to remember when 3e or 3.5e was launched there was tools or some sort of software that would let you make characters? Wasn't there a cd or something... but the rules weren't supported past the initial (core) material... is that e-tools?

 

[EdPovi]

WOTC, until just recently, expected people to pay full cover price for PDFs.

There are more than a few threads that go over how ridiculous that is.

I don't think there is anything wrong with a business expecting folks to pay full price for a digital product. The largest cost for 4E will be the salary of its employees that worked on the product for years, R&D. I don't think we have any right to demand that the pdf be so much cheaper just because of the reduced material cost (paper). Consumers are free to vote on the value of that product with their wallets.

That said, WOTC has been, umm, unsuccessful with most of the D&D software products they have managed. It’s quite possible that DDI goes the way of Duke Nukem Forever.

 

[LeaderDesslok]

The D&D Insider will be released just in time for 5th edition in 2013, at which point it will be scrapped for the all-new "iDungeons & Dragons Experience." All elements of the DDI will be completely incompatible with the iDDE. Also, iDDE will only run on Windows Vista 2 systems with 10GB RAM and 6 GB of video RAM. There will be a nominal monthly fee to provide access to services, and then each service will cost an additional premium. Unlike previous versions of D&D, the iDDE will be a core, integral element of 5E rules, and we promise it will be super-awesome!

/sarcasm

 

[renau1g]

Sarcasm noted and laughed at...

 

[Vocenoctum]

The other problem I think, is the whole attempt to compete with WOW. Which if you read some of the interviews, and read between the lines on others, is exactly what they intended with the whole DDI.

Poor idea to begin with.

I think the idea is more that they want it to serve as a transition device from WoW to D&D. As I've remarked before, it's not so much that 4e is WoW, but the book has a lot of elements where they seemed to have written it as a guide on converting from WoW to D&D.

Admittedly I've never used it, but I've heard nothing but bad things.

Everyone seemed to like older MtGO, then they changed it...

White Wolf was doing it before WOTC and was doing it with better prices. WOTC, until just recently, expected people to pay full cover price for PDFs.

There are more than a few threads that go over how ridiculous that is.

WotC has repeatedly given their reasoning behind the pricing, and it's a conscious decision by them, so I can't see how it's a failure to implement. The comparison would be if they came out with DDi and charged $40 a month for it.

The thing to glean from the WotC PDF thing is that it went fine... since they had so little input into it. AFAIK they just hand over the stuff and someone else takes care of it.

In my opinion, it sucks. It has sucked for years.
It's a cluttered and inconsistent mess.

I don't like the newer site, but the older one was nice enough. At least I read it regularly.

 

[Umbran]

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