The biggest issue with the new Character Builder:

[Moorcrys]

I actually think the old Windows-based CB deserved more criticism than the web version does. The page layouts were poorly designed and the windows and sub-windows didn't scale or adjust properly when run on small screens such as those found on netbooks. (I could name a number of other egregious design issues but those were the biggest.) When you don't even try to meet standard best practices in your design -- well, that's when my own blood starts boiling.

I don't. The Windows-based program allowed me to create a character. At the moment, the web based version doesn't. I spent a couple hours trying to create a character last evening and it would crash every time I tried to pick a skill, then would crash when I tried to recover the character on the load in screen.

I am a huge fan of 4e and have no problem with how they implement the web-based builder. Use silverlight or whatever, I'm fine with it. I do have a problem with the fact that it was released as bug-ridden as it is. I have no problem rolling with some errors and glitches while they get it running, but I can't build characters with it and that to me is worse than the old, functioning, character builder.

Of course it's going to be fixed over time, and that's great. And if it's worked just fine for some, fantastic. But there are obviously a significant number of people who can't even load the program, or who cannot run it consistently without it crashing. That's not whining or unreasonable frustration and they're not making it up to be difficult or stir up some mud - there is an expectation of basic functionality that isn't being delivered on for a significant number of people. Sure, give Wizards some leeway, but the CB not up on their website as an Alpha test. People have every reason to be upset with this kind of product delivery.

Cheers.

 

[Ryujin]

But the old Character Builder wasn't a "functional" program, it was rather limited. I can't imagine trying to shoe horn Essentials and Dark Sun option in it. And the layout would have been an absolute mess if they had.

I find the new layout an improvement already, even with some things I'm not the happiest about. I also disliked the old character sheet layout for the most part except the power cards. I much prefer the new second page and even the front page I find a big improvement.

The key is that CBC was functional ENOUGH for the people who used it, on a regular basis. The current CB doesn't even come up to that standard. Stating that the old programme wasn't "functional" is a rather counter intuitive tack to take, when the new version is even less so.

And sorry, but my experience in testing is somewhat limited. I have almost none in software testing though I did extensive hardware testing, from a manufacturer/distributor point of view, for a goodly amount of time in the computer industry. I know how my clients would have reacted, if I'd replaced a well-loved product with something that didn't at least meet the same performance requirements, while asking for the same money.

 

[darjr]

The old one is still there though. They didn't delete it or change it, they just didn't put a lot of resources in to trying to shoe horn a lot of things in it wasn't made to handle.

I have numerous dislikes in the offline builder too that I hope will change online (and some layout things already have).

Hmmm.. care to provide an official download link? Last I heard they removed it and took down the update servers for it. They did 'delete' it.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

Luckily, I am not an armchair computer expert. I actually develop software for a living.

A lot of us do.

 

[The Little Raven]

I have developed software for a living, and I am normally much more forgiving than the armchair experts you are talking about.

I am severely displeased with the Character Builder. It has a lot of potential, I will admit, but in its current form, it is a dozen kinds of failure. Good thing for them I'm not refund-happy, and will let my subscription run its course (next June), but if it doesn't improve by leaps and bounds quickly, it will be my last subscription.

 

[Herschel]

Hmmm.. care to provide an official download link? Last I heard they removed it and took down the update servers for it. They did 'delete' it.

It's still on the machines of people that subscribed/downloaded it while it was the current tool. The new tool that replaces the old one is out so they're not "selling" the old one any more.

 

[Danzauker]

The UI design itself also doesn't convince me. There are too many dialogs popping up for trivial tasks like selecting feats or powers. The old CB's interface allowed a far more "exploratory" style of character creation, not constraining me at every step to do just one thing. Maybe you think this is a subjective thing, but I don't think so - the general guideline in UI design point in a different direction then what the CB does.

Being a professional developer, too, I have some comments regarding the design.

The biggest thing I can see from a design standpoint is: why the hell do I have to choose defender/leader/striker/controller/all BEFORE choosing my class? Is there really anyone that thinks that way when building characters?

OK, I admit that with 20+ classes available one can feel the need to filter out a class based on role, or does not remember if an Avenger is a striker or a leader, but it could well have been handled by a drop box filter!!

IMHO, it's a wasted click. An in interface design, EVERY wasted click counts, it's one of the first thing you're taught in UI designing.

The CB is not an introductory product. You've gor the Red Box for that. It's for people that PLAY the game. and need an easy, reliable and quick took to wade through the myriad of powers and feats that make up the game.

If you want to implement functions to help newbie, do it through a tutorial or a "guided character build", but, please, allow me to disable role selection by default!!!

What would make the CB great is some sort of REAL "assistive technology" in building a character.

Are you are making a two-weapon fighter? OK, give me some way to filter powers that work well or enhace two weapon fighting. Are you making a greatsword fighter? Allow me to filter the powers that have the "Weapon: heavy blades" entry.

THIS would be a killer piece of software. Something that gives you what deadtrees can not.

 

[malraux]

It's still on the machines of people that subscribed/downloaded it while it was the current tool. The new tool that replaces the old one is out so they're not "selling" the old one any more.

That's pretty weak. The whole point is that WotC should have continued to provide the old CB even if in a depreciated state while working out the new one.

 

[Scribble]

Being a professional developer, too, I have some comments regarding the design.

The biggest thing I can see from a design standpoint is: why the hell do I have to choose defender/leader/striker/controller/all BEFORE choosing my class? Is there really anyone that thinks that way when building characters?

I can say there definitely are... I constantly hear/read people saying things like- Hey we need another defender, can you make a defender?

Even when I build from a non rules first perspective- (especially now that they seem to be broadening what the role/class combo means) it seems like the natural thought pattern:

I'm a big guy that smashes stuff- (lots of damage) so striker... And I am uncivilized- Barbarian...

So it's a useful feature- but I do agree they should have let you be able to turn it off, or offer other options to filter.

 

[Herschel]

The new one is "worked out" for release. While I think a couple of bugs could have been better prepared for, it appears at least they're being taken care of quickly enough. I had no problems with it last night except for trying to figure out how to do the human stat boost on an imported character. Not a big deal.

It's not where I want it yet, nor is it where I expect it to be. The Little Raven had a good take: if the obvious improvements don't happen, then yeah, I won't re-subscribe, but there's a lot of indicators they will be and a number of things have been fixed already in basic useability.