http://www.enworld.org/
How the heck can an incomplete product win? WOTC has not come out all the orginal tools? It should not have even been nominated.
I just saw on ENworld that DDi won for best aid or accessory.
http://www.enworld.org/
How the heck can an incomplete product win? WOTC has not come out all the orginal tools? It should not have even been nominated.
Because DDi is really really useful. Evaluated on what is out right now, DDi is an incredible accessory to 4e.
The stupid whine about incomplete shows that you are just trolling. All products are incomplete. Is Dragon incomplete because next year there will be 12 new issues of it? Yes, there are niches for new products to be added. But what you are doing here is just out and out trolling.
I just saw on ENworld that DDi won for best aid or accessory.
http://www.enworld.org/
How the heck can an incomplete product win? WOTC has not come out all the orginal tools? It should not have even been nominated.
Because it was probably being judged on what was available now and not on what will or will not come out in the future.
Really, is it that surprising that the non-vocal majority might actually be finding DDI useful?
How the heck can an incomplete product win? WOTC has not come out all the orginal tools? It should not have even been nominated.
How is it not complete? There is a complete Character Builder, a complete Monster Builder, a complete set of two magazines that have been produced reliably for over a year now, and a complete searchable database of all rules elements released to date.
Yes, features were cut before release, and may be added in the future. That doesn't mean the product isn't complete. Assigning words like "complete" or "incomplete" to a product that is in constant development as a subscription-based service is nonsense anyway.
Stop being bitter. D&D Insider deserved this win. I don't think any aid or accessory has ever had this much utility for an RPG. This year, or any other.
How the heck can an incomplete product win? WOTC has not come out all the orginal tools? It should not have even been nominated.
Because Ennies voting is a popularity contest and WotC produced something popular. You can blame me for voting for it, if it will make you feel better.
Because DDi is really really useful. Evaluated on what is out right now, DDi is an incredible accessory to 4e.
The stupid whine about incomplete shows that you are just trolling. All products are incomplete. Is Dragon incomplete because next year there will be 12 new issues of it? Yes, there are niches for new products to be added. But what you are doing here is just out and out trolling.
Please do not feed the trolls
Thanks WotC
it has various issues, like broken promises, a price higher than it should be if you use just parts of it, compatibility issues (no native support except for windows), and lots of other stuff the CB is still missing that PCGEN offered already years ago.
still, the tools are good, and if you use more than just the CB, DDI might not be as overprized as i feel it to be.
It's made running my own game infinitely easier, and is worth the cost for me.
If I were just playing, I'd really only get use out of character builder, and even then it would be a hassle for me to constantly be checking the source of every character element to make sure my DM was allowing it (unless my DM also had the builder and had prepared a campaign restrictions file for me). I wouldn't know what dragon articles were or weren't allowed for use, and if my dm didn't have ddi the answer would likely be 'none'.
Honestly, if I were a player, I'd probably get better use out of buying a ddi subscription for my dm then I would out of subscribing myself.
Honestly, if I were a player, I'd probably get better use out of buying a ddi subscription for my dm then I would out of subscribing myself.
this is a good summary of my feeling towards the usability of DDI.
That said, it has its fans, and they voted. And despite being decidedly unfinished versus the original sky-high promises, it's useful if you play 4e a lot. Just not for anyone else. *shrugs*
And because it needs to be said, I found it incredibly amusing and ironic that the workstations they had at GenCon here this year were all Macs, which they aren't supporting the DDI on.
That said, it has its fans, and they voted. And despite being decidedly unfinished versus the original sky-high promises, it's useful if you play 4e a lot. Just not for anyone else. *shrugs*
Why would it need to be useful to someone not playing 4E?
Maybe because if people not playing 4e find it useful anyway they might decide to pay WotC some money? Unfortunately it's the tools currently not being worked on (visualizer and game table) that are most likely to attract non-4e players though.
But the table would have only worked for 4E. No it wouldn't enforce the rules, but it looked to have a combat tracker, which means 4E monsters, 4E characters, and so on.
And the visualizer was tied to the game table so you could have a customized mini to represent your character.
People who aren't playing 4E can still be attracted by the tools they do have, as they really do make it easier to play the game. The Character builder makes it easier to understand your options. As we get more DM tools, it will encourage more people to DM. Always a need to be filled.
But the table would have only worked for 4E. No it wouldn't enforce the rules, but it looked to have a combat tracker, which means 4E monsters, 4E characters, and so on.
And the visualizer was tied to the game table so you could have a customized mini to represent your character.
Because the table was indicated to have no rules enforcement there was no reason to believe it would be any less useful for other versions of D&D including 3.5 and Pathfinder. Nothing indicated you would need any 4e rules to use the table, all demonstrations showed you would simply be moving a figure around the grid.
Because the table was indicated to have no rules enforcement there was no reason to believe it would be any less useful for other versions of D&D including 3.5 and Pathfinder. Nothing indicated you would need any 4e rules to use the table, all demonstrations showed you would simply be moving a figure around the grid.
A combat manager, would mean it would at least need to use 4E information. There were demonstrations that showed keeping track of hit points, being blooded, conditions, which are all 4E game mechanics.
And because it needs to be said, I found it incredibly amusing and ironic that the workstations they had at GenCon here this year were all Macs, which they aren't supporting the DDI on.
As someone who was working in the Sagamore Ballroom, where there were 6 DDI stations - they were IBM computers. I plugged USB drives into them enough times to meet our RPGA printing needs enough time that I know this beyond debate.
I didn't look that closely at what was in the WotC booth in the Exhibit Hall, but I'm pretty sure I saw the same chassis down there as well. They may well have had Apple monitors however. I, again, didn't look that close in the booth.
Because the table was indicated to have no rules enforcement there was no reason to believe it would be any less useful for other versions of D&D including 3.5 and Pathfinder. Nothing indicated you would need any 4e rules to use the table, all demonstrations showed you would simply be moving a figure around the grid.
A combat manager, would mean it would at least need to use 4E information. There were demonstrations that showed keeping track of hit points, being blooded, conditions, which are all 4E game mechanics.
Right, it's important to differentiate here.
The Game table, indeed, has no adjudication built-in - but that (more or less) boils down to, they're not going to try and cram ever possible reason why you may or may not have this bonus/penalty to hit and have the game table replace a DM or over-rule the DM on what's going on.
However, part of the Game Table (from what was shown a year ago - remember plans can/do change) does include what Dane is calling a Combat Manager. A system to assist the DM and players in knowing what's going on, who's under what effects, and assisting in tracking things like hit points.
The Game Table won't know if you're allowed to shift 4 because of a special power - that's up to you and the GM to adjudicate, but it WILL help you count the number of squares you're moving.
It's a subtle, but important difference.
A combat manager, would mean it would at least need to use 4E information. There were demonstrations that showed keeping track of hit points, being blooded, conditions, which are all 4E game mechanics.
I understand what you mean now. However, based on what I've seen, I don't believe a group would suffer from choosing not to use those options. Moot point of course because we're discussing a tool that doesn't exist and isn't in development.
And because it needs to be said, I found it incredibly amusing and ironic that the workstations they had at GenCon here this year were all Macs, which they aren't supporting the DDI on.
Edit: Oops! WS beat me to this. That'll teach me to post before reading the whole thread. But it does make me more curious where you saw macs at?
Yeah, there are some functions that were promised originally that they don't have, and I can't say I am happy about that, but I DO get a lot of use out of what they have so far. The magazines are far better than I expected, the CB is useful and the MB looks to be pretty good as well (though since I cycle through games every few months, my D&D game is currently on hiatus, so I haven't gotten a chance to try it "in the field" so to speak). All that means is the the DDI we have isn't the same as the DDI we thought we were going to have. But its still useful, so I can't **** too much.
Really? When/Where did you see this? When I was at the Char Builder station, I saw PC towers. Still amusingly ironic.
Edit: Oops! WS beat me to this. That'll teach me to post before reading the whole thread. But it does make me more curious where you saw macs at?
They had macs in the dealers hall at the WotC booth. They looked like Macs to me, and one of the folks standing there to do demos said they were macs (albeit jury-rigged to run XP).
I understand what you mean now. However, based on what I've seen, I don't believe a group would suffer from choosing not to use those options. Moot point of course because we're discussing a tool that doesn't exist and isn't in development.
I agree, that those features don't have to be used.
BUT how long do you think a paying customer, not playing 4E, using WoTC's game table, is going to like the fact it combat manager feature won't support other game systems?
I agree, that those features don't have to be used.
BUT how long do you think a paying customer, not playing 4E, using WoTC's game table, is going to like the fact it combat manager feature won't support other game systems?
well, actually, tracking initiative, hitpoints, and conditions, is not unknown of in other systems. 3.5e might not have the exact same effects happen on those, but you can be blind or deaf there as well.
so: any d&d system will probably be fine as long as it has the basic d20+x = my result as premise. actually, any system that is doing combat in rounds and needs a grid will be fine.
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btw @ shemeska: most folks over at wotc own and use macs rather than PCs. I remember back then, when it was announced that the game table was to be windows only, there was one thread here called "Randy Buehler cannot use the gametable!" .... because obviously, as he stated in one article, he uses a mac....
And because it needs to be said, I found it incredibly amusing and ironic that the workstations they had at GenCon here this year were all Macs, which they aren't supporting the DDI on.
This isn't exactly true. I was at GenCon - if you stopped by the D&D section of the Wizards booth you probably saw me on crutches. All our stations there and in sagamore ballroom were PC. We had a Mac workstation near the front for twitter feeds and other media stuff however. I also didn't get to the other magic specific area because of the knee, so maybe there were more Macs there ::shrug::
Regardless, we have Macs and PCs in the office and use both so, while we haven't developed the software to work on both, it shouldn't be surprising to see a company like ours use both.
btw @ shemeska: most folks over at wotc own and use macs rather than PCs. I remember back then, when it was announced that the game table was to be windows only, there was one thread here called "Randy Buehler cannot use the gametable!" .... because obviously, as he stated in one article, he uses a mac....
I'm not sure exactly where you guys are getting this stuff, but really - I don't think it's true. I'm relatively certain our PCs outnumber our Macs, but I've never done a count. As for outside the office, can't really comment on that one as I have no clue - One of each in my household though.
This isn't exactly true. I was at GenCon - if you stopped by the D&D section of the Wizards booth you probably saw me on crutches. All our stations there and in sagamore ballroom were PC. We had a Mac workstation near the front for twitter feeds and other media stuff however. I also didn't get to the other magic specific area because of the knee, so maybe there were more Macs there ::shrug::
Regardless, we have Macs and PCs in the office and use both so, while we haven't developed the software to work on both, it shouldn't be surprising to see a company like ours use both.
I'm not sure exactly where you guys are getting this stuff, but really - I don't think it's true. I'm relatively certain our PCs outnumber our Macs, but I've never done a count. As for outside the office, can't really comment on that one as I have no clue - One of each in my household though.
If you are like most publishing companies, your design and page production computers are Macs. Editorial and everything non-graphic design/art/page production is probably a PC.
Now, the big question. Do you use InDesign, or still stuck with Quark, I will be sad if you say Quark.
Do you use a K4 file management system? I could totally see that being useful for your products.
This isn't exactly true. I was at GenCon - if you stopped by the D&D section of the Wizards booth you probably saw me on crutches. All our stations there and in sagamore ballroom were PC. We had a Mac workstation near the front for twitter feeds and other media stuff however. I also didn't get to the other magic specific area because of the knee, so maybe there were more Macs there ::shrug::
Yea, thats exactly what I experienced while I was there. I'm not a Magic Player, so I can't speak to that section either. I kind of ignored that part of the booth.
Sidebar: Everyone here should know that Trevor is a freaking awesome person all around. I got to meet him at GenCon, and he was gimping around on crutches, meeting people, saying hi, basically sacrificing his body to interact with the community in real life. He stopped at a table I was DMing at and said hello to me and the players. But what really struck a chord with me was that when he finally got a chance to sit down and play a game, he found out that there were still other players waiting in line who wouldn't get to play due to some DM shortage issues, and he actually gave up his chance to have some actual fun at GenCon and let others take his seat so they could partake in the event. It just shows to what lengths he goes to make sure that the people who play this game are having a good time with it. Props to him for that.
They had macs in the dealers hall at the WotC booth. They looked like Macs to me, and one of the folks standing there to do demos said they were macs (albeit jury-rigged to run XP).
Oh! Ok! So they were using Mac hardware, but with windows XP installed and running. That makes sense. Ever since they started using the Intel chips, that has made it just that much harder to recognize the difference between a real mac and a PC that just looks like a mac.
And because it needs to be said, I found it incredibly amusing and ironic that the workstations they had at GenCon here this year were all Macs, which they aren't supporting the DDI on.
This isn't exactly true. I was at GenCon - if you stopped by the D&D section of the Wizards booth you probably saw me on crutches. All our stations there and in sagamore ballroom were PC. We had a Mac workstation near the front for twitter feeds and other media stuff however. I also didn't get to the other magic specific area because of the knee, so maybe there were more Macs there ::shrug:: Regardless, we have Macs and PCs in the office and use both so, while we haven't developed the software to work on both, it shouldn't be surprising to see a company like ours use both.
That was you! I saw you there. 
And yes, there were PC's in the Great Hall but the devs in the seminars were using Macs. Perhaps that is the confusion.
As a DM, I can safely say that DII makes my job MUCH easier. With access to the Encounter Builder, the Monster Builder, and the Compendium all online, I can put together everything that I need for my game in MUCH less time than it took before. The "Copy as Image" option on the monster builder has been my friend.