D&D Insider and Costing

[dvvega]

Greetings,

I've not been keeping up with my D&D or roleplaying forums for a long long time. I've been too busy with work and new baby.

Only tonight at a d20 Modern game I run did one of my players inform me about 4e and I was surprised since the last time I was online in regards to d20 there were comments of "never", "not going to happen" etc.

So I've read the 4e pages, and information and so forth. So I understand all of that and some of it sounds great, however D&DI seems to be the issue with myself.

Now we have to pay $9.95 per month just to get "better" web enhancements and errata (oh and some tools that may or may not be useful)? Am I missing something or have I pretty much understood this?

Sorry if this has been dealt with but as I said I've not checked out my RPG forums for a looong time.

Regards,
D

 

[Kae'Yoss]

As far as I know, the errata will be free.

The payable content, in addition to the virtual gaming table (which is only useful if you can't play D&D properly. i.e. all sitting around a nice real table), some tools to create characters and stuff (which can be useful if you're a DM and willing to use the computer to help you create characters), and Dragon and Dungeon magazines, which are taken out of print and put online.

You can also pay a small fee and get e-versions of the books you buy (how much that costs isn't known to us yet, and neither is the book's format).

Finally, there's a chance that they let us use the Magic Lists: lists of feats, spells, whatever you want - not just the stuff you get now on the site (the one you gives you the short description and page number), but one that contains the full text. And they'd include all the books you got the e-version for.

 

[psionotic]

We've been told the errata will still be free, although I'm too lazy to look up a link, sorry.

 

[dvvega]

Thanks for the information. So errata are covered, but anything like Web Enhancements (or their new version of such) are a pay for service?

Regards,
D

 

[SteveC]

I have never been a fan of the new D&D Insider concept (the pay portion of it) and I was amused to see this article earlier today.

In brief, the story is that the New York Times is ending its subscription online service, and moving to an advertising model. The website's manager is quoted as saying:

We now believe by opening up all our content and unleashing what will be millions and millions of new documents, combined with phenomenal growth, that that will create a revenue stream that will more than exceed the subscription revenue,"

Just a thought for WotC as they embark on their project.

--Steve

 

[el_skootro]

I have never been a fan of the new D&D Insider concept (the pay portion of it) and I was amused to see this article earlier today.

In brief, the story is that the New York Times is ending its subscription online service, and moving to an advertising model. The website's manager is quoted as saying:



Just a thought for WotC as they embark on their project.

--Steve

The NYTimes and DnD are dramatically different. NYTimes readers are a great demographic: they're educated, generally wealthy, and generally urban. There are many, many advertisers who will pay to get the eyeballs of NYTimes readers. Who will pay to get the eyeballs of DnD players? WotC's competitors? Face it, we are not a very desirable demographic. WotC can either charge us for online content or give us substandard, not often updated free online content, or no content whatsoever.

Personally, I think WotC will have to re-vision what they're offering at some point down the road b/c so few people will pay for the content. But if it's absolutely wizz-bang I could be wrong...

El Skootro

 

[JustinM]

A lot of people should be willing to advertise to (typically) young geeks. It's not like our group isn't largely 18-35, and clearly if we're buying all these books, we've got some disposable income.

Of course, it wouldn't help WotC to put up an advertisement for a reseller of their books, since they sell the books directly, too...

 

[Jer]

Personally, I think WotC will have to re-vision what they're offering at some point down the road b/c so few people will pay for the content. But if it's absolutely wizz-bang I could be wrong...

The D&D Insider project is going to live or die on the success of the virtual gametable. If there's as large a demand for this service as Wizards thinks, and if its implemented such that its better than the collections of free online tools that are out there, the Insider project will probably do quite well. If the demand isn't there, or the implementation stinks, the project will probably need to be re-thought out.

I'm not certain exactly how popular the online Dungeon and Dragon magazines are going to be (the other main thrust of the Insider project from what I can tell). Subscription on-line magazines have not been successful over the years. OTOH - most on-line magazines have been aimed at broad audiences and Dragon and Dungeon have very niche audiences who tend to be tech savvy and have a lot of disposable income.

 

[SteveC]

The NYTimes and DnD are dramatically different. NYTimes readers are a great demographic: they're educated, generally wealthy, and generally urban. There are many, many advertisers who will pay to get the eyeballs of NYTimes readers. Who will pay to get the eyeballs of DnD players? WotC's competitors? Face it, we are not a very desirable demographic. WotC can either charge us for online content or give us substandard, not often updated free online content, or no content whatsoever.

Personally, I think WotC will have to re-vision what they're offering at some point down the road b/c so few people will pay for the content. But if it's absolutely wizz-bang I could be wrong...

El Skootro

Well obviously I disagree. D&D Insider is a natural place for computer and video game manufacturers to advertise, along with music, electronic gadget and computer companies. Heck, how about book publishers? D&D players that are savvy enough to get to the Insider will likely have either the interest or the income to purchase a lot of these types of products...and sometimes they'll have both.

Back in college, some of my gaming buddies would almost starve themselves, but would still have money to spend on RPGs and video games. Almost all of them have six figure incomes now, so they can pick up that latest X-Box game on a whim. And yet none of them, to a person, are willing to purchase a subscription to D&D Insider.

I guess I'm going to seriously disagree with the notion that gamers aren't a desirable group to market to...those of us in our 30s and 40s have managed to do better than okay for ourselves. You just want to market something that we're interested in.

--Steve

 

[Jan van Leyden]

Thanks for the information. So errata are covered, but anything like Web Enhancements (or their new version of such) are a pay for service?

Sort of, if you call the electronic equivalent of Dungeon and Dragon magazines Web Enhancements.

DDI will be the source for adventures and rules-related materials and will - hopefully! - offer a lot more than the web enhancements and free adventures of the past.

---
Huldvoll

Jan van Leyden