Setting this feedback thread in advance for Digital Insider #21, due to go live tomorrow.
Many thanks!
To be fair, if i didn't still have such a bad taste in my mouth from last week, I would probably find this weeks edition to be perfectly acceptable. Though why it hasn't shown up in the RSS feed yet is a mystery.
I get it, Bill's busy sometimes. Still, it'd hard not to get the gut-feeling that this column has taken a noticeable drop in quality lately, even taking into account the holiday break.
I dare say this column is one of the most important, because it keeps us informed about D&DI, which many of us have invested money and confidence in. (To be frank, I think this column is a huge part of why as many people do have confidence in D&DI; it's nice to feel kept in the loop.)
Sorry if I'm coming across as crass.
He apologized for last week's mess.
I don't really plan on cancelling anytime soon myself (subscribed for one year), but at least they addressed that they are aware of the "can't cancel" problem that has been plaguing my fellow Insiders.
And the Character Builder remains on schedule, barring random acts of the Divinity.
I'm a content Insider this week, and as always remain optimistic about the whole deal. I hope this keeps up, and maybe I'll be a happy Insider again in a few weeks.
How stable it is, and how many bugs it still has will be interesting to see, and it'll be a good measure for how prepared they are for later elements (that may or may not ever see the light of day).
It's a shame there aren't ANY comments on the issues regarding Dragon Magazine (reduced page count, previews taking places of articles, lack of inclusion of said previews in the final magazine). They are consistently ignoring those issues...
And why is there a paragraph on Open Grave in the Insider? Advestisment perhaps?
Also, people, get real - snow never ever stopped a WRITER from working. all you need is a pen, and reasonably, some paper. sitting at home and/or having working radiators clearly is a plus, but nothing else should ever considered necessary. especially, if you are writing a column about the work you're supposed to do EVERY week.
I am looking forward to it being out of the door so we can start to see discussion on what is coming next.
Having said that I am fine with what I getting for my money now. I would like more aticles in Dragon but the ones released are great.
The only thing I am missing from the old magazines is the adverts related to the hobby.
Considering I could only get the print version of Dragon on import and it cost about $12US. What I am getting for my money now is a real bargain.
Keep up the good work.
Also, people, get real - snow never ever stopped a WRITER from working. all you need is a pen, and reasonably, some paper. sitting at home and/or having working radiators clearly is a plus, but nothing else should ever considered necessary. especially, if you are writing a column about the work you're supposed to do EVERY week.
So you wanted something like this for last week's column?
Well Nothing really happened here since the last column due to the offices being closed almost the entire time. So there is nothing new to say. And I now have a lot of work to catch up with, but here is some stuff that I wrote while I was out of the office.
"It is snowing outside....Yup. Just a lot of snow. I got nothing to do. Just waiting the snow to pass. I wonder what I'm going to have for dinner tonight. How much longer is this snow supposed to last? I guess I could go and do some reading. Wait no there went the power, that would make reading kind of hard. Oh wait that was the cat, nevermind I'm just going to go read then."
It's not a repost.
He apologized for last week's mess.
I don't really plan on cancelling anytime soon myself (subscribed for one year), but at least they addressed that they are aware of the "can't cancel" problem that has been plaguing my fellow Insiders.
I was considering re-upping for a month to grab the builder, but I'm gonna hold off until I see what their solution to the can't-cancel ridiculosity is.
I strongly suggest that their "easier management" solution be "Check this box to automatically renew your subscription."
As at the moment support for house rules sucks.
Maybe they could use some more freelance writers to beef up the magazines. It sure does seem as if they are getting lighter each month.
Since we already know exactly what to expect from the CB when it comes out at the end of January, the only direction left for DI weekly updates is to talk about the upcoming projects or additions to existing projects within DI.
So you wanted something like this for last week's column?
a haiku about snow would have been much better than the in-your-face excerpts we're getting now.
bill might be the head of ddi, but he's pretty useless as copmmunity liaison. put someone else in charge of presenting those "news", really...
information present:
one line about the account management.
one line about the ddi builder release date1 (still no real date, but close)
advertisement:
the rest of the article.
[1] End of January is in 17 days, 12 workdays. Not having a date 12 days before they go live is definitely no sign of mature software, or a consistent plan. It's most likely wishful thinking, and a forced release after that. but we'll see if the ranger still has his hunter quarry just plain stating "YOU CAN".
Also, people, get real - snow never ever stopped a WRITER from working. all you need is a pen, and reasonably, some paper. sitting at home and/or having working radiators clearly is a plus, but nothing else should ever considered necessary. especially, if you are writing a column about the work you're supposed to do EVERY week.
Didn't MLK write a famous speech on the columns of a newspaper inside a jail cell?? Oh that's right... he did.
I agree. I work as a journalist for a living and typically weather doesn't count for what is considered delay reasons. And, he could have come in early to write a new Insider article... "Sorry honey! Gotta go to bed. I have to get up early and go make up for an article I missed during the snow day."
I have seen zero communication about fixing numerous bugs that have existed for months. I'm worried its not done at all and they are going to have a PR nightmare...I'm hoping my $4.95 a month will give me a good character builder. We'll see in a couple weeks I guess. Good luck DDI guys!
I have seen zero communication about fixing numerous bugs that have existed for months.
I have, though I don't have the time to track down a link.
Basically as the bugs have been identified and corrected, they have not updated the Demo. That's to save time and keep focused on the final release, but the statement was made to reassure people that yeah- they're fixing the bugs. Either Bill said it, or it was one of the last things Randy said before he was let go.
I imagine when the final release is done, they'll re-release the demo with the bugs corrected, but limited to levels 1-8, as they described.
I imagine when the final release is done, they'll re-release the demo with the bugs corrected, but limited to levels 1-8, as they described.
just to clarify I'm all most positive that the demo will only cover level 1 to 3
Additionally, the free demo version that everyone can download and install will remain available after the launch of the full version. It features all the content from the physical game books as well as material from the online magazine. The demo version includes all of the Heroic tier feats,plus level 1 to level 8 magic items so you can fully equip even demo characters
Bill go back and look at your first DI - that was good.
People seem to have this strange idea that the CB will be bug free when it is released. It will not be. It will hopefully have major bugs fixed, the ones that come up in 90% of all cases with X class (eg Ranger, and Fighter damage and attack issues, and other item equiping issues). There will definately be bugs, and the way to get them fixed will be to keep reporting.
just to clarify I'm all most positive that the demo will only cover level 1 to 3
This is correct. If you read the detail it should be levels 1-3. The 1-8 is the level of the "magic items" they will allow since you could have a magic item a few levels higher than the party.
Fable