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Message: <blockquote data-quote="guivre" data-source="post: 4621500" data-attributes="member: 72477">You're free to disagree, but that's all it is. It's a web based information repository with limited search capabilities. Comparing it to a wiki is more than fair.  There is nothing special about it and there's really no excuse that it couldn't have been completed by release. Yes I've used it and there were a host of usability and stability issues when I did. An unmitigated success is it? That's some fantastic praise for an unreleased piece of software. It already fails at the number one requirement for successful software: it hasn't been released.What criteria is this unmitigated success based on? It's beta status over 7 months after intended release? The swarms of yet unresolved bugs? Far from there being nothing negative, there are swarms of bugs posted on WotCs forums. Enough that it doesn't fulfill it's function: creating legal characters for 4e. New books come out monthly, the PHB II comes out in what.. March? Even IF they managed to iron out enough bugs to make a passable release, they're going to do so just in time for it to be out-dated. I didn't say they would or even that I trusted them to. I said they should. Employing one of the companies that already produces a VTT to provide the licensed VTT for 4e would be the best move they could possibly make right now, assuming they chose that third party wisely.It's not vitriolic, it is an honest, qualified opinion from someone with 25 years experience.  The pattern is very clear, this is a mess and the odds are it's only going to get messier. Some companies pull it out, but the overwhelming majority do not, not without a great deal of help. There is nothing about this operation that doesn't scream train wreck. My professional opinion, backed by seeing similar cases would be that they eventually get the Character Builder out. It's still going to have bugs, but they'll push it out the door is good enough. I'd lay even money that it doesn't come out till March. The limited staff they already have will end up in maintenance mode, trying to get the bugs fixed. It's going to take full time employees to keep it up to date. Even with the benefit of seeing some of the material before hand they're going to fall behind and constantly be in maintenance mode trying to incorporate all of the material released. It's not just the books, it's the magazine content as well, and the LFR material.  Between the "content" bugs, and the software bugs that are bound to occur it's going to cost a fortune in developer hours just to try and keep the project afloat. In the meantime they'll pick the Character Visualizer to work on next, I seriously doubt they'll have the resources to work on more than one tool at a time. They don't have them now and they certainly won't after the CB is released and they are constantly trying to keep up. The visualizer will seem like a good pick, because it's relatively simple, it's really nothing a hobbyist with a good 3D package couldn't do at home. Though TBH if I were in there as a consultant I'd recommend they can that product completely. They'll still struggle to get it out, but before they do, Hasbro is going to pull the plug. It's going to turn into a money sink and they're not going to stand for it up top very long. Like I said, I could be wrong, but if I wasn't right far more often than not I wouldn't be pulling down the salary I am. It's entirely possible that DDI can be turned around, but the smart money will certainly not be on that happening.I have no hate for WotC only disappointment. Nor am I a 4e hater. I own everything published since it's release, except the "premium dice".</blockquote>

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