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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 9:46PM
#1
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OK so lets pretend WOTC has already annouced that their going to release a builder (either offline or offline with online access as an OPTION) for Next on or shortly after it's release.
That said one of the goals of Next is to make it flexible with hopes of multiple ways to do everything so for a builder to succeed it would need to at LEAST include all the various official rules all the way from "Basic" to "Advanced" now I'm hoping we get somehting the 4e builder lacked DEARLY (despite being pretty awesome otherwise)...the ability to create custom content that interacts with the builder like pre-programmed content...for example if I wanted a feat to add +1 to X the builder should be able to recognize that and apply it to the character sheet. Something like a bunch of options with dropdown menus would be really cool.
Now another thing this would need is a way for WOTC to protect their interests since its offline (since we all know making it online was NOT for "convienice" it was to protect their interest) so I say give TWO options...either allow people to pay the monthly sub to get all contact availible until you no loinger pay than you can't use it (have a trial version...with say PHB and up to lvl 3) OR you can purchase a physical copy of the book to recieve some sort of code to "activate" that book on your builder (please don't waste time arguing about how easy this is to break, etc.,etc. with a few easy precautions it would be easy too avoid)
So what do you guys think?
Do you want a builder?
Would you prefer to pay monthly or per book?
Does allowing for the monthly fee hurt book sales?, if so should WOTC not offer it?
What other services would you like to be offered for Next's DDi program...please go nuts were in fantasy land don't worry about cost, coding, etc?
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 9:47PM
#2
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i would think the best model would be a software package for a fee and books to buy i dont like the subscription model as you either get tons of stuff for a low price or little for high depending on how dnd next does
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 9:58PM
#3
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Date Joined:
May 25, 2012
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I will not pay a monthly fee to have an online tool for D&D Next or otherwise. If I have purchased the books with my hard earned money then I have done my part. So My answer to your question is no. Nothing. D20pfrsd does this for free for Pathfinder and all major info from the Core books is free to the public. So should it be with Wotc if they want to compete. If not then they have one less e-customer. I just will not pay a monthly fee.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 10:16PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 22, 2007
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For me I hope they never release a character builder. As I am hoping for a system that is simple enough that a character builder is never needed.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 10:17PM
#5
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Date Joined:
May 19, 2011
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For me I hope they never release a character builder.
As I am hoping for a system that is simple enough that a character builder is never needed.
Not needed, no. However, nothign wrong with having one for people who want one. Especially once the content bloat kicks in, a builder will make it much easier to sort through everything.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 10:49PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Apr 14, 2004
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Do you want a builder?
Yes.
Would you prefer to pay monthly or per book?
Book. Monthly is for suckers. The current 4e made this prefectly clear.
Does allowing for the monthly fee hurt book sales?, if so should WOTC not offer it?
As I've said, monthly is for suckers. Say no to monthly.
What other services would you like to be offered for Next's DDi program...please go nuts were in fantasy land don't worry about cost, coding, etc?
How about all the things we were promised on 4e's launch? 
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 10:56PM
#7
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Book. Monthly is for suckers. The current 4e made this prefectly clear.
Heh I agree most assuredly I tried to keep my opinion out of thr OP
How about all the things we were promised on 4e's launch?
Heh would be nie but it is kinda of hard to lay the blame entirely on WOTC sine the company that was supposed to make the ddi screwed them over...although you'd think they would have it by now
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3 months ago ::
Feb 15, 2013 - 11:12PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Dec 13, 2006
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Do you want a builder?
I think this one is a no brainer. While it will be difficult to do, I think WotC can only benefit from having a good virtual toolset.
Would you prefer to pay monthly or per book?
I can spend 120 dollars on 4 dead-tree books. If I can spend 120 dollars instead on all the content released that year, that seems a bit easier to deal with to me. I'd also really like for pdfs to be offered, at a greatly discounted price. Me and my group have completely moved away from dead trees (everybody owns a tablet) except for the rare occasion we need to look up a rule (making the 4e rules compendium and DMG1 basically the only books we keep at the table; everything else has been collecting dust in a closet).
Does allowing for the monthly fee hurt book sales?, if so should WOTC not offer it?
Does it hurt dead-tree sales? Probably (see above: why pay 120 a year for 4 books, when I can get all the content for the same price?). Should WotC not offer it? It's hard to say, from the perspective of "what will get us the most money". I suspect if they don't allow it, that they'll have problems with people not buying their books anyways, and still playing the game.
What other services would you like to be offered for Next's DDi program...please go nuts were in fantasy land don't worry about cost, coding, etc?
Tools for DMs to quickly and easily make new content, share it with other DMs, and keep a connected list of players for their campaign, so that when those players go to make a campaign, they can select "DM Bob's House Rules" and automatically have in the character builder everything they need to do and pick from, and nothing they don't need to do or can't pick from.
Being able to print a quick-and-easy list of monsters, with all required stats, onto a format that fits the most economically onto black-and-white printed paper would be absolutely great. Being able to save that as a pdf is even better.
For me I hope they never release a character builder.
As I am hoping for a system that is simple enough that a character builder is never needed.
And what about the people that want a system complex enough that they will want a CB, I ask you?
Want the tl;dr of my posts? Read the bold text; I put it there to highlight the main points for ease of skimming.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 16, 2013 - 12:25AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Jun 17, 2011
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Honestly, they need to kill splatbooks. Sell the core books shrinkwrapped and provide codes to access online, free, splatbook-style content and errata. Release a free character builder with software hooks for people to write their own content. Use crowd-sourced wikis to supply new content for fans, by fans. Put all that behind the initial core book paywall. Fans can't pirate errata, crowd-sourcing, and HTML5 content very easily, and if they do they'll always be behind.
Make more money by selling professional adventures to DMs, while still giving them a selection of free fan-made adventures. Sell cosmetic features like alternate character sheet "skins," portraits, and such to players. Set up a Match.com-style matchmaking service for DMs and players. Make even more money selling official D&D dice, battlemats, figurines, tokens, and game aides to groups.
In other words, adopt the free-to-play model popularized by TF2. Give away your game and sell them hats. They will buy hats.
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3 months ago ::
Feb 16, 2013 - 6:14AM
#10
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I a little confused why you don't want WOTC to release new content so I'm gonna say that I can't agree with you but most definately the buy a book get that content on the builder would work...also I'd buy a bunch of hats (signifying dice, minis, battlemats,etc.) actually what I'd love is for WOTC to team up with Dwarven Forge get that stuff in stores it would sell like mad (note to WOTC I live in Canada...don't forget that we do indeed exist, it's ok if you normally do...most people do)  If WOTC were to set-up an easy way to share fan-made content a-la the intuitive "custom content" creator I mentioned in the OP that would be huge props to them...that part would obviously require downloading (so it would temporarliy require a net access to download said file but updating the builder would require inet anyways...but only for the downloading of content) said custom thing...maybe have a database sorted by type (ie. Feat, Race, Class,etc. than a search bar with community rating systems and a report function) this of course could be further customized by the downlaoder so that say if you find an awesome custom spell that you deem a tiny bit too powerful or weak you can adjust accordingly. One thing I DEFINATELY want to see from WOTC is an tabletop toolset with monster creator, campaign organizer, an online capable tabletop tool,etc....currently I use Masterplan and Maptool which is awesome but obviously can't contain WOTCs copyrighted material so I have to manually input any new mobs etc. from my books. If they could somehow integrate all these programs to pull from what your account is authorized to use (once you apply a code it unlocks that book on your account...could be as simple as a list with green checks and red Xs) it would be amazing (ie. I apply the MM1 book's code to my account and boom I can download those monsters to all my tools) Lastly something very simple but VERY important let us modify official content it would obviously have to be saved as something new (so Magic Missile Failedlegend version) but it is needed.
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