I understand the need for large companies to protect their IP and can see what sort of problems they had before when they were releasing PDF versions of their books.
Also having thousands of computers out there with a database of their current work (i.e. the old character builder) Could be seen as a possible leak.
So how about a compromise?
I use a PC to access the Character builder. (Mainly because my iPad won't). When gaming with one of my groups, internet connectivity is hard to do (Six+ people on the same connection constantly accessing data really slows things down and/or drops connections pretty regularly).
But What I need from the character builder isn't the actual character builder at the game table.
What I need is the ability to access my character sheet in a digital format.
With the old builder I would simply print to PDF and then add the PDF to my iPad either through iBooks or Goodreader. No problem.
Since the introduction of the new builder, the size of the PDFs generated is massively increased. Something about them PDF readers on the iPad does not like, resulting in crashing and or freezing.
Admittedly this could be down to IOS, but as I said before, the previous files were smaller and easier to use.
What I would like to see for my IOS device would be a dedicated app to read the character builder data and present it in a nice format. Further more, editable boxes would be great (Tick boxes for the powers, the HP workspace, defence bonus boxes) Everything that is needed to be edited during regular play. On top of this some sort of note pad for inventory and you have a very useful tool for the IOS device owning player.
WOTC wouldn't have entire books worth of data floating around out there, just what players needed to play. Then they could, whenever they wanted, make changes on the full builder (Still on your servers) and then sync up their device to show the levelled up/changed version.
This could also alleviate some of the '20 characters only' limitation by storing them on the account holder's device instead)
While we're spit balling we could also have a DM's version which would allow them to make Encounters with monster stat blocks (All with editable HPs and expended/recharged marker boxes).
You could also do something similar to Comixology and offer your books through the app. (At reduced prices hopefully) It would also be a great channel to offer Dungeon and Dragon magazines.
Judging from the prices of third party Apps currently available that do sort of the same thing, people would pay for this. I know I would.
It's not ideal for the people who want a completely offline Character builder, but it should be noted that Apple did sell over seven million iPads over the christmas period, and it's hard to imagine a fair chunk of them weren't DnD gamers.
I use CutePDF at 144 DPI to print to PDF. The files generally are 1 mb or so in size.
Cute PDF (at least the free one) doesn't reduce the file size that much for me (From 7000kb to 5000k) compared to the older builder (445kb)
The professional version does say it can reduce the file size, but it's a little more than I'd like to spend to play DnD.
I use CutePDF at 144 DPI to print to PDF. The files generally are 1 mb or so in size.
Cute PDF (at least the free one) doesn't reduce the file size that much for me (From 7000kb to 5000k) compared to the older builder (445kb)
The professional version does say it can reduce the file size, but it's a little more than I'd like to spend to play DnD.
Did you go into the settings and chance the DPI from 600 to 144?
But there are over 600 million PCs in use, and 90%+ are running windows. I understand iPad are quite outspoken but really they represent less than 1% of the market.
Yes I am aware the Mac users represent 5%-7% of the market.
I know this is a fantasy game but apple didn't sell 7 million ipads, not over christmas, not at all.But there are over 600 million PCs in use, and 90%+ are running windows. I understand iPad are quite outspoken but really they represent less than 1% of the market.
Yes I am aware the Mac users represent 5%-7% of the market.
Total iPad sales at 15 million for the year, so if we assume 600 million PCs, that's 2.5% of the market and growing. Estimates for 2011 range between 20 million (which would represent a dropoff in sales) and 40 million. It's getting pretty relevant pretty quickly. Also, the question is not "what percentage of total computer owners have an iPad," but rather "what percentage of DDI subscribers have an iPad." I have no idea there, so it's all just speculation.
Either way, though, the huge size of the CB print files is relevant. Reducing the DPI doesn't fix things by itself. The bitmap files produced don't scale well and are hard to read on my iPad no matter what, because they need to scale down. Further, it's not just iPads -- it's any tablet, it's any smartphone that does PDFs, and it's any time you're concerned about file size.
So the printer driver makes a PDF, but it's basically taking a big picture and making it a PDF.
Which also means it's uneditable.
And I hate that.
Cheers! Here's to hoping that WotC can figure out how to bypass Silverlight's native printing routines.
Write their own?
Perhaps a feature request.
Cheers! Here's to hoping that WotC can figure out how to bypass Silverlight's native printing routines.
Write their own?
Perhaps a feature request.
I bet they can make an export as PDF feature.
Cheers! Here's to hoping that WotC can figure out how to bypass Silverlight's native printing routines.
Write their own?
Perhaps a feature request.
I bet they can make an export as PDF feature.
Ummm...that was the point of "Write their own"
Cheers! Here's to hoping that WotC can figure out how to bypass Silverlight's native printing routines.
Write their own?
Perhaps a feature request.
Yes. That's what I meant.
I figured this feature was already requested.
Cheers! Here's to hoping that WotC can figure out how to bypass Silverlight's native printing routines.
Write their own?
Perhaps a feature request.
Yes. That's what I meant.
I figured this feature was already requested.
It is, and I doubt they will or can do it...
Edit: A ten second Google turned this up Silverlight convert to PDF. See Developers Google is your friend...
The problem with the file size is that Silverlight converts the character sheets to a JPG, before sending it to your printer, so that way you get a pixel based image, rather then a font based file.
So the printer driver makes a PDF, but it's basically taking a big picture and making it a PDF.
Which also means it's uneditable.
And I hate that.
Are you saying that Silverlight converts all print jobs to a JPG PDF or that the WotC programmers coded it to do the conversion? I find it hard to believe this is a Silverlight limitation, rather than a conscious programming choice.
The problem with the file size is that Silverlight converts the character sheets to a JPG, before sending it to your printer, so that way you get a pixel based image, rather then a font based file.
So the printer driver makes a PDF, but it's basically taking a big picture and making it a PDF.
Which also means it's uneditable.
And I hate that.
Are you saying that Silverlight converts all print jobs to a JPG PDF or that the WotC programmers coded it to do the conversion? I find it hard to believe this is a Silverlight limitation, rather than a conscious programming choice.
It's silverlight that does that, and it's part of it's safety feature for people that use it.
The problem with the file size is that Silverlight converts the character sheets to a JPG, before sending it to your printer, so that way you get a pixel based image, rather then a font based file.
So the printer driver makes a PDF, but it's basically taking a big picture and making it a PDF.
Which also means it's uneditable.
And I hate that.
Are you saying that Silverlight converts all print jobs to a JPG PDF or that the WotC programmers coded it to do the conversion? I find it hard to believe this is a Silverlight limitation, rather than a conscious programming choice.
It's silverlight that does that, and it's part of it's safety feature for people that use it.
Now that you've said it that way Dane, they may not intend for it to print any other way....IP protection and all....
Now that you've said it that way Dane, they may not intend for it to print any other way....IP protection and all....
IP protection for character sheets? I don't think so.
Quicker to program? Ding we have a winner.
Now that you've said it that way Dane, they may not intend for it to print any other way....IP protection and all....
Considering there is some rather robust character recognition software available for free out there, I am not sure what type of protection that any of this actually offers, is intended to offer, or is percieved to offer.
Now that you've said it that way Dane, they may not intend for it to print any other way....IP protection and all....
IP protection for character sheets? I don't think so.
Quicker to program? Ding we have a winner.
Eh...not really easier to program, not harder. But, a jpg of these quality, when scanned by a OCR, will have more errors then one scanned from a PDF, because a jpg is pixel based, and PDFs have vector based fonts, which gives you that nice crisp line quality, over blurry.
Also, if it's a jpg, you can't run it through a text stripper, because there is no text, it's all image.
There is no full proof methods, there are just ways to make it harder. It's something we do in publishing all the time. Try and make it harder for someone to pirate material.
Pixel images under 150 and under are harder to scan for accuracy. You can set your printer to for a higher DPI, but if the original image is 150 dpi or less, all it does is make it a larger file, and the image becomes blury.
My educated guess: they used the built in print function and didn't even know it was an issue until we brought it up.
Using silverlights built in print function is certainly easier to do than programming your own.
My educated guess: they used the built in print function and didn't even know it was an issue until we brought it up.
That's a good possiblity as well. I hope they change it. I dislike the quality of the print outs.
Using silverlights built in print function is certainly easier to do than programming your own.
My educated guess: they used the built in print function and didn't even know it was an issue until we brought it up.
Totally agreed.
Review my post above. It would be easy to add real PDF functionality to this SilverLight app...
Its lazyness on the part of the developers/management...
I don't have you on ignore I just don't have time to research options. It's not my job; that's what I pay my annual fee for.
I don't have you on ignore I just don't have time to research options. It's not my job; that's what I pay my annual fee for.
You have to realize that Lokiare is a self made millionaire from his game creation and programming credits
I don't have you on ignore I just don't have time to research options. It's not my job; that's what I pay my annual fee for.
You have to realize that Lokiare is a self made millionaire from his game creation and programming credits
If I was a millionaire I'd buy the D&D rights off WotC/Hasborg and put it out as public domain where the players get to decide on what happens to it and publishing companies can print their own fancy books centered around the rules...but that's neither here nor there.
The fact I do know how to program and I found that link in 3 seconds using Google tells me the Dev team isn't even trying...
I don't have you on ignore I just don't have time to research options. It's not my job; that's what I pay my annual fee for.
You have to realize that Lokiare is a self made millionaire from his game creation and programming credits
If I was a millionaire I'd buy the D&D rights off WotC/Hasborg and put it out as public domain where the players get to decide on what happens to it and publishing companies can print their own fancy books centered around the rules...but that's neither here nor there.
The fact I do know how to program and I found that link in 3 seconds using Google tells me the Dev team isn't even trying...
Google is your example of your programming skills? Not sure how they are related.
The fact I do know how to program and I found that link in 3 seconds using Google tells me the Dev team isn't even trying...
Or they have bigger fish to fry. At least the current printing works. There are lots of features we don't yet have that existed in the CBC, and many others that need fixing. Printing may be very, very low on their list of priorities at the moment.
If I was a millionaire I'd buy the D&D rights off WotC/Hasborg and put it out as public domain where the players get to decide on what happens to it and publishing companies can print their own fancy books centered around the rules...but that's neither here nor there.
I thought that already exists in the form of Paizo.
I'm more intrigued by the thouht that the rights for D&D being around the mere million dollar price range.
I'm more intrigued by the thouht that the rights for D&D being around the mere million dollar price range.
Not sure if you're aware of this, but the world is just as simple as lokaire needs it to be in order to prove his point. Anybody who says otherwise is either a mouthpiece or hates him with a burning passion and wishes him silenced.
I'm more intrigued by the thouht that the rights for D&D being around the mere million dollar price range.
Not sure if you're aware of this, but the world is just as simple as lokaire needs it to be in order to prove his point. Anybody who says otherwise is either a mouthpiece or hates him with a burning passion and wishes him silenced.
Sad, but only partially true. I'm neither a mouthpiece nor do I hate him with a burning passion. I do however wish he would stick to facts (you know...the truth?) instead of making stuff up (generally called lies). Does that mean that I wish him silenced?
I'm more intrigued by the thouht that the rights for D&D being around the mere million dollar price range.
Not sure if you're aware of this, but the world is just as simple as lokaire needs it to be in order to prove his point. Anybody who says otherwise is either a mouthpiece or hates him with a burning passion and wishes him silenced.
Sad, but only partially true. I'm neither a mouthpiece nor do I hate him with a burning passion. I do however wish he would stick to facts (you know...the truth?) instead of making stuff up (generally called lies). Does that mean that I wish him silenced?
Don't deny it, you want to jam red hot pokers up his jackies! You want to rip out his entrails, feed them to him, and create a continous loop of him eating them!
I'm more intrigued by the thouht that the rights for D&D being around the mere million dollar price range.
Not sure if you're aware of this, but the world is just as simple as lokaire needs it to be in order to prove his point. Anybody who says otherwise is either a mouthpiece or hates him with a burning passion and wishes him silenced.
Sad, but only partially true. I'm neither a mouthpiece nor do I hate him with a burning passion. I do however wish he would stick to facts (you know...the truth?) instead of making stuff up (generally called lies). Does that mean that I wish him silenced?
Don't deny it, you want to jam red hot pokers up his jackies! You want to rip out his entrails, feed them to him, and create a continous loop of him eating them!
Your my hero Dane!!!
Your my hero Dane!!!
LMAO
Or they are just looking for something else to be right about.
I don't personally care if people insult me. It tells me they can't refute my reasoning and have to stoop to character assassination rather than discussing the facts...Basically it means I'm winning the argument...
I would say that the number of threads a poster get's moderated or deleted is more of an indication of who is posting insults or not, or making personal attacks.
I don't personally care if people insult me. It tells me they can't refute my reasoning and have to stoop to character assassination rather than discussing the facts...Basically it means I'm winning the argument...
I would say that the number of threads a poster get's moderated or deleted is more of an indication of who is posting insults or not, or making personal attacks.
Actually its just an indication of how many people report posts...Whether it's easy or not to program should not be an issue. The new character needs to be as functional as the old one for me to be happy. I think the massive memory issue should be a priority and needs to be fixed.
The fact is I have been sent ocb character sheets over 10 mb! Building plans don't even take up that much space! Whether it's easy or not to program should not be an issue. The new character needs to be as functional as the old one for me to be happy. I think the massive memory issue should be a priority and needs to be fixed.
Use CutePDF to print to pdf from the OCB. Its what I do and I set it at 144 dpi and it can be read easily enough and prints just fine. The files average about 1.4 mb.
Or they are just looking for something else to be right about.
+1
LOL
This still doesn't solve the problem of huge print files. Instead of work arounds, WotC needs to FIX the source of the problem. I did a ten second search and found a fix that could be implemented for silverlight to produce real PDF files directly from it. I'm sure the development team could too...
Perhaps some of have decided that instead of focusing on the things we can't change we'll focus on the things we can? Why does it irk some of you guys so bad that we are finding ways to use this product?
This still doesn't solve the problem of huge print files. Instead of work arounds, WotC needs to FIX the source of the problem. I did a ten second search and found a fix that could be implemented for silverlight to produce real PDF files directly from it. I'm sure the development team could too...
Perhaps some of have decided that instead of focusing on the things we can't change we'll focus on the things we can? Why does it irk some of you guys so bad that we are finding ways to use this product?
It irks me that a product WE ARE PAYING FOR requires workarounds. The existence of workarrounds is nice, but it in no way replaces an actual fix or eliminates the need for a fix. Nor should it stop people from complaining that the basic product doesn't work as released or from being irked that WotC expects us to work AROUND their code rather than work WITH their code.
The whole sheet shows up if you print at 90% resolution, better than nothing. If you use CutePDF at reduced resolution the file size is small enough that it won't crash your printer when you try to spool it. Better than not being able to print.
It's nice to know those things.
But it would be FAR NICER if we didn't need to worry about these things. It's a character builder. Is is possible it should be able to print out characters? Did the developers say, "Nah! We don't need to print, everyone's on line with their laptop all the time."
Fixes don't irk me, but that we need fixes for such basic functionality very definitely does.
The Character builder should produce a PDF or RTF or other standard format character sheet as default output. This file should be of reasonable size, and should not be an image, but should represent text as text.