What ever happened to the Dungeon Master Tool program that wizards was coming up with where we could create our characters, down to the visuals, and place them in a virtual dungeon along with DM controlled/created monsters, traps etc. It was like Neverwinter Nights on steroids. I come back and all I see is the 4E char gen online and some compendiums and such. I dont mind paying money for a subscription to a service that I am getting, but what happened to this project? I thought the DM tool was a great idea and was really looking forward to it.
Unfortunately they canceled the DM Tools quite some time ago, though they are just now bringing back the VTT. The VTT will be slightly different though as it is going to be 2D not 3D.
"Slightly"... you are too kind. Its going to be akin to the already release free tools, with a slight boost in usability. The best that can be said of it is that 'its simplicity is its best feature'.
The rest of the tools were scrapped. You are left with some defunct magazines that get worse each month, an online compendium that is difficult to work with at best (try selecting things from HotFL and say PHB3 in a single search), an online CB that frankly sucks compared to their old one, a monster builder that doesn't build monsters (it levels them up though), and you can see what kind of stuff has been going on around here. You might think of just taking another 'vacation' from the online aspect of D&D. 4E is great (pre-E), but WotC sucks at online delivery...
That is really unfortunate. One of the things that sparked my whole interest in what was going on here was the 3d tools program that they began to develop. The concept of being able to use those tools with the rule set and then play with people across the country or globe would be incredible. I figured by now they would have had that done. That is really dissapointing.
Welcome to WotC!
Unfortunately they canceled the DM Tools quite some time ago, though they are just now bringing back the VTT. The VTT will be slightly different though as it is going to be 2D not 3D.
"Slightly"... you are too kind. Its going to be akin to the already release free tools, with a slight boost in usability. The best that can be said of it is that 'its simplicity is its best feature'.
The rest of the tools were scrapped. You are left with some defunct magazines that get worse each month, an online compendium that is difficult to work with at best (try selecting things from HotFL and say PHB3 in a single search), an online CB that frankly sucks compared to their old one, a monster builder that doesn't build monsters (it levels them up though), and you can see what kind of stuff has been going on around here. You might think of just taking another 'vacation' from the online aspect of D&D. 4E is great (pre-E), but WotC sucks at online delivery...
You should try sticking to the facts Lokiare. I know you can't resist adding doom and gloom to every thread you "infect", but perhaps some honesty? Oh I know...that's too much to ask.
@ashrann: I won't tell you everything is rosy, but I also won't tell you some of the outright lies above.
Magazine content: Diminished compared to a few months ago. This goes to the value of your subscription (what you get for your money). Whether they are worse or not is a matter of personal preference so don't let someone else make that analysis for you.
Online Compendium: A very useful tool for finding pretty much anything. Specific scenarios trumped up to make it seem like the whole thing sucks aside. Again only you can judge for yourself if it's useful to you or not.
Online CB: It does what it's supposed to do and will shortly do things the old builder never will.
Monster Builder: Here is Lokiare's outright lie. He's talking about the online replacement tool which is only now going into (for lack of a better term) a "public beta" to all DDI members. The offline tool is still available for download, but will not be updated with any of the new content (Monster Vault and Dark Sun creatures). The "current" tool (the downloadable offline one) will remain so until they decide that the "public beta" is over and they take the downloadable version off their site.
Essentials: Don't take anyone's opinion about this for granted (even mine). Some love essentials and some hate it and some are in-between. Comments about it are like movie reviews. Just because some egotist on TV gave a thumbs down to a movie doesn't mean you won't like it.
Unfortunately they canceled the DM Tools quite some time ago, though they are just now bringing back the VTT. The VTT will be slightly different though as it is going to be 2D not 3D.
"Slightly"... you are too kind. Its going to be akin to the already release free tools, with a slight boost in usability. The best that can be said of it is that 'its simplicity is its best feature'.
The rest of the tools were scrapped. You are left with some defunct magazines that get worse each month, an online compendium that is difficult to work with at best (try selecting things from HotFL and say PHB3 in a single search), an online CB that frankly sucks compared to their old one, a monster builder that doesn't build monsters (it levels them up though), and you can see what kind of stuff has been going on around here. You might think of just taking another 'vacation' from the online aspect of D&D. 4E is great (pre-E), but WotC sucks at online delivery...
You should try sticking to the facts Lokiare. I know you can't resist adding doom and gloom to every thread you "infect", but perhaps some honesty? Oh I know...that's too much to ask.
@ashrann: I won't tell you everything is rosy, but I also won't tell you some of the outright lies above.
Magazine content: Diminished compared to a few months ago. This goes to the value of your subscription (what you get for your money). Whether they are worse or not is a matter of personal preference so don't let someone else make that analysis for you.
Online Compendium: A very useful tool for finding pretty much anything. Specific scenarios trumped up to make it seem like the whole thing sucks aside. Again only you can judge for yourself if it's useful to you or not.
Online CB: It does what it's supposed to do and will shortly do things the old builder never will.
Monster Builder: Here is Lokiare's outright lie. He's talking about the online replacement tool which is only now going into (for lack of a better term) a "public beta" to all DDI members. The offline tool is still available for download, but will not be updated with any of the new content (Monster Vault and Dark Sun creatures). The "current" tool (the downloadable offline one) will remain so until they decide that the "public beta" is over and they take the downloadable version off their site.
Essentials: Don't take anyone's opinion about this for granted (even mine). Some love essentials and some hate it and some are in-between. Comments about it are like movie reviews. Just because some egotist on TV gave a thumbs down to a movie doesn't mean you won't like it.
The only part of my post that might be disengenious would be the about the magazines and really, dropping compilations halving their size, late articles an entire month without an adventure in Dungeon etc..etc... I don't know how anyone can interpret that as not being worse. I'll readily admit that the compendium is the best tool out there, but its not as well done as say a good Google search (which they could have used if they wanted to). So I suggest you buy a month and see what they have, you may find it useful enough to stay subscribed, but even new users aren't too impressed...
The only part of my post that might be disengenious would be the about the magazines and really, dropping compilations halving their size, late articles an entire month without an adventure in Dungeon etc..etc... I don't know how anyone can interpret that as not being worse. I'll readily admit that the compendium is the best tool out there, but its not as well done as say a good Google search (which they could have used if they wanted to). So I suggest you buy a month and see what they have, you may find it useful enough to stay subscribed, but even new users aren't too impressed...
You're mixing quantity and quality into a single assessment. I split them out. Quantity = value, quality = worse. I only disagreed with the assessment of quality which is more subjective. Some prefer crunch, some prefer fluff, etc.
The only part of my post that might be disengenious would be the about the magazines and really, dropping compilations halving their size, late articles an entire month without an adventure in Dungeon etc..etc... I don't know how anyone can interpret that as not being worse. I'll readily admit that the compendium is the best tool out there, but its not as well done as say a good Google search (which they could have used if they wanted to). So I suggest you buy a month and see what they have, you may find it useful enough to stay subscribed, but even new users aren't too impressed...
You're mixing quantity and quality into a single assessment. I split them out. Quantity = value, quality = worse. I only disagreed with the assessment of quality which is more subjective. Some prefer crunch, some prefer fluff, etc.
So your saying one really good article is equivalent to 6 mediocre but usable articles? At some point not having articles means a lowering of quality regardless of the individual quality of the released articles...
So your saying one really good article is equivalent to 6 mediocre but usable articles? At some point not having articles means a lowering of quality regardless of the individual quality of the released articles...
I'm saying no such thing. I'm saying that quality and quantity are two separate components that factor into the value of DDI. If we get hundreds of crap articles that isn't worth much and if we get 1 awesome article that isn't worth much either, but the quantity has no bearing or impact on how good (or how bad) any individual article is. Also, how you percieve an article is a LOT more subjective due to personal bias (preference) as I indicated in my previous post (crunch vs. fluff).
To use your own phrasing:
At some point not having articles means a lowering of value regardless of the individual quality of the released articles...
Basically I'm disagreeing with your use of quality in place of value. Quality <> value.
So your saying one really good article is equivalent to 6 mediocre but usable articles? At some point not having articles means a lowering of quality regardless of the individual quality of the released articles...
I'm saying no such thing. I'm saying that quality and quantity are two separate components that factor into the value of DDI. If we get hundreds of crap articles that isn't worth much and if we get 1 awesome article that isn't worth much either, but the quantity has no bearing or impact on how good (or how bad) any individual article is. Also, how you percieve an article is a LOT more subjective due to personal bias (preference) as I indicated in my previous post (crunch vs. fluff).
To use your own phrasing:
At some point not having articles means a lowering of value regardless of the individual quality of the released articles...
Basically I'm disagreeing with your use of quality in place of value. Quality <> value.
I can agree to that...