My thoughts:
- It just feels under-loved. As with many of you, I'm an IT professional, and work in a fairly large shop where we create/support a lot of in-house software, using many different platforms. There's nothing to say that a Silverlight app couldn't be made to perform adequately, although imo it was an odd choice. As usual, my sense is that Wizards execs were given a dog-and-pony by less seasoned developers and bought it, literally. The application is not performing well across my 5mb DSL line.
- I was able to enter an existing party of 5th level characters, although of a fairly basic PHB1 build - rogue, fighter, cleric, ranger, wizard (yep, I'm that boring). Things went fairly well, although there were a number of hiccups during entry, i.e. custom entry of ability scores is awkward, never saw any mention of languages (which are actually used in my campaign), dislike not being able to select custom portraits, can't indicate specific weapons for specific powers and see the results on the power cards, can't see any indication of the math behind attacks, defense, etc...
- Overall, the printouts are a huge step backwards. This is made even more obvious since the original CB team made great efforts at improving the usefulness of the sheets over the last couple years. They obviously realized this was important.
This has probably been stated by others more eloquently, but I'll sum it up by saying the new application really does feel like a slap in the face, particularly to long term subscribers. We debated and dealt with the shortcomings during the early months, and finally the damage was stabilized by the original CB. This new application was clearly rushed, in the extreme, due to the developers' lack of interest in updating the old. Classic case of cutting your losses, unfortunately at the customers' expense.
I'm currently in the beta for the new virtual table app, and honestly, it's not very good. However, it's a beta, and we're going to be much more forgiving as the team works through its issues. The new CB is not a beta. It's a product I'm paying for, as I write this. Finally last week the issue hit home, as one of my players could no longer update his character using the old, and got a few miscalculations in the new. He also couldn't load the old on his new pc as the old update servers appear to be down. Literally between a rock and hard place, and he too is a paying subscriber. Poor, poor customer service.
Scarier still - is anyone really making an effort with the app now? The amount of info in the forums really seems to be dwindling. Does this mean most folks said screw it and went back to the classic? Probably the biggest sign of Wizards lack of experience in the software arena - where is any indication on the website/forums of the status of obvious bugs? Just as importantly, I've seen no indication from Wizards that they plan on staffing their servers 24/7 to support their new cloud model. Luckily, few RPG players are active on the weekends, right?
Sorry, long winded. I'll be back to check on progress, but mark me down as very disappointed. Please note that I'm not one who has threatened to cancel my sub, but I have to agree that it's becoming hard to see what value we're currently paying for. My plea to Wizards, and Bill in particular, please reassess your choices with this online CB. If you can't straighten it out within a few months, I don't see how anyone will stick around.
Finally last week the issue hit home, as one of my players could no longer update his character using the old, and got a few miscalculations in the new. He also couldn't load the old on his new pc as the old update servers appear to be down. Literally between a rock and hard place, and he too is a paying subscriber. Poor, poor customer service.
I believe they said they were going to take down the updates for the old CB when the new one went live. Besides, you don't want to update your old CB because the last update screwed it up royally (and of course this has led people to accuse WotC of doing it on purpose in order to force people to stop using their now-malfunctioning old CB and switch to the new and [not actually] improved version).
I'm currently in the beta for the new virtual table app, and honestly, it's not very good.
My man, I tend to agree with everything you said in your post except for this sentence. You're nuts, and I say that in the most friendly, optimistic way possible, with no offense meant. I think the VT is one of the best electronic products they've ever relased, even in beta!
You should play in a few online games if you can. It works and does almost everything it was intended to do with only minor glitches at this point. My opinion, since the terms "works," "minor" and "best" are subjective. Incidentally, the quality of the VT may have something to do with the fact that WoTC did not develop the platform themselves. That's okay, they're not a software development company, and they SHOULD outsource when needed.But yeah, not sure if the old CB servers are still available, but I'm only using the new CB as if I were a beta tester. It's not ready for primetime. Hopefully we'll see some significant improvement with today's update.
VT on the other hand? I'd go so far as to say it's ALMOST ready for primetime. I'm much more excited for its prospects than those of the CB.
For myself, I'm sticking around. I just wish the improvements would come faster.
I might resub in the new year sometime to see how things are going.
I think the VT is one of the best electronic products they've ever relased, even in beta!
This is the qualifier, though - it's a good piece of software for WotC to have delivered (by whatever means they did it). As a VT, it's entirely functional, but it's not really there yet.
It wouldn't take much - primarily, the import part (from CB and MB) and smoothing out the interface so that things one expects to work actually work, but I think if it went prime-time now, it would end up being just another VT that was good enough for some people.
Anyway, on the topic at hand - I'm no longer trying. I bagged it two days after the new CB went live. I may consider returning as a subscriber when the new CB matches the old CB feature for feature (with the exception of being online, obviously) and has no lag. But otherwise, there's no point to being a subscriber - I have the tools I need at hand already.
I think the VT is one of the best electronic products they've ever relased, even in beta!
MapTools by RPTools is WAY better than WOTC's VT by a good mile or so right now. And MapTools is free. Unless VT can beat MapTools in all areas, it will be beaten out by a superior AND free product, which would of course be an EPIC FAIL for WOTC.
As for CB, it has MANY flaws and issues right now. It is LESS than the product I had before, which rather rubs me the wrong way. I still use the install client version for my home campaign, with no plans to switch until the online version of CB is VASTLY improved from where it is now.
If the online CB is not greatly improved by the time my subscription expires in a couple of months, I will not be renewing. However, I would pick the DDI subscription up again if at some point in the future the online CB was improved enough to be equal to or better than the install client version.
As for CB, it has MANY flaws and issues right now. It is LESS than the product I had before, which rather rubs me the wrong way. I still use the install client version for my home campaign, with no plans to switch until the online version of CB is VASTLY improved from where it is now.
If the online CB is not greatly improved by the time my subscription expires in a couple of months, I will not be renewing. However, I would pick the DDI subscription up again if at some point in the future the online CB was improved enough to be equal to or better than the install client version.
This is exactly the way I feel, too.
(Except my subscription lapses in two weeks.)