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So whatever company you worked for, with your experience, it doesn't sound like a big company, or big software, with a huge database to it, that is constently being made bigger, and revised. It doesn't sound like you've worked for a big corporation. It's a whole different world, when you work for a corporation. Because it sounds more like your company had the ability to make all it's own choices, and the time and luxury to do so.

Because WoTC answers to Hasbro, they don't get that luxury.

You know what - I don't have to rationalize anything about my experience.  I have 25 years in IT and I work for a national company that has a very recognizable brand in the financial market.  But you know - I have no idea about databases, and I have no idea about software.  We have databases that are larger than the entire storage of some of the companies you have probably worked at.

Almost everyone in my entire D&D group has more than 15 years of experience in IT - most of the people in software and alot of experience in .NET

Again - all your blame goes on Hasbro.  Big bad Hasbro.  WotC takes no blame for their decisions at all.

Yes, I do expect them to spend money.  Do you think that a new Gamestop opening up just magically starts to make money?  They are lucky if they start to turn a profit in 3 or 4 years (taking into account the startup costs).  That is what businesses do.  If they thought they would be raking in the money after 1 year, again - there are things horribly wrong.

Sep 29, 2010 -- 9:31AM, Aluman wrote:

@KM
48.1% came from used games, but that has nothing to do with Dane's point.

His  point is: In the Gamestop world, they borrow money to open stores, and pay back the loan.  If a store isn't in the black they just shut it down.

Compared to DDI where they borrowed money to open it (I could dig out the financials released to the SEC that included 'internet development', I am not positive it was truly borrowing money and wasn't really gutting profits from Hasbro in general, but it amounts to the same thing) and then pay it back by increased net profit, but in this case DDI may not be in the black yet.

DDi probably isn't in the black yet. Not only that, Hasbro may have said, you need to start making money with it. NOW. Figure out how.

With no more money to develop, a bad economy, and papa Hasbro looking over thier shoulder, they had to do something if they wanted to keep any hope of having a digital aspect alive. Which would hopefully lead to finally getting a VTT.

 

And I have no idea how Gamestop comes into this. Opening a store isn't the same as developing a product. But the same basic principles apply. The store costs money to open. They get a loan to open the store, the store generally has to do X amount so that the loan can be paid back. Sometimes it's over several years. If the store can't, they close it down. Very seldom (like almost never) do they keep stores open that cost more to run then they make out of courtesy to the locals.

So yes, the store is making money, but it mostly goes towards paying the loan back.

The point is, you have to spend the money to get the job done.  If you don't spend the money for the product to sell - you don't keep going on.

And no, I don't care how much money they spent on Gleemax - Gleemax was not DDI. 

But your right - big evil Hasbro is the bad guy, WotC is just the grounded kid with no voice.  They have no choice in what they put out, and they have no choice in how much money is spent within their own realm of business.

Face it, they are doing a bad job as a company and there are, after 2 years, no signs of anything improving.  I have subbed for since the CB came out.  The updates are worth it to me for the CB, and I don't claim to pay for stuff that I don't get.  I just wish WotC would get it someday.  10 years is a long time to not get it as company.