November 16th release for Web-based Character Builder

[RLBURNSIDE]

20 character limit

is way too low, I concur. I also like to make a whole bunch of characters and check out combos, etc. Although I'll avoid overreacting because this is just expected behavior from a company trying to shore up profits. It's what they do. Hopefully they will have presence of mind to increase the limit sooner rather than later. If you can export your files to local hard drive you essentially have unlimited capacity anyway. I think a buffer size of 20 is not unreasonable, for the time being. IF the export feature is actually done.

Another thing, why are they using the same file format? Will I be able to load up a character in the old builder? If not, then they should call them .dnd4.5e files instead. Seriously, a clean break is much better than people mixing their files between the old CB and the new one.

Same filename should mean compatible to open in either version. Did they not get the memo? This is really a "forced CB upgrade, no choice pal", which at least they could be honest about. Whoops, forget that.

 

[Kobold Boots]

There will be an import feature from the get-go, they say, but the export feature will come in an early update. From what I understand, it will be the same format as the current CB.

Then I'd have to ask two questions of myself:

1. Why is anyone complaining about the character limit?

and..

2. What the heck am I doing by posting here and condoning a community full of whining foolishness?

No offense to those who are solid members of the community, or the admins and people that run the place, but it seems that there's a lot of bandwidth wasted on ignorant free speech as opposed to educated.

 

[Herschel]

Er, wrong on the part I bolded. I just stayed at Walt Disney World's Wilderness Lodge and not only didn't they have free wifi, they didn't have free access at all - $9.99 per 24 hours of access - and the access they had was a roaring 356K (no more than 400 down). That's fairly common, to charge for access.

Wait, so it's WotC's issue that Disney charges for internet? Disney charges for EVERYTHING. I've had to travel a few times lately and gotten in at podunk motels in the middle of nowhere and had free wi-fi.

Not modern hotels, old school motels due to vacancies needed on short notice.

If you stay in certain establishments (like anything owned by Disney) yeah, they may try to charge you, but stay anywhere someone on business might stay and they'll have wi-fi for you.

 

[Herschel]

I'd rather go back to making characters by hand than having to pay a monthly fee to "access" my characters. They are my characters, I should own them and always have access to them for free.

So WotC will come and destroy your printouts and remove a character concept from your mind? Here's a little information for you: DD&D their IP, not yours. Your characters are just an example of something done with their IP but that doesn't grant you "ownership" of anything. If you want to access their system, you have to pay. They are providing tools for a fee.

It's not as if you are creating anything new they're adding to the system, you're just arranging already existing information within their system.

 

[Dumnbunny]

Then I'd have to ask two questions of myself:

1. Why is anyone complaining about the character limit?

and..

2. What the heck am I doing by posting here and condoning a community full of whining foolishness?

No offense to those who are solid members of the community, or the admins and people that run the place, but it seems that there's a lot of bandwidth wasted on ignorant free speech as opposed to educated.

How about a desire to have all your characters in one place? A desire to take advantage of one of the stated benefits of this new system, access to all your characters from any (Windows/Mac only) computer anywhere you go, work, home, school, library, your friend's place, etc?

How about simply acknowledging that different people have different computer usage patterns than you, different needs and different expectations? Or you could continue to dismiss them as ignorant, foolish whiners. That's certainly much easier.

 

[abyssaldeath]

Another thing, why are they using the same file format? Will I be able to load up a character in the old builder? If not, then they should call them .dnd4.5e files instead. Seriously, a clean break is much better than people mixing their files between the old CB and the new one.

Same filename should mean compatible to open in either version. Did they not get the memo? This is really a "forced CB upgrade, no choice pal", which at least they could be honest about. Whoops, forget that.

I agree with the first half so I'll only address the part I have quoted.

You will not be able to upload a character from the new CB to the old CB. Ther are also a couple of reasons to keep the old file extension. The first being that if they did what you suggest then the file extension would be .5e not dnd4.5e. everything before the last "." is part of the file name. Also, changing it to .dnd4.5e or just .5e would be pretty much paramount to saying "Hey everybody, let's start another edition war".

The same file extension in no way denotes both backwards and forwards compatibility. There are there reasons that I can think of to keep the same file extension.
1. Makes it easier for those who are not technologically inclined to understand that their old characters are compatible with the new CB.
2. Less work when designing and coding the new CB.
3. As an added benefit to #2 it creates less work for 3rd party developers to incorporate the new CB character files.

As my ending statement I will say that they have already answered all you questions and haven't been dishonest about what the new CB will mean to those who like the old one.

 

[Kobold Boots]

How about a desire to have all your characters in one place? A desire to take advantage of one of the stated benefits of this new system, access to all your characters from any (Windows/Mac only) computer anywhere you go, work, home, school, library, your friend's place, etc?

How about simply acknowledging that different people have different computer usage patterns than you, different needs and different expectations? Or you could continue to dismiss them as ignorant, foolish whiners. That's certainly much easier.

How about understanding that people are not ignorant or foolish whiners because they have different usage patterns than I, and rather, understanding that they're ignorant and foolish whiners because they're wasting their time coming to a forum community to bitch about something the owners have no control over?

Start a write in campaign to WoTC if you want to accomplish something. Otherwise all you're doing is showing extreme ignorance of the options you do have in exchange for putting the same amount of effort into something that won't work as quickly.

Oh, yes, I forgot because bleeting at the problem on a site that's got open membership, is accessible from any computer with an Internet browser is certainly much easier.. and ignorant.

Two cents, granted there may be some mystical "WoTC listens to enWorld" power that I'm not aware of.

 

[Dumnbunny]

Two cents, granted there may be some mystical "WoTC listens to enWorld" power that I'm not aware of.

There are WotC personnel who read and post here, including in this thread. Some of the concerns raised in this thread have already been taken to the development team.

 

[Kobold Boots]

There are WotC personnel who read and post here, including in this thread. Some of the concerns raised in this thread have already been taken to the development team.

Fair enough then.

That being the case, should I then expect that when things are presented here as issues, they won't be beaten to death and people will simply acknowledge that publicly (ie: How are you certain the dev team has stuff if no one posts as such?)

And second.. would then any change being done to D&D that has in any way a correlation to a suggestion at enworld thus be off-limits for bitching?
(ie: "careful what you wish for" may indeed by enWorld's daily power)

Last up, and I'd really subscribe for this feature (Morrus take notice).. a hyper modded features and pure game discussion forum where any non-constructive bitching is hammered.

Sorry for being aggressive DB.

KB

 

[Dice4Hire]

2. What the heck am I doing by posting here and condoning a community full of whining foolishness?
.

If you do not like it, find a different thread, forum, or site. Much better than insulting people.