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<blockquote data-quote="KidSnide" data-source="post: 5587543" data-attributes="member: 54710">To my mind the problem isn't one of software implementation, but one of prioritization.&nbsp; It used to me that a normal game involved a decent variety of custom magic items, and many games included some custom races or spells.&nbsp; Despite this, WotC decided that supporting its constantly flowing stream of new published rules was more important that supporting these custom rules elements.&nbsp; It's a reasonable business decision, but - IMO - it has had a strong negative effect on the hobby.The problem is that the CB is a very useful tool for smoothing a character creation process that is quite challenging for many players.&nbsp; Because it doesn't support these basic level of GM creativity, it discourages new GMs from running non-standard settings, or even creating the occasional item, power or feat that helps tie the mechanics to the individual quirks of the setting.&nbsp; Of course, any GM can still run whatever they want and forgo use of the CB, but that forces their players to go through the more complicated process of creating characters by hand.&nbsp; Quite reasonably, many GMs choose to give up their customizations instead of forcing their players to go through a more arduous character creation procedure.Quite simply, providing an incentive for GMs to give up the customizations that helped make their games unique has changed the hobby.&nbsp; And, IMO, the change is not for the better.-KS</blockquote>

[QUOTE="KidSnide, post: 5587543, member: 54710"] To my mind the problem isn't one of software implementation, but one of prioritization. It used to me that a [i]normal[/i] game involved a decent variety of custom magic items, and many games included some custom races or spells. Despite this, WotC decided that supporting its constantly flowing stream of new published rules was more important that supporting these custom rules elements. It's a reasonable business decision, but - IMO - it has had a strong negative effect on the hobby. The problem is that the CB is a very useful tool for smoothing a character creation process that is quite challenging for many players. Because it doesn't support these basic level of GM creativity, it discourages new GMs from running non-standard settings, or even creating the occasional item, power or feat that helps tie the mechanics to the individual quirks of the setting. Of course, any GM can still run whatever they want and forgo use of the CB, but that forces their players to go through the more complicated process of creating characters by hand. Quite reasonably, many GMs choose to give up their customizations instead of forcing their players to go through a more arduous character creation procedure. Quite simply, providing an incentive for GMs to give up the customizations that helped make their games unique has changed the hobby. And, IMO, the change is not for the better. -KS [/QUOTE]

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