Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Joe_Pacelli Nov 18, 2010 4:02:56	What I would like to know is if the developers at WotC even play D&D. And if so, do they or did they use the offline CB to create their characters and to maintain them. So knowing what they currently know and use in the offline version, how did they even think this new online CB even was acceptable. I'm both a developer and when I'm not working I'm working on my D&D campaign or preparing for a LFR session every week. So I'm always using the CB offline, MB, and compendium. If I was a developer and my boss said we want to go a new direction with CB and bring it online. I would be thinking, okay great. During my development I would have tried to import my character and look, and error, what I have a house rule feat I added to a character in my campaign. Next, in the marketplace, I want to look for a weapon for my Dwarf Barbarian, hmmm how about a Mordenkrad. I'm now new to D&D, so I don't know this is a Superior Melee Two-Handed Weapon. But there's a search right.. Wrong. This search only functions under the category and item your under. This is useless. I can search. But I need to know the Category/Item. I want to see all weapons, I want to sort by proficientcy, by group, by damage.. while these may seem like small trivial things these are items we as players have come to love. Let's print my new character. I don't like this layout. Let me unlock it and move things around. Hmm.. That's gone too... Let's make a Revenant Assassin, what language's does he speak. Languages?? it never asked me in the new online Builder. Hmmm, Let's pick powers, I can hit the up and down arrow to scroll through and read each item. Oh wait, I can't do this anymore in the new online version. I need to click each item individually now. So my character is complete and my DM wants me to email it to him so he can look it over. Hmmmm.. export, where is my export.. Oh, it was removed. I guess I can send him a PDF and make him re-enter everything if he wants. As a developer I would have immediately went to my boss and said if we do this we are losing the user's are losing so much, we will get complaints. If they didn't. Then to me these developers don't have any passion for not only what they produce, but for the game.
#2 ethaenn1 Nov 18, 2010 18:48:53	Great post and I agree with so much lost functionality it's not nearly as user-friendly to the more dedicated players.  Sure new players will find it better, but they aren't your core audience are they?
#3 miciaih Nov 18, 2010 18:52:10	There is a much more effective way to make your argument, but I guess you had to get that off your chest. I do agree, though.