Which DDI Component Do You Think is Next?

[Ruin Explorer]

Not sure if I agree with this... It just sems like the DDi is such an important part of the new edition as a whole, that if they DO scrap it, and sell it off, then they'll have decided it's not that important...

So while the new outside company might make a product that would work faster/smoother/ better.... They won't get the support they need from WoTC, because WoTC moved on...

So it'll be like a big shiney awesome new sports car... with no gas.

Shrug.

See, I don't think there's any evidence that the current DDI is going to "get the support it needs". All we've see so far is stuff cut, making elements less generally useful, or entirely removing elements that's some of us considered essential to the package.

Also note that if a third-party did it, they would have some kind of contract with WotC. That would put WotC under contractual obligations to provide certain support and materials. I think that based on the current state of the DDI, this would put them under considerably more pressure to provide appropriate support than this pathetic in-house effort.

 

[Scribble]

See, I don't think there's any evidence that the current DDI is going to "get the support it needs". All we've see so far is stuff cut, making elements less generally useful, or entirely removing elements that's some of us considered essential to the package.

Shrug. I'm not saying it beyond a doubt will get the support it needs. Just saying that the DDI seems like it was at least planed as an integral part of 4e. As opposed to digital plans in the past that were add ons, and secondary ideas. Whether it fullfills what they seemed to plan or not is a difefrent story.

Also note that if a third-party did it, they would have some kind of contract with WotC. That would put WotC under contractual obligations to provide certain support and materials. I think that based on the current state of the DDI, this would put them under considerably more pressure to provide appropriate support than this pathetic in-house effort.

Depends on the contract. It could be justa contract that says WoTC will allow a third party to create publish and market a Digital suite of programs... But nothing about their agreement to provide them with updates and additional material.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Not sure if I agree with this... It just sems like the DDi is such an important part of the new edition as a whole, that if they DO scrap it, and sell it off, then they'll have decided it's not that important...

So while the new outside company might make a product that would work faster/smoother/ better.... They won't get the support they need from WoTC, because WoTC moved on...

So it'll be like a big shiney awesome new sports car... with no gas.

Shrug.

Classic bait and switch.

They promise the moon and stars and only deliver on the stars. Now I'm not saying that's what they'd do intentionally, but I have no doubt DDI was always an afterthought in design that just looked really good to the marketing department.

So they make a lot of promises to get people hyped, but can't deliver.

Which, as it turns out, is exactly what has happened.

As a professional designer, I can see how this happens. Marketing gets excited and starts selling a product that doesn't exist. Then they go to the designers to get them to make it happen.

The problem is that, all to often, marketing doesn't understand that what they've sold can't be built. And despite that, they want it yesterday, and won't listen to "excuses".

So design is angry. Marketing is angry. And the customers are REALLY angry. And I'm guessing that is what has happened.

 

[Scribble]

It's possible... But marketing ALWAYS hypes things far better then they actually are...

When's the last time drinking bud lite has ACTUALLY made you instantly surrounded by a team of adoring super models in bikinis?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Just saying that the DDI seems like it was at least planed as an integral part of 4e. As opposed to digital plans in the past that were add ons, and secondary ideas.

Planned isn't good enough, though, unless they follow through. Sadly I think Ashrem has the right of it.

When's the last time drinking bud lite has ACTUALLY made you instantly surrounded by a team of adoring super models in bikinis?

When did Bud Lite specifically promise you that? You know the answer: never. A better example would be being told that an awesome new game system was coming out and one of it's features was have a 200gb HDD, only when it actually came out, it didn't have an HDD at all.

Don't confuse marketing atmosphere with specific features. Bud Lite is beer, and is light, and that's all the specifics you're promised.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

DDI as of now?
Whats that smell? *sniff, sniff* Gleemax?
Yep, it'll flop and die off and leave us with nothing but 3rd parties to rely on

 

[Festivus]

You think? Seems like that one will require more testing to make sure they got it right...

Mistakes in that one lead to angry gamers, and people not using it... Mistakes in the visualizer seem less damaging.

Just my opinion though obviously!

I called it a low hanging fruit because it's really not a very complex application. All it needs to do is calculate some fields and save the data to a database and print a form.

All the other apps have something way more complex to them and have a host of technology hurdles. Character visualizer and the gametable could both have 3D issues on some computers for example.

The character sheets will facilitate a couple things. First, it will make it easier for new players to create characters. Second, if they have the character generator done it will get folks involved in Living Forgotten Realms by making their charsheets a requirement for play (speculation). Third, they could release the home version of the character generator without the online vault complexities and then ramp that up afterwards without incurring must infrastructure expense. That simplifies the project a bit.

Edit: Ah, yes, when you look at the D&D Character Builder page you can see they state "Create an OFFICIAL Character", which reinforces my thought that only character builder characters can play in RPGA Living Forgotten Realms.

 

[Scribble]

Planned isn't good enough, though, unless they follow through. Sadly I think Ashrem has the right of it.

Never said plans were good enough did I? I said at least this time it seems like they planned it from the start, which gives me hope that they will have an easier time following through. If they don't follow through? Yeah, that sucks.

When did Bud Lite specifically promise you that? You know the answer: never. A better example would be being told that an awesome new game system was coming out and one of it's features was have a 200gb HDD, only when it actually came out, it didn't have an HDD at all.

The point was Marketing ALWAYS hypes things betetr then they actually turn out to be. When's the last time your car got the MPG they advertised?

fable was suposed to have a ton of other features. Diet food is adevertised as tasting just as good or just like the original. Same with vegetarian food.

Don't confuse marketing atmosphere with specific features. Bud Lite is beer, and is light, and that's all the specifics you're promised.

All I saw was marketing promos talking about things they planned for it to do. They didn't give any specifics in those stages. They talked about their plans. (while people begged for specifics) They didn't say this is what you will have.

 

[Scribble]

I called it a low hanging fruit because it's really not a very complex application. All it needs to do is calculate some fields and save the data to a database and print a form.

All the other apps have something way more complex to them and have a host of technology hurdles. Character visualizer and the gametable could both have 3D issues on some computers for example.

The character sheets will facilitate a couple things. First, it will make it easier for new players to create characters. Second, if they have the character generator done it will get folks involved in Living Forgotten Realms by making their charsheets a requirement for play (speculation). Third, they could release the home version of the character generator without the online vault complexities and then ramp that up afterwards without incurring must infrastructure expense. That simplifies the project a bit.

Edit: Ah, yes, when you look at the D&D Character Builder page you can see they state "Create an OFFICIAL Character", which reinforces my thought that only character builder characters can play in RPGA Living Forgotten Realms.

That makes sense.