Link to Official WotC FAQ
Where can I get the Character Builder Beta??
[indent]From the Character Builder Website.[/indent]
What is this .net I hear being talked about?
[indent].net is a background or framework upon which WotC has built the Character Builder tool. The latest version of .net is 3.5 SP1. You can get it here.[/indent]
I run Windows Vista 64, but can't get the CB to work.
elf;17220947 wrote:
There are only two choices right now for stat generation, either rolling randomly(and having to accept the stats where they lie), or the standard 22 point buy.
There should be an option to enter custom stats, as some campaigns either roll in person, use a nonstandard point buy, or some alternate method.
Just type them in. Click on the box and type in any number you want.
I'm asking because I have a Smashy Fighter who plans on stacking Iron Vanguard abilities, Dragonborn Arrogance, and a couple of other feats, then using Tide of Iron to push people around.
I realize the push is quite conditional, but that's the primary use of the power. If I can't push them, I might as well just use Cleave or something.
I haven't heard anything about a Mac version, but when your hardware makes up less than 1/20th of the computer world, it would make sense for them to focus on Windows, especially when Macs can run Windows now.
I have a PC Desktop which I enjoy the CB on, but it would be awesome if it would run on my MacBook Pro. No, I really don't want to install Windows on my Macbook just to run a hand full of Windows base programs.
I haven't heard anything about a Mac version, but when your hardware makes up less than 1/20th of the computer world, it would make sense for them to focus on Windows, especially when Macs can run Windows now.
1995 has gone. Cross-platform programming solutions abound (i.e., Java, Python, OpenGL) and there's no need to "focus" anymore. Look at PCGen in the open source or at World of Warcraft, just to name a small commercial game around these days. Solutions exist also to make native Windows software natively run on Mac OS X, like Transgaming's Cider Engine. To produce cross-platform software requires just a Will check today.
By the way, Mac presence is about 1/16 nowadays. I guess 1/5 of browsers visiting Wizards are called Firefox now and Wizards' Webmasters don't work just for Internet Explorer.
Anyway, I didn't read anywhere "Playing D&D requires Windows". Manuals are sold to anyone so, please, do the same for tools. Lack of support for Macs (and Linux too) today just spells out second-class developing capabilities and I don't expect that from a first-class vendor like Wizards.
lux
1995 has gone. Cross-platform programming solutions abound (i.e., Java, Python, OpenGL) and there's no need to "focus" anymore. Look at PCGen in the open source or at World of Warcraft, just to name a small commercial game around these days. Solutions exist also to make native Windows software natively run on Mac OS X, like Transgaming's Cider Engine. To produce cross-platform software requires just a Will check today.
By the way, Mac presence is about 1/16 nowadays. I guess 1/5 of browsers visiting Wizards are called Firefox now and Wizards' Webmasters don't work just for Internet Explorer.
Anyway, I didn't read anywhere "Playing D&D requires Windows". Manuals are sold to anyone so, please, do the same for tools. Lack of support for Macs (and Linux too) today just spells out second-class developing capabilities and I don't expect that from a first-class vendor like Wizards.
lux
this isn't the thread for this.
this isn't the thread for this.
You aren't the one who can say it, for that matter. Support for Mac was the topic.
lux
this isn't the thread for this.
Sure is, the FAQs that need to be answered are:
When will Character Builder be supported on OSX?
Why isn't the Character Builder supported on OSX?
and What kind of brain dead ninny decided to build the character builder as a desktop application instead of a web one in this day and age?
But to those who want to know what to do when WotC refuses to acknowledge the Mac, or linux users in who play D&D* stop paying for DDI and make it clear why you aren't in the feedback form when you disconnect your account. If they won't listen to your voice they may finally start listening to your money (and the lack there of.)
*Considering D&D appeals to geeks, who tend to be 1) more computer savvy, 2) more likely to be more then just windows users you would think they wouldn't make a bone head move like this, but on the other hand that whole knee-jerk idiocy with the pdfs....
All your questions have been answered in the hundreds of other OMGWTFNOMAC threads.
I'm a linux user primarily myself, so I'm also effected by this. I understand why the app is and will probably always be windows only, and Why it wasn't done as a webapp. MB, do you have that Elf quote on hand? I'm curious if mac should be addressed here or if we need a separate Mac/linux FAQ to answer all the possible questions.
I understand why the app is and will probably always be windows only, and Why it wasn't done as a webapp.
So I understand why it will probably always be windows only, that being they made a arbitrary decision to develop on a windows only platform, and not just a windows only platform, but the most recent release of said platform blocking even the few community efforts to make .net work on non-windows. Since that choice was made, and money spent to make it so, your right they are probably never going to rewrite it in a different language now. Too late, so sad... My question is why?
As for why is wasn't done as a webapp? Again I don't see a good reason why not, and actually it is possibly the only possible path forward at this point. As they could make an asp.net front end to the app and not have recode the whole damn thing.
MB, do you have that Elf quote on hand? I'm curious if mac should be addressed here or if we need a separate Mac/linux FAQ to answer all the possible questions.
It is something that will be put in the FAQ that is in development here.
And here is the elf quote:
This is from one of the (ex)-devs on DDI and macs:
I would have love to have done a mac version. I have a mac. I also have an iphone.
When I originally joined the project though I was given a 6 month time frame to full release, 3 months to beta, and by the way, that includes the time I could spend hiring a staff. Staff was, fortunately, hired in short order, and I was lucky to get some great people on the team. With the short schedule though we were making decisions between releasing it as a web app, or perhaps winforms. We mocked up a web app and it wasn't responsive enough, we mocked up a winforms prototype, and it was slow and lacked the ability to do all the things we wanted to do so we ported to WPF which set us back a week but was so worth it. We were able to do more things, have better control of the UI and development time was very fast.
Given the short schedule that we had it wouldn't have been reasonable to make a multi-platform version. Once we were done with the initial build I did cost out what it would take to make a mac version, as I think it is short sighted not to make one. The problem being that Wizards just doesn't have enough mac customers yet. They would need something like 10 times as many in order for it to break even, and that's not counting the fact that the majority of mac users can run windows apps in some sort of vm setup.
It's also entirely possible that by the time there are enough mac customers there will also be either native osx support for wpf, or some sort of rapid development tool for mac/iphone that could be trivially ported too. It's also possible that with the coming release of windows7 that XP will drop in price so much that it doesn't make sense not to have a copy running in a vm with your mac.
It is something that will be put in the FAQ that is in development here.
And here is the elf quote:We mocked up a web app and it wasn't responsive enough, we mocked up a winforms prototype, and it was slow and lacked the ability to do all the things we wanted to do so we ported to WPF which set us back a week but was so worth it.
This is from one of the (ex)-devs on DDI and macs:
So what he is saying is "We mocked up one window proprietary interface, it didn't work so well so we mocked up another windows proprietary interface?"
So the remained of his quote goes on to assume that customers should suck it up and pay 150 for windows just so they can run one piece of software (Or is Hasbro endorsing that we Pirate windows to keep costs down), or wait for Microsoft to build a CLR implementation for OSX? The later is naive, and the former is presumptuous.
At this point they could embrace creating an open API into their system, it would still require individual users to have subscriptions, but then allow third parties to build tools so that avid Mac/Linux users could just build their own tools.
to be specific as to why it wont port
so we ported to WPF which set us back a week but was so worth it.
WPF is a mono killer.
I was extremely distressed about your cancellation of Dragon & Dungeon magazines, but making D&D Insider unavailable to Mac users too...you won't be getting a dime from me.
A very disgruntled gamer of 30 years.
Darin
I'd also like to express my disappointment that the Character Builder is Windows only. It seems like WotC had some reasonable rationales behind making it the way they did, but at this point I can just hope that they'll take into account the wide success of the character builder (I DM for two groups of five, and everyone who has a windows is thrilled with the program), and try to get a conversion underway soon.
Aside from that issue, however, does anyone know of a way to either save character sheets as images or otherwise move them in a format that I can open and print from a separate computer?
Aside from that issue, however, does anyone know of a way to either save character sheets as images or otherwise move them in a format that I can open and print from a separate computer?
I use a mac, and im so i have not had the opportunity to use the builder. However, it is my experience that most operating platforms (including windows) allow printing to a file of some sort. My mac allows printing to a .pdf, which is basically an image of the file. Windows also support a .pdf format or similar though their document writer printer. Check your available printers in the drop down menu to see if you have access to it. These files are usually fairly small and should be easily transportable... most are small enough to even send in an e-mail attachment. Hope this helps.
Aside from that issue, however, does anyone know of a way to either save character sheets as images or otherwise move them in a format that I can open and print from a separate computer?
If you have as a "printer" a write to file program (such as PDF) you should be able to use that
as your printer.
Is there a way for the Character Builder to handle player-created and -edited powers?
Let's hope that this insipid question of mine draws attention away from the inferno rage of mac users.
I just recently switched from a Mac to a PC, and promptly downloaded and installed the character builder. I'm loving it so far, but I've started noticing that some of the feats and powers introduced in Dragon magazine articles aren't included in the lists on the character builder. I just installed the program this past weekend and downloaded last month's update as soon as i could. I know the next update is supposed to be released next week, but I'm curious - are the all the options introduced in the two magazines included in the character builder updates?
the dragon/dungeon content always makes it into the builder, but it's often delayed by a month or two.
'course, I tend to stray a bit away from Dragon Magazine content, as it tends to be immune to the wrathful hand that is errata.
Anyway, I added a pair of boots to the character's items and tried to "customize" it, but all I can do is change the name and add notes. There is no way for the item to have attributes added to it and reflected throughout the character sheet. I want it to add the +2 to all defenses as a misc +2 bonus.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but if there is no way to do this this is an tool that would be great to have as a DM.
Let me know what you guys think or what the deal is with custom items.
People keep insisting that it is NOT scrapped, but no one knows.
(Which to my ears sounds like something having been bricked up behind a wall in their basement and left to die - out of sight, out of mind)
Is it even featured/listed on the D&D page any longer?
Is there a way to install the character sheet viewer without the character builder? I Don't have access to a printer and would need to go through a community computer to print out pages.
What you need to do is get a print to PDF application like DoPDF. Then, select that application as your printer when you "print" you character sheet. You can then copy or send that PDF file (renaming it as necessary) wherever you need it and view it on any computer that has Acrobat Reader installed.
this isn't the thread for this.
Sure is, the FAQs that need to be answered are:
When will Character Builder be supported on OSX?
Why isn't the Character Builder supported on OSX?
and What kind of brain dead ninny decided to build the character builder as a desktop application instead of a web one in this day and age?
But to those who want to know what to do when WotC refuses to acknowledge the Mac, or linux users in who play D&D* stop paying for DDI and make it clear why you aren't in the feedback form when you disconnect your account. If they won't listen to your voice they may finally start listening to your money (and the lack there of.)
*Considering D&D appeals to geeks, who tend to be 1) more computer savvy, 2) more likely to be more then just windows users you would think they wouldn't make a bone head move like this, but on the other hand that whole knee-jerk idiocy with the pdfs....
START A MOVEMENT!!!!!!!!!
MACS RULE!!!!!!
GO MACS!!!!!!!!!
Or would that be too much work?
The best solution is for someone to build a character builder that does what WotC's doesn't-allowing users to actually add their own material. Something that can set simple flags like "You can't take X unless condition Y" is met, and then having a system where feats and skills and the like are defined as universal conditions. Of course, using the *actual game content* is still infringement, but I seem to recall that game rules can't be copyrighted-only the language used to describe them (wrap your head around that one).
Truthfully it matters not a whit to me as I use whatever tool is best for the job at hand instead of evangelizing any OS; all of them have their ups and downs. And because of this, no matter what platform they made it for, it would be just as easy for me to utilize it. I'm actually glad they didn't use a cross platform language, as unless those efforts are done correctly, they are usually made into lesser products in exchange. There are exceptions, but for the most part that's my experience. And I'm also glad they didn't make it a web app- it's very useful to be able to use it offline and I like having control of my data. But perhaps if someone who does care would actually make contact or do something instead of just talking, then I could respect that stance more than just being able to come here and type a few words and click a post button...
Well, that's entirely disrespectful to just assume that people who do care haven't tried contacting Wizards. I mean, don't you think people already have? Frankly, I don't use a Mac. I don't care about Mac support, and I agree that a multi-OS capable program would probably be a lot less powerful. All I'm saying is that your initial recommendation is entirely unrealistic. It doesn't make the complaints about not having Mac support any more valid. Especially since, if I recall, Microsoft runs on a Mac now, so you should be able to just install a Microsoft OS and then run the DDI builder under it. Though, that of course requires getting a legitimate installation of Microsoft...
In the end, it's completely ridiculous to berate the consumers for bellyaching about a product. That's what consumers do. Producers hear the rattling echoes of consumer opinion and, at least if they're savy, listen to it to decide what to produce. I think the push for Mac support is misguided-but if the movement is really *that significant* then that should be known-and, knowing that, Wizards can decide whether or not to produce a Mac OS supported program. My personal guess is that "it's more complicated than that" so that's not going to happen. But making the implication that the people who want Mac support just "aren't trying hard enough" is basically insulting. It's not their job to make their own programs-they don't have the time, skill, training, or resources to do so. There are people who do-and they have their own reasons for not making such a program.
Of course, there are any number of other slapped together programs out there on the web for 4E or any other game that's created to serve much the same purpose, and a simple web search can find them. But the thing that they lack is *direct access* to the proprietary content of WotC, so, they're at a disadvantage.
And it's in no way disrespectful. If someone contacted wizards and wizards said no- then stand up and say so, and the argument will not hold water. If no one has, and does so and wizards says no, let that be known too. But my right to bellyache about their bellyaching is just as valid as their right to bellyache, is it not?
Except my counter attack, of course, which is that you have a right to bitch about their bitching, and I have a right to bitch about your bitching about their bitching. Moreover, you really didn't address the issue of the consumer not being the programmer-especially since, hey, they're mac users!
As for the first issue, yes, it is an issue of semantics. When I use the word "crime" in this context I mean that it is an action in which one gets punished. It doesn't mean jailtime, and perhaps that just means that I'm using the word improperly-but discussing the improper usage of words is the core of semantics and, moreover, in this context, is a complete red herring.
But in any event, it's rather a silly thing to argue over.
Except my counter attack, of course, which is that you have a right to bitch about their bitching, and I have a right to bitch about your bitching about their bitching.
Hah. You narrowly escaped. Though I was going more for an OOTS type moment.
Moreover, you really didn't address the issue of the consumer not being the programmer-especially since, hey, they're mac users!
Didn't notice that... my counter to that is you don't have to know programming to gripe, but the adjunct to that is that you don't have to know programming to lead either.
As for the first issue, yes, it is an issue of semantics. When I use the word "crime" in this context I mean that it is an action in which one gets punished. It doesn't mean jailtime, and perhaps that just means that I'm using the word improperly-but discussing the improper usage of words is the core of semantics and, moreover, in this context, is a complete red herring.
Perhaps a red herring, but not a complete one, as anyone in prison for a crime (or suffering the after effects of being convicted of one) would agree, I'm sure.
But in any event, it's rather a silly thing to argue over.
On that, we can agree. And well played, sir.
Personally, I wish there was a resource that gathered all the non-player specific rules components. Things that are in neither the monster manual (covered in the Adventure Builder) or in powers/feats/gear (Character Builder). Like the changes to Dominate. There's gotta be an easier way to sort through those kind of changes.
That was the only reason I even downloaded the Character Builder.
That's the first I've ever heard of that term... what's the Character Visualizer?
VC was supposed to be exactly what the name implies. Instead of having generic pics for the Character Builder, you could use VC to make your own. However... see this thread: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/758...
Does it work? Or will it crash my PC >:-[ ????
Have tried to search on this fora but have not found any related question.
Has anybody tried the Character Builder on .NET 4 framework and Windows 7?
Does it work? Or will it crash my PC >:-[ ????
Have tried to search on this fora but have not found any related question.
Found some input on google and tried it myself. I installed .NET 4 updates and made sure I hade all other Windows 7 recommended updates - AND IT WORKED FINE
Was curious when it will updated with the psioninc powers material and dark sun
21st is the next update, which will presumably contain that information. There are a couple of threads with that information... just search.
I've downloaded Character Builder and it works fine when generating most things however I tried to create a wizard using a Tome as his implement and the option is not there to choose. Only the standard Wand, Ord and Staff are available.
Looking further into it I cannot use the Familiar feat either.
Help?!
Arcane power, which contains the tome implement was published in 2009.
~Blue
-DS
Was curious when it will updated with the psioninc powers material and dark sun
The October 12th update has Psionic powers, however there's nothing in there for Dark Sun. Any word on when Dark Sun materials will be included?
I"m having the same problem, I'm registered and subscribed, but it won't let me get the full version, only the beta.
~Blue
I'm registered and subscribed and can only get the beta - tried on two computers, but both windows 7 64 bit
I'm assuming there is only one CB edition (just one link on the tools page) -- the demo converts to the full CB when you plug in your subscription information doesn't it? If I need to download a different Character Builder, please provide a link to the full version.
Character Builder won't finish updating. I download what appears to be 100% of the October update but it won't actually finish.
I'm assuming there is only one CB edition (just one link on the tools page) -- the demo converts to the full CB when you plug in your subscription information doesn't it? If I need to download a different Character Builder, please provide a link to the full version.
Hopefully, by the time you've read this post, the online builder is working. Though at this point in time there isn't a link through the wizards site itself.
Posts on other forums would suggest this link will become active on the 16th (though in which GMT i'm unsure, as it's 4:16pm EST +10GMT and the 16th articles are out, but the link doesn't work):
www.wizards.com/dnd/launch.aspx?x=dnd/dn...
So, in answer to your question, there are three editions, the demo, the full and the online.
The demo may most likely not update to a full version as it had functions left out, not just data.
In addition, the last update was from september, all new data will be available only in the online builder.
If you're still ahving trouble updating the character builder after you've downloaded the full version install from (when logged in with a current subscription):
www.wizards.com/dnd/Tool.aspx?x=dnd/4new...
...then perhaps contact customer service, unless you can figure out there is a system issue (such as your HDD being full, of course that is just an extreme example of what could cause such an issue).