New Character Builder from WotC!

[renau1g]

Because I don't use DDI, I ask this question:

How stable has it been? As in, how many times (if any) and for how long has it been inaccessible for one reason or another?

That would seem to be one of the most crucial questions- being unable to access your PC while offline is headache enough, but if you can't get to it while online...

Personally, I've not experienced any issues with downloading the updates to the software. Some users have experienced problems with wizards.com/dnd but I've personally never experienced it. to be honest, I've never had an issue with that. Now, I fully expect on the 16th the servers will be overloaded and it will be hell. I hope that it cools down after, but I'm also expecting a million angry threads about slow load time, maybe servers not working/pages not loading,etc. I mean if all/most of the 41k subscribers jump on at approx. the same time, are the servers ready for it?

 

[renau1g]

Once stand alone MB is stopped, we should see a quicker turn around on tools.

Wait...I've obviously missed something...they ever supported the MB in the first place?

 

[mudbunny]

I mean if all/most of the 41k subscribers jump on at approx. the same time, are the servers ready for it?

According to PaoloM, they have tested the servers with several times the total number of subscribers all accessing the tool at once.

 

[abyssaldeath]

According to PaoloM, they have tested the servers with several times the total number of subscribers all accessing the tool at once.

Stress tests are all well and good, but they don't quite live up to real world tests. Just ask any MMO ever launched or was just given a major update. Given the nature of DDI though any problems will most likely occur with the authentication server before any other problems with the rest of the site were to happen.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Stress tests are all well and good, but they don't quite live up to real world tests. Just ask any MMO ever launched or was just given a major update. Given the nature of DDI though any problems will most likely occur with the authentication server before any other problems with the rest of the site were to happen.

Hell, just ask the people who tried to cancel their DDI accounts when news when live and they couldn't because the servers were down.

 

[fanboy2000]

How stable has it been? As in, how many times (if any) and for how long has it been inaccessible for one reason or another?

That would seem to be one of the most crucial questions- being unable to access your PC while offline is headache enough, but if you can't get to it while online...

The CB and MB have never been inaccessible to me when had access to my computer. While the Compendium does go down occasionally for the monthly updates, I have rarely needed to access it during those times. Generally speaking, I download Dungeon and Dragon ASAP. Typically, when I've used DDI, it's been the offline offerings.

Ironic, given my MacBook Pro is connected to the internet 99% of the time.

 

[Herschel]

because they're actually introducing extremely good / better feats such as Superior Will, the new Weapon Expertise feats and errata to powers such as DC, our group will probably have no choice but to keep subscribing to DP Insider.

Oh well...but there is no way we're paying for more than one/two accounts (one for the players, and one for the DM) to play this game properly. Sue me. You cannot force people to upgrade like this without them finding a way to keep their costs down. The fox gets faster, so must rabbits. It's the way of things. We will adapt.

So you feel entitled to cheat the system because you don't want to pay for a tool or service you want to use and you're upset WotC is taking steps to make that harder? The problem isn't WotC here.

 

[Sunseeker]

So you feel entitled to cheat the system because you don't want to pay for a tool or service you want to use and you're upset WotC is taking steps to make that harder? The problem isn't WotC here.

It's cheating, but it's also not cheating. It's YOUR account, and as such, short of outrightly violating the terms of the account, you're entitled to use it as you please. If you wish to make it a group account, then it is a group account, if you wish to allow 5 different people access to it, then 5 different people have access to it.

Although at first glance this may seem like people are cheating, what generally happens, such as in the case of MMO accounts, is that the "other" members generally find they enjoy the service, and then go on to subscribe on their own.

If WotC gave say, a free trial of some kind, say, 2 weeks, I have little doubt they would get many more subscribers.

 

[MarkB]

If WotC gave say, a free trial of some kind, say, 2 weeks, I have little doubt they would get many more subscribers.

Perhaps they might be more inclined to do so, now that it would not result in giving away unlimited use of their most popular software tool.

 

[Sunseeker]

Perhaps they might be more inclined to do so, now that it would not result in giving away unlimited use of their most popular software tool.

Wouldn't surprise me. A "recruit-a-friend" system would also be very effective to this end. "Give a free month to your friend, get a free month if they subscribe for X months!"