Irritated at WOTC

[mps42]

So, not too long ago I found the wonderful program Masterplan (if you haven't tried it, you owe yourself a look) and, almost immediately became with WOTC for their "IP Management" practices.
As of version 8 Materplan could, with a *PAID* D&D insider account, gather the monsters, powers classes and treasures from the online compendium. Well, WOTC said "stop that" and so, Masterplan creator(s) did. Some enterprising individual manually entered all the same info into libraries for people to use but locked it requiring info that you would only have if you had *PAID* for the books. Again, WOTC said "stop that" and Masterplan was forced to make it so that the libraies did not work.
As a side irritation of this, any information that *I* PERSONALLY enter into this wonderful program on *MY* desktop computer cannot be copied onto *MY* laptop computer even if it does not contain ANY of Wizards IP.
I do not understand why WOTC would limit the way that people can use the information they have paid to use, in effect making 3rd party software that works better than anything they have so far produced, practically unusable.
This practice is having me seriously consider other gaming systems that do not belong to WOTC.
Sorry for the rant.

Seriously, though, check out Masterplan (Masterplan). It's worth the effort of using it.

 

[Ramius613]

Have you tried copying the library to your laptop, then renaming it in masterplan? I read somewhere, can't remember where that this was a work around for the situation.

 

[Saracenus]

Because long ago when there was version 8 of Masterplan with which you could log into your DDI account and download the entire contents of the compendium into your library.

Then folks started sharing that content with others that did not have DDI accounts.

This led to a C&D letter and Masterplan was reworked so that it could not be used to share (very rapidly and completely) WotC's IP. This also allowed Masterplan to continue as a product.

"And this is why we get ants!" ~Archer

 

[Obryn]

It can be used on both PCs; the PCs just have the same name.

-O

 

[wlmartin]

Firstly, I saw this message in my daily digest and since the Category was "Wizards of the Coast" and the subject was "Irritated at WOTC" it looked like a comment on a statement from Wizards telling people they dislike their abbreviated moniker. I thought that was a funny thought.

So, not too long ago I found the wonderful program Masterplan (if you haven't tried it, you owe yourself a look) and, almost immediately became with WOTC for their "IP Management" practices.
As of version 8 Materplan could, with a *PAID* D&D insider account, gather the monsters, powers classes and treasures from the online compendium. Well, WOTC said "stop that" and so, Masterplan creator(s) did.

Rightly so, good on WotC

Some enterprising individual manually entered all the same info into libraries for people to use but locked it requiring info that you would only have if you had *PAID* for the books. Again, WOTC said "stop that" and Masterplan was forced to make it so that the libraies did not work.
As a side irritation of this, any information that *I* PERSONALLY enter into this wonderful program on *MY* desktop computer cannot be copied onto *MY* laptop computer even if it does not contain ANY of Wizards IP.
I do not understand why WOTC would limit the way that people can use the information they have paid to use, in effect making 3rd party software that works better than anything they have so far produced, practically unusable.
This practice is having me seriously consider other gaming systems that do not belong to WOTC.
Sorry for the rant.

Wizards are a business just like any other. Their product goes out on license to those they trust to use it correctly and paying the correct dues.

If you wrote a novel and it was a success earning you £10,000 royalties a month, something you begin to get used to and then all of a sudden someone comes along and copies your entire book into a computer game.

Then that is theft of your intellectual property and I doubt that you would be so keen to protect the activities of those individuals taking away from your ideas.

Now lets say that the company that ripped you off made NO MONEY or you yourself made little or NO MONEY from the idea... that is like someone who steals a priceless painting from your house or a worthless photo of you and your pet... theft is theft!

I do appreciate that there is an opportunity for WotC to work with this 3rd party company however they may choose not to for many reasons including that they could be coming up with something similar, they don't like or trust the company to handle their license or plainly because they dont want to.

I am happy and gratified that there are legal protections on WotC Intellectual Property because for all the cases like this that some people may get behind jeering at WotC, regardless of their position on it... there are 100 more behind the scenes that if not quashed end up stealing away from the WotC fan base and their profits.


I love D&D
I love that there is a company after TSR that is passionate about bringing new D&D content to us (no matter how slow it may be) and support the game. The second that becomes unproffitable, the content shrinks and eventually goes away for good and the only way that is staved off is by smart business practices that make them wads of cash.

So... IMHO, Wizards making money = A good thing...
People that get in the way of them making money = A bad thing...

Nuff said!!

 

[delericho]

So, not too long ago I found the wonderful program Masterplan (if you haven't tried it, you owe yourself a look) and, almost immediately became with WOTC for their "IP Management" practices.

Your irritation is misplaced.

As of version 8 Materplan could, with a *PAID* D&D insider account, gather the monsters, powers classes and treasures from the online compendium. Well, WOTC said "stop that" and so, Masterplan creator(s) did.

WotC have the absolute right to protect their IP. The guys at Masterplan should never have done that.

Some enterprising individual manually entered all the same info into libraries for people to use but locked it requiring info that you would only have if you had *PAID* for the books. Again, WOTC said "stop that" and Masterplan was forced to make it so that the libraies did not work.

WotC have the absolute right to protect their IP. The "enterprising individual" should never have done that... and the guys at Masterplan were responsible for preventing further sharing of the information.

As a side irritation of this, any information that *I* PERSONALLY enter into this wonderful program on *MY* desktop computer cannot be copied onto *MY* laptop computer even if it does not contain ANY of Wizards IP.

This is a valid gripe. However, it's a valid gripe against Masterplan, not against WotC. It's their software that is failing to do what it should do, and there are ways they could work around this; if they have not, then that is their failing.

I do not understand why WOTC would limit the way that people can use the information they have paid to use, in effect making 3rd party software that works better than anything they have so far produced, practically unusable.

Because WotC have their own competing software that they want people to pay to use. And it doesn't matter how good or bad that software is; the fact that it exists is more than enough justification for WotC to put the brakes on the competition.

 

[RHGreen]

Your irritation shouldn't be because of Masterplan, (WOTC have the right to protect their IP) it should be because D&D fans want the kind of functionality that Masterplan gives them and WOTC aren't doing a very good job of providing that functionality.

It is like owning the patent to a perpetual motion engine and then sitting on that patent, doing nothing, and then moaning when others get of their arse and produce something useful.

In business it is hard to find a "DEMAND". Most try to create a 'demand', fail, and loose a load of money before giving up.

WOTC have a 'demand' handed to them on a plate and they seem happy to shove their thumb up their arse and blow raspberries.

That's irritating.

 

[MacMathan]

Not to get too off topic but I am irritated that WotC won't just buy one of these programs and make it official. Most of these programs are made by smaller companies or individuals even who I am sure would sell for the right price and perhaps a contract for support employment.

Just go get the best Tools, VTT etc out there. It would be an investment but one that would quickly be returned IMHO in more/longer subscriptions to their service.

Sorry for the Rant my background in software is billowing to the top of my brain again.

 

[Matt James]

The VTT is from another company. They're not developing it in house. So.... >_>

 

[Dice4Hire]

Not to get too off topic but I am irritated that WotC won't just buy one of these programs and make it official. Most of these programs are made by smaller companies or individuals even who I am sure would sell for the right price and perhaps a contract for support employment.

Just go get the best Tools, VTT etc out there. It would be an investment but one that would quickly be returned IMHO in more/longer subscriptions to their service.

Sorry for the Rant my background in software is billowing to the top of my brain again.

I can see WOTC wanting to won things outright, not just lease the rights.

Look what happened to Paizo and the D&D magazines. Got the rug pulled out form under them.