Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Xintao Apr 01, 2015 13:57:14	Seriously WOTC, this is 2015. Why don't you have apps or electronic support? Several one man operations have already created apps and you had to sic lawyers onto them. We are what, 9 months into your re-launch and NOTHING.    We want tablet and smart phone apps. All my players have some sort of digital device that they bring to the my games. They'd rather have a character sheet on the iphone then on paper. I love reading the books, but not during a game.     Just launch SOMETHING and if it's not perfect fix it later. But do something.    Xin
#2 AaronOfBarbaria Apr 01, 2015 14:37:15	...you get that WotC is not a software firm, right?   I mean, do you go into a pizzaria and demand they serve you sushi?   That said, I find your implication that WotC did anything but put a stop to illegal and unethical activity with the "one man operations" they asked to take down their softwares to be indicative of a lack of understand of how stuff works.   ...and no, for the love of all things good, don't release junk just so at least there is something released - that is shooting one's self in the foot, especially when it is a repetition of a prior mistake like it would be in the case of WotC and digital tools.
#3 LAThompson Apr 01, 2015 14:42:49	PDFs would be a good place to start. I've purchased all of the hardcover products, quite a few of the minis (including the two big dragons) and I run non-stop Adventure League sessions at 2-3 conventions a year. Why is it that in 2015 the best PDF I can find of WotC products is a terrible black & white scan that is missing pages?   You don't have to undermine the retailer to do this, or sabotage the sales of your (gorgeous) hard-cover products. Selling Magic-sized cards with unique codes through your normal retail channel would ensure you don't alienate local game stores or your distribution channels. A single Wizards of the Coast app that uses the device's camera to read the codes and automatically downloads the appropriate content makes it easy for the consumer to get those PDFs into their smartphones or tablets.   The industry has embraced digital content, it's time you did the same.
#4 Jenks Apr 01, 2015 14:49:08	Aaron has a point, WotC isn't responsible to make digital tools. That isn't their expertise, games are. Even Paizo has pretty much produced none of its digital offerings in house, and most of its best digital support is SRD based third party software.    Not to mention, the reason that Paizo hasn't shut down some of pathfinder's 3rd party programs is due to the fact that the entirety of pathfinder is based on the OGL, so the same thing that let's them produce content is the same thing that lets others make their support. Paizo has protected its copyrights in the past as well. They have gotten copyrighted content on SRD websites changed more than once. It's not a lawsuit, but it was a remove it or we'll make you type of move.    WotC on the other hand owns all of its content and can do whatever they want with it, which means they can go and shut down whoever they want. Does it suck? Yes. Is it a dick move? Maybe. But its a move I don't blame them for. You gotta protect your copyrights and trademarks, literally.    Although PDFs are pretty industry standard. That I cannot defend WotC on. This decision still confuses me.
#5 Xintao Apr 01, 2015 15:16:34	I NEVER complained that they shut down the pirates, I was stating fact. It's their intellectual property, in fact I support them in that. My point on the one may operations is that this is not rocket sciene. Hire a firm, hire some kids, hire somebody to get onto the digital bandwagon. I'd pay money to have access to a digital spell book or PHB or MM. I used to have a subscription to D&D Insider and it was good.   WOTC need to step up their digital game. Hell, sell me a PDF. It's not like it's not already out there, it is.
#6 AaronOfBarbaria Apr 01, 2015 15:38:20	Some thought on PDFs: What if WotC has information that suggests that putting out PDFs of the full versions of the PHB, DMG, MM, and adventures for 5th edition would result in a net loss of profit in comparison to releasing only hard-copy content? People wanting to buy PDFs doesn't necessarily mean that selling PDFs would be more profit overall, though it would be more profit than zero from PDFs specifically.   And what if WotC is trying to work out some kind of digital solution that isn't like the subscribe and get all content ever (to the reported lament of brick & mortar game stores), or as easily pirateable as a PDF, and might actually have better functionality than either has had in the past? (Wishful thinking, I admit).   Xintao wrote:
(Reply to #6) LAThompson	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#8 Mistwell Apr 01, 2015 16:45:53	Retailers complained to WOTC about releasing PDFs too early.  It doesn't matter if you think their concerns were warrented or unwarrented - they had concerns, and WOTC responded to them because their retailer relationships are important to them.  And yes, they are more important to them than they are for Paizo - because of Magic The Gathering.  There is a reason Paizo sells their books direct to the public (hardcopies) and Wizards does not.  Retailers have more influence with WOTC than they do with Paizo, and WOTC depends on retailers more than Paizo does.
(Reply to #6) CCS	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#10 ORC_Cricket Apr 01, 2015 18:52:55	We’ve removed content from this thread because of a violation of the Code of Conduct.   You can review the Code here: http://company.wizards.com/conduct   Please keep your posts polite, on-topic, and refrain from making personal attacks. You are welcome to disagree with one another but please do so respectfully and constructively.   Remember, a community is a joint effort of all those involved, and while we want intelligent meaningful and productive banter to ensue we also need it to be polite and considerate of others.     Thank you for your time and support as we continue to try and make a great community for everyone.
(Reply to #5) CCS	Xintao wrote:
#12 akaddk Apr 02, 2015 6:54:13	Xintao wrote:
#13 joeburgos Apr 02, 2015 7:20:16	I admit, Im anxious for digital tools, not necessarily PDFs as a high priority, I feel that the core books are sufficient, but I would prioritize character/encounter builders and DM tools, specially apps. I think 5e is streamlined enough that I dont need pdf's at the moment (I usually reference the Basic Rules pdf at my table, which are free). I also think its smart of Wizards to hold off on pdf's of the core rules, after all, when people see my group playing at the FLGS they are seeing us pulling out and using the 5e books, which then prompts people to ask what we are playing. This is how Ive added 2 players to my group.  As somoene here has mentioned, the FLGS dont make money from pdf's, so I think Wizards is also being mindful of this, at least during these baby years of 5e.
#14 QwertyAzerty Apr 02, 2015 11:37:50	LAThompson wrote:
(Reply to #14) AaronOfBarbaria	QwertyAzerty wrote:
(Reply to #15) Ranthalan	AaronOfBarbaria wrote:
#17 Ramius613 Apr 02, 2015 13:16:14	I'd honestly like to see them figure out the "philosophical differences" they had with Trapdoor, and just release that. The software was ready for the most part, and in the time since they've cancelled their agreement, they could have finished the web and Android interfaces, and we could be using the software right now.
#18 dmgorgon Apr 02, 2015 13:37:55	I think WotC should leave that to the fans to create.     I'd rather them focus on the game and not on software development.         The problem is that WotC needs to open up the system a bit more to allow fans to create useful tools.
(Reply to #17) Jenks	Ramius613 wrote:
#20 Sands666 Apr 03, 2015 0:05:58	Ramius613 wrote:
#21 Zardnaar Apr 03, 2015 6:59:56	Looks like I may be running my 1st D&D on Roll 20 or whatever the online table is. My EUIV group plays D&D it seems and they found out I was a DM. They got a shock when I told them I had around 20k of D&D stuff andI could run any edition for them.    They were split around 50/50 or Pathfinder or 5E and some of them asked the difference. I think we settled on Pathfinder because of the PRD that everyone can have to reference easily. I don't think the game will happens due to things like timezones and I can't be assed running Pathfinder but I gave them a choice between PF, 5E, 2E and Castles and Crusades but PF was the only one everyone knew and/or had access to.     We have a 32 player game of Europa Unversalis IV starting up next week so I suppose we'll talk about it then.