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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 4:22PM
#1
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Discuss Randy's latest article here. Spoiler:
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DDI Letter to the Players #2
by Randy Buehler
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Lots of stuff to talk about this week … I’m just going to dive into the updates in no particular order:
Compendium Update
Within the next week, hopefully by Gen Con and possibly before you read this, we’ll be pushing live an update to the D&D Compendium. The two highlights, in my opinion, are the addition of the Monsters tab and the inclusion of data from Dragon and Dungeon Magazines. In addition there are now more search options plus a “show all” button, both of which should make browsing the data easier. (Look for full patch notes to show up in the forums once the update is live.)
With this update, the Compendium now provides a convenient way to look up all of the following rules elements: Races, Class, Powers, Feats, Items, Skills, Rituals, Paragon Paths, Epic Destinies, and Monsters. The functionality is still pretty basic at this point and we have lots of our own ideas about how to continue to improve things, but we’re also very interested in hearing your ideas about what we could do to make things even better, The current Free Trial is designed both to allow you guys to see whether Insider is worth paying for and also for us to get feedback from you about what else you would like to see. We’ve started this thread in our forums in order to centralize this conversation.
As far as the data that feeds the D&D Compendium goes, here’s the plan: Once we are charging for Insider subscriptions we will be updating the Compendium once per month. Near the beginning of the month we will add in all of the relevant rules elements from whatever physical products went on sale the previous month (typically one book during the third week) plus all the rules elements from the just-released full-issue compilations of Dragon and Dungeon Magazines.
In the mean time, during the Free Trial of Insider, we’ll be updating the Compendium data as we find it convenient and appropriate. For example, there are currently no monsters from the Monster Manual in it. They will definitely be there when we start charging and we’ll probably have at least one data update which includes them between now and then.
Gen Con
I will be at Gen Con all weekend – feel free to look me up and say hi. Among other things I will be conducting the D&D Insider seminar at 6pm on Friday evening. We’ve got the room for two hours, but I know a lot of folks will want to leave early to go to the Ennies so I’ll make sure we get through all the prepared stuff (slides and demos) and into the Q&A period within the first hour.
As I mentioned last week, we’ll be showing off Insider (including the Character Builder and Visualizer) at kiosks both in our booth and also in the Sagamore Ballroom. If you can’t make it to Gen Con you can look for coverage of the event online or you can visit us at PAX in Seattle in two weeks.
Pricing Questions
Most of the questions generated by last week’s Digital Insider column seemed to center around the pricing structure that I announced there. I’ll do my best to clarify some things:
What happens to my year-long subscription when the price goes up?
The $4.95 / month price covers Web content only (Dragon and Dungeon Magazines, the D&D Compendium, and the Bonus Tools). We will be charging more for access to the Character Builder, Character Visualizer, Game Table, etc. Our previously announced pricing for the full package (including both Web content and client applications) is $9.95 if you sign up for a full year (going up to $14.95 if you pay one month at a time).
The details of how transitions from one subscription package to another will work will be announced later, but you can safely assume that a) we will honor the terms of the package you signed up for and b) you won’t be charged more unless you choose to pay for more services.
What about free trials of client applications?
We will be making demo versions of the Character Builder and Character Visualizer available so that folks can sample those applications for free. Our plan for the demo version is to have full functionality, but only a small amount of data. So, for example, you might only have access to levels 1 - 3 or you might only be able to build a human. These demo’s will be a permanent fixture of the D&DI website (in other words: the free trial never ends).
How long will the free trial of the Web content last?
At least one more month.
Bonus Tools
We cleaned up some aspects of our D&D Insider webpage last week and pushed live the first two Bonus Tools. They are Flash applications, which means they should work whether you’re on a Mac or a PC, but you will need to have Adobe Flash Player installed. We’ve got a third Bonus Tool halfway built right now and have also decided what the fourth one will be. Look for more information as those projects as they near completion.
If you have any questions, comments, or even just the need jump onto our forums and discuss this article, head right here. I’ll be back next week with tales of Indianapolis and answers to more of your questions.
Randy Buehler
Vice President of Digital Gaming
Wizards of the Coast
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 4:40PM
#2
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We will be making demo versions of the Character Builder and Character Visualizer available so that folks can sample those applications for free. Our plan for the demo version is to have full functionality, but only a small amount of data. So, for example, you might only have access to levels 1 - 3 or you might only be able to build a human. These demo’s will be a permanent fixture of the D&DI website (in other words: the free trial never ends).
I'll tell you where you can shove your crippleware.....
What is the point of trying to create a character sheet for only a human. You have already made humans in the game the least likely to be played with 4th, so people don't want to only see the first few levels. You realize there are already programs out there that will do ALL levels with the core rules for all races to create a character sheet.
What happened to the non-subscribers would be able to always use this fully functional software, but not get the full rules data on the sheets? Now you are saying that this crippleware is supposed to showcase something about the Character Builder? Like what? This should have been one of your bonus tools, as it is what will draw people to wanting insider in the first place. These things have always been free from fans. You may allow some blog related style hosting of the character created with the builder on WotC servers ala Magelo for EverQuest, but who cares?
You can't offer the basics for the game for free to everyone? I mean it is a character sheet form maker is all it is. You still need the books to play since there is no full SRD like 3rd edition. What the hell do you think can be done by having the terms listed on a character sheet? What is next WotC suing people for posting screenshots or scans of physical character sheets online?
Let's get a bit real for a change. The character sheet maker software should be the most available thing to all people for as little cost as possible. This is what will help new players come to the game with the ease of being able to quickly figure out exactly how the shet works by seeing it in action.
Why try to charge anything for it?
WELCOME new player. Our crippleware will give you little to nothing to show off our game form our website, but once you buy your $100 worth of books, and then pay us $20 per month we will help you learn to play it. Some colleges cost less for books and tuition!
The visualizer I will discuss in a post below.
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 5:10PM
#3
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My main question about the pricing wasn't really answered here, which is this: how specifically will they be handling payment. Is it only credit card, because I don't have one. I am someone who is completely convinced by 4e, and by the promise of DDI, the kind of sucker that some on the forums cry "shill" at. I plan to purchase a full subscription as soon as they become available, and to continue reading Dragon and Dungeon until then, so I need to know what the deal is re: payment options, and I hope to the Six and the Nine that PayPal is an option.
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 5:25PM
#4
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Ok I went to Gencon last year and have been waiting for this thing to go live seance then. So when will it go live. I have family on the other side of the country and for 3 months now we have been ready to play a campain together.
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 5:39PM
#5
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My only question is for the $9.95 monthly for the year; does the entire amount have to be paid up front? Thank you!
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 6:01PM
#6
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My only question is this: For my $120 a year, will I be able to purchase a subscription and use that for my regular gaming group? ie. Use it to make 6 characters, build a virtual dungeon, and DM a game?
Or will each of my members have to sign up for a subscription (at $120 a year) so that we can all play together? Clearly option a) is reasonable and option b) is flat-out not gonna happen before the Nine Hells freeze over (well, the eight that aren't frozen...)
Any insight into that? The usability and flexibility of having each of my gamers put in $20 a year is great. Each of them needing to shell out full MMO subscription costs so they can log into my virtual gaming table, on the other hand, is craptacular.
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 6:24PM
#7
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Thanks for the update! I think that with the updates to the Compendium we can finally not shake our heads (well at least mine) when referring to it by name. This (if it works the way I think it will) and the Dragon/Dungeon content (esp now that it'll be added to the Compendium) make it worth $60 a year for me. I hope that when the rest of the tools roll out that what we've paid will be taken into account on a prorated bases (if you've used 6 months of your year, you still have $30 left towards the $120 total that the full suite would cost).
If you plan on running two seperate suites (tools and digital content) and make them both $60/year, that would be fantastic (as some users only want the game table, etc).
If nothing else, it's good to see some progress, even if you tease us with a mention of two more tools (bad,bad Randy!).
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 6:36PM
#8
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My main question about the pricing wasn't really answered here, which is this: how specifically will they be handling payment. Is it only credit card, because I don't have one. I am someone who is completely convinced by 4e, and by the promise of DDI, the kind of sucker that some on the forums cry "shill" at. I plan to purchase a full subscription as soon as they become available, and to continue reading Dragon and Dungeon until then, so I need to know what the deal is re: payment options, and I hope to the Six and the Nine that PayPal is an option.
I am looking for the quote, but WotC will be partnering with Digital River, an e-commerce company that specializes in internet payment.
Looking at Trend Micro's store information page (who uses Digital River) they (Digital River) accept
- Visa;
- MasterCard/EuroCard;
- Discover
- American Express;
- Diner's Club;
- JCB;
- Cheque cards or cash cards, so long as they are connected with one of the major credit card companies listed above; and
- PayPal.
Mudbunny
SVCL for DDI
This new community site is in Beta, pardon our dust and be patient as new functionality is added over time
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 6:42PM
#9
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My only question is for the $9.95 monthly for the year; does the entire amount have to be paid up front? Thank you!
Typically, if there are discount prices for longer time periods, they entire payment must be made up front.
Mudbunny
SVCL for DDI
This new community site is in Beta, pardon our dust and be patient as new functionality is added over time
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2 years ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 7:11PM
#10
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Mudbunny is right on both points (as he usually is).
Randy
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