With the speed and quality of technology and digital tools in many other entertainment-related sectors always improving at sometimes mind-boggling rates, are you having an increasingly difficult time understanding what takes so incredibly long to continue updating the online Character Builder or even the new online Monster Builder?
I know I am, and I’m one of the few silver lining guys of my playgroups. While I’ve studied instructional design and technology, and appreciate what technology can and can’t do for learning, communication and the organization of information, I also game with around five programmers and software engineers who know a good amount of what’s involved in software tools development. Try getting those guys to calm down about how much the new online version of the Character Builder stinks!
The Character Builder and Monster Builder as Examples
For example, on the online CB, the noticeable changes you can count cover one hand from update to update.
“Bugs” as a reason, every single time, alone, isn’t going to make a customer any more satisfied. Real content that works is what adds value to customers. Hate to break it to you, but paying D&D Insider subscription customers do not in fact get excited most bug fixes… surprise!
One of my favorite very specific examples that makes me ask “Does D&D Even Know it’s a Digital World Out Here?” is when looking at gems and art objects, which have been excluded from the D&D Character Builder since its old offline version years ago. There’s been useful tables for these sacred cows of D&D treasure since the dawn of D&D in the ’70s. That’s right, 40 years of the most common D&D treasures, nowhere to be found in the Character Builders. It’s shocking, sad, and funny all at the same time.
And the new online Monster Builder. I don’t even know where to begin. Some artwork. Some. Otherwise, functionality? What functionality? Unbelievable. The old offline version kicks the new MB’s butt in nearly every which way.
Secrets and Speculation
Ultimately, I simply hate all this endless speculation we have to make, to “guess” the true reasons why D&D tools’ development is so painfully slow. I finally grow tired of defending them, as staunch a supporter and advocate of D&D as I have been throughout my life since the Basic D&D Red Box days.
Broadcast messages of “Sorry, printing-related bug delay, we’ll aim for an update next week” (a real message I received) in my Inbox over at the Wizards of the Coast forum make me physically ill. Imagine getting that message from any other company about a digital application of theirs you use. What adjectives come to your mind instantly? Incompetent? Out of touch? Understaffed? I’m sure you’ve got others, and I won’t ask how much friendlier they do or don’t sound!
Half the ire of paying DDi customers right now originates from the fact that we don’t know the truth behind all the slow development and delays.
Why is this process so incredibly, dreadfully slow?
Is the team that small?
Is the work that complicated?
I don’t understand. And I wager a LOT of people don’t. Can someone, anyone, provide some down-to-earth insight I’m missing? Why are these applications so different from everything else?
Achieving a Brighter Digital D&D Future
There’s some level of transparency needed when playing D&D. How about some when developing digital tools for the player base? I know Wizards of the Coast moved away from this where their newest digital team – you felt the backlash of over-promising and under-delivering.
That should also tell you your players and customer base is increasingly digitally affluent these days. You know, like the rest of the world?
That said, these days, every digital tool is played so close to the chest by WotC. What we get as as community is morsels of information, tiny improvements over time.
Well, I’m here to tell you, like a lot of your players and customers feel…
Your digital development is turtle-like. Your policy is horrible.
Give us transparent reasons to trust in a brighter digital D&D future.
What You Can Do
Get involved in the D&Di digital tools community. Weigh in with your opinions and get informed on the latest in D&D tools and technologies at the D&Di forum, the Character Builder forum, and the Monster Builder forum. If you have knowledge of or experience with the software and technology industries, all the more reason to get involved as an informed contributor. The goal is to create and develop better D&D digital tools faster and smarter.
Not only is the world more digital, but it’s also more collaborative than ever. And trust me, they need your help! Let’s get this promising digitial D&D generation back on course together.
Kilsek
I would have been fine with the online character builder had it been the first effort by WotC to supply a character builder. Put it out, call it Beta, let people tinker with it, no complaints.
However, it wasn’t a first effort- they already had the offline character builder which was so much more versatile and gave better information to new players who weren’t yet accustomed to the rules. When I was first starting out, I know I greatly appreciated the stat breakdowns on the old character builder sheets, and sometimes it still helps to see things broken down.
Even that wouldn’t have been enough to make me annoyed, though. The big kick in the ass was the retirement of the offline character long before the online one was ready. I’m guessing there was probably a good reason for this- maybe the offline character builder was built on a foundation that made it difficult to add new game content to- but it was definitely done too soon. I think if they had waited until now to make the full leap over to the online builder there would be less grumbling, since it’s hit the bare minimum of functionality recently. Then again, people on the internet live to complain about the nitpickiest of infinitesimal problems, so who knows.
I personally wish the online builder was more like Hero Lab, which uses rules for validation instead of enforcement, meaning it will warn you when your character is not complaint but it won’t force it to be. I don’t like that the official character builder won’t let you break most rules, customize your sheet, or do any kind of real homebrewing, which goes counter to the spirit of tabletop roleplaying. A nice compromise between the two programs would include the versatility of Hero Lab and the shiny, easy flowing GUI of the official builder. As it is, both programs fall short of not having to “fight” with them in order to do what you want. Hero Lab is stiff and unappealing, and the official builder falls short of capturing the essence of tabletop roleplaying.
But, at least the online builder is functional now, like anyone who wanted to play a divine class with inherent bonuses in Dark Sun will tell you.
Welcome Erik and thanks for your comment! Yes, it seems no single builder anyone offers is top-notch, all for different reasons. One of the things I keep seeing as I surf the DDi-related boards is that pirating might be a major concern, and could be why certain things that don’t seem “ready” enough are put out there for us to use. I can understand WotC wanting to protect their intellectual property of course, but at the same time WotC would be wise to find a way to better partner with all the talented 3rd party people out there.
Outstanding insights from a commentor here as well. Retired programmer Don Edwards makes some great points about the ‘why’ of the delays, starting with the basic way D&D’s database is built – it’s far too text-based, and that appears to the root of all evil.