Reasoning: Back when DDI was first came out, part of the appeal was the possibility of a digital version of the character sheet that would allow us to visualize our characters, track things like HPs, conditions, etc. Severals of those promised tools have yet to see the light of day if they ever will. So with that void several developers have filled in the missing pieces with tools that utilize the DDI data. One that I currently use is iPlay4e.com. Without access to the data that tool will become much less useful.
Wizards, please continue to support the developers that have filled in where you have not been able or inclined to.
Please show your support by replying to this thread.
Thanks,
Fred
SUGGESTION: Go to the forums of the apps you use that also use this data and post a link to this Call to Action so more people will be aware of this request.
Copy this link: community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/7588...
iPlay4e has massive use in the community. I'm afraid, very afraid. Then again I never thought the original character builder would be as useful as it was, so willing to make a save vs. Panic.
-S
PLEASE add the ability to export characters ASAP!
-Z
iPlay4e as about 10,000 users. I am one of them who as played and supported D&D for over 13 years and right now iPlay4e is a critical tool allowing me to play with friends from afar. Please seriously consider having the export feature not only at launch but to offer a beta ahead of time so that developers like those who run iPlay4e can ensure our ability to play will not be interrupted.
Don't change what works, just improve it! retain support and updates for the offline version please!
As the DM, I always have everyone send me their updated CB files for import and use at each level. This was for both 1) use in CM and 2) so that if they forget to bring anything, I have their characters all on my laptop. But we don't always play at my house. So if we're at my buddy's who doesn't have any wireless access at his place and anyone needs access, we're screwed. Lastly at least 2 of my players consistently play their character FROM their netbook/laptops. So this now forces everyone to print, too.
It was bad enough to wait this long to get the updated information into the Builder, but OH what a mega, super, whopper bad idea to go this route and not make the data available offline.
Although I have read quite a bit and will see what happens with Nov 16th, I will throw my support in for continued development to things such as iplay4e, RPTools, Virtual Daivve, and more. The team might not be able to respond to this, but at the very least, I hope they read it.
We also use the ddi file to exchange with the DM for when we are unable to attend sessions. This eliminates the need for paper!
My entire DnD group uses iPlay4e to manage the campaign. When this goes into place, I (the DM) will no longer be able to look at their char sheets. I won't be able to keep a list of chars in my campaign. I won't be able to see their levels and gear. You will have added hours to the time it take every week to compute loot.
Furthermore, each and every person in my campaign will now have to have a laptop, with wireless internet, in front of them in order to play. There's no way to get the data out of the char builder. If one of my players has a tough month and can't afford the subscription, I have to kick him from the campaign. He can't 'just show up and play' because he won't have his char.
You have effectively killed the Char builder. It is 100% worthless without the ability to play offline. It is 80% worthless without the ability to integrate with third-party tools.
As it stands, you are charging me each month for nothing more than access to the books I have already paid for.
I do not feel that it must be included at launch, but I will be making a decision soon, and the announcement/lack of announcement on this point will strongly influence my decision whether or not to continue to buy the service.
Not only do I use iPlay4e heavily, but the two tools that I write (inCombat 4e and Shado's Sheet Generator) both use the same information. I know Masterplan and DnD4eCM also use them.
WHY?!? Why would you make your awesome program only usable if there is an internet connection??
I'm not terribly fond of being unable to use the character builder offline. Sometimes you're someplace that just doesn't have WiFi, or for whatever reason you don't have internet access.
Q: Can I export my character file to share with others?
A: While this feature won’t be available at launch, we understand that this is important to our players and are working on rolling this functionality out soon. For now, you can import your characters into the new tool, modify and save them to your subscription profile.
The third party tools that consume dnd4e files add to WotC's bottom line by adding value to a DDI subscription, usually at no additional charge. Allowing them to continue to operate will allow the value addition to continue.
In addition, providing data export functionality helps address the other major complaint: the lack of offline access. Tools such as i4e, future versions of iplay4e, etc. that function offline can immediately fill that gap if the data is accessible. Good luck getting Silverlight (which MS is dropping anyway) to pull that off.
As Bruenorg has pointed out, the FAQ does say that export functionality is forthcoming. I see this thread as a mechanism for increasing the priority of that function on WotC's roadmap.
Cheers,
Andrew Reutter
iPlay4e.com
According to the FAQ, they will be adding an export feature at some point:
Q: Can I export my character file to share with others?
A: While this feature won’t be available at launch, we understand that this is important to our players and are working on rolling this functionality out soon. For now, you can import your characters into the new tool, modify and save them to your subscription profile.
Bruenorg,
The purpose of this thread is to make them aware of the demand for this feature so it happens sooner rather than later. Do you remember that originally Wizards had planned the digital map/board feature? We don't want the same to happen to the export feature.
On a side note: Everyone go to the forums of the applications you use that run on the export data and post a link to this forum there so more people will be aware of this issue.
Thread link: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
Summary: Make Character Builder data available to other applications via export or API access
Reasoning: Back when DDI was first came out, part of the appeal was the possibility of a digital version of the character sheet that would allow us to visualize our characters, track things like HPs, conditions, etc. Severals of those promised tools have yet to see the light of day if they ever will. So with that void several developers have filled in the missing pieces with tools that utilize the DDI data. One that I currently use is iPlay4e.com. Without access to the data that tool will become much less useful.
Wizards, please continue to support the developers that have filled in where you have not been able or inclined to.
Please show your support by replying to this thread.
Thanks,
Fred
SUGGESTION: Go to the forums of the apps you use that also use this data and post a link to this Call to Action so more people will be aware of this request.
Copy this link: community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/7588...
Count me in. Kudos to WotC for making the builder with an architecture they should have used the first time round (web server hosted, browser based), brickbats for requiring Silverlight (but Flash would have been worse).
Please support community tools. iPlay4e is fantastic, and I would love to continue using it with the new tools
+1 and +4 from my players
2 of the members of my group still don't have internet setup at home (I know sad I must say) and it has taken this long to get them to sign up and get the cb which was a struggle worthy of battling the Tarrasque only to find out today that they still won't be able to make their DS characters unless they agree to keep their subscription going with this online tool (we play in a pub with no wifi btw which means we'll end up drinking and that's about it)
I and my 6 players all would like to see a way to use the Character Files with third party software (specifically Masterplan and Iplay4E).
For the moment, all we can do is continue to use the original CB without updates until they come up with an export function. I'll bet the export format, when/if it eventuates, will be different to the existing one, and all the 3rd party apps will have to be updated.
This could all be a plot to cut off the 3rd parties. I only wish WoTC would come up with their own combat and campaign managers. How hard can it be?
Shane
Also, having access to MY character info without having to have to have a connection to the internet is something I don't wish to lose.
Might have to go to hand doing my on character sheet again..not sure I want to have to rely on a 3rd party to have access to my PC info.
Well, another example of 'This is my first post on the boards to say...' in my case. I doubt it will prevent the 'Sorry, need online access and an active subscription to use the sheets you made while paid up' issue, but it would be something to have the Export option ASAP.
Of course, I'm also expecting any Export option to be a Web-Tools-Readable-Only file type as opposed to the old Forum Text export. Here's hoping I'm proven to be a paranoid moron.
According to the FAQ, they will be adding an export feature at some point:
Q: Can I export my character file to share with others?
A: While this feature won’t be available at launch, we understand that this is important to our players and are working on rolling this functionality out soon. For now, you can import your characters into the new tool, modify and save them to your subscription profile.
Considering that we have that option now, and it's possible they will take it away, even temporarily, that's just not acceptable in my eyes. You don't take away things that the users have now, in order to give them something shiny... that's just bad...
I emailed wizards about uploading custom character portraits with the online version. I do this with nearly every character as the ones provided by wizards currently don't allow for changes in the character looks (armour, scars, weapons, hair colour etc - where is the Character Visualizer?) Their responce was "I have no information on that feature, check back later".
That is poor customer service and gives insight on just how screwed up this online feature will be.
On a related note, my bank account will be better off without the yearly subscription fee unless offline mode is available.
Ironically, I'm in the camp that doesn't mind a web-based tool, as I'm already using web-based tools whenever I game. But if the web-based CB (wCB) doesn't provide the same export capability as the oCB, then it's useless for our needs (in the same way that the offline-only design of Gamma World pretty much isolated it from our group).
In the end, the design of the oCB provided the framework to change the way my friends and I gamed, first with its functionality, then through the community that formed to expand on those things that WotC chose not to develop. Now that we've fully embraced that community of applications (of which the CB is only one part), it makes it harder to adopt a feature-incomplete wCB.
Until an export function is added to the wCB, both to save files locally and to import into third-party applications, I'm pretty certain my gaming group can stick with the oCB.
Wizards made this decision for two main reasons:
They intend to make the files non-exportable so we have to keep our subscription up to date or be unable to access our character files, and of course they destroy them completely if we don’t subscribe for a while.
They are making the builder online only to stop Torrents of stolen character builder updates from reducing sales. unfortunately this makes the builder horribly less useful.
Well I have been in insider subscriber from the beginning and I'm cancelling my subscription in protest.
I understand it seemed like a good business move WOTC but your going to lose more money from angry previously loyal customers leaving then you'll ever make back with this underhanded move.
Yes, please!
The third party tools that consume dnd4e files add to WotC's bottom line by adding value to a DDI subscription, usually at no additional charge. Allowing them to continue to operate will allow the value addition to continue.
In addition, providing data export functionality helps address the other major complaint: the lack of offline access. Tools such as i4e, future versions of iplay4e, etc. that function offline can immediately fill that gap if the data is accessible. Good luck getting Silverlight (which MS is dropping anyway) to pull that off.
As Bruenorg has pointed out, the FAQ does say that export functionality is forthcoming. I see this thread as a mechanism for increasing the priority of that function on WotC's roadmap.
Cheers,
Andrew Reutter
iPlay4e.com
There is no need to bump it up further, otherwise it will poke a hole in the ceiling
On the other hand, could all 3rd party devs reading this thread send me a pm?
At least the datafile for i4e and the likes is an absolute must. Otherwise it is a useless tool to me, as I only use it to efficiently prepare my entries to be rule-conforming and the move them to 3rd party tools for use during play.
I love them all, don't make me choose!
PS: It's bad enough I can't make dark sun or essentials characters on the train, or in my lunch break (25 hours of my working week when I am alone to prep) and makes me less inclined to buy the new books...at least let me keep using these third party tools to prep/play the game!
I have been a subscriber from the beginning and even bought a subscription for years in advance because the Character Builder was so great.
My subscription still runs until 11/2011 but I have cancelled the auto-renew and we'll see how it goes.
Without usable export or any way to use my characters on my iPad (which I mainly bought for gaming) DDI is useless to me.
I think that this is the only thread that i have ever seen in which virtually every single poster is a D&DI subscriber.
It is amazing to me that a product was even considered that did not offer 'export' functionality at some level.
How did this get past the Design Phase? I was taught that the earlier you add a feature the cheaper the feature is--excluding testing costs, which are the majority of the costs. If every user that I know wants this feature, and this feature did not get in, there is something wrong in the Design phase. Seriously wrong. Design review is in order.
And I have a sense that it is going to get worse.
This thread and other like it are based on a feature list and some screen shots. We do not have access to the technical docs to review perhaps these should be released to the community for comment? For example, simple stuff like the four build choices should be striker, defender, leader, controller and not Damage, Defense, Control, and Healing could be easily spotted. More technical stuff would also likely benefit from a community review process.
Where is the public beta of this? on 11/17/10 these new servers are going to see more traffic then they will ever see for the rest of their lives. As far as I can tell there is no public review of the system going on right now--so every single issue discovered will be a new issue and require all of the documentation, triage, reporting, and escalation that new issues entail.
I shudder to think about the poor help desk.
Earlier someone asked about developers currently working with exports, I am a developer working an a tool which uses the .dnd4e file--basically, I wrote it originally to see what my party was doing when they leveled up [so it is really just a glorified difference engine], but I have added a few other features--the ability to alert when a character uses a power for the first time so that I can add some flavor text for the rest of the party. I can live without this tool, I am just surprised that i will have to. Thanks, David S.
I'd also like to request a exporting feature. I don't have a printer at home and work strictly prevents the downloading and installation of new programs (ie Silverlight). I would very much like to be able to create characters at home and convert them to PDFs so I can print at work.
Install a PDF print driver (I use Primo PDF on my home PC) and you should be good to go. I print all my players character sheets to PDF and email them. They still get printed the old fashioned way for use at the table.
With this version of the CB, I can use my Mac to build/maintain characters and it has built in 'print to PDF' capabilities.
TMan
Aye. Locking my char away where I can never get to it is entirely unacceptable.
My entire DnD group uses iPlay4e to manage the campaign. When this goes into place, I (the DM) will no longer be able to look at their char sheets. I won't be able to keep a list of chars in my campaign. I won't be able to see their levels and gear. You will have added hours to the time it take every week to compute loot.
Furthermore, each and every person in my campaign will now have to have a laptop, with wireless internet, in front of them in order to play. There's no way to get the data out of the char builder. If one of my players has a tough month and can't afford the subscription, I have to kick him from the campaign. He can't 'just show up and play' because he won't have his char.
You have effectively killed the Char builder. It is 100% worthless without the ability to play offline. It is 80% worthless without the ability to integrate with third-party tools.
As it stands, you are charging me each month for nothing more than access to the books I have already paid for.
Come on, really?
* I keep my player's characters in PDF form on my iPad just fine (using a print to PDF print driver).
* Your players can use this wonderful new technology call printing to have their characters at the table. Gotta track hit points, and stuff? May I suggest 3X5 cards?
* You can't keep track of your characters equipment without a computerized system? Why not just print the 2nd page of each character and keep that around? Or you know, those 3X5 cards again. (They sell them in packs of hundreds for a couple of bucks.)
Look, I understand what you're asking for and I agree. But don't undermine your own credibility with hyperbole.
TMan
A friend of mine came up with an idea...
Why not make the program like some games are today? You can have an offline-web based program that requires you to have an internet connection in order to log into it and after that you can work offline... it's not a perfect idea but it sure as hell beats the idea of having to rely on servers somewhere in Far-Far-Away... plus it will reduce load on the actual servers...
and lets say the computer hangs and you have to reboot... why not make it so that when you log in you get a 12 digit HEX code that will allow you to log in offline like 2 or 3 times without having to use a connection? That code would then be registered in the database of the program for like 10 hours before it expires? Sort of like an "Authenticator" but with many more possible code combinations.
With this idea one could log in on a laptop at home, get a code, drive to the place where you play and use the builder there, if the laptop either hangs or you don't put it in sleep mode and shut it off, you could still use it as long as the code is active.
Not holding my breath though.
track record for not delivering things speaks against them. I don't like my character on their servers
so that when they are down for any reason I can't gain access to it. I also think that Wotc should
allow those of us whose subscriptions just came up before this announcement the right to go back
and cancel and get our money back. I would not have continued my subscription under these
circumstances.
A couple of points I'd like to make:
- At this point, suggestions to change too much of the work they've done will either make it take longer to get the new content out or just be ignored.
- Think about WOTC's needs as well as your own. They need to keep us happy and make money.
- I suggest that instead of telling them HOW to fix the problem, let them know what functionality we want and let them figure out the best way to meet those requests.
My list:
- Automated character creation.
- Offline use of the data associated with my characters for use at the table where no network is available.
- Ability to use the latest new content.
Also, in response to some of the suggestions that we go back to paper: If some of us have decided to start using computers, netbooks, phones and other digital devices to aid us at the table, why prevent that? Another reason to support digital: wouldn't it be good if the DnD community was perceived as a Green group? Digital = less consumption & waste (paper, toner, pens)
To all the devs that contacted me via PM, could you PM me your email address?
Thanks!
I use the iPad with iplay4e for all my 4ed playing and I am really angry about this decision to take that away.
I have been a subscriber from the beginning and even bought a subscription for years in advance because the Character Builder was so great.
My subscription still runs until 11/2011 but I have cancelled the auto-renew and we'll see how it goes.
Without usable export or any way to use my characters on my iPad (which I mainly bought for gaming) DDI is useless to me.
Man ! You bought a 800$+ tablet only to play DnD !! Please if you cancel your subscription and then don't use anymore your iPAD I would gladly take it (for free... or even at discount since its used) ! They're is so much MORE to do with an iPAD other than play DnD !!!
Personnally I don't use iplay4e... we use MSN with webcams. So the only need for us is to be able to open multiple instance of the nCB to update characters. Otherwise, we use pen to track everything. My only fear is Internet shutdown during play (which would abort play since webcams would shutdown) or WotC server shutdown during play, which would hinder gaming and prevent to make updates effectively.
Maybe an Export with Viewer may be a solution to a fast offline alternative...
Will we be able to use our custom portraits ? Custom equipment ? (blank cards)
I use the iPad with iplay4e for all my 4ed playing and I am really angry about this decision to take that away.
I have been a subscriber from the beginning and even bought a subscription for years in advance because the Character Builder was so great.
My subscription still runs until 11/2011 but I have cancelled the auto-renew and we'll see how it goes.
Without usable export or any way to use my characters on my iPad (which I mainly bought for gaming) DDI is useless to me.
Man ! You bought a 800$+ tablet only to play DnD !! Please if you cancel your subscription and then don't use anymore your iPAD I would gladly take it (for free... or even at discount since its used) ! They're is so much MORE to do with an iPAD other than play DnD !!!
Personnally I don't use iplay4e... we use MSN with webcams. So the only need for us is to be able to open multiple instance of the nCB to update characters. Otherwise, we use pen to track everything. My only fear is Internet shutdown during play (which would abort play since webcams would shutdown) or WotC server shutdown during play, which would hinder gaming and prevent to make updates effectively.
Maybe an Export with Viewer may be a solution to a fast offline alternative...
Will we be able to use our custom portraits ? Custom equipment ? (blank cards)
Erm, I'm pretty sure he said that DDI is not useful to him, not that the iPad is not useful to him. Less exaggeration and judgment on people's purchasing decisions and more focus on D&D tool features and accessibility seem like it might be a bit more productive.
Otherwise, would gaming groups just gravitate towards a single account to effectively share character sheets? I suspect this is the opposite of what they really want.
If they plan to block this type of usage from a group. Then I should reconcider and only keep the oCB ! With the oCB we had 5 updates, and we only used 3, which was the number of computers around the table and on the webcam.
Dungeons and Dragons has always been at its core a community driven game. To try and cut out the community by keeping all files in house and not letting them out is bad. As stated previously in this thread allowing and even supporting the developers of third party software can only improve the demand for more product from WOTC.
I and my 14 players ( I run 4 campaigns including various community kids) all would like to see a way to use the Character Files with third party software (specifically Iplay4E, In-Combat, dragon Player, and Masterplan).
Summary: Make Character Builder data available to other applications via export or API access
Reasoning: Back when DDI was first came out, part of the appeal was the possibility of a digital version of the character sheet that would allow us to visualize our characters, track things like HPs, conditions, etc. Severals of those promised tools have yet to see the light of day if they ever will. So with that void several developers have filled in the missing pieces with tools that utilize the DDI data. One that I currently use is iPlay4e.com. Without access to the data that tool will become much less useful.
Wizards, please continue to support the developers that have filled in where you have not been able or inclined to.
Please show your support by replying to this thread.
Thanks,
Fred
SUGGESTION: Go to the forums of the apps you use that also use this data and post a link to this Call to Action so more people will be aware of this request.
Copy this link: community.wizards.com/go/post/reply/7588...
I love iPlay4e and as a DM, I use it for NPCs, and I have 1 player that uses it on his iPad at the game table.
We'd like to move to the new CB, but won't be able to until we can move our characters into iPlay4e for our games!
Please implement the export feature!
Thanks!
Sent from my iPad
Without it, I have to needlessly print a new sheet every session.
Please release an export feature as soon as possible.
FYI, the FAQ also says that it's in the works.
I find it amusing that even AFTER a WotC employee states that they ARE going to introduce an export function (using the .dnd4e format, no less), people still act as if they need to badger them into doing it.
FYI, the FAQ also says that it's in the works.
The original intent wasn't to badger them. It was just to give them a gauge on how important the community feels this feature is so that it can either be incorporated on release or very soon after that.
Fred
The original intent wasn't to badger them. It was just to give them a gauge on how important the community feels this feature is so that it can either be incorporated on release or very soon after that.
Fred
Oh, I understand that. But they've stated, about three pages back in this thread no less, that export IS coming. In fact, I believe they've stated it's pretty much their top priority as far as new features goes. The part that amuses me is that I don't recall even ONE post reacting to that, meaning pretty much NO ONE noticed. :P
Also, at this point in time, it's FAR too close to release to be able to get export in for launch, at least without delaying it further. I'd rather have the new CB without export for a month than to have to wait another indeterminate amount of time before I can build an Essentials character without having to resort to the old-fashioned method.
The old CB works.
The new CB is untested. The likelihood of it being bug-free (and load-ready) while they work on export is .. frankly low. So what's likely to happen is that it's released and then there's a flood of "it's not working right" and so those bugs get higher priority than the export feature until they're fixed..
Just sayin'..
That said - I have nothing inherently against an online web-app to create characters with. The only thing I have a problem with is the online-only storage of characters.
Export is important - I hope it happens first.
Thanks to those of you mentioning iplay4e. Never heard of it before. I've had a quick look and am quite impressed with what I've seen (shame my HTC HD2 is being too lame to display the mobile view character page). I have a feeling that it will probably feature quite highly in my future gaming sessions...
I do find it encouraging though that Paolo Marcucci is asking to speak to the 3rd party devs. This hints to me that there could be some co-operation between the teams on the matter of the export of the character data. I hope that my optimism isn't unfounded.
I do find it encouraging though that Paolo Marcucci is asking to speak to the 3rd party devs. This hints to me that there could be some co-operation between the teams on the matter of the export of the character data. I hope that my optimism isn't unfounded.
I agree. This could be a very positive sign. Perhaps WOTC is soliciting input on what is the most useful compromise for all concerned parties. Here's to hoping.
But letting the devs hear exactly what we want the export for and why helps them shape business/technical decisions in the future. I don't suppose an army of +1s makes much difference at this point, but the more details they have about how we use the export, the better job they can do formatting it for use.
Hopefully we hear something soon, and I'm excited at the prospect that they had the foresight to include better web services from the beginning this time around. Exporting to a .dnd4e file like they had before is really a bare minimum, it would allow for things to continue more or less how they are, but it could be so much better.
Mike
Hopefully we hear something soon, and I'm excited at the prospect that they had the foresight to include better web services from the beginning this time around. Exporting to a .dnd4e file like they had before is really a bare minimum, it would allow for things to continue more or less how they are, but it could be so much better.
Mike
Right. Export of dnd4e data should be step one, to get us back where we were with the old tool. An API for retrieving dnd4e data from a URL would be the next step - it would be straightforward and provide almost everything we could desire. Authentication/authorization would be the only complication.
An API for retrieving dnd4e data from a URL would be the next step - it would be straightforward and provide almost everything we could desire. Authentication/authorization would be the only complication.
Andrew,
I know you leverage Google's authentication services for iPlay4e.
Is there any reason that WOTC couldn't or wouldn't want to do the same?
Fred
What seems more likely is WotC allowing 3rd party services to use Wizard's sign on in a similar way. It looks like they use a cookie for authentication now, so they'd have to explicitly open it up the way Google did.
As for why they might not want to, I suppose they might be worried about user confusion leading people to think iPlay4e was made by Wizards. I think some well-worded bounce pages could mitigate that, but I they may be concerned about it.
/begin{dreaming}
Imagine clicking 'Link to Wizards' from the iPlay4e char page. It takes you to the Wizards SSO page where you log in. That redirects you back to iPlay4e where you now have an 'Add Char From Wizards' button. You click it and select one of your chars from the Wizards Cloud to import. Once imported, you'd be able to easily update basic values like Gold and XP and save them back to the Wizards Cloud. Likewise, with a single click, you'd be able to go directly to the Char Builder from iPlay4e. Perhaps even in an iframe like the compendium. Updating your char there would immediately be synced across to iPlay4e.
/end{dreaming}
Of course, the hundredth part of a hundredth of that would be awesome, too!
Of course, the hundredth part of a hundredth of that would be awesome, too!
I would ten thousand fold prefer to have an offline CB that has a button that I click to log into DDI and post my characters to the "cloud".
Sadly, that's a dream, too.
Maybe I should go back to plan a and keep working on converting the Dark Sun setting to Fantasy HERO.
As the DM, I have everyone send me their updated CB files for import each time they level up. Several players use their iplay4e accounts to run their player on their laptops as well. Please do not do away with the export feature of the character builder.
Definitely +1!!!
Additionally we do occasionally play in places without internet connections so we're back to taking notes and making updates later? That seems like taking a giant step back to the 1990s albeit with a better front end I'm sure.
Finally, and this is a pet peeve of mine, "No need to save Character Builder files on your hard drive anymore." Was this a huge problem? Really was anyone having trouble managing these files? They seemed simple and small enough to me.
I guess this is fine and dandy, and I guess we can still share the account to create characters, and I guess we can even print those characters to pdf and have a non-interactive version while we play.
That said, I really hope that there's going to be some way to have exported characters and some sort of interactive character sheet viewer. Quite frankly, the CB was worth the price of DDI all on its own. It was a tool that my entire group can have access to, the entire group used every game, and the entire group was willing to pitch in for DDI. Now, I think none of that is true.
I really urge you guys to take my suggestion to heart. It really makes me question if the rest of DDI is worth it now that we've lost the utility that made us sign up in the first place. Quite honestly, it doesn't seem like it.
honestly are you guys so absolutly dependig on the PC that you forgott to use a pen?
seariosly
after reading some of the posts i start wondering why D&D is called a pen and paper
honestly are you guys so absolutly dependig on the PC that you forgott to use a pen?
seariosly
How is this helpful or adding anything of worth to this conversation. If you prefer to print your character (which costs money to print) then you are welcome to it. Some prefer not to for our own reasons. Besides the main draw for programs such as Masterplan and IPlay4E is not as much the character sheet alone but it is the info available to the DM while planning and running that those tools offer.
My reason is simply that I can carry all my characters with me anywhere with one device and not have to worry about not having something. I remember when I played 2nd and 3rd ed and the stacks of notebooks with character sheets filling them to the brim. Not only did I constantly have to replace the pages as erasing made commonly used areas illegible after time, but it was a hassle if you forgot a page. I find this way more economical and better for my wallet.
I just say, that in times like now where peopl spend so much time with the PC it acualy a releve using your hand and write on paper.
our group has actualy banned any pc from the game table.
I mean not long a go every one whos wining that 4e is like WoW becose of all the PC stuff, that it would hinder creativity and does not allow role play. and now every body seems to screem for exaktly that staff.
I haven't read the entire thread, but this is important to the community. All the other issues aside, they need to actually take our feedback for once.
Well its ok when peopl want to use tools like iplay4e and such, and asking WotC shure does not hurt.
I just say, that in times like now where peopl spend so much time with the PC it acualy a releve using your hand and write on paper.
our group has actualy banned any pc from the game table.
I mean not long a go every one whos wining that 4e is like WoW becose of all the PC stuff, that it would hinder creativity and does not allow role play. and now every body seems to screem for exaktly that staff.
The problem is...the big BIG draw most people have for character builder..isn't the fact it makes a character for you. It's the fact that it gives a good spot to gain access to your character, and allows one to use programs that display character information in a way they find it easily accessable.
Ontop of that remember, people here arn't saying they are quitting D&D..just that they are going to stop using the Character Builder and get rid of their subscription to the CB.
This is why people are posting. If wizards alters CB to the point that ALL of the benefit they got from the CB is completely gone..that is truely portable character viewing. And they are going to need to bring along a paper copy anyway..
Why not drop the CB altogether and just handwrite it. Or home create a printable sheet that has the info in a useful manner?
As for the game being too much like wow...that has little relation to the electronic aspects..and much more to the feel of the game.
... could all 3rd party devs reading this thread send me a pm?
This is a good opportunity for you 3rd party devs, contact PaoloM ASAP!
Best Regards,
Fred
Hey guys, you may want to hit up the podcast, particularly around 24:22 where the lead of the digital products team comes on and explains the whole reason for the shift to an online CB.
I love how they seem to think I want this app on my mobile phone..... So to get my character builder I need to get a new phone, a new data package plan, and then if I get reception I can use the CB. Who the hell does their research?
Things like "what we've chosen works on technology as sustainable in our building and that's where we started" does not inspire confidence in their abilities or product. Comments like "there are a lot of reasons why the character builder wasn't working for us" just shows that this change was not done for customers but for WotC alone.
I like it how he sounds surprised at the amount of piracy on the internet there is, it sounds like he was just exposed to the internet.
I feel sad for WotC there is no need to be this greedy over a game. So many nice people willing to program for free or donation and so much unwillingness by this company to let it happen. Greedy greedy greedy.
This is becoming less like a game and more like my workplace.
I would like to follow any 3rd party development of a charcter building tool so please let the community (me) know if anyone starts developing something, there is no way this incarnation of the CB will work for me or my group.
Thanks
Warren LaFrannce
media.wizards.com/downloads/dnd/Characte...
as a side note i was able to get the excaped slave theme to load just fine with all it fluff and crunch in the old cb, so add to the list of lies that the old cb couldent support themes
it not olny supports them but has the data for them loaded as of the last update.
o and u can use the old cb sheats now to =) just copy the info in the debug tab and make a new dnd4 file and load that with the old cb.
use this for the debug tab
vecna.wizards.com/
The real benefit seems to be that D&DI subscribers who would subscribe for a month, get hte update, and then shut off their subscription for a few more months, then turn it back on, now have no access to the builder.
I use the iplay4e site all the time and need this capability. So far I've had to continue using the stand alone application. What the heck is happening with this feature? It's been months and it's still listed on the FAQ page ( wizards.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wizards.cfg... ) where they claim they know how important it is, yet no such functionality has been implemented yet. I've just renewed my ddi subscription, but if this doesn't materialize soon it will be the last time I renew.
LOL! Thanks! I have just been launching the online character builder, and looking for an export button. When I didn't see one I just closed the thing again in disgust and went back to the old app. For some reason it didn't occur to me that I should look under the 'LOAD' screen for EXPORT. Silly me.
LOL! Thanks! I have just been launching the online character builder, and looking for an export button. When I didn't see one I just closed the thing again in disgust and went back to the old app. For some reason it didn't occur to me that I should look under the 'LOAD' screen for EXPORT. Silly me.
Totally understandable. They didn't think it through that well.
Enjoy using export with iplay4e