November 16th release for Web-based Character Builder

[darjr]

From
Paolo Marcucci
Software Developement Manager
D&D Digital Studio

I shouldn't do this, but I want to help you guys out there to understand.

I could write a script in about 10 minutes that automates the new Character Builder and then creates a new level 20 character. I could run this on a number of machines (10? 20?) and let it go overnight creating, say, one character every 10 seconds.

Math quiz: after how many hours will I fill 1TB of space? 10TB? 40TB?



Twenty characters seems incredibly low, and I would tend to agree, but we can monitor average usage and ramp it up as needed. We just have to protect ourselves (and the service you depend on) from DDOS and other types of attacks.

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/26199149/20_character_limit&post_num=66#472999761

 

[fanboy2000]

Whoa...The new CB is scriptable?

 

[malraux]

From
Paolo Marcucci
Software Developement Manager
D&D Digital Studio



Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible

Based on those numbers, it would take a bit over two days (~55 hours) for 10 machines creating a new character every 10 seconds to fill 1TB (assuming character files are about the same as the old CB). That's not a real convincing reason to limit to 20 characters.

I'm really not feeling the WotC love.

 

[Canor Morum]

The real reason has already been stated. To limit the number of people who can share an account.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

I don't even know where to begin with the 20 character revelation.

I'm stuck in a spot where I utilize the Compendium during games for all my monsters and rules, thus cutting down on book usage (really, I only carry 3.X books for my Eberron lore to games now), but everything about the new CB is really, really frustrating.

I mean, I have over 20 characters on my machine just from one shots I've run. That's before my actual characters and the characters I've uploaded from our house server from my friends PC for the games I run.

I don't think I would be so irritated if it wasn't for the extreme lack of functionality the new CB offers. If it was released with at least the same functionality, I might have reacted totally differently. Right now, I just lose so many features that it's really frustrating.

I suppose the good news is we can keep using the Classic CB until the new one matches functionality. I really just wish they wouldn't have pushed out that last CB update that broke so much of the Classic builder if they knew they were going online.

 

[bbbmmmlll]

I still think character builders should be free. They make the game more accessible and with all the rules to track it's a bit of a nightmare to try to build characters. This was such a big time sink in 3/3.5 and now it's showing up in 4E with multiple PHBs, Powers, settings, Essentials, etc... As a long time DM and player who now plays a couple times a month it just doesn't seem worth it anymore. I've already spent many hundreds of dollars on 4E and now I have to pay monthly for a tool that I use for less than an hour a month or waste hours leafing through poorly organized rule books. That's a pretty poor return and pretty much eliminates most casual players.

Between Essentials and the CB changes I'm really turned off. Buying regurgitated rulebooks, WotC making the game management more complicated and charging you to work around their system along with the rescinding of the PDFs (I don't want to lug around two backpacks full of books anymore - I want to use my Kindle, iPad or laptop) has pushed me to the edge.

The sad part is that we're getting an inferior product and it's going to cost them more in the long run. It won't reduce piracy, it will eliminate casual gamers and their web service will need to be a lot more robust. I haven't been impressed with WotC's IT department and running a 24x7 service that people depend on to use their product is a lot different than keeping a web site up. People can live without their forums, access to the latest Dragon/Dungeon, etc... but when it's Friday night and you can't get your character and your game is about to start it will be ugly.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

I must admit that the 20 character limit is the first thing that has pissed me off regarding the switch to a web based system.

That said, as soon as they let us download our characters, the limit ceases to matter, as you can simply download all your characters, and simply upload those are active. When they become inactive, download them and delete the "cloud" version.

Until then, however... this isn't a very good way to sell something that already is drawing a lot of ire.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Whoa...The new CB is scriptable?

Probably not directly scriptable but the browser api could be exploited to run scripts against the back end.

 

[rjdafoe]

The real reason has already been stated. To limit the number of people who can share an account.

Also it could mean they are looking at a plan to sell more space - think character slots in MMOs.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

20 characters seems awfully low. This isn't Startrek Online where every character has like 12 or so Bridge Officers with customized looks and skills and 10 space ships with customized looks and stuff. I definitely have more then 20 characters spread around my PC. And only 3 of them are from other players.

Just add a zero and your server is still safe and I have more then I will probably ever need.