WotC's Electronic Thingy

[mattcolville]

Has anyone heard any word on WotC's Electronic Gaming Initiative or whatever they were calling it? I'm curious to know if they've announced anything and what the expected functionality will be.

 

[Birmy]

This is the first I'm hearing about it. What does "Electronic Gaming Intitiative" actually refer to?

 

[JVisgaitis]

Nothing much on it. They have been posting jobs on Gamasutra. Otherwise, not a word.

 

[mattcolville]

They did a survey thing on the website about what people would like to see in the realm of either an electronic tabletop or web-based D&D tools, I don't remember which.

At the same time, they cut off the guys developing the new, official, WotC-approved D&D E-solution. Either officially, or unofficially, people were talking about it being because WotC was taking up the job.

And soon thereafter they posted what looked to me like a Lead Programmer job descript.

So it seemed to me at least and I think to others that we were going to see some kind of web-based E-solution for D&D.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

http://paizo.com/paizo

Well, here's one thing relating to it.

 

[frankthedm]

Pay-for-content online magazines, blehhh...

That reminds me... http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=16

 

[Zaruthustran]

Dragon and Dungeon going online sounds a lot like what I was hoping for in this post. I'd happily pay a small fee ($5/month or so) for online character creation/storage, Dragon-like content, and Dungeon-like adventures.

-z

 

[Vanuslux]

Dragon and Dungeon going online sounds a lot like what I was hoping for in this post. I'd happily pay a small fee ($5/month or so) for online character creation/storage, Dragon-like content, and Dungeon-like adventures.

-z

I'm expecting it to cost a hell of a lot more than $5 a month. I'd be surprised if it were less than $10 and I'm expecting more like $15. With Dungeon and Dragon axed, if they're planning to fill that content void I'm betting they think they can get away with charging around the price of Dungeon and Dragon mags combined. Remember, this is the company that still charges a full $40 for pdfs of books you can get hard copies of for $27 from Amazon.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

a small fee ($5/month or so)

Please excuse me while I laugh hysterically about that.


AhahahahahahahHHAHAHAHAHA!

Sorry, but I just can't see it happening. If they planned to do great content for a very reasonable price, they wouldn't kill off the opposition.

 

[Mercule]

Dragon and Dungeon going online sounds a lot like what I was hoping for in this post. I'd happily pay a small fee ($5/month or so) for online character creation/storage, Dragon-like content, and Dungeon-like adventures.

I have less than a zero interest (i.e. actively oppose) online character tools. I want my gaming software on my PC so I can mod the snot out of it and distribute the mods to my group. I'm not talking about distributing closed IP. I mean my own house rules. I don't think I've ever, in all my years and years of gaming, played fully RAW.

I also don't think I'd rent gaming content. If the subscription provides downloadable (and nice looking, printable) content, I'll consider it. If it's somehow locked so I have to view it online only, or has expiring DRM that will keep me from using the content in perpetuity, that's a no sale, too (in fact, I'll even say that, if that's the case, I hope someone loses their job over that stupidity).

On the other hand, if the "Digital Initiative" means that I pay $100 a year (maybe $150) and get to download a customizable character generator/campaign suite that has downloadable datasets (included in the subscription), it will work offline, and I get PDF content, I'm all over that puppy. Heck, for all that, I might actually be willing to pay $20 per month.

Probably not much more, though, because hardcover books are what the game is about. In the end, only dead, hard trees are legacy items.