I think that Lone Wolf Development should be approached and asked to do the GM tool and character builder for 5E and make it official. The backbone of the system is already developed so all Lone Wolf would have to do is to enter the data basically and do some fine tuning. So it would not take them long at all to do so. I think that this would be a wonderful pairing for WotC and Lone Wolf Develoment.
I have personally used them for years now and I love their attitude when it comes to any issues that arise from the sodtware. They are putting out updates as often as needed to make sure there are no typos and or compatibility issues with then numbers and or character and how they react to each other in the character builder/ and DM tools.
So please consider this... it is a great choice and they will be done a lot faster then trying to develop something like this from scratch! 
So please!!
Thanks!
Outsource to Hero Lab sounds like a good idea to me.
I would rather have a dedicated builder, versus one that caters to many different games. But any builder would be better than none. From what I have seen with Hero Lab versus the old off line 4E character builder, I preferred the later. But then they botched that when they went with the new online only builder.
Being a business company is sometimes making tough decisions, it looks like WotC expects products to be delivered on deadline, not unreasonable, and when they are not after several failed deadlines they must make the decision to part ways. This is smart and good for WotC. I think this promises to be a good thing in the long run for us.
Hero Lab has both Monsters/NPC's and a Character builder. Hero Lab actually uses an encounter builder by CR and builds it up as needed by the DM. To me this is important for me as a DM. I use it all the time.
It wasn't unreasonable to ask you to explain your opinion though. You made an opinion stated like a fact with no information to support that view. Your follow-up at least gave some reasoning, though nothing that will change most people's minds one way or another, but it's clear now your claim of incompetence is entirely opinion and not a statement of fact. Based on what we've seen of DungeonScape I'd say there's a very good argument that Trapdoor is not competent, at least when it comes to developing for web, android, and digitial gaming tools (supposedly their story system enahnced ebook reader for iOS is good but it's not what a gamer needs at the table).
The OP's post actually does do something constructive. He's stated his opinion of a possible replacement for Trapdoor, and being a forum thread allows others to provide feedback on that suggestion, with the possibility that people will disagree. Stating differences and discussing them rationally is not arguing, and not a personal attack.
I can't weigh in on the merits of Lone Wolf as I've never used Hero System so can't say if they'd be a good fit or not (even as just to design the engine and have someone at WotC or that the contract to be dedicated to the 5e tools). I think for WotC's sake though that even if they go with a company that's already done various digital tools that they have a new one made for 5e rather than just as a plug-in for another system, especially if they want it to be a full table/VTT type system (usable offlline at a table as well as for online gaming).
I can weigh in and say that Trapdoor though did not have the skills (just the ambition) to make the tools, at least in any sort of timely and reasonable manner and at the level they negotiated/promised WotC. I think they bit off more than they could chew and that they and WotC both realized their plan wouldn't work and to end it now so WotC could pursue other options and Trapdoor could spend their time on more realistic plans.
I use Hero Lab on a regular basis, primarily for Pathfinder.
It does an excellent job with that complex rules system. Something as simple as 5e should be well within their capabilities.
autolycus wrote:
Only ever used Hero Lab for Shadowrun. But if it's functional for a system like that, 5e should be a breeze.
Sorry, did I miss an announcement or something? Anyone have a link?
So Dungeonscape's tools are not officially supported?
Hi. Are there any recommendations for apps that would work well on Android devices? I can always do it old school, but I'm playing with my son and his friends. They would love to have some sort of app that they can use on their Kindles (or other devices).
Thanks for any suggestions!
Hurin88 wrote:
The frustrating thing is that any competent programming team, Trapdoor certainly included, could put out a fully functional character builder app in probably a couple weeks. But since they shot for the moon with DM tools and all the rest of it, we get nothing instead.
I've found a basic web page that does 5th Ed character builds. Just google it if that's all you want. The one I saw wasn't pretty, but it worked.
Grazel wrote:
I don't have a problem having to wait for a character builder.
The options for characters are still compact at this moment, character builders become more nessesery if you need to pull together recources from a large number of books.
And characers don't have to be updated that often only equipment and leveling.
My problem is with monster/npc and encounte building.
I heared multiple Dm's incuding our regular Dm say it will be to much truble to build a 4th edition world without these tools.
as long as there is no wild grow in official class and feat options i would recoment WOTC to concentrate on the DM tolls.
to get a monster/npc and encounter builder atleast upto the level of the 4th edition tools.
Thank_Dog wrote:
edwin_su wrote:
Thank_Dog wrote: