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2 years ago ::
Jan 14, 2011 - 5:41PM
#2131
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Even if you include the development of new material and all of those costs, it is a diminishing cost as more and more people subscibe to DDi. When you get into the range of $440,000 per month it really is less than a dollar per customer in cost...
You really expect me to believe that Wizards has a 90% profit ratio? Even if we look at year subs as $6/month that's (6-1)/6 or an 84% profit ratio? Their stock must be through the roof with all that profit they are just raking in. Wait, what's that you say? Their stock isn't going up like that?
They are a tiny part of Hasbro. They don't even register D&D on their profit papers. $440,000 per month is a drop in the bucket. at 200% profit I'd doubt the stock would go up a single point.
doesn't matter how much of a profit they are making, if it is any profit at all you get diminishing cost... Its a basic marketing business principle. Which is why everyone is all about jumping on the monthly payment bandwagon...
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2 years ago ::
Feb 07, 2011 - 3:00PM
#2132
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Date Joined:
Jun 12, 2010
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I'm just pissed that I can't load charcter builder on my Linux OS. They need to put out a work around for this major issue, I can't even download and install the old version.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2011 - 1:32AM
#2133
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I'm just pissed that I can't load charcter builder on my Linux OS. They need to put out a work around for this major issue, I can't even download and install the old version.
{snark}The workaround is to buy Windows or Mac{/snark}
But seriously, if they wanted to go web based, Java or another completely cross platform language would have worked great...
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2 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2011 - 10:08AM
#2134
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Date Joined:
Aug 19, 2005
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There are three scenarios for any given customer when it comes to D&D content and specifically Character Builder.
1) Buy the books and DDI sub
2) Books only
3) DDI only
[optional] 4) DDI only, but not a continuous sub
Correct - but to assume that someone doing (4) will (or even has the option to) move to (1), (2) or even (3) when you make (4) unavailable is foolish and delusionary.
Because DDI is just another delivery method for their IP the cost of DDI isn't just bandwidth, development, and servers. You also have to include IP development costs. Their old model was basically buy the books ($30-$40 a pop) or buy them all for $10. So for $10 you are paying for the development of every player (and monster) book ever released for 4e (2 years worth of products).
Of course you have fixed costs of development to cover - but these are not marginal costs or even variable costs - they are fixed costs. The way you cover these is by maximising your operating profit - which is your sales revenue minus your marginal costs. You can increase this by increasing sales revenue provided that you don't increase your marginal costs more than you do revenue. Fixed costs play no part at this stage, because they are fixed, and aren't going up at all.
What you argue may be valid if:
1) The net margin (= sales price minus marginal cost) on the books is more than the $10 every X months from the occasional subscriber (likely, in my estimation), and
2) The occasional subscribers will mostly switch from occasional subscription to full-time subscription or buying the books instead of occasional subscription (i.e. assuming they weren't buying the books as well, before). This seems to me to be highly unlikely.
It was a steal and they were losing their shirts (your assertion about a $1 marginal cost is laughable).
Marginal cost = additional cost to produce one more (copy) of the product. Producing and delivering a download of a file you have on a server costs way under a dollar. There is no other marginal cost in this case.
Their new "smarter" model is you can now buy for $30-$40 a book the same as before or you can RENT everything for $10. This model at least has incentives for going either way whereas before if you actually bought the books you were being foolish (from a cost perspective).
I bought the books and subscribed - and I reckon that I got good value from both. If WotC had offered PDFs at a reasonable price (i.e. related to the marginal cost of the PDFs) I would have bought those, too. Each of those products gives me something different. If I was still a poor and snivelling youth who couldn't see the value of my own time and enjoyment compared to that of money, I might think differently. But, for WotC, getting any money at all out of those poor and snivelling youths has to be seen as a win, compared to them just using torrented versions.
I'm not saying there was no profit, but I'm sure not agreeing with the other extreme where all but $1 was profit. It's just not as simple as people are trying to make it out to be.
Actually, it is. All but <$1 was (and is) operating profit. Sure, you still need to make enough of that to cover your fixed costs (development, marketing, customer service, etc.), but all that doesn't change that the marginal costs are near zero.
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Balesir
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2 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2011 - 10:56AM
#2135
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Date Joined:
Oct 30, 2008
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I'm just pissed that I can't load charcter builder on my Linux OS. They need to put out a work around for this major issue, I can't even download and install the old version.
{snark}The workaround is to buy Windows or Mac{/snark}
But seriously, if they wanted to go web based, Java or another completely cross platform language would have worked great...
{snark}My guess is people who use Linux as a desktop machine are used to their stuff not working{/snark}
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2 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2011 - 12:02PM
#2136
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Date Joined:
Sep 13, 2007
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I'm just pissed that I can't load charcter builder on my Linux OS. They need to put out a work around for this major issue, I can't even download and install the old version.
LINUX: The OS where you get what you pay for. Nothing.
{/snark}
Developing in Linux is like a car in your yard on blocks. It just isn't going anywhere fast. Just one programmers opinion.
FYI....the old version never worked on Linux. It's a .NET framework project and Mono(?) just doesn't support it yet.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 08, 2011 - 11:55PM
#2137
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Just a fun note, Macs actually use Linux....
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2 years ago ::
Feb 09, 2011 - 1:33AM
#2138
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Date Joined:
Feb 21, 2008
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Just a fun note, Macs actually use Linux....
Macs run on UNIX as far as I am aware. Linux is a cousin.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 09, 2011 - 7:05AM
#2139
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Just a fun note, Macs actually use Linux....
Macs run on UNIX as far as I am aware. Linux is a cousin.
If by "run on" you mean "copied tons of ideas from" (which UNIX encourages) then yes.
But don't expect UNIX/Linux programs to run on the mac, or vice versa.
guides
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my builds
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F-111 Interdictor Long (200+ squares) distance ally teleporter. With some warlord stuff. Broken in a plot way, not a power way.
Thought Switch Higher level build that grants upto 14 attacks on turn 1. If your allies play along, it's broken.
Elven Critters Crit op with crit generation. 5 of these will end anything. Broken.
King Fisher Does an excellent job at keeping an enemy disabled in a few ways. Strong.
Boominator Fun catch-22 booming blade build with either strong or completely broken damage depending on your reading.
Very Distracting Warlock Lot's of dazing and major penalties to hit. Overpowered.
Pocket Protector Pixie Stealth Knight. Maximizing the defender's aura by being in an ally's/enemy's square.
Yakuza NinjIntimiAdin: Perma-stealth Striker that offers a little protection for ally's, and can intimidate bloodied enemies. Very Strong.
Chargeburgler with cheese Ranged attacks at the end of a charge along with perma-stealth. Solid, could be overpowered if tweaked.
Void Defender Defends giving a penalty to hit anyone but him, then removing himself from play. Can get somewhat broken in epic.
Scry and Die Attacking from around corners, while staying hidden. Moderate to broken, depending on the situation.
Skimisher Fly in, attack, and fly away. Also prevents enemies from coming close. Moderate to Broken depending on the enemy, but shouldn't make the game un-fun, as the rest of your team is at risk, and you have enough weaknesses.
Indestructible Simply won't die, even if you sleep though combat.
Sir Robin (Bravely Charge Away) He automatically slows and pushes an enemy (5 squares), while charging away. Hard to rate it's power level, since it's terrain dependent.
Death's Gatekeeper A fun twist on a healic, making your party "unkillable". Overpowered to Broken, but shouldn't actually make the game un-fun, just TPK proof.
Death's Gatekeeper mk2, (Stealth Edition) Make your party "unkillable", and you hidden, while doing solid damage. Stronger then the above, but also easier for a DM to shut down. Broken, until your DM get's enough of it.
Domination and Death Dominate everything then kill them quickly. Only works @ 30, but is broken multiple ways.
Battlemind Mc Prone-Daze Protecting your allies by keeping enemies away. Quite powerful.
The Retaliator Getting hit deals more damage to the enemy then you receive yourself, and you can take plenty of hits. Heavy item dependency, Broken.
Dead Kobold Transit Teleports 98 squares a turn, and can bring someone along for the ride. Not fully built, so i can't judge the power
Psilent Guardian Protect your allies, while being invisible. Overpowered, possibly broken
Unnamed Avenger|Runepriest/Hammer of Vengance Do lot's of damage while boosting your teams. Strong to slightly overpowered.
Charedent BarrageA charging ardent. Fine in a normal team, overpowered if there are 2 together, and easily broken in teams of 5.
Super Knight A tough, sticky, high damage knight. Strong.
Super Duper Knight Basically the same as super knight, only far more broken.
Mora, the unkillable avenger Solid damage, while being neigh indestuctable. Overpowered, but not broken.
Swordburst Maximus At-Will Close Burst 3 that slide and prones. Protects allies with off actions. Strong, possibly over powered with the right party.
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2 years ago ::
Feb 09, 2011 - 9:34AM
#2140
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Date Joined:
Oct 30, 2008
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Just a fun note, Macs actually use Linux....
Yeah, no.
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