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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 12:12PM
#81
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Date Joined:
Mar 31, 2008
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Hellmute, why do you care? You are able to make up programmes yourself and you have mentioned that there are many alternatives out there which you seem to be using yourself.
Because I get so sick and tired of seeing artsy-fartsy software that looks good, but doesn't function like somebody just got out of some community college with a degree, or bought the latest version of Dreamweaver or some other flash studio to create something to look at that doesn't work worth a damn like those stupid Bonus tools.
- Form Follows Function
- Keep It Simple Stupid
All I am seeing form WotC is GIGO. Garbage in, garbage out. If the design of these tools is garbage, then the usefulness will end up being garbage. If you are going to make software then make it functional. If you want pretty pictures to look at when trying to manipulate data, then find a coloring book, and take breaks from the work at hand to doodle on the pictures or what have you. The sheer number of BAD programs that I see make it to market today because some new hotshot wannabe designer with a new gimmick makes me sick. The over-use of flash where it is not needed is another problem. These Bonus tools need little form flash-based software. There is no movement, the imagery is static. There is no audio. There is no reason to stream these tools that do nothing. The entire ability score thing is barely more than 1k worth of JavaScript, but WotC is streaming a flash file for more bandwidth, and having more requirements than JavaScript. Really does the pretty pictures impress anyone for such a low level application? You have an arrow. It annoys the living **** out of me that these things still exist and people still makes them. You won't see people enjoying Numa Numa from these flash tools. Don't use an environment that you do not need to use to get the job done. The use of flash is like using a steam shovel to eat a bowl of cereal. It is overkill. Work smarter, not harder. So don't waste money on developing something that costs more just to cost more, and dare try to pass your screw-up from using a more costly programming environment onto your consumer when you could have done the job for half the time and cost in another more stable environment. What does the other tools offer, for looks and hype than serve no actual purpose of function once the novelty wears off? How much are people going to be expected to continue to pay for those things they stop using after a while just because it is embedded or bundled with the other parts? Don't try to tell me I need to by a trailer when I only want to buy a car. It is the entire philosophy of design of the software that bothers me. That is why I care. It can only breed bad design from other things from people thinking this is the best computers can offer. Which is not true. It is just the decision WotC made for its subpar software.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 12:33PM
#82
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Sigh. I don't know what to say anymore. Randy and mudbunny, I hope you'll look beyond the hubris and vitriol to keep giving us meaningful and well-intentioned answers and updates.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:14PM
#83
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2007
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Sigh. I don't know what to say anymore. Randy and mudbunny, I hope you'll look beyond the hubris and vitriol to keep giving us meaningful and well-intentioned answers and updates.
I agree with Ceeje, their is not much else to say and that I think Randy and mudbunny are doing a much better jump of keeping us informed on the progress of DDI then in the past.
As was suggested before and ignored I think the discussion about DDI and MMO's should be in a different thread.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:23PM
#84
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Date Joined:
Apr 21, 2008
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I'm reminded of one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite movies, Real Genius, in which Chris Knight (Val Kilmer) says:
"There's a lot of decaffeinated brands on the market that are just as tasty as the real thing."
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:37PM
#85
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Date Joined:
Sep 28, 2006
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I don't work for WotC. I don't get paid by WotC for anything. I know *nothing* more about what is going on with DDi than other forum users.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:50PM
#86
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Date Joined:
Dec 31, 2004
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MAn, as much as I hate to say it, the more hellmute talks the more I actually start agreeing with him. I sure hope GameTable, Characer Builder, and the other online tools work out perfectly, but I'm starting to get scared. As far as the D&D and MMO debate, anyone who thinks that 4th edition didnt pull lot's of its design from MMO, is clearly out of touch with reality. I would stop short of saying they intentionally copied WOW style and tried to make their game exactly like it, but they knew they had to compete with it. Of course, IMHO, MMO is nothing but a glorified MUD game with graphics. There can be no true comparison between a game that requires human interaction and thought i.e. D&D with a computer game against AI constructs-MMO/MUD with graphics. That's the reason why D&D will always have a niche, computer games will never allow for the customization of personality the way D&D does. Nuff Said
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:52PM
#87
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Date Joined:
Jun 22, 2008
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I totally agree with Hellmute. He mentioned that the software needs to be made well. So far I am IMPRESSED AND DAZZLED with the offerings in Dungeon, Dragon Magazines, the little bonus tools and all of the previews for DDi. I think WOTC is doing a spectacular job. The point here is, most of us are happy to some extent with what's happening and would love to learn more, that's why we're here. If you don't like DDi, put a map on your table, invite your friends over and move on. You don't have to buy what you don't like. That's the beauty of this country and really most others. Wow, there's a lot of tension here.
So anyways, let's all just not argue and try to have a discussion we can learn from. Those who want to tell the rest of the world what Wizards intentions are could start a new topic, like "Wizards of The Coast was on the grassy knoll" or something.
Meanwhile, keep doing what your doing Wizards and I'll buy your stuff. I am a D&D player from the 70's, 80's and early 90's who stopped buying D&D stuff because it was too difficult to get my friends together to play (we live in different states now for the most part) and because I didn't want to buy all 6,487 hardcover books so I could keep up with 3.5. (Yes, I realize I didn't need to buy them all, that was just a joke.) With 4th edition I bought the Core rule books immediately because of the promise of the game table. Why? Because everything I see about it says it will do EXACTLY what I want to do with it. Play D&D with friends who live far apart in a manner that looks well put together. Okay, I understand you don't like it. If you don't like Coke buy Pepsi. Move on. Thank you.
To continue my "shill" praise, I have devoured the Core Rule Books and love the new system. The way I see it (my opinion only), it simplifies the combat encounters in a way that makes it much easier to get through them and "role play" more. Thank you for that. I am so invested in this product that I am already in the middle of creating a trilogy of modules for my friends to play and I'm loving every minute of the creation aspect. I would like to see the Encounter Generator tool be a little more fleshed out to make it print out the stats and all, but as it is I find it useful. I look forward to the Dungeon Builder and Game Table. Thank you again to WOTC for bringing me back to a game I truly love.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:55PM
#88
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Date Joined:
Jun 22, 2008
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Now, for my question, and please tell me to go somewhere else if it's already been answered.
With DDi, will there be any kind of "facebook" style site to find players and groups? Maybe places to create gaming guilds? Or will it just be a few forums with posts of people looking to play as there is now?
Thanks for any info.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:57PM
#89
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Date Joined:
Sep 28, 2006
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As far as I know, there hasn't been any information like that provided. It is unknown at this point whether there will be a lobby similar to the ones in the Gleemax Games or if it will be forums and sub-forums.
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5 years ago ::
Aug 15, 2008 - 1:59PM
#90
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Date Joined:
Mar 31, 2008
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Now, for my question, and please tell me to go somewhere else if it's already been answered.
With DDi, will there be any kind of "facebook" style site to find players and groups? Maybe places to create gaming guilds? Or will it just be a few forums with posts of people looking to play as there is now?
Thanks for any info.
If you have ever played any online game where you meet up randomly, maybe some Yahoo game, or MtGO...most have a lobby.
The Game Table application will have a lobby where you connect to the WotC servers, and can find other people that wish to play, or games that are already in progress to join or spectate.
IIRC.
The "facebook"/"MYSpace" style site was Gleemax, and it technically ends next month, but the forums have already been reorganized to make its exit less troublesome at that time. Were you looking for something more outside of the software itself for finding people to use the Game table application with?
EDIT: Cannot find the post from WotC_DM or whomever spoke about the lobby for Game table.
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