D&D: Insider Tools - will they succeed?

[Alan Shutko]

Software developer weighing in here.

Since something like 70% of software projects fail initially, WotC has a poor track record at software, and the development team is a newly formed for this project arm of a business consultancy, yep, the initial releases of the DI are going to be fiascos. Look at how often games by experienced game houses experience problems.

But the more interesting question to me is whether they'll stick it out until the software is a success. If they have enough persistance they'll succeed eventually (like most software projects). But Wizards has had a short attention span and not enough stomach for development hell on projects in the past, so I worry that they'll give up on this initiative too.

 

[w_earle_wheeler]

I don't think it will succeed. However, I think it will be claimed to be a success anyway, and it will be pushed for about four to five years until it is re-vamped into a completely different model or abandoned entirely.

I hope WotC proves me wrong, wrong, wrong!

 

[Badkarmaboy]

The content in Dungeon and Dragon has been mixed so far, but I think it will improve as time passes. There are plenty of bright, talented freelancers who will end up contributing as the mags roll on.

As for the tools, I dunno. They've talked about a lot of interesting stuff that I'd like to see succeed.

 

[Atlatl Jones]

I really hope it does. If it brings some new people into the hobby, or enables people to play who would not otherwise find a game in their home town, that's a great thing.

IMO it depends on how much it costs, and how good the Dragon/Dungeon material is. I won't be subscribing for the digital tools, because I don't need them. I play face-to-face games, and I'm extremely reluctant to use a character generator that works on a subscription model.

If it's $5/month, I'd probably buy in. $10 is pushing it. $15 is too much for me, unless it exceeds all expectations.

 

[Irda Ranger]

It's going to be a disaster.

WotC's software track record is terrible. The company website and the Gleemax design are proof positive that there has been zero improvement (I never go their websites - I can never find anything). Also, character generators that cannot accept house rules or third-party rules are useless to a lot of people - and I really don't see WotC spending the money to support races, classes or feats released by Mongoose or Necromancer.

WotC's determination to go it alone too means they'll always be behind the curve technologically, and a Multiverse virtual-world client will probably be better than their own tools in a lot of ways. Other free apps (like Skype conference calling) replace a lot of functionality and aren't tied to any ruleset.

Ironically, if the 4E designers are successful in making char-gen on paper a lot easier than 3.5, the online tools will not be necessary. I always preferred paper anyway, but if it's actually harder to make the character using the electronic tool, why would anyone?

The business case is also terrible (though more easily fixed). As someone with no interest in Dungeon or Dragon, it's way too expensive.

 

[carmachu]

Anyway, does anyone else suspect that the D&D Digital Initiative is headed for a rocky start?

Pretty much. I'm pretty underwhelmed by the whole online venture, dungeon, dragon and such. Doesnt bode well for the DI parts for online table.

WotC is going to have to step it up to over come a bit of skepticism.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

I think it'll work. However, I think it will be an uphill battle to change the perception of some of the grognards from the way the old ways worked and the way the new ones work.

The problem is the new business philosophy asks people to dedicate themselves to a hobby moreso than in the past. It asks "Do you like D&D? Then you want to talk with other people who like D&D. You want to get behind the scenes information about D&D. You want to get as many options as possible. You want new material all the time. You want quicker ways of making your characters. You want the ability to play D&D even when your friends aren't around. Wouldn't you rather pay 15 dollars a month for all of this rather than the same amount for a MMORPG?"

"Or you don't really like D&D, in which case we'll be happy to count you amongst all the casual people who bought just the core books. Hope you have a good time playing the game."

The old philosophy was similar to board games: "Let us buy the game once and never charge us again. If you want more money from us make another game that's just as good and we'll buy that one too or put out an expansion and, if it's good, we'll by that too."

Unfortunately, as a lot of board game companies are finding...it isn't a very sustainable philosophy.

The new philosophy has shown it works. People pay subscription fees for all sorts of things: xbox lives, MMORPGs, memberships to some websites, gaming magazines, etc.

I think the DI will appeal to those who are already used to the new way of doing things and that will hold it aloft until a lot of the people who are set in their ways eventually change their mind and get it.

 

[Oldtimer]

From what I've seen so far of the D&D Insider Tools is that:

• They're being designed internally at Wizards of the Coast, despite the fact that they have a poor track record of developing software. (Anyone remember eTools?)

This is simply not true. The tool set is NOT being developed internally by WotC themselves. What on earth made you think that? Just an iota of research would show that the tool set is being developed by Radiant Machine a daughter company of Solutions IQ.

 

[JoelF]

The new philosophy has shown it works. People pay subscription fees for all sorts of things: xbox lives, MMORPGs, memberships to some websites, gaming magazines, etc.

I think the DI will appeal to those who are already used to the new way of doing things and that will hold it aloft until a lot of the people who are set in their ways eventually change their mind and get it.

Subscriptions are not a new way of doing business. Magazines and newspapers have had subscriptions for over a hundred years. To counter your example of things people pay subscriptions for, here are some things they don't pay subscriptions for: a car, a shirt, a baseball bat, or a microwave oven. I think most consumers would be pretty upset if they had to pay a monthly fee as the only way to buy a microwave - even if every year that microwave oven would be replaced by one with a new feature or two, most people would prefer just to have the microwave oven they bought in the first place. If some wonderful new feature came out down the road, then they could decide on their own if they wanted to replace their microwave with a newer one.

I'm not trying to mock you (too much at least), but am trying to point out that just because some things work with subscription models, that doesn't make the argument true that all things should have that model.

 

[ZappoHisbane]

I'm not trying to mock you (too much at least), but am trying to point out that just because some things work with subscription models, that doesn't make the argument true that all things should have that model.

I don't recall him saying that subscriptions should be for ALL things. He was simply stating it as a 'new' method, and as far as Online D&D content is concerned, it is.

As for the tools, I'm hoping they do well. I seem to have issues finding groups to play with locally, so the online tools will be a boon to me if they work well. Most of what I've seen about them leave me optimistic as well. Having said that, I don't *expect* it to run smoothly right off the bat. I'll probably give them 3-6 months to get over the initial issues and then see what it's like. I do think they'll stick with it though, as it's been a big part of the 4e push from day one.