Feedback Thread: Digital Insider 15: Builder Beta - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Feedback Thread: Digital Insider 15: Builder Beta

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
asmodeuslore
Nov 11, 2008 23:34:30 Digital Insider #15: Builder Beta
by Randy Buehler

As you probably know, we officially launched the Closed Beta of the Character Builder on Monday. This week's Digital Insider is a chance for us to take a moment to stop and celebrate our Character Builder!

Talk about this article here.
#2
thecasualoblivion
Nov 11, 2008 23:46:17 I got quoted!
#3
KM.549
Nov 12, 2008 4:54:55 I don't mind them putting in user reviews of the character maker beta. But thats ALL the article was. What did the writer do? Copy and paste from other fourms? I could have done that. Not excatly "insider" info there.

How about some info on the ETA of the full version of the character maker and the other apps?
#4
whitebaron
Nov 12, 2008 5:50:18 i agree that the content was very disappointing, and also it's another part of one side does not know what the other tells to the public.

ELF told everyone with problems in the cb beta to look out for randy's new column for more information.

Well, what they got, probably as accident, is: "Everything works great and everyone is OK". No further mention of 64-bit systems and the needed update, no mention of printing issues, no mention of when an updated release will be available. a beta test is only valuable, if you can deliver additional versions once errors are found, and that's the kind of information people will want to know - as they'll have to download the newer versions by hand, because the auto-updater is not yet functional.
#5
Cailte
Nov 12, 2008 6:49:33 Sorry this was a waste of time lets be honest it wasn't an update it was publicity and useless publicity at that.

No mention of just general install issues even. Its a fluff article if we are nice about it.
#6
Phobos
Nov 12, 2008 6:54:56 ROFL, honestly, that's as far as it goes.
#7
Mock
Nov 12, 2008 7:12:53 In fairness, the article does exactly what it sets out to do: pat themselves on the back on the launch of the Builder, not flagellate themselves over the extensive technical difficulties.
#8
mudbunny
Nov 12, 2008 9:04:12 Of course, if you read http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1112308, you will see that there is a new version out that fixes the Vista 64 problems that came out last night, before the Digital Insider was published.
#9
whitebaron
Nov 12, 2008 9:38:07
Of course, if you read http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1112308, you will see that there is a new version out that fixes the Vista 64 problems that came out last night, before the Digital Insider was published.

we are arguing apples, you are arguing strawberries.

yes, the information is there, somewhere, but not where another member of the ddi staff proposed it would be. if you looked at the ddi news, like i did, you'll be surprised that it works already, and there is no mention whatsoever. some people might be upset right now, without looking at the forums. not everyone wants to participate in such a community, there are those of us gamers who just want to use their tools in peace - without the hassle of a community forum, where many people can troll as much as they want.

@mock: you're right, of course. but the issue is, that the insider is not supposed to be THAT. that's the thing some people dislike about it.
#10
serphet
Nov 12, 2008 11:33:00 I agree with whitebaron on this one, Digital Insider is supposed to be more juicy... I read the first paragraph and some reviews, then stopped.

First the podcasts, now this :/
#11
The_Jester
Nov 12, 2008 16:54:37 Yeah, I'm greatly dissapointed with the "our stuff/novels/mini change is great" 30-minute product advertisments. Hopefully the Q'n'A next month will be better and not just a series of Q'n'Plugs ("Our first question is 'what product are you most excited about?' Our second question is 'Why are you guys so awesome?'").
And for the time it takes to do them once a month is rather slack...

But hey, credit where credit is due. At least the D&D Q&A front page has become about real questions and real errata again instead of plugs.
(The archives are fun examples of this like "What’s happening at Gen Con?" or "I’ve noticed a difference in the Stealth rules in the PH (p188) versus what’s listed in the D&D Compendium. Which is correct?" with the latter posted before the Compendium was updated).

Still, we pushed for the Digital Insider for information on current updates, not for an extra place for you to advertise D&DI.
#12
Shemeska_the_Marauder
Nov 12, 2008 17:53:44 As all writers are told by their editors, "Show rather than tell."

There's been a bunch of vacuous self-congratulatory back-slapping but very little of substance, and all we've still seen are the low hanging fruit from what the DDI was supposed to have already been months ago.

And no, at this stage of such a slipped product development, I don't honestly see it as more than vaporware, especially since they've dropped back to only putting out one piece of the package out at a time. The continually slipping traffic to wizards.com probably doesn't bode well for the DDI as a whole either.
#13
Iluvrien
Nov 13, 2008 13:13:38 How is this a digital insider article? Surely we insiders already know what we said?

CB is superb (with issues), but this was little more than advertising spin, nothing more. Very very disappointing.
#14
Kentinal
Nov 13, 2008 16:38:26
How is this a digital insider article? Surely we insiders already know what we said?

CB is superb (with issues), but this was little more than advertising spin, nothing more. Very very disappointing.

It is not a restricted article to just Insiders, it is a promised weekly update on Insider development. It also might include a bit (*blink*) of marking to get those not yet paying to pay.
#15
whitebaron
Nov 13, 2008 17:57:25
It also might include a bit (*blink*) of marking to get those not yet paying to pay.

by not telling whats happening, this is the most likely outcome: nothing changes due to that article. people who want to subscribe will subscribe, and others won't. so it was a waste of time for both readers and the author. well, at least it did not take him long to do so....
#16
Kentinal
Nov 13, 2008 18:32:29
by not telling whats happening, this is the most likely outcome: nothing changes due to that article. people who want to subscribe will subscribe, and others won't. so it was a waste of time for both readers and the author. well, at least it did not take him long to do so....

I know you are unhappy with a lot of things as they developed (or not) and how they preset it. I suspect WotC has a disconnect with inter department communications. Marketing is focused on sales, but appears not to care about Public Relations. We managed to get PR to reply to us as a community a little with the weekly reports, communication clearly has improved. It just appears that Marketing is seeing the PR only as a tool to try to increase sales, not concerned about public reactions as the whole picture. *shrugs* I do not know how much the divisions of WotC interact, however from what I have read it appears to me they do not either interact well or interact often for the good of the company they work for.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 asmodeuslore Nov 11, 2008 23:34:30	Digital Insider #15: Builder Beta by Randy Buehler As you probably know, we officially launched the Closed Beta of the Character Builder on Monday. This week's Digital Insider is a chance for us to take a moment to stop and celebrate our Character Builder! Talk about this article here.
#2 thecasualoblivion Nov 11, 2008 23:46:17	I got quoted!
#3 KM.549 Nov 12, 2008 4:54:55	I don't mind them putting in user reviews of the character maker beta. But thats ALL the article was. What did the writer do? Copy and paste from other fourms? I could have done that. Not excatly "insider" info there. How about some info on the ETA of the full version of the character maker and the other apps?
#4 whitebaron Nov 12, 2008 5:50:18	i agree that the content was very disappointing, and also it's another part of one side does not know what the other tells to the public. ELF told everyone with problems in the cb beta to look out for randy's new column for more information. Well, what they got, probably as accident, is: "Everything works great and everyone is OK". No further mention of 64-bit systems and the needed update, no mention of printing issues, no mention of when an updated release will be available. a beta test is only valuable, if you can deliver additional versions once errors are found, and that's the kind of information people will want to know - as they'll have to download the newer versions by hand, because the auto-updater is not yet functional.
#5 Cailte Nov 12, 2008 6:49:33	Sorry this was a waste of time lets be honest it wasn't an update it was publicity and useless publicity at that. No mention of just general install issues even. Its a fluff article if we are nice about it.
#6 Phobos Nov 12, 2008 6:54:56	ROFL, honestly, that's as far as it goes.
#7 Mock Nov 12, 2008 7:12:53	In fairness, the article does exactly what it sets out to do: pat themselves on the back on the launch of the Builder, not flagellate themselves over the extensive technical difficulties.
#8 mudbunny Nov 12, 2008 9:04:12	Of course, if you read http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1112308, you will see that there is a new version out that fixes the Vista 64 problems that came out last night, before the Digital Insider was published.
#9 whitebaron Nov 12, 2008 9:38:07	Of course, if you read http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1112308, you will see that there is a new version out that fixes the Vista 64 problems that came out last night, before the Digital Insider was published. we are arguing apples, you are arguing strawberries. yes, the information is there, somewhere, but not where another member of the ddi staff proposed it would be. if you looked at the ddi news, like i did, you'll be surprised that it works already, and there is no mention whatsoever. some people might be upset right now, without looking at the forums. not everyone wants to participate in such a community, there are those of us gamers who just want to use their tools in peace - without the hassle of a community forum, where many people can troll as much as they want. @mock: you're right, of course. but the issue is, that the insider is not supposed to be THAT. that's the thing some people dislike about it.
#10 serphet Nov 12, 2008 11:33:00	I agree with whitebaron on this one, Digital Insider is supposed to be more juicy... I read the first paragraph and some reviews, then stopped. First the podcasts, now this :/
#11 The_Jester Nov 12, 2008 16:54:37	Yeah, I'm greatly dissapointed with the "our stuff/novels/mini change is great" 30-minute product advertisments. Hopefully the Q'n'A next month will be better and not just a series of Q'n'Plugs ("Our first question is 'what product are you most excited about?' Our second question is 'Why are you guys so awesome?'"). And for the time it takes to do them once a month is rather slack... But hey, credit where credit is due. At least the D&D Q&A front page has become about real questions and real errata again instead of plugs. (The archives are fun examples of this like "What’s happening at Gen Con?" or "I’ve noticed a difference in the Stealth rules in the PH (p188) versus what’s listed in the D&D Compendium. Which is correct?" with the latter posted before the Compendium was updated). Still, we pushed for the Digital Insider for information on current updates, not for an extra place for you to advertise D&DI.
#12 Shemeska_the_Marauder Nov 12, 2008 17:53:44	As all writers are told by their editors, "Show rather than tell." There's been a bunch of vacuous self-congratulatory back-slapping but very little of substance, and all we've still seen are the low hanging fruit from what the DDI was supposed to have already been months ago. And no, at this stage of such a slipped product development, I don't honestly see it as more than vaporware, especially since they've dropped back to only putting out one piece of the package out at a time. The continually slipping traffic to wizards.com probably doesn't bode well for the DDI as a whole either.
#13 Iluvrien Nov 13, 2008 13:13:38	How is this a digital insider article? Surely we insiders already know what we said? CB is superb (with issues), but this was little more than advertising spin, nothing more. Very very disappointing.
#14 Kentinal Nov 13, 2008 16:38:26	How is this a digital insider article? Surely we insiders already know what we said? CB is superb (with issues), but this was little more than advertising spin, nothing more. Very very disappointing. It is not a restricted article to just Insiders, it is a promised weekly update on Insider development. It also might include a bit (blink) of marking to get those not yet paying to pay.
#15 whitebaron Nov 13, 2008 17:57:25	It also might include a bit (blink) of marking to get those not yet paying to pay. by not telling whats happening, this is the most likely outcome: nothing changes due to that article. people who want to subscribe will subscribe, and others won't. so it was a waste of time for both readers and the author. well, at least it did not take him long to do so....
#16 Kentinal Nov 13, 2008 18:32:29	by not telling whats happening, this is the most likely outcome: nothing changes due to that article. people who want to subscribe will subscribe, and others won't. so it was a waste of time for both readers and the author. well, at least it did not take him long to do so.... I know you are unhappy with a lot of things as they developed (or not) and how they preset it. I suspect WotC has a disconnect with inter department communications. Marketing is focused on sales, but appears not to care about Public Relations. We managed to get PR to reply to us as a community a little with the weekly reports, communication clearly has improved. It just appears that Marketing is seeing the PR only as a tool to try to increase sales, not concerned about public reactions as the whole picture. shrugs I do not know how much the divisions of WotC interact, however from what I have read it appears to me they do not either interact well or interact often for the good of the company they work for.