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12 months ago ::
Jun 28, 2012 - 9:10PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2012
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It would be nice if as a user I can bring my tablet (be it any tablet. iOS or Android) to a FLGS or friends place for a home campaign and NOT have to bring my laptop everywhere I go. I can;'t though because WotC does not want to support any type of mobile device where a tablet can use it without the dang Silverlight. With No PDF's for books and not being able to take a very mobile device and can't use DDI with that. It truly sux that someone in WotC development can't do something to get tablet and or Smart Phone users some support so that DDI can be used over multiple formats other then just the standard OS's such as Mac and or Windows. Sad really that it STILL has not happened in as many years as 4E and DDI has come about. Is there a chance it will happen? ::not holding my breath that it will anytime soon if ever  :: -kip
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 7:19PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Mar 26, 2011
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Given that silverlight is continually flaking out on my Mac (be it in Firefox or in Chrome), and is none-to-stable even on my Windows machines, I think Wizards would be well advised to transition the whole thing to a more cross-platform technology stack. But I don't get the impression that they are making a big effort there.
Unless D&D Next is just fabulous, I'm starting to think about moving to Pathfinder, just to escape their proprietary content and restrictive set of tools... it's not the money, just the frustration of all the dumb limitations.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 29, 2012 - 9:54PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2012
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I am kind of saddened that no response of any kind from WotC has happened to my posting. There are tons of complaints about the DDI and the format it uses and yet WotC lets it go. If they do that why would we as a customer base beleive that they have our best interest involved in the making of the new edition for D&D Next then?
Customers are important and they should be dealt with accordingly. Why is DDI still using Silverlight which is a format in this day and age not all that great a product and very limiting as far as all the mobile technology out there today? DDI has so much potential and yet it can hardly be used unless you have a laptop and a good and I do mean GOOD internet connection. Meanwhile you are cutting to much of the market off that could bring so much more income in if you only took advantage of it as a company. So why wouldn't you do so is the answer we all deserve as a customer base???
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12 months ago ::
Jun 30, 2012 - 1:35AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Dec 10, 2011
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The level of product support is absolutely abysmal. Silverlight is terrible and constantly crashes and there are even rumors of it being discontinued.
With our luck, WOTC will probably release the next version on Flash which is also on its way out.
They need to make the next version in Java which is practically compatible with everything, or HTML5 (if that's even an option, I admit I know little about HTML5.)
There also needs to be an App for that. Preferably an offline one, since most tablets these days don't have 3G/4G built in and not every gaming establishment has free WiFi.
Tablets are rapidly becoming affordable. Amazon has the Kindle Fire which is sure to drop in price in the next few months to a year. Google has the Nexus 7 Tablet coming out for $200 which is an amazing tablet for its price range. I'm sure there are a lot of people who got their hands on the HP Touchpad as well, and while it's not Android, it can be flashed with Android. Then of course there's the iPad. While not exactly affordable, it's still one of the most popular tablets to date.
How cool would it be to go to a D&D game, whip out a tablet (as I see more and more people doing), be able to build a character on the spot, then use that character with an interactive character sheet, and be able to call up any reference to the commendium at a few taps of your finger? All without needing an internet connection. (Dear WOTC, please don't cry pirates to push DRM. DRM only ever hurt legitimate customers and drives more legitimate customers to piracy to evade DRM)
Come on, WOTC, it's the future. Embrace it.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 30, 2012 - 6:48AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Mar 26, 2011
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Their goal should be to support all the common environments, including Android and iOS.
Fundamentally, though, Wizards is a gaming-design company, not a technology company, and that may be why their online development seems so lackluster. I wish they did more to support export of data in standard formats, so that at least third-parties could write the apps. I suspect them of wanting to have it both ways -- they don't want to share in any potential revenues, but they also don't want to make a big commitment to exploring that space. The result is that online D&D tools are a kind of ghetto -- the third-parties have difficulties getting access to the data, and those that own the data are only marginally committed. The players of 4e are the losers.
Given that the future of 4e isn't that bright, maybe the online tools are semi-abandonware, a cash-cow that will get mild updates but no rethinking. Maybe Next will get a new online technology stack.
But one of the appeal of moving to a game with a more open license is that I could conceivably contribute to the online tools, and "scratch my own itch", as it were. Doesn't look like that is in D&D's future.
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12 months ago ::
Jun 30, 2012 - 7:49AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2012
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Their goal should be to support all the common environments, including Android and iOS.
Fundamentally, though, Wizards is a gaming-design company, not a technology company, and that may be why their online development seems so lackluster. I wish they did more to support export of data in standard formats, so that at least third-parties could write the apps. I suspect them of wanting to have it both ways -- they don't want to share in any potential revenues, but they also don't want to make a big commitment to exploring that space. The result is that online D&D tools are a kind of ghetto -- the third-parties have difficulties getting access to the data, and those that own the data are only marginally committed. The players of 4e are the losers.
Given that the future of 4e isn't that bright, maybe the online tools are semi-abandonware, a cash-cow that will get mild updates but no rethinking. Maybe Next will get a new online technology stack.
But one of the appeal of moving to a game with a more open license is that I could conceivably contribute to the online tools, and "scratch my own itch", as it were. Doesn't look like that is in D&D's future.
That is no excuse that WotC is not a technology company. If that was the case then they would not have an IT department and that department could not tell them that there is a problem.
4E is a dying system and it should be, but if the DDI was going with it they should let the customer base know that too. Yet that is not WotC's policy they would rather milk any little bit they clould from us that they can. Meanwhile here we are swith still no answer from a company that is telling us they are listning to us and want to make sure our voices speak volumes. Mine is speaking and falling on deaf ears as is so so many more.
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12 months ago ::
Jul 01, 2012 - 2:36PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Aug 18, 2003
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Indeed, more and more people are getting tablets these days, or smartphones, that can do almost everythign that theit clunky laptop can do... except play D&D easily. WOTC is remaining in the past when it comes to the Digital age. There is no reason that there shouldn't be DDI apps for Android/apple tablets. Log into your account, and gain full access to the tools, not just to a limited use mobile compendium. Character Builder, magazine viewer, monster builder. And once you log in, there should be account-linked PDFs or other digital copies of the books. I own a sizable chunk of 4e books (and even 3e, 1/2AD&D, etc).. I would love to have crisp, clean digital copies that I could have on my device, supported by WOTC... it would definitely save my back and prevent a future hernia. Once they have an App that they can release books on, they can sell them for full price to non-ddi, and at a discount to DDi people. I would pay for official copies. Or, like public libraries are doing, Team up with Kindle, and offer temporary access books. "Rent" all the books for a weekend, if you will.. then Kindle removes access after a set time. Kind of similar to the takemymoneyhbo.com campaign.. I am sure WOTC would find many more people willing to give them money, if they would only step up and (keep up with future technologies, and) take it.
"Five million Cybermen, easy. One Doctor? NOW you're scared!" - Rose Tyler
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11 months ago ::
Jul 16, 2012 - 11:54AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2012
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It would REALLY be nice to hear from someone and I mean ANYONE from WotC to come in here and say SOMETHING!!
Why is it that no one from WotC can give us something like we are not workiong on something like this nor do we care or yes we are working on it and we do care or we do care and can't say anything other then that. Are we really asking for to much that WotC can't say anything to us and thus basically saying "kiss off we DON'T care!!"
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11 months ago ::
Jul 16, 2012 - 1:44PM
#9
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There's a very nice third party app that imports your character from the online builder and then gives you a complete interactive character sheet with full power descriptions etc. If you tap a power it even rolls the dice, gives you the results and marks the power off if it's encounter or daily. While it doesn't understand some complex power interactions (e.g. that it should roll twice for an avenger, etc.) it's a really great app. Search for ksheet trial, you can test the full version for free for 60 days before having to buy it
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11 months ago ::
Jul 16, 2012 - 1:50PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Mar 28, 2012
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There's a very nice third party app that imports your character from the online builder and then gives you a complete interactive character sheet with full power descriptions etc.
If you tap a power it even rolls the dice, gives you the results and marks the power off if it's encounter or daily.
Search for ksheet, you can get a free 60 day trial before having to buy it
I actually have it. It is great BUT for one thing, you can't use it to CREATE characters it only displays them. You have to sync it with the DDi account in order to use any character from it.
DDi NEEDs to be able to be accessed from any format such as a Tablet or even a smart phone. WotC is looosing out from so much revenue to be able to do that. Silverlight sucks and should be removed and they go with some thing other then Silverlight going forward.
So are we going to hear from ANYONE from WotC???? ANYONE??
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