Encounter builder help - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Encounter builder help

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
verbalk
Mar 31, 2011 0:04:58 Greetings!
    Currently when I plan an encounter I do a little something like this,....
1. Head to the DDI page and load up the Encounter builder.
2. Build the encounter and print it.
3. Open the new Monster Builder and find the monsters I put in for the encounter and print them.
4. Staple it all together and good to go.

    Recently though I've been noticing that some of the monsters from the encounter builder do not exsist in the monster builder. It's not a huge problem; I usually just find something of an equivalent power/ability level and insert that instead.

    My question(s). Am I doing this a$$ backwards? More importantly, is there a plan to have a new Encounter builder included with the new wave of web based tools that currently exsist? I did a pretty thorough serch and didn't find very much so thanks in advance for any answers and/or a point in the direction of something I may have missed.

Happy gaming all!
#2
DMaple
Mar 31, 2011 3:39:40 No you sound like you are doing it right. I really do hope there is a new encounter builder planned, people have been asking for one for about at least two years now, seems they have been developing the VT instead (which their own research showed was a less popular request).

I suspect the reason some monsters are in the Encounter Builder but not the Compendium, is because the Encounter is such and old tool it is probably using a database that still has the RPGA monsters in it, which were removed from the Compendium and the Monster Builder (in it's last patch).

Can I recommend power2ool to you for arranging and printing monsters for encounters.

vimeo.com/19991666

https://power2ool.com/

You need a D&DI subscription otherwise it just shows blank cards, and it won't do the Encounter Building step for you, but it is excellent for dragging in and printing out several Monster Stat cards, editing them and then printing on one page.

It has a really simple interface so the learning curve isn't as steep as something like Masterplan.
#3
DMaple
Mar 31, 2011 6:20:12 I hope their a plans to replace them at least.
#4
dracomax1981
Mar 31, 2011 8:24:25 Honestly, that's one of the things they need to do for the VT. If they had an encounter builder integrated in, with the ability to pull monster groups into the actual game from it, more people would be inclined to DM.
#5
mudbunny
Mar 31, 2011 8:29:28
Those tools on that page are tools from a former employee of WoTC who made those for free in his own time, and there is absolutely no plans to update them ever. They work with their own data base I think, so hence, what they have is outdated.

Just to clarify this.

They were not made for free in his own time. They were based off of something that he had made for his home campaign, but thought that they would be cool and easy enough to port over to the wizards website. He brought it up to the DDI Team leader (whomever it was at that time), and he was given time to re-design them and re-program them for the WotC website.
#6
DMaple
Mar 31, 2011 8:32:39 Yeah personally I think they dropped the ball on the VT, they could have made it a great tool to support online and offline play. At the moment it only supports online play and not really well.

Adding an Encounter Builder and integrating the CB and MB properly would have allowed for much easier pickup games, and been a useful to table top DM's as well.
#7
mrmyth
Mar 31, 2011 9:49:35
I hope their a plans to replace them at least.

That's what they said years ago.

My hope for that is very little. Like thimble sized.

But that's what people said about the VT, as well.

I think it safe to assume that they would, yes, like to replace them. But only have so much time to go around. I'm guessing the next 4-6 months at least will be spent fine-tuning the CB, getting the VT fully launched, and then bringing the MB up to full capability.

And when they've done that? We'll start seeing more tools again. But that is still a ways out, for sure.
#8
DMaple
Mar 31, 2011 10:06:58

And when they've done that? We'll start seeing more tools again. But that is still a ways out, for sure.

Which is what is really annoying because when I signed up last year it's because they said they were working on more Adventure Tools coming soon, in fact they even said just before Xmas there were more tools coming soon! Only they turned out to be worse version of the old tools we already had and a VT I never wanted.
#9
mrmyth
Mar 31, 2011 11:28:32

And when they've done that? We'll start seeing more tools again. But that is still a ways out, for sure.

Which is what is really annoying because when I signed up last year it's because they said they were working on more Adventure Tools coming soon, in fact they even said just before Xmas there were more tools coming soon! Only they turned out to be worse version of the old tools we already had and a VT I never wanted.

It's true, sometime mid-last year they switched gears on DDI and started in a new direction. And I suppose if enough people complain about the current situation, you may be rewarded by them doing the same thing again, and scrapping all the current projects in order to get started on a new direction, putting everything even further behind.

But as it is, they clearly are making progress on bringing it all together. That's promising, in my mind.

And complaining about the MB is downright absurd. Complain about the terrible PR and advertising it as something it was not, sure. But complaining about them bringing out an incomplete product because they had a good reason to do so (to make it work with the VTT), and saying that it would be better for them to release nothing at all - no, that's just silly.

Basically, I think it is perfectly reasonable to complain about the terrible communication and false expectations they keep setting up. But right now, we are seeing active progress in tool development. We have seen them establish a solid direction for DDI, and make definite progress in that direction. Now, it isn't a direction everyone likes, sure. But they seem focused in a way that they weren't really in the past, and it seems likely that they will continue to pursue this direction, complete the tools currently being worked on, and develop new tools as time goes on.
#10
ORC_Chaos
Mar 31, 2011 22:54:52 I've removed content from this thread because Baiting is a violation of the Code of Conduct. You can review the Code of Conduct here.

ORC_Chaos

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 verbalk Mar 31, 2011 0:04:58	Greetings! Currently when I plan an encounter I do a little something like this,.... 1. Head to the DDI page and load up the Encounter builder. 2. Build the encounter and print it. 3. Open the new Monster Builder and find the monsters I put in for the encounter and print them. 4. Staple it all together and good to go. Recently though I've been noticing that some of the monsters from the encounter builder do not exsist in the monster builder. It's not a huge problem; I usually just find something of an equivalent power/ability level and insert that instead. My question(s). Am I doing this a$$ backwards? More importantly, is there a plan to have a new Encounter builder included with the new wave of web based tools that currently exsist? I did a pretty thorough serch and didn't find very much so thanks in advance for any answers and/or a point in the direction of something I may have missed. Happy gaming all!
#2 DMaple Mar 31, 2011 3:39:40	No you sound like you are doing it right. I really do hope there is a new encounter builder planned, people have been asking for one for about at least two years now, seems they have been developing the VT instead (which their own research showed was a less popular request). I suspect the reason some monsters are in the Encounter Builder but not the Compendium, is because the Encounter is such and old tool it is probably using a database that still has the RPGA monsters in it, which were removed from the Compendium and the Monster Builder (in it's last patch). Can I recommend power2ool to you for arranging and printing monsters for encounters. vimeo.com/19991666 https://power2ool.com/ You need a D&DI subscription otherwise it just shows blank cards, and it won't do the Encounter Building step for you, but it is excellent for dragging in and printing out several Monster Stat cards, editing them and then printing on one page. It has a really simple interface so the learning curve isn't as steep as something like Masterplan.
#3 DMaple Mar 31, 2011 6:20:12	I hope their a plans to replace them at least.
#4 dracomax1981 Mar 31, 2011 8:24:25	Honestly, that's one of the things they need to do for the VT. If they had an encounter builder integrated in, with the ability to pull monster groups into the actual game from it, more people would be inclined to DM.
#5 mudbunny Mar 31, 2011 8:29:28	Those tools on that page are tools from a former employee of WoTC who made those for free in his own time, and there is absolutely no plans to update them ever. They work with their own data base I think, so hence, what they have is outdated. Just to clarify this. They were not made for free in his own time. They were based off of something that he had made for his home campaign, but thought that they would be cool and easy enough to port over to the wizards website. He brought it up to the DDI Team leader (whomever it was at that time), and he was given time to re-design them and re-program them for the WotC website.
#6 DMaple Mar 31, 2011 8:32:39	Yeah personally I think they dropped the ball on the VT, they could have made it a great tool to support online and offline play. At the moment it only supports online play and not really well. Adding an Encounter Builder and integrating the CB and MB properly would have allowed for much easier pickup games, and been a useful to table top DM's as well.
#7 mrmyth Mar 31, 2011 9:49:35	I hope their a plans to replace them at least. That's what they said years ago. My hope for that is very little. Like thimble sized. But that's what people said about the VT, as well. I think it safe to assume that they would, yes, like to replace them. But only have so much time to go around. I'm guessing the next 4-6 months at least will be spent fine-tuning the CB, getting the VT fully launched, and then bringing the MB up to full capability. And when they've done that? We'll start seeing more tools again. But that is still a ways out, for sure.
#8 DMaple Mar 31, 2011 10:06:58	And when they've done that? We'll start seeing more tools again. But that is still a ways out, for sure. Which is what is really annoying because when I signed up last year it's because they said they were working on more Adventure Tools coming soon, in fact they even said just before Xmas there were more tools coming soon! Only they turned out to be worse version of the old tools we already had and a VT I never wanted.
#9 mrmyth Mar 31, 2011 11:28:32	And when they've done that? We'll start seeing more tools again. But that is still a ways out, for sure. Which is what is really annoying because when I signed up last year it's because they said they were working on more Adventure Tools coming soon, in fact they even said just before Xmas there were more tools coming soon! Only they turned out to be worse version of the old tools we already had and a VT I never wanted. It's true, sometime mid-last year they switched gears on DDI and started in a new direction. And I suppose if enough people complain about the current situation, you may be rewarded by them doing the same thing again, and scrapping all the current projects in order to get started on a new direction, putting everything even further behind. But as it is, they clearly are making progress on bringing it all together. That's promising, in my mind. And complaining about the MB is downright absurd. Complain about the terrible PR and advertising it as something it was not, sure. But complaining about them bringing out an incomplete product because they had a good reason to do so (to make it work with the VTT), and saying that it would be better for them to release nothing at all - no, that's just silly. Basically, I think it is perfectly reasonable to complain about the terrible communication and false expectations they keep setting up. But right now, we are seeing active progress in tool development. We have seen them establish a solid direction for DDI, and make definite progress in that direction. Now, it isn't a direction everyone likes, sure. But they seem focused in a way that they weren't really in the past, and it seems likely that they will continue to pursue this direction, complete the tools currently being worked on, and develop new tools as time goes on.
#10 ORC_Chaos Mar 31, 2011 22:54:52	I've removed content from this thread because Baiting is a violation of the Code of Conduct. You can review the Code of Conduct here. ORC_Chaos