| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Kuje |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 16:09:28
Become a Dungeons & Dragons Insider and gain access to exclusive content designed specifically with D&D players in mind. As part of your monthly subscription, you gain access to features designed to enhance your D&D experience, including:
D&D Insider Magazine, online magazine with new content updated daily, including:
-Product Previews (articles showcasing upcoming D&D products)
-Class Features (articles expanding existing character class options and debuting new character and prestige classes)
-Strategy and Tactics (articles relating to D&D roleplaying combat and spellcasting, and to D&D Miniatures Skirmish play)
-Design and Development (articles and columns exploring the many facets of the D&D experience, written by game designers in D&D R&D)
-D&D Humor (comic strips devoted to the D&D experience)
D&D Product Enhancements (expanded content for D&D products you bought, including interactive content such as searchable indexes, extra features, behind the scenes articles, game designer and developer commentary, and more)
Exclusive Content that expands your favorite campaign world
-Eberron and Forgotten Realms ongoing content
-Interactive maps
-World events and adventure hooks
D&D University
-Rolling six-week course to help make you a better D&D player
-Course message boards
-Player tip of the week from D&D R&D
- MyCharacter.Com pages that you can design and populate, with a Premium Customization Kit that includes D&D art, frames, and icons
- Private Message Boards that give you a direct line to D&D R&D
- Premium RPGA Membership Card mailed to you
- Fast Lane Registration at all RPGA events (online and in the real world)
- The Magic Shop, a virtual shop where you can outfit your D&D character
D&D Character Builder, a program that helps you create and manage your D&D characters. This program allows you to create a character for any D&D game, walking you through the process of rolling the dice and assigning your game statistics, as well as creating a visual version of your character using "paper doll" models and "drag and click" selections of armor and weapons. At the end, you can save your character and print out a character sheet, as well as go to any D&D tournament and call up your character for use, or use the character at the Virtual Gaming Table (see below). With this package, you get to create and store up to 10 different characters or up to 10 different versions of one character (your character at different levels), or some combination of the two.
-Exclusive D&D-related novels and short stories written by your favorite authors
-Real-World D&D Search Engines (find D&D gamers, game stores, tournaments, and events in your area)
-In-Game D&D Search Engines (find feats, spells, magic items, and other D&D-related topics)
Digital Gaming Table, a program that allows you to play D&D using the Internet as your kitchen table, with a viewable play surface, dice rolling, virtual miniatures, and voice chat. Now you don't have to wait for your home gaming group to get together to play a game of D&D. You can still play your weekly face-to-face game, but now you can also play two or three more times a week by finding a game at the virtual table. Or, you might want to reconnect with your old gaming pals who long ago moved away-now you can all play together again on a regular basis! With this package, you get to play at the table 3 times per month. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| EytanBernstein |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 15:34:53
E-tools was cool, but I might suggest checking out PCGen, which is free. Incidentally, it is also sponsored by Silven (my company). |
| Gray Richardson |
Posted - 01 Dec 2006 : 02:19:40
You can still buy data sets up until midnight pacific time tonight (11/30/06) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 20:24:23
quote:
Originally posted by Xysma
Oh yeah, and thanks to WotC for dropping E-tools like a hot potato after I spent $500 on the thing. I think that should equal many years of online subscription fees.
And I was finally going to pick up some FR datasets, on my next paycheck.  |
| Xysma |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 19:57:05
Oh yeah, and thanks to WotC for dropping E-tools like a hot potato after I spent $500 on the thing. I think that should equal many years of online subscription fees. |
| Xysma |
Posted - 30 Nov 2006 : 19:51:32
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
D&D Character Builder, a program that helps you create and manage your D&D characters. This program allows you to create a character for any D&D game, walking you through the process of rolling the dice and assigning your game statistics, as well as creating a visual version of your character using "paper doll" models and "drag and click" selections of armor and weapons. At the end, you can save your character and print out a character sheet, as well as go to any D&D tournament and call up your character for use, or use the character at the Virtual Gaming Table (see below). With this package, you get to create and store up to 10 different characters or up to 10 different versions of one character (your character at different levels), or some combination of the two.
I guess this explains why WotC took E-tools away from the Code Monkeys.
Also, I took a survey that asked about all of the stuff listed here, and I seem to remember reading somewhere in there that the free content as it exists now would stay the same. Did anyone else take that survey? |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 22:17:12
Could we share the costs and the reward?  |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 17:18:43
quote:
Originally posted by Bakra
If they give us the option to tailor make the subscription, then I would really be interested. For example, I check off the box for FR. Then another box for the computerized table top thingy, but leave Eberron and the previews unchecked.
Until then, I think I will wait and see.
Assuming the price is the same, I'd go for everything. I'm not really into Eber-whatsit, but that certainly doesn't stop me from mining it for ideas. |
| Bakra |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 16:13:53
If they give us the option to tailor make the subscription, then I would really be interested. For example, I check off the box for FR. Then another box for the computerized table top thingy, but leave Eberron and the previews unchecked.
Until then, I think I will wait and see.
|
| xmanii |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 06:39:59
Scattered is right. Wish it was all in one spot, to ease the downloading.
Assuming they do make a pay per subscription, I hope they revamp the search engine. Put bluntly, it sucks.
|
| The Sage |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 04:12:05
I'd rate Ed's Realmslore as among the first to download. Followed closely by his Border Kingdoms articles.
I'm not sure about the other articles scattered around the D&D site itself.
|
| scererar |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 03:35:05
besides everything  , what would you deem the most important to downlond from wotc first to last? I am there now, but it is a lot of lore.
let me know, thanks |
| The Sage |
Posted - 29 Nov 2006 : 00:40:54
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Kalin Agrivar
I'm glad for that...I was thinking I may have to start copy/pasting and downloading all the WotC Realms content!
I've been doing that for a while. Their recent move to provide downloads of the articles has been most appreciated. 
Heck, I've been doing that since the very first article of Elminster Speaks was uploaded.
Of course, the compiled PDF WotC later put up after the series ended was also most appreciated. I hope it's a practice that continues...
|
| Reefy |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 23:00:05
Thanks for the info, Eytan. And KEJR makes some good points - it could well be a positive move that works for both Wizards and the fans. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 22:23:57
Not really, but by comparison, if you look at the number of D&D afficianados that will run out to by a new monster manual, and then look at how many would do so for a Volo's Guide, I think it wouild seem so to anyone doing a basic analysis of the market climate for various D&D products.
As far as book prices go, I do wonder if we had a guaranteed, say, four Realms hardcovers a year, and each was 192 pages (a lot of people seemed to like that page count), but we had to pay $45 dollars a pop for them, how this would go over? I would be willing to do it, especially if they had established Realms authors working on them, and they were tailoring their content to fan input in places like Candlekeep.
The "problem" is, WOTC wants FR to be a viable "new" setting for people just jumping into the game itself, and the 45 dollar range is likely a bit prohibitive for that . . . in a lot of ways its good to still be thought of as a setting that will draw in players, and not just one that has seen its day in the sun thats being milked for everything its got until we fans fade away, but the downside is that the whole line has to balance between drawing in new players and appeasing the die hards.
To get back to the main topic, electronic content is something that might just be able to provide an outlet for the content that "too detailed" to be put in books that might be marketed for newer Realms fans, but its still there once they get up to speed and wanting more from the setting later on.
|
| Faraer |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 22:17:45
Yes, books have low margins because of the traditional practices of the publishing industry which includes the fact that books are DIRT CHEAP, especially with crazy modern discounts. Practices which took centuries to stabilize, as presumably ways of selling electronic information will too.
(Knight, do you feel Volo's Guides are very specific niche tastes? I see no reason to think so.) |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 21:44:37
To tell you the truth, the more I think about this idea, the more it could really be a good thing for the industry and our hobby as a whole. Hopefully a membership fee will fall within the range of "not painful," but I can definately see why they would do this, and its not "because they are greedy."
The margin of profits on literal, physical books is low, especially if you don't sell over a specific amount to get publication going in the first place. Every book is a gamble, and the narrower the profit margin on a given book, the more the parent company wants an explanation on why THIS game doesn't have the profit margin that Monopoly does . . .
While you still need to hire people to write material for you, when you publish material in an electronic format, you cut out the production costs for the printing, as well as distribution, of books. What this means is that products that you think might have an audience, but you aren't willing to take a chance on, you can now "publish" in installments as content on a site. Then you can publish the books you KNOW will make money (monster books, for example) and still keep some of the fans that might not buy everything that comes out, or want to try new options, but have very specific niche tastes (ahem . . . for example . . . Volo's Guides?).
If it takes off, the virtual table top has the potential of circumventing some of the atrition that the hobby experiences over time, since it becomes easier to still be able to find and run a game, and to do so in a "satisfying" manner, i.e. a manner that is similar to the way you would play sitting around a table with your friends.
I'm watching this with a lot of interest. This could actually be a really good thing for the hobby as a whole (also, if this launches before the armaged . . . er . . . 4th edition comes around, I'd take this as a sign that maybe 4th edition is not as impending as some rumors would have it). |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 21:41:15
quote:
Originally posted by Kalin Agrivar
I'm glad for that...I was thinking I may have to start copy/pasting and downloading all the WotC Realms content!
I've been doing that for a while. Their recent move to provide downloads of the articles has been most appreciated. |
| Kuje |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 16:42:54
quote:
Originally posted by Kalin Agrivar
I'm glad for that...I was thinking I may have to start copy/pasting and downloading all the WotC Realms content!
I did that yesterday, just in case. :) |
| Kalin Agrivar |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 13:43:05
I'm glad for that...I was thinking I may have to start copy/pasting and downloading all the WotC Realms content! |
| EytanBernstein |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 01:46:11
I'm not involved in the planning of this, nor have I been asked to write anything for it, but I am involved in a substantial number of online FR articles and web enhancements. Unless I'm completely out of the loop, WotC is planning to continue with a similar amount of online material to what is currently being produced. I'd imagine (and this is just a guess) that existing columns and very esoteric Realmslore will be continued on the website. The insider package will probably have new types of material. I could be completely off, but I have a feeling that this material is meant to serve as a paid online supplement, not as a replacement for online content. Free online content is quite a sound marketing strategy, and it does sell books, so I doubt it will be going away any time soon. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 00:56:52
quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by Kalin Agrivar
where did you see that? But I agree, if it is a WotC thing, it sounds like they are planning to re-vamp their D&D web site...
Well, since it mentions a monthly fee in the first sentence and new FR content that is updated daily..... one has to wonder if we are going to lose our free FR content. :)
Most of those articles are articles that are currently free.
Specifically, this worries me...
quote:
Become a Dungeons & Dragons Insider and gain access to exclusive content designed specifically with D&D players in mind. As part of your monthly subscription, you gain access to features designed to enhance your D&D experience, including:
...
quote:
Exclusive Content that expands your favorite campaign world
-Eberron and Forgotten Realms ongoing content
-Interactive maps
-World events and adventure hooks
It sounds as if already established FR web content, and anything new WotC has planned, will indeed be part of the "Insider Package."
|
| George Krashos |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 00:52:17
As someone who was an RPGA member only for the subscription to Polyhedron and only for the FR content in that magazine, I'd pay up to become a member. Wonder how much it will be ...?
-- George Krashos
|
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin |
Posted - 28 Nov 2006 : 00:42:04
Yes, I'd consider paying the fee if it wasn't too high--like most other people I'm just not interested in everything. |
| Reefy |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 23:05:51
I think this is a 'wait and see' job for me. If the cost was low and the FR output was good, I'd consider it, but I hope it doesn't come at the expense of free output. |
| Mace Hammerhand |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 21:35:59
Well this is what the monkeys have to say:
quote:
Well... the other shoe finally dropped.
Without preamble or holding anything back it's pretty simple:
Effective November 30th, we will no longer hold license with Wizards of the Coast to produce data sets of any kind for any program.
Wizards of the Coast has declined to extend our agreement, initially citing no reason. Then, after speaking with our contact at-length, we got this explanation: "Because of Future Product Considerations."
Whether this means 4th Edition is looming, they're doing things in house, or they've decided to give a license to someone else, we simply don't know.
What this means in simple terms is that as of December 1st there will be no Wizards of the Coast products available for sale from us. No data sets for e-Tools, PCGen or RPG Foundry. No Interactive Adventures or Atlases. No Fantasy Grounds Data Sets. Nothing. (And, yes, that does mean that all RPG Foundry data set pre-orders will be canceled and refunded.)
That does not mean that we're going out of business. We're not! This has no impact on our other publishers. We will still be producing data sets for them, and in fact we're working on adding a few other publishers to the list of those we do business with in order to bring even more data sets to you guys and gals.
This does, however, also mean no more e-Tools program sales. Which is not as big an issue as e-Tools was at the end of its life cycle, anyway. We had three new data sets for release this month, but that's not happening now as Wizards won't approve them at this stage. And we were basically done with e-Tools, anyhow. ;)
So for a couple months we'll be producing and selling data sets for PCGen, only, until RPG Foundry is out.
But not all is "doom and gloom" around the Zoo! So here's the silver lining on those black clouds. We have (so far!):
Bastion Press and Zeitgeist Games have agreed to allow for our original RPG Foundry Data Swap. So for those products there will be a free data exchange option for RPG Foundry-format data sets from original e-Tools and/or PCGen purchases.
We're working on adding several other publishers to our list for PCGen and RPG Foundry data set creation, and not just for the D20 system! And things are looking good there. We can't say who at this time since negotiations are ongoing, of course, but we think people will be pleased.
In the next cycle of releases/updates (later this month) we’ll finally be revising our PCGen data sets to support PCGen Stable Production Release 5.10.1! Testing was finally concluded without any major changes (primarily to game modes settings since PCGen code changed a few things there - more details/comments at release time on this) and all is looking good.
We'll be continuing to sell Bastion Press product PDFs and we're working with a few of our other publisher partners to sell their PDFs as well.
And we've got a few other things "in the works" that we can't detail just yet... but when we can say more we will!
As a final note on data sets: The "2 years of support" will officially begin as of December 1, 2006, and end December 1, 2008. We'll still be doing updates, bug fixes, etc on both the e-Tools and PCGen data sets. That hasn't changed. You'll still be able to download the files that you've previously purchased (all data, the e-Tools Program itself, the Interactive Adventures and the Fantasy Grounds data sets) until that date.
I'm sure some of you are wondering by now if this is going to impact RPG Foundry in any way, so let's address that. Only slightly. Some of you may remember that we said we were basing our initial data sets for RPG Foundry by importing our PCGen files, since they were text and easier to manipulate. But it's still a monkey-ugly conversion with lots of work needing to be done to massage that data into RPG Foundry format, so we've been saying we weren't going to do any type of converter to release to folks because of those reasons. Well... we're revisiting that option given the new circumstances. We're looking at making a slightly higher-functioning converter (though it still won't ever be perfect) available that will at least get the data massaged in such a manner that it's usable in RPG Foundry from PCGen and e-Tools. When we do, we'll release it as a standalone, "alpha test," unsupported application for folks.
There isn't really much more to tell. Those are the highlights of things, as we can tell them to you.
No punches pulled, no lies, just the plain, painful truth. As much as we can tell, anyway, because of NDAs.
We're not going anywhere, we're not folding shop and running away, RPG Foundry isn't dead and neither are we.
So you're stuck with us Monkeys for a long time to come yet.
-The Code Monkey Publishing Team
Maybe we get a webcam that shows us pictures from the design teams' offices. Maybe we get pay to play things...who knows. Maybe Wizards just figured it's way more cost effective to release all sorts of stuff via a pay site than putting it on paper.
I never did go into the hyperspace pay BS because at the time it merely seemed to me that GL wanted to milk even more cash outa the SW cow...
Maybe WOTC is doin' the same |
| Snotlord |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 20:37:32
Interesting. I'd certainly try it for a few months, but its utility depends on mileage/cost. A steady supply of nicely formated FR baddies and setting background material would be nice. Four books each year is not nearly enough to work with.
Its nice to see that wotc is trying new ways to keep D&D and FR profitable.
Paying for previews on the other hand seem redundant  |
| Faraer |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 20:07:51
Compare starwars.com's Hyperspace subscription service, which seems to be a viable operation. Wizards.com really puts out an impressive amount of material and I wouldn't begrudge paying something for it; the uncertainty is whether the revenue would outweigh the good will and promotion the free stuff provides. The price would also have to be low enough for the many people interested in only, say, a quarter of the material. |
| Alaundo |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 19:53:03
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
And E-Tools is no longer going to be supported, from what I was just reading... I did a Google search, and saw that this is being discussed on the Wizards boards, as well.
Some of it doesn't sound bad, but I just hope it doesn't cut into the free stuff they already give us. I'll not be happy if we have to start paying for Waterdeep News, Realmslore, and/or errata and such.
Well met
Hmmm, i'm certainly concerned about this turn of events. Of course, some will pay subscription fees for this material but on the whole I don't see many doing so.
If it were purely a FR publication, then without a doubt I would go for it . As I don't use almost all of the D&D core (and needless to say, Eberron) material at all currently, I doubt I could justify going for this. |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 18:08:55
This sounds interesting, thanks for the info Kuje. Looking forward to learning more. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 27 Nov 2006 : 17:41:48
And E-Tools is no longer going to be supported, from what I was just reading... I did a Google search, and saw that this is being discussed on the Wizards boards, as well.
Some of it doesn't sound bad, but I just hope it doesn't cut into the free stuff they already give us. I'll not be happy if we have to start paying for Waterdeep News, Realmslore, and/or errata and such. |
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