Mixed Signals from Wizards of the Coast

[UngainlyTitan]

I can't comment on the production and shipping.
But on the coding side software failure rate tend to be high. As to the tools alot depends on what they are trying, they could be simply putting a Silverlight UI on the current software (while still making changes for Dark Sun etc). That would allow the tools to run in a browser and in (as far as I know, not a silverlight developer) any OS. The cause of the delay could be it took longer than expected or something more fundamental.
Or they could be reworking the whole thing to run in the cloud with a complete new build and not using any of the existing codebase. Hard to know, arguments could be made either way. It would seem to be a waste, unless there are fundamental architectural issue with the current tools that make them a dead end.
By building new you loose the benefit from existing bug fixes and get the opportunity to introdouce a whole lot of new bugs.
It could also be not software releated at all, there is one developer listed in the mainenance team, if he was off sick for any significant time it would knock their whole schedule out. There is pretty much no redundancy there and I have had a look at there object model in the past. Depending on the quality of documentation it could take a while to get a replacement developer up to speed.

 

[Riastlin]

I wanted to XP you for that but I have to spread it around first.

I completely agree with your assessment. And we regularly get extra delays of a week or more here on the south coast, compared to eastern states

I covered it for your Surf.

I would point out, as has been mentioned, that software development is always a tricky proposition. With regard to Essentials, I also think its likely more difficult than the standard update. While I do not have either the Red Box or HotFL, my understanding is that at least some of the Essentials characters involve making major changes to the character archetype (like eliminating daily powers). This is obviously a tad more involved than simply placing a new feat into the compendium/CB for instance.

I agree that its frustrating not to have the Essentials line in CB yet, but I also have to say that with respect to the CB, WotC has been really good with the updates til now. Of course, their Adventure Tools is another matter altogether but I digress.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Just spitballing here, but...

Do you have any personal contacts here in the states that would be willing to send you some copies of whatever books you wanted? At least for personal use.

 

[Jhaelen]

D&D books are printed in the USA.

Really?

 

[mudbunny]

FWIW, I have passed a link to this thread up to WotC.

 

[Cor_Malek]

While it doesn't address the problem you're raising, it should be a good temporary remedy: Book Depository - free shipping, 7-14 days to Australia. Not as good as parallel release, not as bad as 2 month delay.

 

[Goonalan]

While it doesn't address the problem you're raising, it should be a good temporary remedy: Book Depository - free shipping, 7-14 days to Australia. Not as good as parallel release, not as bad as 2 month delay.

Good to see you spreading the joy...

Cheers Goonalan

 

[UHF]

Now that I think about it... I've noticed that some is printed in Canada.

 

[MerricB]

A group of shop-owners (including the owner of my FLGS) will be meeting with Wizards Australia after the Magic Grand Prix event this weekend in Sydney to discuss a few of these issues. Well, the shipping and distribution issues at least!

I know about Book Depository, and indeed I've started buying my fantasy and SF books from there, mostly because the Australian government's policies make books extremely expensive here. (With the weak US dollar, the comparison is about 1:1. So, be shocked when I tell you that a new mass-market paperback will cost me about $23 here in Australia).

However, the price of D&D books is generally somewhat competitive. And buying them from overseas would hurt my local store, which is something I don't want to do. My FLGS is a really, really good store which has ample playing space. I spend probably about 16 hours there a week, and I am the guy who DMs their D&D events: Game Days, Encounters, etc. The owners (who are D&D players themselves) really appreciate what I do, and so my gaming life at the moment is pretty much as good as it has ever been.

The situation with the 2-monthly cycle (sort of) of D&D books is bad because it is inconsistent, other people can get books faster and cheaper online, and because of the problems with the Character Builder update, we have this period where the D&D Encounters are proclaiming bonus points for something that isn't available.

Cheers!

 

[BobTheNob]

There's another reason: Software development involves a staggering amount of uncertanty. Typical software projects have a 90% chance of needing more time than estimated and a 50% chance of taking more than twice as long as estimated. 10% take more than four times as long.

If you want to be certain of shipping on time, you have to quadrupal your estimates. This is so patently ridiculous that almost no one does it, and thus nearly all--nearly all--software is delivered late. They plan, but no amount of planning can make up for the inherent complexity, uncertainty, and risk involved in commercial software development.

(You don't have to take the word of some random, anonymous stranger on the net, but for what it's worth, I specialize in this stuff and am fairly well known in my field.)

Listen to this man!

I work in software developement as well and everything he is said here is true.

Software just isnt like other products. Software is capricious and most of the time written with requirements which change over time, meaning often the things that were true when written are not true later, and massive refactoring efforts and regression risk must be taken on, which ALWAYS blows out project timelines.

And that is exactly what would be happening at WOTC. DSUN and essentials has brought out a number of changes which are incompatible with existing rules within the software architecture, and as a result, whole modules need to be replaced. This expands testing schedules and throws resource allocation into disarray.

In a nutshell : Its not a sign of malicious or evil intent, its not a sign of incompetence. Its just something that happens, every day in many, many software projects around the world.

I for one am glad they are taking their time, because it means that they are taking the quality of the result seriously. I would be far more upset if they got a solution in on time and it was sub-standard or buggy.