D&D 5E (2014) DungeonScape Beta Gloat Thread

[Thank Dog]

Yeah, thats definitely something to keep in mind. It's a beta not a finished product, so everyone put your knives away for the moment. Save up your choicest mean comments for when it goes live!

Yes but it's also very clear that it hasn't been designed properly for the web and that's been pretty much ripped directly from the tablet versions. That alone is a massive warning bell. Short of redesigning the entire interface to work in a browser, it's not going to get any better simply because they add in more functionality and fix the bugs. They are starting from a base that is inherently flawed for the format.

Unless they redesign the interface for the intended purpose then I won't be paying anything for it. And since I don't have an iOS or Android tablet, I won't be paying for that version either.

 

[transtemporal]

Yes but it's also very clear that it hasn't been designed properly for the web and that's been pretty much ripped directly from the tablet versions. That alone is a massive warning bell. Short of redesigning the entire interface to work in a browser, it's not going to get any better simply because they add in more functionality and fix the bugs. They are starting from a base that is inherently flawed for the format.

Unless they redesign the interface for the intended purpose then I won't be paying anything for it. And since I don't have an iOS or Android tablet, I won't be paying for that version either.

Totally. But tablet-to-web conversion isn't insurmountable. Heck, the whole thing is book-to-software conversion in the first place. Just depends on whether they're actually committed to the conversion or whether its just lip service. Hopefully its the former.

 

[Blackbrrd]

Why would you be using the web version on a pad instead of the native ios or android app?

I would say anyone reviewing the product based on an early beta of limited functionality (and the web beta is very early and very limited) is making a mistake.

Because you are using a windows tablet like the surface?

I am not as much reviewing the app as much as I am noting how far I think the app has to go. It feels more like an alpha than a beta since so many features are missing. Getting responses like: "This will be hard to do at this stage" makes me think they started the process of getting user input too late. It might still be a great product, and I am probably going to use it, it's just that it doesn't look like it at the moment.

 

[LapBandit]

As a developer I don't understand releasing even a preview version of an app in this state unless they know it's an alpha product and they need the crowdsourced QA. They should have called a spade a spade and just admitted it rather than call it a beta. It's slow, buggy, and needs some serious love.

I don't want to post this on the support forums but holy cow is it slow and it feels like very little is cached client side.

 

[Blackbrrd]

Totally. But tablet-to-web conversion isn't insurmountable. Heck, the whole thing is book-to-software conversion in the first place. Just depends on whether they're actually committed to the conversion or whether its just lip service. Hopefully its the former.

I agree, there is no reason for the web version being sub optimal.

 

[Blackbrrd]

As a developer I don't understand releasing even a preview version of an app in this state unless they know it's an alpha product and they need the crowdsourced QA. They should have called a spade a spade and just admitted it rather than call it a beta. It's slow, buggy, and needs some serious love.

I don't want to post this on the support forums but holy cow is it slow and it feels like very little is cached client side.

As a fellow developer, I think doing a really early beta (or alpha) is really important. I just wished they had crowdsourced it earlier. They have a really good feedback system, which should make it kind of easy for them to find where they need to improve or even re-engineer parts of the app. My concern is that they left it so late in the process that they should re-engineer, but don't feel they have the resources to do it before launch.

 

[LapBandit]

As a fellow developer, I think doing a really early beta (or alpha) is really important. I just wished they had crowdsourced it earlier. They have a really good feedback system, which should make it kind of easy for them to find where they need to improve or even re-engineer parts of the app. My concern is that they left it so late in the process that they should re-engineer, but don't feel they have the resources to do it before launch.

Agree 100%. They should have let people in from the beginning. They are lucky they are the only offering (by WotC fiat) and that their users are enthusiats who may tolerate the shortcomings. If WotC had made it an open competition and their entry was as it currently is I have to feel it wouldn't be the winning entry.

 

[Thaumaturge]

EnWorlders: Surprisingly Bad at Gloating.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Boarstorm]

EnWorlders: Surprisingly Bad at Gloating.

Thaumaturge.

Also: Surprisingly bad at getting into the Beta despite signing up day 1.

 

[Agamon]

So, I got the invite early last week, but have been incredibly busy until yesterday. I logged in and I can't really do anything. The settings button works, but clicking anywhere else on the page does nothing. I'm using Chrome and haven't had a chance to try anything else.

Anyone else having issues like this?