I disagree that WotC's free online content was as good or better than what we've seen through the DDI -- at least any time recently.
Years ago, WotC gave away lots of groovy stuff online. Free adventures, new monsters, new magic items, etc. etc. The quality was hit or miss, but there was a lot of stuff, and it was mostly original.
Most of that stopped around the time 3.5 launced. At about that time, WotC started tying the website more closely to its product releases and cutting back on original content. The Map-a-Week feature is a good example. Early on, the maps were of random locations. I don't know where WotC got them, but I'd never seen them before, and the site gave the impression that at least some of the maps were being created specifically for Map-a-Week. Several years ago, Map-a-Week started featuring maps drawn from current WotC releases -- Fiendish Codex, Complete Soundrel, what have you. The feature went from being a source of new original material to a kind of preview.
Over the last two or three years, Wizards.com has had a lot of previews, sneak peeks, advice columns and art galleries for new releases. It has dramatically cut back on new monsters, new magic items, new spells and new maps. I have not been impressed.
The online Dungeon and Dragon are not perfect, but for the most part, I like what I've seen so far. The Demonomicon article about Yeenoghu and the article about the Bile Spider Goblins were easily worth $2.50. In Dungeon, I liked Heathen and Sleeper in the Tomb of Dreams. Last Breaths of Ashenport was good too. I'm not impressed with the AP yet, and Kincep Mansion was junk. But the volume, quality and utility of what I've seen over the last two months is, IMO definitely better than what WotC was giving away for free during the 3.5 years.
Years ago, WotC gave away lots of groovy stuff online. Free adventures, new monsters, new magic items, etc. etc. The quality was hit or miss, but there was a lot of stuff, and it was mostly original.
Most of that stopped around the time 3.5 launced. At about that time, WotC started tying the website more closely to its product releases and cutting back on original content. The Map-a-Week feature is a good example. Early on, the maps were of random locations. I don't know where WotC got them, but I'd never seen them before, and the site gave the impression that at least some of the maps were being created specifically for Map-a-Week. Several years ago, Map-a-Week started featuring maps drawn from current WotC releases -- Fiendish Codex, Complete Soundrel, what have you. The feature went from being a source of new original material to a kind of preview.
Over the last two or three years, Wizards.com has had a lot of previews, sneak peeks, advice columns and art galleries for new releases. It has dramatically cut back on new monsters, new magic items, new spells and new maps. I have not been impressed.
The online Dungeon and Dragon are not perfect, but for the most part, I like what I've seen so far. The Demonomicon article about Yeenoghu and the article about the Bile Spider Goblins were easily worth $2.50. In Dungeon, I liked Heathen and Sleeper in the Tomb of Dreams. Last Breaths of Ashenport was good too. I'm not impressed with the AP yet, and Kincep Mansion was junk. But the volume, quality and utility of what I've seen over the last two months is, IMO definitely better than what WotC was giving away for free during the 3.5 years.
