The PHB DDI GAP!

[shadzar]

I would say that in most groups, there is a sort of multiplier effect going on. There may be one or two in the group who maintain account, but the group as a whole uses it. My own group was a notable exception, where all but one of us are professionals who have real jobs, so we each had our own subscriptions.

Now it's been a little over a month since I've dropped my subscription, so I'm in the situation of asking others to look something up in the Compendium when we play (for instance). So far, it hasn't been a problem otherwise, largely because WotC isn't releasing any new content. We'll have to see how that changes when -- or if something new comes out.

I think WotC has a notion that they'll somehow be able to come up with a system where an entire group will want to subscribe to DDI, but for a face to face game, I can't see what that would really be.

As your example proves, and many were warning WotC at its onset, that what would likely happen is that players would not each subscribe to DDi, as they only need one account per group, not matter what WotC wants them to do.

Saying the average group is 4 players (DM included), then everyone gets everything for a few dollars a month as opposed to full price.

With new material being based off of Essentials, where does this lead to with the gap, as it might require a new Character Builder, or Essentials just wont work within the existing one very well that will further widen the gap.

DDi is really like the pizza ordered. Everyone can use it and pay for parts of it, but you only need the one.

 

[DEFCON 1]

This is why it's in WotC's best interest to produce things for it that would inspire all players at a table to subscribe. I do not know what that might be right now... but I'm sure that it is something that is being bandied about in the R&D department.

The Virtual Table is potentially one of those things for when the table goes its separate ways. The expectation being that if you have a face-to-face group that has to split up for any reason... the VTT would allow them to actually still play. Of course, to do so means all the players have to subscribe. So that is one step closer to a large subscription base.

It's steps like these that will occur over the next 2-4 years that will give a good indication of the growth (or lack thereof) of the D&D online initiative.

 

[kitsune9]

If they do. Sometimes, its amazing what companies don't know about their own business.

That's very true. I've worked in quite a few industries and cash flow has been a major problem for companies back then and is still an issue today. That's why as a trader when I look at shorting opportunities or puts, I look at their liquidity crunch.

 

[Nylanfs]

Today? Not really.

I am guessing here, and been trying to make sense after first reading the OP, that in regards to CB, it refers to those using the downloaded version and not needing the online one as they aren't using the newer material that requires the new CB?

One of the complaints among many about AD&D software, was that people no longer needed to buy the books. The first came out in 1996 prior to WotC finalizing purchase, so it was done then where people had the books in some form, then continued by WotC later in 1998 with an updated version.

Which is one of the reasons that PCGen has the policy of only including mechanics and a bare description. So that it requires people to own the sourcebook if they need detailed information.

 

[Beginning of the End]

People who don't have DDI subscriptions, but bought a PHB:

- Don't feel like they need digital tools.
- Can't afford the monthly subscription fee.
- Using someone else's CB account.
- Didn't like 4E, never played it.
- Played 4E, but not playing it right now.
- Bought multiple copies of the PHB for the table, but only bought one subscription.
- Bought a second copy of the PHB because they spilled coke all over the first one... still only have one subscription.

So, is there a gap? Of course there's a gap. The expectation that you could get a 100% conversion rate between "bought a PHB" and "subscribed to the DDI" is silly.

Again, I am focusing on CB using non-subscribers, which undermines both books and DDI.

I'm not really clear on your logic here. Legacy versions of the CB won't contain new material produced for either the DDI or new books. How is someone continuing to use material they already paid moeny for "undermining both books and DDI"?

You might as well argue that people owning the PHB2 are "undermining both books and DDI".

 

[El Mahdi]

People who don't have DDI subscriptions, but bought a PHB:

- Don't feel like they need digital tools.
- Can't afford the monthly subscription fee.
- Using someone else's CB account.
- Didn't like 4E, never played it.
- Played 4E, but not playing it right now.
- Bought multiple copies of the PHB for the table, but only bought one subscription.
- Bought a second copy of the PHB because they spilled coke all over the first one... still only have one subscription.

You missed a couple:

-Digital Tools don't work in a suitable manner or to an expected level.

and

-Angry at WotC. (There are some who bought core books, and had a DDI sub, but cancelled due to anger over WotC's actions.)

 

[TerraDave]

People who don't have DDI subscriptions, but bought a PHB:

- Don't feel like they need digital tools.
- Can't afford the monthly subscription fee.
- Using someone else's CB account.
- Didn't like 4E, never played it.
- Played 4E, but not playing it right now.
- Bought multiple copies of the PHB for the table, but only bought one subscription.
- Bought a second copy of the PHB because they spilled coke all over the first one... still only have one subscription.

So, is there a gap? Of course there's a gap. The expectation that you could get a 100% conversion rate between "bought a PHB" and "subscribed to the DDI" is silly.



I'm not really clear on your logic here. Legacy versions of the CB won't contain new material produced for either the DDI or new books. How is someone continuing to use material they already paid moeny for "undermining both books and DDI"?

You might as well argue that people owning the PHB2 are "undermining both books and DDI".

Silly, really? I guess it would be if someone actually posted that.

In general, there will be a group of people that just buy the PHB and nothing else. I think I am saying that seems much bigger. We know that other books aren't doing well, so not as many are being sold. And the rate of DDI subscription, based on our limited data, seems pretty low. And we know anecdotally that there are seemingly bunches of people who spent less then $10 one or two times to get access to the CB and huge amounts of crunch.

Moving the CB online, emphasising more crunch going straight to digital, and adding new tools, these are all ways of closing the gap, and the real thrust for WotC is doing. The other thing they are doing is selling various do-dads that don't compete directly with the CB or DDI and are hard to pirate.

If there a gap, but lots of book buying, they would have a totally different strategy. If there was no gap, they would have a different strategy (ie the kick back and watch the money roll in strategy).