D&D 5E Discussion

[LeStryfe79]

No fucking soul.

 

[Alchemist]

The implication is when the Starter Set comes out (well before the core books), there will be some way to make characters. Seriously, it's going to be a mobile / web app - I'm calling it now. Hopefully not requiring a D&D insider subscription.

I don't think there's much chance of it not requiring a subscription. WotC hasn't published a D&D book since 2011, the money guys must be really jonesing by now.

I can just see it now: The free app will let you make the most basic fighter. If you want other classes - you can buy them as DLC with in-app purchases...

But WotC can't really be that stupid right? Hackers / pirates will find a way around it in no time.

Paizo puts all of their rules out for free via SRD and still makes tons of money on books and adventures.

 

[Grunker]

subscription

subscription

You think they're going to repeat the business model of a product that failed immensely? I'm not sure if it's you or Wizards on the crackpibe.

In-app purchases, maybe. That shit is much less obnoxious though as it doesn't really affect anyone else and is way cheaper in the long run anyway. Hero Lab is a pretty awesome product (though expensive). An official Wizards product like it has the chance to be even better. Why the fuck not? 4E's character builder was functionally close to something that could have been good.

 

[Xor]

I don't have much faith in WotC after how completely terrible 4E was, but I would be surprised if they made a character creation app that required a subscription. It would seriously take about a day for someone to code up a free substitute that did the exact same thing. I'm really hoping that they'll release an SRD and license it under OGL, as that's what made 3/3.5 dominate the tabletop scene for a decade. It arguably still does through pathfinder.

 

[Grunker]

It would seriously take about a day for someone to code up a free substitute that did the exact same thing.

Eh? Hero Lab is the only fully functional app out there and it's $30 and certainly not coded in a day.

 

[Xor]

It would seriously take about a day for someone to code up a free substitute that did the exact same thing.

Eh? Hero Lab is the only fully functional app out there and it's $30 and certainly not coded in a day.

For D&D Next? How hard could it possibly be? There are multiple character generators for 3.5, and while I've never cared enough to check for 4E there has to be something out there. What is there to systemize? Stat generation, class and race selection, skill and feat selection, spells, companion/familiars, and items. From there just export to PDF for printing, or whatever. Unless you're talking about including online tabletop features or something, in which case who cares because roll20 is free and is pretty much perfect for that kind of thing anyway.

You can bet if WotC tried to charge for something that simple somebody would make an alternative.

 

[Grunker]

stuff

You are way, way oversimplifying what a character sheet app needs to be able to do. Even if you dismiss auto-calc you still need high customizability. If there's just one thing you can't do on the app that you can do with paper, no one is going to use it. Hero Lab is for Pathfinder, not 3.5 by the way.

If you're talking about printing, well, sure I guess, but then PC sheets and PDF forms are likely much better. I'm talking about digital sheets that aren't meant to be printed. Why the fuck would anyone pay for a printable sheet? People pay for the benefits that come with fully customizable auto-calc, condition-applying use-while-you-play apps.

Remember that Wizard's dream with 4E was to digitalize a ton of assets. In my opinion much of the stuff they built was actually pretty fucking functional, they were just a) too early in the evolution of digital systems (no tablets yet), b) not customizable enough (no one will use a tool that doesn't allow house rules/is actually MORE hassle to use than a normal sheet) and c) stuck with a shitty system that no one liked (i.e. 4E).

 

[tuluse]

I don't have much faith in WotC after how completely terrible 4E was, but I would be surprised if they made a character creation app that required a subscription. It would seriously take about a day for someone to code up a free substitute that did the exact same thing. I'm really hoping that they'll release an SRD and license it under OGL, as that's what made 3/3.5 dominate the tabletop scene for a decade. It arguably still does through pathfinder.

OGL is dead bro. No way Hasbro is letting it happen again and watch the next Paizo take their customers.

 

[J1M]

stuff

auto-calc

You mean like this?

http://artificerentertainment.blogspot.ca/2014/04/guildcraft-dev-diary-part-ii.html

 

[Grunker]

alright, you win, it's not because hero lab is complex that it's the only functional app on the market, it's just magic and rainbows!

people generally don't pay $30 for shit they can get for free

If these programs are so straightforward to produce, why are there none? Again, I am not talking about fucking PDF sheets. I'm talking about full-fledged character builders with full customizability.

so

You mean like this?

no, I don't mean like that

 

[Xor]

I remember there being at least a few functional character builders for 3.5, one of which had most of the fluff books coded into it as well. I don't know why there aren't more for pathfinder. I went back to using paper sheets after using electronic ones briefly just because I like the feeling of a physical character sheet, and also so I didn't have to lug my laptop to every gaming session. My only other experience with electronic sheets was in Exalted, where there were three fully functional character builders, although only one was up to date with all the current content. So I know they're out there.

I think it's more likely that there just isn't a demand for these kinds of programs. An interactive PDF or google document will do the exact same job for free (although it offloads the job of doing basic arithmetic to the player), with more flexibility for adding homebrew content, and most players come to know the rules well enough that they don't need to be hand held through the character generation process.

 

[Alchemist]

I've been using PCGen for character management in my current Pathfinder campaign. Free, open-source, has all the book data and can handle house rules with a bit of fiddling. Only drawback is that it has no tablet / phone version. So I export to PDF and / or HTML for at-the-table use. The HTML is dynamic and can apply modifiers on the fly - pretty handy.

 

[catfood]

To be honest I too was once a big fan of these types of programs but nowadays I prefer making characters the good old fashioned way with paper, pencil and eraser like God intended. It gives a better sense of intimacy with the character that you're creating when you have to go over every box and flip through a physical book when looking at the various options and rules.

 

[Alchemist]

Just a heads-up for those interested, Amazon has some pretty sweet pre-order prices on the Starter Set ($12.66) and PH ($29.97) right now. What the hell, I pre-ordered. I know I'll buy them eventually anyway.

 

[tuluse]

What comes in the starter set?

 

[Alchemist]

What comes in the starter set?

According to Amazon:

Explore subterranean labyrinths! Plunder hoards of treasure! Battle legendary monsters!

The Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set is your gateway to action-packed stories of the imagination. This box contains the essential rules of the game plus everything you need to play heroic characters on perilous adventures in worlds of fantasy.

Ideal for a group of 4 – 6, the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set includes a 64-page adventure book with everything the Dungeon Master needs to get started, a 32-page rulebook for playing characters level 1 – 5, 5 pregenerated characters, each with a character sheet and supporting reference material, and 6 dice.

I haven't been following all the online discussions about it so that's as much as I know.

 

[Spectacle]

Just a heads-up for those interested, Amazon has some pretty sweet pre-order prices on the Starter Set ($12.66) and PH ($29.97) right now. What the hell, I pre-ordered. I know I'll buy them eventually anyway.

Sweet, order placed. Amazon will probably deliver the books faster than my local game store will stock them.

 

[Grunker]

drawback is that it has no tablet

having no tablet app is a pretty big drawback in a discussion about tablet apps

 

[Alchemist]

drawback is that it has no tablet

having no tablet app is a pretty big drawback in a discussion about tablet apps

I wasn't talking just about tablet apps.

 

[J1M]

drawback is that it has no tablet

having no tablet app is a pretty big drawback in a discussion about tablet apps

Surface.

 

[Grunker]

S

drawback is that it has no tablet

having no tablet app is a pretty big drawback in a discussion about tablet apps

Surface Pro.

The day when that D&D surface demo vid becomes an affordable reality is the day I rejoice.

 

[Xor]

I didn't realize we were exclusively talking about tablets. Which is hardly surprising since they haven't been mentioned at all in this discussion until just now.

 

[Grunker]

I didn't realize we were exclusively talking about tablets. Which is hardly surprising since they haven't been mentioned at all in this discussion until just now.

wat

I said that in-app purchases might be a thing, you commented on that.

Fuck it, clearly it was a misunderstanding (though I gotta say that claiming that tablets haven't been mentioned at all when that is factually not true raises my eyebrows). I was talking about tablets. I don't call PC programs "apps".

Whether they'll make something for PC that doesn't even have a tablet app I sincerely doubt. They have no reason to repeat past mistakes.

 

[Alchemist]

More tidbits, via Tenkar's Tavern: http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2014/05/dmg-to-offer-sidebars-on-emulating.html

I don't call PC programs "apps".

Whether they'll make something for PC that doesn't even have a tablet app I sincerely doubt. They have no reason to repeat past mistakes.

This is getting needlessly pedantic. Apps, programs - whatever, they are the same thing. Digital tools used on computer devices. And there is such a thing as a web app that you can use on a desktop PC. I said app simply because a mobile and web app is most likely. With touchscreen PCs the lines between mobile and regular computers are blurred anyway.

 

[tuluse]

More tidbits, via Tenkar's Tavern: http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2014/05/dmg-to-offer-sidebars-on-emulating.html

Called it