Interview with Scott Rouse, Chris Perkins & Bill Slavicsek

[Khairn]

One question that popped into my head that I hadn't seen was the following.

-Given that DI will be implemented with the 3.5 rule set,
-and given that within the next couple of years we are likely to see 4E ...

can you give us any assurances that 3.5 DI content will be maintained and that there will be a separate 4E DI?

 

[danzig138]

I'd still like to know how the Digital Initiative is going to affect gamers w/o internet access.

I'm guessing that since they don't have internet access, it won't affect them much at all.

Apparantly, Helium 3 does, that's who.

Come on. That's not what he said and you know it. He didn't say you couldn't feel bad abot it. He said he was glad to see some people realize they had over-reacted (and don't even try to deny that people did) and some cop to it. In no way did he tell you the way you feel was unjustified. Come down off the cross. You're dripping on the carpet.

 

[Jedi_Solo]

Add another huge Thank You to everyone involved in getting this together.

I'm not that worried (yet) about the lack of specifics. I'm a computer programmer myself so I fully understand how if a program is 99% complete and working perfectly how that final 1% can cause the entire project to crash and burn and/or require 50% of the project to be rewritten.

Even if they had an example article A ready to go 100% it may not play nicely with tool X and finally may be scrapped for the Grand Opening to give them more time on the interaction. I've seen a lot of thoughts that the lack of answers is a "we don't have ANY ideas yet" but I view it more as "we don't have FINALIZED answers yet"

As far as what I am want from it:

Low/No DRM - Watermarking is fine. At the very least I want it to not matter what computer is seeing it. If I get a new computer I want that computer to see everything the old one sould see. I don't want my content dependant on my computer not releasing the Magic Smoke. (You all know that computers run on Magic Smoke, correct? Take it from a programmer. If you see the Magic Smoke escape your computer will no longer work.) I've lost a few DRM items because of this. That is why I never purchase anything with stronger DRM than watermarking.

"Sidebars" Galore - I love seeing the sidebars. I like reading the ideas of "Working X into Y Setting" and seeing why a designer worked it the way they did. If we're playing in Forgotten Realms even a sidebar saying how to work something into Ebberon or Planescape may give us a new adventure or campaign idea. If we see a wierd or seemingly-backwards way of doing something new, seeing WHY the designer did it that way may help us use it or may even let us sey 'we don't need to worry about that aspect' and let us use the more steamlined but buggy version of the new rule. Without the concern of real-estate that printed materials has these Sidebars should be numerous.

Campaign Classics - Again on real-estate issue, now that the concern of page space isn't the issue that it once was I want to see the older settings get more love. I loved (most of) Spelljammer but there is almost nothing for it in 3.X. Others love Birthright and Dark Sun. Giving space to one setting won't risk detracting from those that exclusively play in other settings; there is room enough for everybody.

 

[JVisgaitis]

can you give us any assurances that 3.5 DI content will be maintained and that there will be a separate 4E DI?

I'd say that there is no chance at all of this happening. Its hard enough trying to support multiple campaign settings and there is no way they'll support two different editions. There will be a market for this in PDFs, but nothing official from Wizards once they roll over to 4e. And really, how can you expect them to support an old platform? Does Microsoft still release programs for Windows 3.11?

 

[Piratecat]

In no way did he tell you the way you feel was unjustified. Come down off the cross. You're dripping on the carpet.

Twowolves and Danzig have both just won a free suspension for making personal shots in this thread. We're at zero tolerance, folks; you don't have to agree with one another, but we expect you to do it politely and without personal jabs.

If this is somehow a problem, feel free to email me.

 

[Waylander the Slayer]

I agree. It's one of the big flaws with the magazine format: portability.

Cheers!

I will always have the magazines to take with me whereever I go, be it on the bus, in the bathroom or anywhere else. Online content? I am not sure how it can be construed that online content is more portable. Also, once my subscription expires, what happens to the content I paid for? I will always have the magazines regardless of the subscription, but the same cannot be said of online content (unless I print everything out).

 

[Thaumaturge]

Online content? I am not sure how it can be construed that online content is more portable.

I think the idea is any one issue of Dragon or Dungeon is more portable, but the entire library is gargantuan. A laptop becomes more portable than all, most, or even a handful of issues which you can then use anywhere you have an access point.

Having access to access points is another issue, but I agree the DI will be more portable than my entire library.

On a slightly different note, I have so many Dragon magazines that I barely use any of them. It takes too long to sort through all of the issues. I have to remember what was where and when. Hopefully, the DI will have good searching or at least good indexing, so I can actually use the content for which I've paid.

Thaumaturge.

 

[The_Gneech]

The basic fact is that WOTC decided to shut down the print magazines to drive users to an "online model". WOTC will continue with other printed content - for now. The answer above seems to seek rationale. e.g. "Those magazines were filled with content you didn't actively use? Right? Hey - on a unit basis, that is negative value for the producer and consumer."

You're missing the point. I *read* EVERYTHING in those magazines. Erik/James' openings, forums, ads (yeah, even the ads), comics and all other content. It would take me a few days. Where did I read it? Primarily two places - Neither were at my desk. One was in bed before I went to sleep, images of running and screaming adventurers in my head.

Online has *nothing* to do with that experience.

So what, wait a year to get the content in digestible form? Will it come with the subscription? I can answer for you - Of course not. Online is about tools with as little "words" as you can get away with. Why? Because you are sitting in front of a computer when you get to it. Printing is not an option - even for me (..and I have some great printers: HP Color Laserjet 3700dn duplex, Canon i9900 for large format/maps, and an Epson multi-function). Problems I see with printing: Either you are graphics rich, with the problems around color printing costs foisted on the consumer. Or you print "just the words" in which case, the experience is rather dull.

So - What do I want? A print periodical (every other month or, worse case quarterly) that engages my imagination to help me be a better DM. No amount of "online calculators" will help me get there. My discussion/messaging needs are taken of here and in other boards, thanks very much. I don't need you to become another ENWorld for pay.

This is pretty much where I am. WotC should know what I want, because I bought it every month like clockwork. I want print trade magazines. The online content might be great, in which case I'd want it as well as the magazines, not instead of.

-The Gneech

 

[Khairn]

I'd say that there is no chance at all of this happening. Its hard enough trying to support multiple campaign settings and there is no way they'll support two different editions. There will be a market for this in PDFs, but nothing official from Wizards once they roll over to 4e. And really, how can you expect them to support an old platform? Does Microsoft still release programs for Windows 3.11?

That is what I am worried about. Once WotC goes 4E all the 3E support on the DI will go away. Basicaly a forced migration to the new system. I was already leaning away from the DI before the interview. Due to the lack of any real information or vision, the interview pushed me further out, but this point ... Unless clarified by someone at wotC, this is a huge NO-GO for me.

If they are building the DI with a deliberate planned obsolescence of the launch of 4E ... I won't touch it unless its all free.

 

[Rokes]

What I want from the Digital Initiative

Here's what I want from the Digital Initiative.

I want all my print D&D books to come with a unique serial number. If I'm a member of the DI, I should be able to go online, type in the serial number of my freshly purchased book and download a watermarked pdf version of the book (bookmarked and searchable). The serial number works for only the first account it's entered for, so there'll be no swapping of serial numbers.

I love my books. (FWIW, I own all non-setting specific 3.5e books) I love the tactile aspect. I stare at a computer screen 10 hours a day, and like to get away from time to time.

I also love pdfs. I love being able to search for key words and I love being able to copy/paste parts of the text or art for player hand-outs. I want these features w/o short-changing WotC (i.e. downloading them illegally). I want these features w/o having to pay for the same book twice.

Seems easy to implement and a no-brainer to me.