D&DI: The Price is Right

[reveal]

Yesterday, Randy Buehler posted some news about the D&D Insider, which included their pricing structure. Almost immediately afterwards, the rpgblogosphere was atwitter with opinions of D&DI and their prices. For the most part, people were questioning why Wizards was charging what they were charging with some even going as far as stating that "Wizards will never see a penny from me."

Well you know what? Forget that. I will gladly buy a subscription to D&DI in a month. Let me tell you why.

Read more at http://rpgcentric.com/?p=74

 

[wedgeski]

reveal, with respect, do you really need to tell us every time your blog is updated?

 

[reveal]

reveal, with respect, do you really need to tell us every time your blog is updated?

I don't have to, no, but until people start going there regularly, I will. My plan is to stop after GenCon.

 

[wedgeski]

I don't have to, no, but until people start going there regularly, I will. My plan is to stop after GenCon.

:chuckle:

 

[Imaro]

Nice quick read...thanks for sharing your thoughts, but...

To be honest, I wouldn’t buy it either until I read this: Dragon and Dungeon magazine. When those magazines were in print, I paid a total of $77.90 per year. That’s $18.50 more than what I’d pay for content in D&DI. To me, everything else I get with the D&DI subscription is just icing on the cake.

So if you were one of those folks who bought Dragon and Dungeon magazines when they were in print, you really have no room to complain. You’re actually getting more for your money with D&DI. Now if you didn’t get the magazines, I can understand being wary about spending money for promises that may never be fulfilled. But as I’ve said, the content from Dragon and Dungeon more than makes up for it and I think you’ll be really happy with your purchase.

Uhm... gotta say I disagree with most of your argument in that blog. Your argument hinges around it being $18.50 more for just the magazines...

Yet the magazines were an actual hardcopy (which allowed such things as poster maps, counters, etc.), with 3.5 you had a free SRD (basically free PDF or word copy of the rules)...free character generators (which are no longer available under the new GSL), free articles and adventures on the website (so double the content of mag + free stuff), and a dungeon tile builder app. I mean my honest opinion is that you had everything the DDI was suppose to offer (ok with the exception of a 3D virtual gametable...but we've yet to see this materialize and there are free 2D versions) with the previous edition at a fraction of the estimated price for the full version of DDI.

 

[renau1g]

I must agree with Imaro on this, nothing will change the fact that I love having the magazines, I would gladly pay for them as I can take them most places, read them on the subway, etc., but now I have to either break out my laptop... or print them out (in reduced quality, non-colour, unbound...etc...

I think they're going to be in for a rough ride, especially because if they pull support of it, you lose all the characters you've made, campaigns you've been running through their tabletop, access to the e-zines... etc.

Not worth it at all...

 

[Arnwyn]

So if you were one of those folks who bought Dragon and Dungeon magazines when they were in print, you really have no room to complain.

Pardon me?

Does that mean Dragon and Dungeon are coming back in print? No?

(Not that I'm personally complaining - I hate PDF period so I won't buy, but understand that others value what PDF has to offer. But the above statement is indeed more than a little silly and misguided.)

 

[reveal]

Uhm... gotta say I disagree with most of your argument in that blog. Your argument hinges around it being $18.50 more for just the magazines...

Yet the magazines were an actual hardcopy (which allowed such things as poster maps, counters, etc.), with 3.5 you had a free SRD (basically free PDF or word copy of the rules)...free character generators (which are no longer available under the new GSL), free articles and adventures on the website (so double the content of mag + free stuff), and a dungeon tile builder app. I mean my honest opinion is that you had everything the DDI was suppose to offer (ok with the exception of a 3D virtual gametable...but we've yet to see this materialize and there are free 2D versions) with the previous edition at a fraction of the estimated price for the full version of DDI.

I see what you're getting at but we have no estimated price for the full version of DDI in the future. Right now, you pay less for more. You pay less than the old cost to subscribe to two magazines and still get that content plus other online tools. Maybe in the future, the price will skyrocket once they come up with a long-term pricing scheme but, for now, it's worth the price.

I must agree with Imaro on this, nothing will change the fact that I love having the magazines, I would gladly pay for them as I can take them most places, read them on the subway, etc., but now I have to either break out my laptop... or print them out (in reduced quality, non-colour, unbound...etc...

I don't see printing as big of a deal. I never once looked at Dragon or Dungeon and thought "The print quality is awesome!" If I have to print stuff out, staple it together, and take it with me, I'm good with that.

I think they're going to be in for a rough ride, especially because if they pull support of it, you lose all the characters you've made, campaigns you've been running through their tabletop, access to the e-zines... etc.

Not worth it at all...

That's the price you must be willing to pay for anything you do online. If you store anything at any site, you have to realize that it might not be around forever. If it's that important to you, the onus is on you to make a backup of some sort to store yourself.

 

[reveal]

*double post*

 

[reveal]

Pardon me?

Does that mean Dragon and Dungeon are coming back in print? No?

(Not that I'm personally complaining - I hate PDF period so I won't buy, but understand that others value what PDF has to offer. But the above statement is indeed more than a little silly and misguided.)

Why? People were more than willing to pay more for subs to the magazine. Now they get all of the content, which is still printable and portable, plus other tools for a lower cost. Why is my statement "silly and misguided?"