The biggest issue with the new Character Builder:

[Ryujin]

LoL, it took me all of 10 seconds to have those links because I already knew the answer from paying attention to the world around me. I'm not going to spend much time doing research on an internet message board debate.

And you seem to be missing the main point: Nobody said it was bug-free, but the mass of nerd rage is also likely in part due to server, connection, personal computer and PEBKAC errors, not issues with the program itself. How is it I've been usuing it multiple times and not having any issues if it's such a "failure" of a program?

I can't answer that question. All that I can say is that, after more than a quarter century in everything from computer manufacturing to user support, I had multiple crashes.

In addition to the reduced functionality when compared to the original CB, which in and of itself makes it useless for my gaming group, we also have the necessity for an Internet connection, which makes it useless for my gaming group at one of two locations in which we play, and the change from a locally run application with a local database, to a remote database, which has likely resulted in the majority of issues that users are complaining about.

In other words whether the currently experienced issues are a direct result of poor coding or poor server infrastructure is largely immaterial, as the change in how this application is accessed is on Wizards. The previous app largely worked, for the majority of users.

 

[Herschel]

yeah, any sort of UI that takes 10+ seconds to respond is a bad app. The fact that it happens in several different apps doesn't change the fact that the CB is also a bad app.

Outside of taking 8-10 seconds to initially load (which the offline version took longer) I haven't experienced any delay of 10 seconds. Heck, my imports have taken under 5 seconds. Updates within the builder only take a second for me.

 

[IronWolf]

Outside of taking 8-10 seconds to initially load (which the offline version took longer) I haven't experienced any delay of 10 seconds. Heck, my imports have taken under 5 seconds. Updates within the builder only take a second for me.

At this point we pretty much know that your experience with the character builder has been positive. That's great! It sounds like you are getting reasonable performance response out of the application and it is working as you expect for imports and such.

Unfortunately it seems many people are not having the snappy response times, are not satisfied with how the imports are handling their characters and are not happy with the functionality they feel they have lost with this move to an online CB. Many people here with long history of being very supportive of WotC are saying there are certain aspects of this online version they are not happy with. Many of these are saying they are not happy with it in its current form at release but hold hope that will improve.

Neither side is wrong - either those that love the new CB or those that hate the new CB. Not everyone will be pleased and the constant it works for me going against the it doesn't work for me is not going to change anyone's experience with the application.

Me posting that it is working poorly for me and not including all the functionality I desire is not going to suddenly make your experience with it be poor. Just as your posting that it works great for you and lacks no functionality for your usage is suddenly going to make it better for me.

There is really nothing to gain from this back and forth. People have different expectations and therefore will feel differently about the online CB as well as any other product that is out on the market. People's expectations are not the same.

 

[Herschel]

In other words whether the currently experienced issues are a direct result of poor coding or poor server infrastructure is largely immaterial, as the change in how this application is accessed is on Wizards. The previous app largely worked, for the majority of users.

The problem was that it worked for non-subscribers and non-regular subscribers. I haven't house-ruled anything so so far I haven't had any functionality issues I didn't have with the old one.

 

[Ryujin]

The problem was that it worked for non-subscribers and non-regular subscribers. I haven't house-ruled anything so so far I haven't had any functionality issues I didn't have with the old one.

There are other ways to handle that, rather than pulling the whole thing back to their servers, which I'm sure you're aware of given your stated experience in the industry.

One simple thing that could have been incorporated, wasn't. That would be permitting the upload of house-ruled characters, without displaying the house-ruled content. At this point I can't even upload my characters, without first editing them to remove house-rules. Seems to me that, from a programming standpoint, that would be rather simple. That's leaving aside the whole, you know, GIVING THE CUSTOMER AT LEAST WHAT HE ALREADY HAS issue.

 

[Dice4Hire]

Of course, the problem with using an analogy on a message board is that someone will always spend more time picking apart the specific analogy, rather than addressing the main point.

Actually the real problem I am seeing on Enworld recently is the drive-by put-down posts, of which the Toyota post was one.

 

[nerfherder]

Actually the real problem I am seeing on Enworld recently is the drive-by put-down posts, of which the Toyota post was one.

Then report it, and the moderators will take any action they think is necessary.

 

[rjdafoe]

But here's the $64,000 question...

Just how difficult was it to try and build the add-ons to the classic CB to accommodate the changes that came to the game via Dark Sun and Essentials (i.e. the DS Themes, and the new level ability structure of Essentials)?

Not hard at all, seeing how people right now have it in the old "Classic" CB. They chose not to release the updates to the old builder and strung everyone along.

 

[rjdafoe]

I see the strategy why they would try to do this. Essentials and Dark Sun are now big assets that came out this year. If you add them to the old character builder, it means giving "easy" access back to pirates to it.
If they can constrain the material to a software they can lock down better, the fact that there are many pirated copies out there will not negatively impact their DDI subscriptions much any longer. If you want the newest hot stuff, you need the subscription.
It would have been a great plan, if the new character builder was ready at the release of D&D Essentials. It wasn't. It would have been good if it was ready now. It seems it isn't either.

Except, as it turns out, the stuff they are trying to protect is not protected at all int he new version and was at least minimally protected in the old product.

 

[john112364]

Since my gripe earlier in the thread, I have tried the CB2 and it works great now. I've made up a new character, imported one from CB1 made changes etc. Hopefully they have fixed the bugs and it will work as it should now. Maybe now they can add back in some of the functions that we're used to have. Is anyone else still having bug problems or are we still on old complaints?

And I still have an issue with it being on line only. At the house we usually play at, there is no wireless connection. We used to take out my laptop and someone else's netbook (both legally loaded with CB1 ) and make up characters for those without a DDI account. Now everything will slow down due to only one computer in the house. And that one is on another floor than the room we usually play in, further adding inconvieniance. I know this isn't a deal breaker as I truly enjoy 4e, but when you have a convienience taken away that you have enjoyed since the beginning you are going to be upset, especially since I am paying for it.