Actions lead to expectations. - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Actions lead to expectations.

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
baynn
Jun 10, 2010 2:22:18 First, i'd like to lay some ground work.

When 4th ed. was first released, i wasn't skeptical, my gaming group had long since fell into disinterest of 3.5, and most of us played video games, card games, or WoW. We drifted apart slowly and 4th ed brought us back together.
I've purchased PHB 1-3, the 5 power books that are out, H1-3, P1-2 (p3 soon), DMG 2, Draconomicon, Open Grave, MM2 (3 as soon as i can), and the DM screen. I have a DDI account and make good use of the character generator and decent use of the adventure tools.

I am very happy with wizards and the game they've made. However DnD is not my life and i have other things i must do.

Currently i DM two groups. The greatest blessing 4th has bestowed on me is that a large amount of time that i had to spend building encounters and dungeons has been streamlined. I used to take a quick breeze though the MM for some decent monsters, reskin them if necessary, then spend the majority of my time working on the fluff, the story, the NPC's and the setting. After time when MM2, Draconomicon, and open grave came out, flipping through the books became much more of a chore. It had effectively added 20-30 minutes in my prep time for each session. As i wanted to add more variety, my time planning increased far to quickly.

I took haven in a small outsider program called masterplan. It did what i needed it to do. Take all my books, and in a snap let me browse whatever i needed with minimal effort. I just told it my groups level, and it organized everything for me. As much as i love the DnD compendium, it doesn't come close in efficiency at doing this, being half as good at best.

So as a paying customer, a DDI subscriber, and a dungeon master; Is there any hope in there being a similar program available through wizards? Is there anyways masterplan can be made official and require a DDI subscription?
#2
Dargurd
Jun 13, 2010 0:38:46 Well i'm not entirely sure what i'm seeing as an issue here. As a DM i actually spend maybe 5 or 6 weeks thinking up a campaign idea, making maps, planning first few adventure scenarios, detailing NPCs etc. When the game actually starts it takes me maybe 1 hour at the most per week to plan the game.

I'm not sure there is any software out there yet other than the compendium that can speed this up. I'd say it personally comes back to your initial campaign arc planning. If you have done the prep up front then in my experience unless you deviate a lot then a lot of constistant monsters etc keep appearing and in which case there is no real flipping between books as you already know them. If you use the Monster Builder then its even easier.

Sorry i cant be more help but i dont think it get much better than what we already have in 4ed.
#3
drnick
Jun 14, 2010 14:33:25 The last I heard, the Adventure Tools is going to be expanded in a way that might work for you. Though I know nothing about the timing on this or even any details about what's planned.
#4
tsukinousagi
Jun 27, 2010 17:45:56 I've got Masterplan. I don't really call it a masterpiece though, it was just masterfully good at raping all the content. I suppose that was the problem right there.

I'm not planning to uninstall it just because Wizards went 'oops that program is more useful than we realized'. It will never get another update, but so what. I now have a digital block of every creature that existed prior to them killing the program.

But it is of limited use to me. I don't actually use it much. It looked really neat right till I realized it has limits.

I also got over the idea that 'only I can design a great adventure'. 30 plus years of DMing can make a person potentially very arrogant. I have 2 buddies, one is a genius of a DM and he plays modules. The other is a genius of a planner, but I doubt he would ever accept that a module would be better than something he could create. I'm inclined to want to join the former, and leave te latter behind as being no longer practical. I used to always create my own content.

I have found running a module = zero time spent on needing to make a lot of stuff I can just get from someone else. It's not a crime to use someone else.
I can always add my own flavour to the modules of course.

I think books like Dungeon Delve can be the single best thing a new DM can purchase. Im having fun using it myself.

Now it would be nice if Wizards gave us the eTable like I thought I would be getting.
#5
Nyarlathotep
Jun 27, 2010 22:55:49
The last I heard, the Adventure Tools is going to be expanded in a way that might work for you. Though I know nothing about the timing on this or even any details about what's planned.

Nothing has been added to Adventure Tools in over a year. I suspect we have all we are going to get.
#6
joydyhee
Jul 12, 2010 8:17:24 How does that make sense? Roll it out now and make money starting today. Today's dollar is worth more than any future dollar, so assuming a steady price point, the earlier they roll it out, the more money they will make.
#7
drnick
Jul 12, 2010 12:09:00
The last I heard, the Adventure Tools is going to be expanded in a way that might work for you. Though I know nothing about the timing on this or even any details about what's planned.

Nothing has been added to Adventure Tools in over a year. I suspect we have all we are going to get.

It's possible but I make it a point to not make assumptions when giving out info.
#8
omnifu
Jul 18, 2010 0:08:03 All I want is the E-table, I was amazedwhen I first saw it and now I believe it's safe to say we've all been patient but what could possibly take so long to just give us a basic version of the thing?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 baynn Jun 10, 2010 2:22:18	First, i'd like to lay some ground work. When 4th ed. was first released, i wasn't skeptical, my gaming group had long since fell into disinterest of 3.5, and most of us played video games, card games, or WoW. We drifted apart slowly and 4th ed brought us back together. I've purchased PHB 1-3, the 5 power books that are out, H1-3, P1-2 (p3 soon), DMG 2, Draconomicon, Open Grave, MM2 (3 as soon as i can), and the DM screen. I have a DDI account and make good use of the character generator and decent use of the adventure tools. I am very happy with wizards and the game they've made. However DnD is not my life and i have other things i must do. Currently i DM two groups. The greatest blessing 4th has bestowed on me is that a large amount of time that i had to spend building encounters and dungeons has been streamlined. I used to take a quick breeze though the MM for some decent monsters, reskin them if necessary, then spend the majority of my time working on the fluff, the story, the NPC's and the setting. After time when MM2, Draconomicon, and open grave came out, flipping through the books became much more of a chore. It had effectively added 20-30 minutes in my prep time for each session. As i wanted to add more variety, my time planning increased far to quickly. I took haven in a small outsider program called masterplan. It did what i needed it to do. Take all my books, and in a snap let me browse whatever i needed with minimal effort. I just told it my groups level, and it organized everything for me. As much as i love the DnD compendium, it doesn't come close in efficiency at doing this, being half as good at best. So as a paying customer, a DDI subscriber, and a dungeon master; Is there any hope in there being a similar program available through wizards? Is there anyways masterplan can be made official and require a DDI subscription?
#2 Dargurd Jun 13, 2010 0:38:46	Well i'm not entirely sure what i'm seeing as an issue here. As a DM i actually spend maybe 5 or 6 weeks thinking up a campaign idea, making maps, planning first few adventure scenarios, detailing NPCs etc. When the game actually starts it takes me maybe 1 hour at the most per week to plan the game. I'm not sure there is any software out there yet other than the compendium that can speed this up. I'd say it personally comes back to your initial campaign arc planning. If you have done the prep up front then in my experience unless you deviate a lot then a lot of constistant monsters etc keep appearing and in which case there is no real flipping between books as you already know them. If you use the Monster Builder then its even easier. Sorry i cant be more help but i dont think it get much better than what we already have in 4ed.
#3 drnick Jun 14, 2010 14:33:25	The last I heard, the Adventure Tools is going to be expanded in a way that might work for you. Though I know nothing about the timing on this or even any details about what's planned.
#4 tsukinousagi Jun 27, 2010 17:45:56	I've got Masterplan. I don't really call it a masterpiece though, it was just masterfully good at raping all the content. I suppose that was the problem right there. I'm not planning to uninstall it just because Wizards went 'oops that program is more useful than we realized'. It will never get another update, but so what. I now have a digital block of every creature that existed prior to them killing the program. But it is of limited use to me. I don't actually use it much. It looked really neat right till I realized it has limits. I also got over the idea that 'only I can design a great adventure'. 30 plus years of DMing can make a person potentially very arrogant. I have 2 buddies, one is a genius of a DM and he plays modules. The other is a genius of a planner, but I doubt he would ever accept that a module would be better than something he could create. I'm inclined to want to join the former, and leave te latter behind as being no longer practical. I used to always create my own content. I have found running a module = zero time spent on needing to make a lot of stuff I can just get from someone else. It's not a crime to use someone else. I can always add my own flavour to the modules of course. I think books like Dungeon Delve can be the single best thing a new DM can purchase. Im having fun using it myself. Now it would be nice if Wizards gave us the eTable like I thought I would be getting.
#5 Nyarlathotep Jun 27, 2010 22:55:49	The last I heard, the Adventure Tools is going to be expanded in a way that might work for you. Though I know nothing about the timing on this or even any details about what's planned. Nothing has been added to Adventure Tools in over a year. I suspect we have all we are going to get.
#6 joydyhee Jul 12, 2010 8:17:24	How does that make sense? Roll it out now and make money starting today. Today's dollar is worth more than any future dollar, so assuming a steady price point, the earlier they roll it out, the more money they will make.
#7 drnick Jul 12, 2010 12:09:00	The last I heard, the Adventure Tools is going to be expanded in a way that might work for you. Though I know nothing about the timing on this or even any details about what's planned. Nothing has been added to Adventure Tools in over a year. I suspect we have all we are going to get. It's possible but I make it a point to not make assumptions when giving out info.
#8 omnifu Jul 18, 2010 0:08:03	All I want is the E-table, I was amazedwhen I first saw it and now I believe it's safe to say we've all been patient but what could possibly take so long to just give us a basic version of the thing?