Online Character Builder is LIVE!

[Aristotle]

I *really* like the interface.

No rule files? I liked the character generator because it allowed my players, who are mostly casual gamers, to see all of their options... but I don't necessarily want ALL of the options in my game. I loved that I could throw them a file and it would limit the language, deity, races, or whatever choices to the campaign parameters..

That's my primary complaint, but it's kind of a deal breaker for my group and since I purchase the subscriptions for my group it affects all 5 accounts.

It also breaks my ability to port characters into FG2. But I'm sure a new parser will come along for this.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

On one hand, you can't edit the character sheet in the slightest.

On the other hand you don't need to because this program is goddamn useless and you can't even copy and paste character sheets onto forums.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Keep the old one.

I can't blame anyone at this point for cancelling their subs for this. There's no added value in this CB, and a lot lot lot of problems. Hand-adding the DS and Essentials stuff you want is better than this. Doing up your character by hand is probably better than this.

The reduced functionality might be bearable if it did what it said on the tin adequately enough. If it built a D&D character.

Unfortunately, it can't really do that very well. It crashes, or decides to add a random bonus, or decides to not add a random bonus, or decides to hide options, or decides to not let you get rid of items, or decides to not let you equip things, or decides to take it's sweet time and fart the national anthem while it turns grey and sits around for a few minutes, just chilling out, like that's it's job.

I mean, you might get it to help you make a D&D character. Y'know, if you let it kick you in the shins and give it $10/month for the privilege while it laughs at you with all the popular kids.

Okay, yes, there's some absurdist hyperbole in here. But when making a character is nearly a Kafkaesque experience, all red tape, pointless restrictions, and a grim hilarity at the suffering of life, I feel absurdist hyperbole is the most appropriate response.

Seriously, keep the old one, and, unless you really love Dragon, Dungeon, and the Compendium, cancel yer sub, at least for a few months until they get this into a workable state.

Because the CB as it exists now is making me feel like it's 2000 all over again, and I've just bought the 3e PHB, and here's this nifty character creator on a disk in the back of it and oh sweet jesus this is more hassle than help. It is not worth money. I feel like they should be paying me to bug-test the sunbich.

 

[Mercurius]

I just have to laugh...what is Wizards of the Coast thinking? I actually got the thing to work after a couple crashes, but you just don't release a program this buggy, especially with such a lousy track record.

As for the CB itself, after watching the video I thought I would like it better - and I think once I get the hang of it, it might be a tad easier - but overall I don't like it as much. I can't really explain why, but it is an aesthetic quality, mainly.

It also doesn't give full info on races, afaict, at least after you've already selected it.

 

[Piratecat]

I'm not a negative guy, but I just can't believe this launched. Okay, they were between a rock and a hard place, what with customers demanding Dark Sun and Essentials in their character builder and time ticking away. I understand that. But letting something this buggy out the door is embarrassing and insupportable. I want it to succeed, but it's got a ways to go.

I've told my group to pretend it's not there for another week or two.

 

[rjdafoe]

I just have to laugh...what is Wizards of the Coast thinking? I actually got the thing to work after a couple crashes, but you just don't release a program this buggy, especially with such a lousy track record.

As for the CB itself, after watching the video I thought I would like it better - and I think once I get the hang of it, it might be a tad easier - but overall I don't like it as much. I can't really explain why, but it is an aesthetic quality, mainly.

It also doesn't give full info on races, afaict, at least after you've already selected it.

The only thing they must be thinking is this:

What a way to protect our content! Now our customers can't even use our content reliably! We are safe from those damn Pirates now....

 

[JoeGKushner]

I feel totally vindicated in my choice to discontinue my subscription to DDI. Bye, WotC. You have successfully fired me and my group as customers and we will happily play Pathfinder with Hero Lab forever more.

I'm not quite on the same boat. I let my auto-renewal off, which ends this month but got to test this software.

It's not ready for prime time.

Maybe in a few months but for now? No $$ for you WoTC.

 

[Retreater]

Was contemplating renewing my membership, but won't until I hear more positive feedback.

Thanks for the heads up.

Retreater

 

[zoroaster100]

So if I create a Quick build character, it is forever restricted to Essentials options only and I can't ever decide to select other options unless I re-create the character in the Character Builder from scratch?

 

[lkj]

I'm not a negative guy, but I just can't believe this launched. Okay, they were between a rock and a hard place, what with customers demanding Dark Sun and Essentials in their character builder and time ticking away. I understand that. But letting something this buggy out the door is embarrassing and insupportable. I want it to succeed, but it's got a ways to go.

I've told my group to pretend it's not there for another week or two.

I've been playing around with the Builder for about an hour or two, in Chrome, and haven't had an issue. Built a couple of different characters, including a 30th level one.

I can't speak to specific data errors, but I haven't had a crash. And by and large I like the interface.

Maybe I'm just lucky. But I'm encouraged.

AD