D&D Insider - Pay tomorrow for what you get today for free?

[MojoGM]

Well, I may be in the minority here, but I am interested in this idea and would like to see it succeed.

How much will be willing to pay? Depends on exactly what they deliver, but I could see paying $10-$15 a month easy if it is everything they say it will be.

Can't wait to see this rolled out...

 

[JoeGKushner]

Does it mention what materials you'll be able to access as time goes on?

For example, Pyrmiad.com lets you search through all the archeives.

Will this have something similiar as material is built up?

Will all current web material be updated to 3.5 material?

Will it be PDF or still HTML?

 

[Morrus]

I have to second a couple of opinions here. I still think it's a bad idea (although I don't have much sympathy for the "it's morally wrong" arguments I've seen).

What they're proposing is a magazine, albeit online. What they're proposing, basically, is Dragon with a few tweaks.

Except Dragon is still out there. And they licensed it out.

I honestly think this won't work. I wish them luck with it - if they can make it work, I'll be the first person to congratulate them.

 

[Radiating Gnome]

Apples and oranges.

Well, yes, but that's my point. The business guys are clearly looking for a new direction, thinking outside the apple box, and looking at what they might learn from the orange experience.

For one thing, MMORPGs have ongoing bandwidth costs that far outstrip the bandwidth required for an HTML site (and I suspect WotC has those costs paid for as a marketing expense anyway).

Secondly, MMORPGs require the Internet to play. I run two (soon to be three) pbp games and participate in one, but I think it'd be a stretch to say that D&D requires the Internet, much less on a pay-to-play monthly basis.

If they're looking at MMORPGs as their business model, the focus should be on shoring up DDO, not trying to remake tabletop between editions.

I disagree -- DDO is a flop, and if I were in their shoes I'd refrain from investing anything new in that product.

WOW is the big dog in the MMO world -- other games still exist, and will continue to come out, but something that takes WOW off the top of the heap is going to have to be something truly special.

D&D is the big dog in the Pen and Paper gaming world -- other games still exist and will continue to come out, but there aren't any more credible threats to D&D out there than there are credible MMO threats to WOW. D&D's problem is not market share, and it's not the quality of the work that's coming out, it's the challenge of remaining viable and profitable in a changing world.

Trying to shore up DDO would be pouring good money after bad in a losing battle. But that doesn't mean that the WOW model doesn't have something to teach the D&D managers. I mean, clearly people are willing to pay for online game content -- I'm a subscriber to this site, for example (at least I used to be -- note to self: check on the status of my membership). There are a few others out there, I think.

But trying to create a subscription base for D&D by offering tools, additional content and support for home games and campaigns is an interesting idea, and I don't think it's a bad idea for them to be looking at it. I'm not saying I'm going to buy it, or that I think it's a lock that the execution will be everything I hope it is, but if they deliver on what they've proposed I'm going to be a subscriber.

-rg

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I like the comparisons to Dragon. I think it's a good one, and since bandwidth is cheaper than paper, it's an OK idea in that sense.

That said, has anyone seen any of WotC's online tools that have made them say "wow, I'd pay for THIS?" No offense to the presumably fine folks working on them, but to date, they've all been relatively modest efforts that don't always work well despite that. (There have historically been a lot of issues with cross-platform compatibility, which stops being excusable the moment it stops being free.)

Along those same lines, after the Far Corners of the World series ended, nothing I've seen online for free to date has compared with the quality of Dragon and Dungeon -- I'm guessing the magazines pay better, so they get the better ideas as a rule.

However, I hope the tools are everything they could be -- I'd certainly love them -- and that the other content is at least as good as the magazines. They'll get my money for sure in that case.

 

[Belen]

That said, has anyone seen any of WotC's online tools that have made them say "wow, I'd pay for THIS?" No offense to the presumably fine folks working on them, but to date, they've all been relatively modest efforts that don't always work well despite that. (There have historically been a lot of issues with cross-platform compatibility, which stops being excusable the moment it stops being free.)

QFT.

The website has nothing to wow me now. I doubt that a pay site will wow me later. Heck, the search function on their site now is horrible.

 

[Grymar]

The only thing that would interest me would be a fully functional character/npc generator with full updates to the latest book, export to pdf or excel capability, and customization ability.

That may be worth $4/month. I know someone is going to reply with PCGen, but I always have trouble with that app.

 

[stonehill_troll]

I disagree -- DDO is a flop, and if I were in their shoes I'd refrain from investing anything new in that product.

They don't, Turbine got outside investors to fund development of DDO (and MEO). They borrowed 17M-23M to acquire the D&D license from Atari and develop the game. Of course I am sure that Atari and WOTC collect a percentage off the license fees from each of the accounts.

Last time I checked MMOGChart.com (about July) had DDO at 90,000 accounts. Which is pitiful, but it is very much different game than WoW or EQII. I would have stayed with DDO if they had gotten so munchkiny with the powerup of everything. I still check the boards on occassion, it justs getting worse and worse... with the power creep. I guess staying core D&D was not doable.

Even the furthercoming Vanguard Online (EQIII basically) and Conan Online are saying that they are trying to be different from WoW - aim at a different player type.

 

[pawsplay]

I think part of this idea is "miniatures marketing." See, here's the thing. They could sell individual articles for $1 apiece. But they are gambling you'll go ahead and pay several dollars a month, and only end up enjoying one or two of the articles, in other words, selling you broth with your chicken. WotC could make decent dough selling displacer beast minis, but they'd rather you buy a bunch of Human Commoners, Lidda the Halfling Rogues, and so forth to go along with them.

 

[DonTadow]

We've been getting too much, for nothing for a long time and now we're hooked. Think about the adventures, art, articles, and everything else on wotcs website. They certainly produce equal the content of a dragon magazine a month and there's is searchable now, organized and really good. I can only imagine the paid website is more of the same.

Anything that can make hte DM job's easier should be welcomed. Yes, I know there are many who like to spend 8 hours toiling with guard number 2 at the right gate, but what about the DM who would invite transferable monster stats and ready made NPCs