November 16th release for Web-based Character Builder

[Scribble]

WotC is kind of betting there's more mac users who want DDI out there then there are folks with unreliable internet currently subbed...which is a bet, as a businessdude, that I would probably take, too.

There's a little more too it then that as well.

Pulling it to an online DB means they now only have to have one DB to support/update which means faster updates, and easier fixes when something does go wrong, as well as not having to support multiple databases everytime they build a new tool.

So on the back end they update one DB and it updates info in all systems.
This gives them less work and splits their team a lot less. Freeing up man hours for other projects.

This means new tools should come out faster, and it's easier to create things like ipad apps, and such, and none of it really slows down their update process very much.

On the front end you don't have to worry about updating all of your tools. They just do it all automatically. You don't have to worry about making sure all of your tools on different devices are the same to transfer characters or monsters or whatever around, as they'll be that way automatically.

You probably won't even have to transfer characters/monsters around, as eventually you'll just open the character in another system, and changes you make in one that effect others will just be there. (IE if eventually the make a campaign planning tool, options the DM chooses for his/her campaign will be reflected in the CB for any character listed in that campaign...)

None of this is readily apparent at first glance though, so it's easily dismissed.

 

[Scribble]

NO ONE SCREWED WotC by subscribing for a month, downloading the info, and then cancelling. It was one of the options WotC gave people. They did this probably to offer an easy entry into DDI with the hope/belief that people would find the value and stay subscribed. The fact that many people did not continually subscribe is b/c:

Yeah this is a good point to make. No one doing the 1 month download thing was doing anything wrong... In fact if you only cared about that part, then doing that made the most economical sense.

That's part of the issue. They created a part of the service that gave people more incentive NOT to subscribe then to subscribe, and probably didn't realize how much of an effect it would have on physical book sales.

It also basically gave pirates an easy way to share the CB info and made it incredibly cheap to do so.

 

[Herschel]

cretins! Criminals don't pay expressly for the privilege of being sent to jail.

Keeping my character under lock and key to protect their IP is not a fair trade, for any money. My character is MY IP, and no way am I paying them to hold it hostage in their cloud.

Let me let you in on a little (not so) secret: You're IP (in this case, and it's a stretch to even call it that) isn't worth a speck of fly dung. Their's is. Your "IP" is actually under their auspices because it's put out in their format/system. Plus, Drizzt clones (and the like) aren't original, they're built under the rules/guidelines/systems of WotC. You can't make a D&D movie and call it that either, even if the plot and such are your own.

Some people will be affected negatively, and that's unfortunate, but come on people, get a little perspective.

 

[Phaezen]

I know it's in development, but Bob asked what everyone was saying about reduction in options. Remember, soon is the ubiquitous word

Unfortunately too many people are saying reduced options as in permanently not going to be there. But I do get your point.

As for "soon", if Blizzard can get away with "when it is ready" why not WotC? After all, they have been burned in the past by giving deadlines and missing them.

 

[Cergorach]

I'm currently not a DDI subscriber (not playing 4E), but the service always was interesting and the news post on the frontpage made me revistit the DDI pages.

For $72 you currently get 2000+ pages of content from Dungeon & Dragon Magazine a year, that's less the 1.5 cents a page. You have access to the D&D Compendium, the ability digitally search and copy rules would be worth more then a few bucks. Character Builder is nice, but to be honest how often do you create a new character? I think the Monster Builder is potentially more usefull, but it's still in beta.

I don't think the issue is the worth of the package, but rather the unkept promises and instead of getting more feature, getting less features. While not being able to use it offline is a serious issue for some, the ability to not export the characters is probably more of an issue, there are a ton of applications that handle offline usage quite well. Things like i4e handle the iPhone/iPad/iPod touch end quite well, no export no using these apps. Web based wouldn't be so much of an issue if it wasn't build on Silverlight, sure short term it might have been quicker, but long term it's a stupid move (and if no one in that department said so, they are all idiots on this particular point).

The biggest issue imho is that WotC didn't keep it's promise to keep it's application updated every month and are now moving to a new application that is actually missing key functionality. Not to mention all the promises that were made regarding all the other tools that where on the 'horizon'. This doesn't give folks much confidence in WotCs ability to actually implement the missing key functionalities in the web app. It's not as if TSR/WotC has had such a great track record with their D&D applications...

 

[Scribble]

Unfortunately too many people are saying reduced options as in permanently not going to be there. But I do get your point.

As for "soon", if Blizzard can get away with "when it is ready" why not WotC? After all, they have been burned in the past by giving deadlines and missing them.

Well- I think to be fair "soon" in this case meant about a month, possibly two? That's really not that long in the grand scheme of things is it?

The biggest issue imho is that WotC didn't keep it's promise to keep it's application updated every month and are now moving to a new application that is actually missing key functionality. Not to mention all the promises that were made regarding all the other tools that where on the 'horizon'. This doesn't give folks much confidence in WotCs ability to actually implement the missing key functionalities in the web app. It's not as if TSR/WotC has had such a great track record with their D&D applications...

Sure- that's why I say it's probably always best to subscribe to something based on what you get, not based on what you are told you MIGHT get...

In my own opinion what they offer me for the money I pay is worth it, but I don't fault others for disagreeing.


As for future tools... I kind of cut them a little slack, because I feel like the current team is finally getting away from cleaning up after the last team, and some of the implementations they're making (including the online CB) seem like they're being done to ensure more ability to update/upgrade and produce more often. But hey- I could be wrong, so as I said above... I subscribe based on what I currently get... Anything else is added awesome.

 

[Herschel]

NO ONE SCREWED WotC by subscribing for a month, downloading the info, and then cancelling. It was one of the options WotC gave people.

This I agree with, but it was a bad business model and needed to change from WotC's standpoint. The whole reason for a subscription-based service is for steady, reliable income. When the system you put out is "abused" to bypass your very basic business needs/goals (and easy to pirate) it needs to be changed.

 

[Oldtimer]

This I agree with, but it was a bad business model and needed to change from WotC's standpoint. The whole reason for a subscription-based service is for steady, reliable income. When the system you put out is "abused" to bypass your very basic business needs/goals (and easy to pirate) it needs to be changed.

Really? How do you know that? Do you have access to WotC business records or are you just expressing a personal opinion?

I suspect it's more a matter of you having an issue with that behaviour. Your argument is certainly coloured by preconceptions and prejudice.

I don't understand why you are spending time arguing a business case for WotC. The fact is that they've killed off a valuable part of the subscription I've paid for and replaced it with something I consider inferior. If that was done because of greed or a vision of a better platform in the future doesn't matter for me right now. And being told that I shouldn't complain because it "needed to be done" is half-way insulting.

 

[ExploderWizard]

This I agree with, but it was a bad business model and needed to change from WotC's standpoint. The whole reason for a subscription-based service is for steady, reliable income. When the system you put out is "abused" to bypass your very basic business needs/goals (and easy to pirate) it needs to be changed.

What some refer to as "abuse" others would call making sure value is received for money spent.

Steady reliable income is a fine desire but it must be remembered that to achieve that there needs to be steady reliable value produced to earn that income.

If the content for a given month wasn't seen as a value by the customer then they chose not to purchase it. The customer didn't get access to the online resources or updates if they didn't pay. Everything they had previously purchased was still theirs to enjoy though.

The new model seeks to increase ongoing revenue by effectively not letting the customer "buy" anything. The customer has to rent access to the material on a monthly basis. This model completely empowers the service provider and puts consumers (that want the product) into a position of helpless acceptance.

The new model is akin to a cable TV company with a monopoly in a given area. The provider is able to get away with shoddy service and the customer either pays up or does without the service.

It is easy to see why the provider wants to move to such a model.

 

[Stoat]

Well- I think to be fair "soon" in this case meant about a month, possibly two? That's really not that long in the grand scheme of things is it?

I DM exclusively. I don't need the character builder, and I don't care what WotC does with it. I've been a DDI subscriber from the beginning. I will remain a DDI subscriber. I get more than my money's worth for my subscription.

BUT. I don't listen to any software developer who says a feature will be available "soon."