Now that it has been out for a while is it doing what it is supposed to do or did it not live up to expectations? Just curious about how it actually turned out.
I have not and will not be using 4E. If I had the time I would consider trying the game as a player. Bottom line is I am neutral about the system, I neither think it is the greatest system ever nor do I think it is terrible. I just have sooo much 2E and 3.5 material I do not see the need to spend more money on RPG supplements. The friends that I do know who are using 4E think it is enjoyable. They also believe that DDI is very useful and adds a LOT to the game.
DDI Moving Forward into 5E-
The issue I see on the upside is when 5E is released with online support from DDI, Wizards could at low cost support both versions of the game in a way that would just not be feasible when the switch from 3.5 to 4E was made (or 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3.0).
The issue I see on the downside is that in the eventual conversion to 5E Wizards no longer supports 4E. Sort of the equivalent of WoTC coming into your house and taking all of your supplements off of your bookshelf. So much of 4E is online based if they do not support it after a switch over it could be the equivalent of a wipe of 4E.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
It is untenable from a business standpoint, as far as I'm aware, to simultaneously support two separate editions of the same game. When 5e eventually comes around, I think it is very likely that WotC will shut down the current incarnation of DDI in favor of its 5e counterpart, whatever that may end up being.
Now that it has been out for a while is it doing what it is supposed to do or did it not live up to expectations? Just curious about how it actually turned out.
I have not and will not be using 4E. If I had the time I would consider trying the game as a player. Bottom line is I am neutral about the system, I neither think it is the greatest system ever nor do I think it is terrible. I just have sooo much 2E and 3.5 material I do not see the need to spend more money on RPG supplements. The friends that I do know who are using 4E think it is enjoyable. They also believe that DDI is very useful and adds a LOT to the game.
DDI Moving Forward into 5E-
The issue I see on the upside is when 5E is released with online support from DDI, Wizards could at low cost support both versions of the game in a way that would just not be feasible when the switch from 3.5 to 4E was made (or 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3.0).
The issue I see on the downside is that in the eventual conversion to 5E Wizards no longer supports 4E. Sort of the equivalent of WoTC coming into your house and taking all of your supplements off of your bookshelf. So much of 4E is online based if they do not support it after a switch over it could be the equivalent of a wipe of 4E.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
My players found that it took a while to get use to (around 5th level or so but now love the game). The old stuff is easy to convert, in fact I have grabbed up PDF for the old TSR modules from Paizo( before WOTC stopped selling them). Once you've got your head around the structure conversion is more a matter of putting flavour into the NPC's( rogue swashbuckling fighter pirate uses dex and backstabbing in combat etc).
As for the DDI, great for DM's but not so much for players I reckon but that's my personal opinion, may well be wrong.I work with developers and I also suspect that the 4th Ed DDI would stop being supported once 5th ed comes along.
Now that it has been out for a while is it doing what it is supposed to do or did it not live up to expectations?
The Character Builder has far exceeded my expectations. It's the best tool of it's kind that I've ever encountered. From the look of things, the DM tools will be just as good, once it's up and running. Right now, there's just the Monster Builder, which is very good, but I can't wait to see the full version of the software. I'm really looking forward to having a nice software suite that helps me to organize adventures and plan encounters, then print that material in a form I can use at the table. I'm less enthusiastic about the online game table, which is starting to sound more and more like vaporware with each press release...
The rest of the stuff... meh. I would rather have paper versions of the magazines than electronic, and that's basically prevented me from reading any of it. Call me old-fashioned, but there's something about sitting down with a book or magazine for a nice read that can't be duplicated on pdf.
From the POV of a former subscriber:
What is there is, for the most part, very well done. The Character Builder in particular has greatly improved the whole experience. The compendium is great from a preparation POV, and Dungeon just keeps getting better.
However, what isn't there is also telling: No map builder. No character visualizer. Most of all, no Gametable. All of these things were supposed to be out 18 months ago. Even the Monster Builder has sat in beta for far too long now.
In summary: It's been a great boon, but has also fallen way short of it's potential. It could have made D&D a force again in a post WoW world; it that respect, lack of execution has undermined it.
3/5
Generally I would agree with you Scott but we do we Sony supporting both Playstation 2 and Playstation 3 and they have for a while (of course there are some big differences between these two systems). It is the only example that readily comes to mind. So while I can see it happening, you certainly would be siphoning off profits by essentialy competing with yourself by supporting two versions of the same game.
I imagine part of this has to do with Sony being quite large, and there being a "built-in" reason to upgrade to the newest product. With a game console, there are tangible, almost universally-accepted reasons to upgrade - better graphics, better online support, etc. With a tabletop RPG product people are much (MUCH) less willing to concede that an update is necessitated by anything. If both 3.5 and 4e received support, for instance, many more people would have seen no real reason to make the switch. While it's very easy to measure processor strength, memory, broadband capability, and HD output in objective terms that make the benefits of upgrading clear, it's very difficult to objectively say that a certain set of game rules is better than another set of game rules.
In other words, Sony can support both consoles for a time because they know people will eventually upgrade due to the "built-in" incentive to do so. Tabletop gaming companies cannot afford to support multiple systems at the same time because this eliminates the need for some to upgrade at all.
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Now that it has been out for a while is it doing what it is supposed to do or did it not live up to expectations? Just curious about how it actually turned out.
The Character Builder has far, far exceeded my expectations. It is the most superior character creation software I've ever seen. Monthly updates to it and the D&D Compendium make the Character Builder worth the subscription price alone.
I use the D&D Compendium as both a player and DM. I don't use the books at the table (even though I own all 4E products), but the Compendium, since it's up-to-date. Looking up rules has never been faster with a one-stop utility like the Compendium. It has also exceeded my expectations.
I like getting Dragon and Dungeon in .pdf form. I'd take printed and .pdf copies if I could have both. But, the portability of the .pdfs has been very nice, especially since D&DI allows you to download and print only what you need, while at the same time allowing constant access to all of the content.
I think D&DI has finally, over the last six months, moved into being a very viable and useful gaming product. It got off to a very rough start (I subscribed on day one) and took some getting use to. But now, I thoroughly enjoy the product and I think it's well worth the price of subscription.
Now that it has been out for a while is it doing what it is supposed to do or did it not live up to expectations? Just curious about how it actually turned out.The Character Builder has far, far exceeded my expectations. It is the most superior character creation software I've ever seen. Monthly updates to it and the D&D Compendium make the Character Builder worth the subscription price alone.
I use the D&D Compendium as both a player and DM. I don't use the books at the table (even though I own all 4E products), but the Compendium, since it's up-to-date. Looking up rules has never been faster with a one-stop utility like the Compendium. It has also exceeded my expectations.
I like getting Dragon and Dungeon in .pdf form. I'd take printed and .pdf copies if I could have both. But, the portability of the .pdfs has been very nice, especially since D&DI allows you to download and print only what you need, while at the same time allowing constant access to all of the content.
I think D&DI has finally, over the last six months, moved into being a very viable and useful gaming product. It got off to a very rough start (I subscribed on day one) and took some getting use to. But now, I thoroughly enjoy the product and I think it's well worth the price of subscription.
I would have to completely agree with this statement!
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However, what isn't there is also telling: No map builder. No character visualizer. Most of all, no Gametable. All of these things were supposed to be out 18 months ago. Even the Monster Builder has sat in beta for far too long now.
3/5
As a convert who swore to all the powers of all the 9 planes of hell WotC wouldn't see a single dime of my money after they released 4e...
The most important thing is the Character Builder - and it is brilliant. The most complex thing in D&D from 3e+ was making a character. Way too many options spread over way too many books. It was easier to store the entire works of Shakespeare in your brain than remember every feat! Now in 15 minutes you can have a PC up and running using the full array of choices. Once my gaming group hits the gaming table we are sans computer. Paper, pens and dice all we use. Add to the character builder access to Dungeon mag and you are all set. What they have provided currently justifies the cost of the subscription - each bit they add just makes the deal that much sweeter.
A satisfied doubting Thomas.
The issue I see on the downside is that in the eventual conversion to 5E Wizards no longer supports 4E. Sort of the equivalent of WoTC coming into your house and taking all of your supplements off of your bookshelf. So much of 4E is online based if they do not support it after a switch over it could be the equivalent of a wipe of 4E.
This isn't really the case. For one, Dungeon and Dragon magazines come in pdf forms, which are easy enough to download. Secondly, The Tools (and their databases) are downloaded to your computer. Once you subscribe, you have these tools forever (or as long as you choose to keep them). You just can't get updates if you don't continue to subscribe. The only things you would lose are the Compendium and similar online functions. These tools are negligible in the grand scheme of the DDI.
Even if WotC switch to 5e tomorrow, I'd still be able to keep all my 4e DDI materials.