Ampersand; Monster Builder!

[Kzach]

Now we all just have to wait patiently and pray that it isn't Vapourware™.

 

[Hjorimir]

I want...no NEED...this now! NOW I SAY!

 

[malraux]

Now we all just have to wait patiently and pray that it isn't Vapourware™.

At this point, WotC is afraid to preview any software that they aren't 99% sure will come out and soon.

 

[Hawke]

I hope it integrates well with the encounter builder - or at least allows for some quick encounter building. I tend to have a varied group from 3-6 so it's nice to have something to quickly help me balance or rebalance encounters. I don't really see that from the screenshot, but we'll see! I guess I could just add a tag to the DMG table, though I don't think that one does 3 characters.

Anyway, looking good! Eager to see more!

 

[Piratecat]

Now we all just have to wait patiently and pray that it isn't Vapourware™.

It's not; I know the design staff (Bruce Cordell, at least) is using it internally. I predict two-three months before it goes live, enough time to get and incorporate internal feedback as it's put through its paces.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

In the article too they seemed pretty gun-ho about getting it to us as soon as possible. So I think that, plus what Piratecat said and the fact that WoTC has been more cautious now all points to non-vapourware and hopefully a not too far off release.

Oh and to join in, WANT!!!

 

[Shemeska]

What I find funny is that the preview is subscriber only. As in need of positive PR as the DDI has been, you'd think they'd make it a public piece to advertise what they have in the works and try to do anything they can to counter the notion of "yet more vaporware" reputation they've cultivated courtesy of the VTT, visualizer, etc.

At least now apparently they realize they only have the resources to work on one program at a time, and they're hoping to structure it so the Campaign Tools are modular and can be released piece by piece as they're ready so they can show progress. Of course it's up for debate if this is completely forward thinking or just a lack of staff due to layoffs, contract lapses, and a hiring freeze that left them with (last i knew) five developers (only two of which are app devs) two QA testers, and nine managers within the DDI.

The screenshot does look nice however.

 

[fanboy2000]

What I find funny is that the preview is subscriber only. As in need of positive PR as the DDI has been, you'd think they'd make it a public piece to advertise what they have in the works and try to do anything they can to counter the notion of "yet more vaporeware" reputation they've cultivated courtesy of the VTT, visualizer, etc.

it seems to me that the CB and compendium have gone a long way, by themselves, to help with the PR problems in the wake of VTT and such.

At least now apparently they realize they only have the resources to work on one program at a time, and they're hoping to structure it so the Campaign Tools are modular and can be released piece by piece as they're ready so they can show progress. Of course it's up for debate if this is completely forward thinking or just a lack of staff due to layoffs, contract lapses, and a hiring freeze that left them with (last i knew) five developers (only two of which are app devs) two QA testers, and nine managers within the DDI.

No matter why their doing it, it's good that they are doing it that way.

 

[Zaukrie]

Given these two sentences, and the comment above about DM month being this month, I'd place money on it being this month or next:

I've gotten a chance to play with the Monster Builder recently, and now I can't wait to turn it loose on the rest of you! As an ancillary to DM Appreciation Month, I can't think of a better gift for DMs than a monster building and organizing tool that actually makes building encounters easier and more fun.

I can't wait. I would love nothing more than to re-skin a bunch of monster powers as aberrant powers and to really surprise my players....

 

[Leatherhead]

The Monster Builder also lets you create new monsters, and the program calculates their statistics based on the choices you made.

This is the part that interests me the most. I am wondering if this means I can ask the program to make a "level 12 elite brute elf with a focus on CON who uses arcane attacks" and it will automatically make it for me. I also wonder if and how templates and themes will be enabled.