D&D Character Builder Preview Video

[Doctor Proctor]

The average price of magazines in the U.S. right now is $4.53, according to this year's magazine price audit of 600 magazines. $5 is right in there for normal price for a magazine.

How much did you think magazines cost these days?

Are you talking subscription price, or cover price? Cover price is always like 2 or more times the subscription price per issue. I know that I, for example, have a subscription to Game Informer. It's $15 a year, and that's because they just increased the price this year. Previously, it was $12.

For example:
People magazine - 26 Issues @ $56.74 = $2.18
Discover - 12 Issues @ $19.99 = $1.66
Wired - 12 Issues @ $10 = $0.83
Newsweek - 54 @ $40.00 = $0.74

Now, again, compare the content offered, and the price. That's why I think they're overcharging a bit.

 

[Mistwell]

Are you talking subscription price, or cover price? Cover price is always like 2 or more times the subscription price per issue. I know that I, for example, have a subscription to Game Informer. It's $15 a year, and that's because they just increased the price this year. Previously, it was $12.

For example:
People magazine - 26 Issues @ $56.74 = $2.18
Discover - 12 Issues @ $19.99 = $1.66
Wired - 12 Issues @ $10 = $0.83
Newsweek - 54 @ $40.00 = $0.74

Now, again, compare the content offered, and the price. That's why I think they're overcharging a bit.

Continuing to cherry pick magazine prices is not useful. You need to look at national averages.

I was quoting the cover price. The average subscription price is $27.83 a year, or $2.32 per issue, for the 600 magazines surveyed in this years audit.

And we are talking about a subscription to two magazines (Dungeon and Dragon), and all the tools. That's $2.47 per issue, plus the tools for free. Again, it seems right in line with national averages.

 

[Graethynne]

Arg ... EN World ate my thoughtful post

And so you get bullet points in the rewrite

Dragon - 85 pages

FRPG - 160 pages

Dragon *2 pages > FRGP pages

Dragon *12 (one year) pages > 6 print books pages

Cost of Dragon *12 ~= Cost of 2 Print books.

Plus you get Dungeon *12

Not a bad deal (even if you don't read Dungeon and even though some of the Dragon content ((playtest articles)) gets reprinted in print books).

Food for thought,

Graydon

PS - DDI Mags don't contain outside advertising. Therefore the pages of content = page count (which is not true of most other magazines)

PPS - and of course, you get all of the content of every print book available via the compendium & Character Builder ...

 

[MrMyth]

Well, that really sucks. I just don't feel that DDI really offers enough to justify it's cost right now. The character creator and visualizer definitely come close, but not quite.

I don't believe full use of them was ever planned, though I'm not certain on that. In any case, I do believe they plan to have some limited use freely available.

Right now, the product is in closed beta - subscribers can test-drive it from levels 1-3. At some point not too far off, it will enter open beta - anyone can test-drive it from levels 1-3. I believe that once it is complete, they will still have it available for use for anyone from levels 1-3, just like I think is the plan with the compendium.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I put together a quick preview video of the new D&D Character Builder Beta, if anyone would like to see how it works and if it is worth spending your money on.
Take a look at the video here:
Dungeons and Dragons Character Builder Preview on Vimeo

Let me know what you think.

Dragging things kicking and screaming back on topic...

Thanks fozz! It was nice reading everyone's impressions, but actually seeing it in action was well worth it.

 

[Emryys]

Nice Vid, Thanks.... You should get a month free as this is a good promo...

So this will always be a downloadable app that auto-updates?
Who will need the books?

 

[Bagpuss]

Do you need to have some plug in or something for this video to work because I'm seeing nothing in either Firefox or IE.

 

[questing gm]

The character sheet customization features are sweet!

 

[Dalzig]

Do you need to have some plug in or something for this video to work because I'm seeing nothing in either Firefox or IE.

Up to date Adobe Flash Player is the only thing you should need.

 

[Armadillo]

Great video. They've clearly done a lot of work since GenCon. The quick character generator and the ability to customize the character sheet are great features.

Now, if only it ran on a Mac.