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You're missing the point. 4E has been built and designed as a computer-age game. It is far too complicated to be played without computer assistance, assuming you don't want to spend your whole life managing stuff. Wizards got those of us who like 4E to buy into this philosophy (very complicated is acceptable because we have good tools).

At the same time as Wizards was creating DDI, they were also carefully and methodically eliminating any possible competition in the form of 3rd party tools.

The bottom line is that today, CB is essentially required to play the game. There's nothing else available to replace it. Further, if anybody writes a tool to do it, Wizards will attack them with their lawyers. Despite being on the right side of the law, most people will capitulate simply because they can't afford to fight it out in court.

I'm could try to write a database that will replace CB and another that will replace MB. But, that's going to be a LOT of work, and I expect will take years to complete (if it ever can be). At my age, that's a commitment that's going to be hard to carry to completion.

If you doubt that I'm correct, then answer the question: Why didn't Wizards announce this change months ago, when they first started coming up with it? The answers to that question show why it is going to be difficult to play 4E without it.

Wow....just...wow.

Let's break this down, point by 'point'.

You're missing the point. 4E has been built and designed as a computer-age game. It is far too complicated to be played without computer assistance, assuming you don't want to spend your whole life managing stuff. Wizards got those of us who like 4E to buy into this philosophy (very complicated is acceptable because we have good tools).

You say you've been gaming since the 80's, so you must know 2nd Edition and 3rd edition. You're really going to argue that somehow 4th Edition is as complex as those two? I'm sorry, but both as a DM and a player, I find 4th Edition much easier to track and to rate. Everything I need can be stored on my character sheet or power cards (I'll get to those in a second). I don't need every rule manual ever - I can play just as well with my Core Books as I can with every manual they've released. The fundamentals haven't changed dramatically within the various Core Books, which is a sharp contrast to 2E and, for the most part 3E.  4E isn't as complex as previous editions, which has been a GRIPE on this forum, and for gamers in general, since its inception.

Power Cards - You do realize you can print blank ones of these from your tools or PHOTOCOPY them and then have the same effect even without the CB, right? It's not that hard to run your own totals and your own values and then write them in. We did it for YEARS before the CB. You're losing convenience, here, but not functionality.

At the same time as Wizards was creating DDI, they were also carefully and methodically eliminating any possible competition in the form of 3rd party tools.

Probably as a result of what happened with 3E and the OGL. I'd want to eliminate competition too, when you consider what Pathfinder did to 3E. This is a big, fat, DUH from the marketing standpoint. McDonalds would love the ability to go out and completely control how a hamburger is made so it could eliminate the Whopper. I'm not saying this is right, but, c'mon - it's a duh. You don't purposefully put yourself out of business by creating a model where anyone can come in and take your system and possibly replace it with something else.

The bottom line is that today, CB is essentially required to play the game. There's nothing else available to replace it. Further, if anybody writes a tool to do it, Wizards will attack them with their lawyers. Despite being on the right side of the law, most people will capitulate simply because they can't afford to fight it out in court.

I'm assuming, given the eloquence of your typing, that you are a fully functioning human with two hands. Therefore, go to Staples and purchase an archaic device known as a pencil. Then, to Barnes and Noble (or better yet, your local gaming store) and purchase what are known as the "Core" books - If you only want to play, you only really need the Player's Handbook (pick a version). If you want to run a game, I recommend both volumes of the DM's handbook. You'll need a monster manual as well. That takes care of the first sentence - the CB is NOT required to play. It is nice that everything is sorted and organized in a database, but you can do the same thing with sticky notes and pencils.

As to the "right side of the law", that's a completely wrong statement. The fact of the matter is, should you release a commercial version of a tool to compete with theirs, and it does violate their TOS and Copywrite protection, you are NOT on the 'right side of the law. You are breaking the law, plain and simple. You may feel as though this is OK and that you should have free-market rain on their product, but, when it comes down to brass tacks, THEY own the database and character tools, not you. You're only paying for access. It's not the right side of the law, no matter how you look at it.

I'm could try to write a database that will replace CB and another that will replace MB. But, that's going to be a LOT of work, and I expect will take years to complete (if it ever can be). At my age, that's a commitment that's going to be hard to carry to completion.

That's your choice. As you point out, you COULD do it, but it would take a lot of time and effort. Start a community effort to do it, organize it, and then let others do the work for you. That's still your choice.

If you doubt that I'm correct, then answer the question: Why didn't Wizards announce this change months ago, when they first started coming up with it? The answers to that question show why it is going to be difficult to play 4E without it.

Simple: They've been torn a new one EVERY TIME there has been a lack of updates and changes to the system. It was more convenient and better for them to just let us sit here and wonder and speculate, and fume than it was for them to make the announcement and then give you two extra months to fume and pick at it. Marketing wise, financial wise, all of it was to their benefit. Which is, don't forget, the POINT of having a company. They do have a responsibility to their employees and to their stockholders/investors to turn a profit, and this was the best way for them to meet it on their end. Was it under-handed? Yeah, a bit. Was it misleading? Yeah, a bit. Was it smart, financially? Yes.

Nov 7, 2010 -- 1:47PM, Jeff_Loretto wrote:

Nov 6, 2010 -- 2:09PM, Mock wrote:

Nov 6, 2010 -- 11:29AM, Jeff_Loretto wrote:

Peace out.  I'm done.  Everyone else has adequitly sumerized the reasons why.  I hear that ICE has revamped Rolemaster...  I'll give that a try.  Now how do I get my prorated subsription to insider back for the rest of this year?

Talk to Customer Service. I hear that at least one other user was successful in getting 6 months (or something like that) refunded. 

Thanks Mock!  They gave me 10 months back.  Now if they only start working to regain my trust and treating the players with some respect so I can resubscribe.

Once they processed your refund, did you get a 'do you want to re-subscribe email'?

I sent them an email saying I would do so soon.