November 16th release for Web-based Character Builder

[Katana_Geldar]

What about simple things like...Internet speed for instance? I know Downunder we're seriously lagging behind. Classic CB may be bugged but it's on your PC and the update only comes when it comes, if many people are on the new CB and it's constantly being updates...how's that going to work out?

 

[darjr]

http://images.community.wizards.com...ns/large/7bd3a6d56dc25b39629e268cad740f30.png

Does this mean I can only use one campaign setting at a time? I've asked the question on the WotC boards but have not heard a response back.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Hey, if you want to believe that by paying for one month of DDI access that you or anyone else have now "bought" the crunch of all the D&D books as if you had bought the books themselves... more power to ya. It's not true... but you can believe it if you want to.

Please explain to me how up to this point that was NOT TRUE. Seriously, explain it to me.

Probably the same as all the characters designed for any online game I would imagine.

Yes, because crappy decesions by one company should be followed by another! Brilliance! Nice way to dance around the question amigo as opposed to going either, "I don't know because they haven't said," or "They'll keep it." Which is what I'm betting on.

 

[possum]

Let me get this straight... you don't like the change of a downloadable offline Character Builder to an online web-based one... because of the chance that 5th Edition will come out and WotC will completely replace the 4E CB with a 5E one (thereby eliminating all 4E info from the system), and then in addition just by happenstance that player also then manages to somehow lose or destroy all his hard copy books too... then that player has no way of playing 4E anymore because he's now lost all the items that have 4E rules in them.

You know... I really don't think the Wizards Insider staff was really considering the feelings of that person when they made their decision. And quite frankly... I'm GLAD FOR THAT.

First off, 5th Edition will come out one day, most likely by WotC/Hasbro. There is no doubt in my mind that it will, whether it be next year or five years from now. And, WotC's actions in the past concerning the handling of 3rd Edition stuff after the change over to 4th leads me to believe that support for the 4E online tools will be completely unsupported following the release.

When I said that paper can be destroyed I meant character sheets, not actual books. I'm sorry that I wasn't clearer on that point. I still have all of my books that I've bought from the previous editions, as well as a ready-to-print character sheet folder on my computer with 47 different sheets in it. Obviously, I can play any game I want to.

With 4th Edition, the trend seems to be geared towards using the character builder to make your character and not to use the "traditional builder" as I call it. On the WotC forums, I've seen a Dark Sun game go into a week-long debate on whether to start the official recruitment before or after the new stuff is incorporated into the character builder. The D&D Encounters program also seems to support this new idealogy, but granting those who used the Character Builder to create their own character extra points.

With that said, it seems to me that towards the end of the 4E life cycle, there will be groups that will rely only on the character builder for character creation and storage. With the new web-only Character Builder, a long-going campaign of those who have decided to not switch over to 5E is indeed in peril of a single careless hand at the gaming table spilling soda all over the now only record of the characters.

Well, I hope I kind of clarified my position somewhat.

 

[JoeGKushner]

What about simple things like...Internet speed for instance? I know Downunder we're seriously lagging behind. Classic CB may be bugged but it's on your PC and the update only comes when it comes, if many people are on the new CB and it's constantly being updates...how's that going to work out?

Here's the thing.

NPR just did a special talking about rural areas and other places where internet access is essentially a joke. I have friends who live in northern Wisconsin so it's not like some strange and faraway place.

Anyway, the NPR bit was talking about how banks are charging $9.99 a month for paper statements and that these people in these areas are essentially boned because they have no net access.

Certainly not something WoTC is responsible for, but for at least some, simply put, a dealbreaker. The reality of the situation is that internet penetration over the whole of the United States is NOT that impressive.

Edit: The actual link!

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/10/28/pm-banking-without-the-internet/

 

[Obryn]

I'm not going to cancel my subscription in order to "prove some point", or to try and let WotC know that they've "lost a customer" or any other of that nonsense. I play 4E weekly. I like making it easier on myself. And designing/leveling characters using the CB on a web-only platform is STILL EASIER than quitting DDI over some perceived slight and then trying to do all this work using just the books.

I think you're really misunderstanding a lot of the complaints here. While some whose names I will not name are just stirring crap, I think lots of people have serious, valid concerns.

Like I said - I do most of my prep on my lunch break. My work doesn't allow access to the Wizards site (or ENword, etc.), even on the public wifi which allows webmail and social networking. If I can't access DDI at the office, it's worth less (not worthless - simply worth less) to me. I need to take that into account when I'm making my decision of what to purchase in the future.

Also, I have to say, I've been running Dark Sun for a few levels now without help from the CB. It can certainly be done. The lack of it for a few months has been pretty illuminating.

-O

 

[Katana_Geldar]

If something you pay to own doesn't provide the services you want or need anymore, there's no reason to keep it.

 

[garyh]

I'm an annual DDI subscriber who has also bought every player and DM book (basically everything except adventures), and I'm unhappy about this.

I do my CB'ing at home on my PC, so I'm not part of the "play or prep without internet crowd" or the Mac crowd. I'm also 100% positive my work PC won't work with Silverlight (our IT still has us using IE6), so this doesn't even let me use the new CB at work (not that that'd be a good idea anyway).

The one new "feature" with this is storing our PC's in the cloud. For all the 200 KB they take up. Wow. Amazing. And I couldn't possibly back up my CB files on my flash drive. Oh, wait, I do...

I'm mostly peeved about the lack of an export option. As a DM, I find it very useful to have the players be able to send me an editable version of their PC. Now, that's not possible.

I understand why WotC is doing this, even though I've been a loyal purchaser of hard copies and annual DDI subscriber, but don't place limitations on the program and call them "features." That's more insulting than the restrictions themselves.

 

[mudbunny]

For those who are just looking for actual WotC responses to questions in the thread, I have taken a serious SAN hit and will be going through the thread for you.

Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible

You owe me.

BIG!!

 

[Katana_Geldar]

I'm mostly peeved about the lack of an export option. As a DM, I find it very useful to have the players be able to send me an editable version of their PC. Now, that's not possible.

Hands up if you're a DM and approve and manage character sheets using builder.