So new graphics of Compendium don't like it at all. loved how you had it before. simple lists with no pictures, the new lists take away from reading things easly. please please go back to the way it was. keep it simple and easy to read. If the final product is full of all this extra graphics with no point well I will not be subscribing to any service.
I passed your site on to my entire D&D group for a quick ingame reference which is much easier than trying to shuffle pages in the book. But now you go and break out the easy reference which we have been using on our phones to essentially an online book broken out by chapter?
Come on guys. This is not a book. You don't need to break it out by chapters. The addition of the images and new breakout in chapters ruins the fast and easy reference of what you built. I'm here for information. I own the books already for the pretty pictures.
And who cares about what chapter something is in. Unless you didn't put up the right info and we have review the book to double check your facts.
An Omni search functionality across the entire site will be coming, staff wont be adding that until near the end of the Beta as it will have impact on the other phases. This should assist further with the issue of quickly looking up/searching.
I agree with Old Timer and ONeill that the way the compendium used to look BEFORE being updated was far superior. It was categorized better and more simply, and it was far easier to find what you were looking for...and the simplicity was less busy and distracting to the eyes. It should not look like a book at all or have all the fluff information found in the books (like the introduction chapter, which is totally unnecessary, but if you really want it there you should put it in its own separate tab someplace out of the way that can be ignored by experienced gamers). The online format should be lean and mean and built for information, rules, and finding what you are looking for. In my opinion, ease of finding what you are looking for and speed should take precedence over appearance and inclusiveness of every single written word found in the rule books.
I passed your site on to my entire D&D group for a quick ingame reference which is much easier than trying to shuffle pages in the book. But now you go and break out the easy reference which we have been using on our phones to essentially an online book broken out by chapter?
Come on guys. This is not a book. You don't need to break it out by chapters. The addition of the images and new breakout in chapters ruins the fast and easy reference of what you built. I'm here for information. I own the books already for the pretty pictures.
And who cares about what chapter something is in. Unless you didn't put up the right info and we have review the book to double check your facts.
The Basic Rules released by Wizards of the Coast utilize chapter references throughout, which are mirrored here. If we don't use chapters for organization, a good bit of the rules themselves will not make sense (i.e. empty references).
We're well aware that this is not a book, as I feel like is evidenced by the cross-linking, tooltips, listings, etc. we have in DDB.
I sense the gist of your feedback is a desire for more simplicity (as with the original post), and we'll definitely consider that feedback and determine a path.
Search would honestly solve the vast majority of the troubles in looking for specific links on the main compendium page. If you know you need to do something in sequence (like roll up a new character), you can hit the main compendium page and go through in order. If you're looking for something in particular, a search function would let you jump straight to that thing rather than you guessing at exactly where it might be found under.
In other words, I don't think the compendium page layout necessarily needs to be revisited until search is a thing. If search is a thing and the layout is still less-than-useful for the use cases that search doesn't replace, it could be re-evaluated then. Outside of character creation or just perusing the rules, I'm not sure what other uses going to the main compendium page would have that search doesn't cover.
I agree there should be a comprehensive search feature, too. That being said, though, I would still like to see the simple categories list (and hyperlinks) remain in place that the compendium had BEFORE the updates. I personally found the simplicity of those hyperlinks and how they were organized to be very effective in finding what I desired in most cases, and in finding that information VERY quickly (without having to type in words into a search feature...which to be frank would be annoying and more time consuming in most instances). I would personally only use the search feature for exact, precise terms I can't easily find by glancing at the categories and hyperlinks, or for finding multiple related instances of the same term when it is found in multiple places of the rule books.
I agree there should be a comprehensive search feature, too. That being said, though, I would still like to see the simple categories list (and hyperlinks) remain in place that the compendium had BEFORE the updates. I personally found the simplicity of those hyperlinks and how they were organized to be very effective in finding what I desired in most cases, and in finding that information VERY quickly (without having to type in words into a search feature...which to be frank would be annoying and more time consuming in most instances). I would personally only use the search feature for exact, precise terms I can't easily find by glancing at the categories and hyperlinks, or for finding multiple related instances of the same term when it is found in multiple places of the rule books.
Appreciate the feedback. The major problem we wanted to alleviate in the "old" display was the jagged, up-and-down trail between the different chapters/ sections, but the desire for simplicity is certainly heard.
We'll be tuning this page in the coming weeks to get it where it needs to be.
Great answer Sorce, oh wait Nope! No one was asking about an Omni search which any good compendium would have as a feature. We were discussing the change of the layout and organization.
Bad Eye, there wasn't a problem with the old design it was cleaner look while being better organized and it also took up a lot less spaced which elevated the need for scrolling. But it doesn't sound like this is something you are even considering adjusting based on comments here so I'm not sure why you even have a forum. Unless you are looking for us to report bugs.
The change to the compendium layout was made due to repeated feedback on these forums, saying the page looked disorganised and was difficult to navigate as it was.
Leaving constructive ideas on how to improve D&D Beyond is an awesome way to help everyone get the best product we can.
I like the first format better also. It was easy to read and find the sections and rules we were looking for. If others like the new way it is set up and since it is only the srd rules. Why can't we have both? After all you already had it set up before. :)
The change to the compendium layout was made due to repeated feedback on these forums, saying the page looked disorganised and was difficult to navigate as it was.
Leaving constructive ideas on how to improve D&D Beyond is an awesome way to help everyone get the best product we can.
Thank you for actually saying why this change was made. The other comment by the staff and previous moderator above were either off-topic or too vague to add to the discussion of why the new interface doesn't work as well as the last one.
I want this to be a successful as anyone because trying to use other resources which have fallen short this one has the potential to being far superior. If the new compendium layout was designed to fix the issues of the previous designs then it was taken in the wrong direction and has actually created a even less organized and difficult to navigate page.
As far as another discussion thread giving feedback to lay out I hadn't needed to comment until this new layout came out, that being said if there's a better thread to have this discussion on there that's currently active please let us know and I think we all would be happy to comment in there. Because the layout is important to all of us and I would hate for this to be another application for D&D that I wouldn't be able to use or recommend to any group I'm in.
No worries, I wouldn't expect you to have read through all of the old threads that discuss and give feedback on a previous layout, nor should you need to. :)
I understand the chapters need to be of a fixed size, due to the mechanics that allow them to render correctly on PC and mobile (I'm not part of the dev team though, so I may have misunderstood).
What changes would you suggest should be made to improve the compendium page?
Personally, I dislike the darkness of the boxes and that the boxes have images in them that distract from the links. There is also no need to even put chapters; that's just unnecessary extra writing and labeling that detracts from the information, and no need for a hyper link in a box that says "view chapter 1." But boxing the information is okay, and the headers are okay, and the hyperlinks are okay.
Color scheme is fine, it fits the site and adds more interest than before that's fine. And it is at most a 3rd tier concern. The issue is the organization of the content.
Step-step character is chapt 1. But it's not really - it's the singular bruenor build from the PHB. And the only part of chapt 1 - you'll read it once. Put in under the introduction. And then you'll have to look at chapters 2-5 to build the character or reference skills, feats and weapons.But again no mater how fun that is to do - since we all love trying to mess with builds. All that info isn't always what we look at repeatedly, out side of skills. And I would assume the character builder that is phase 2 will make those pages almost redundant.
But What I liked so much about the first layout is I actually learned about actions I didn't know I coul do in combat like the Help action which worked awesome in my las game when I didn't have magic weapon to damage a creature but I could assist on attack thru that action. Because the sections were fuller and organized by logical process of use. Which is why I said this new layout is built like the book and really borderin on frustrating to navigate.
so organization of the rules to help players either learn them or master them. And don't be a turd like my older brother and just stand there and dodge as action every time. Or the DM will have NPCs help each other to hit you using help.
I'm not sure I want to deal with a compendium of chapters that I would have to hunt to find what chapter applies to me - I would probably just use the book.
Bad Eye, there wasn't a problem with the old design it was cleaner look while being better organized and it also took up a lot less spaced which elevated the need for scrolling. But it doesn't sound like this is something you are even considering adjusting based on comments here so I'm not sure why you even have a forum. Unless you are looking for us to report bugs.
I can assure you we are paying very close attention to what's being said in the feedback forums, and I appreciate yours.
I would like to highlight the point that we are receiving feedback from many places - including the forums - and not this one thread. The feedback here is being earnestly considered in addition to several instances of the opposite feedback - that the new layout is better.
In the end, we will not be able to please everyone at the same time, but I feel like the end result for the compendium landing page will be somewhere in-between the old and new layouts.
So new graphics of Compendium don't like it at all. loved how you had it before. simple lists with no pictures, the new lists take away from reading things easly. please please go back to the way it was. keep it simple and easy to read. If the final product is full of all this extra graphics with no point well I will not be subscribing to any service.
I like the new compendium look. :)
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I passed your site on to my entire D&D group for a quick ingame reference which is much easier than trying to shuffle pages in the book. But now you go and break out the easy reference which we have been using on our phones to essentially an online book broken out by chapter?
Come on guys. This is not a book. You don't need to break it out by chapters. The addition of the images and new breakout in chapters ruins the fast and easy reference of what you built. I'm here for information. I own the books already for the pretty pictures.
And who cares about what chapter something is in. Unless you didn't put up the right info and we have review the book to double check your facts.
An Omni search functionality across the entire site will be coming, staff wont be adding that until near the end of the Beta as it will have impact on the other phases. This should assist further with the issue of quickly looking up/searching.
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I agree with Old Timer and ONeill that the way the compendium used to look BEFORE being updated was far superior. It was categorized better and more simply, and it was far easier to find what you were looking for...and the simplicity was less busy and distracting to the eyes. It should not look like a book at all or have all the fluff information found in the books (like the introduction chapter, which is totally unnecessary, but if you really want it there you should put it in its own separate tab someplace out of the way that can be ignored by experienced gamers). The online format should be lean and mean and built for information, rules, and finding what you are looking for. In my opinion, ease of finding what you are looking for and speed should take precedence over appearance and inclusiveness of every single written word found in the rule books.
Search would honestly solve the vast majority of the troubles in looking for specific links on the main compendium page. If you know you need to do something in sequence (like roll up a new character), you can hit the main compendium page and go through in order. If you're looking for something in particular, a search function would let you jump straight to that thing rather than you guessing at exactly where it might be found under.
In other words, I don't think the compendium page layout necessarily needs to be revisited until search is a thing. If search is a thing and the layout is still less-than-useful for the use cases that search doesn't replace, it could be re-evaluated then. Outside of character creation or just perusing the rules, I'm not sure what other uses going to the main compendium page would have that search doesn't cover.
I agree there should be a comprehensive search feature, too. That being said, though, I would still like to see the simple categories list (and hyperlinks) remain in place that the compendium had BEFORE the updates. I personally found the simplicity of those hyperlinks and how they were organized to be very effective in finding what I desired in most cases, and in finding that information VERY quickly (without having to type in words into a search feature...which to be frank would be annoying and more time consuming in most instances). I would personally only use the search feature for exact, precise terms I can't easily find by glancing at the categories and hyperlinks, or for finding multiple related instances of the same term when it is found in multiple places of the rule books.
Great answer Sorce, oh wait Nope! No one was asking about an Omni search which any good compendium would have as a feature. We were discussing the change of the layout and organization.
Bad Eye, there wasn't a problem with the old design it was cleaner look while being better organized and it also took up a lot less spaced which elevated the need for scrolling. But it doesn't sound like this is something you are even considering adjusting based on comments here so I'm not sure why you even have a forum. Unless you are looking for us to report bugs.
Hi ONeill249,
the dev team are listening!
The change to the compendium layout was made due to repeated feedback on these forums, saying the page looked disorganised and was difficult to navigate as it was.
Leaving constructive ideas on how to improve D&D Beyond is an awesome way to help everyone get the best product we can.
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
I like the first format better also. It was easy to read and find the sections and rules we were looking for. If others like the new way it is set up and since it is only the srd rules. Why can't we have both? After all you already had it set up before. :)
No worries, I wouldn't expect you to have read through all of the old threads that discuss and give feedback on a previous layout, nor should you need to. :)
I understand the chapters need to be of a fixed size, due to the mechanics that allow them to render correctly on PC and mobile (I'm not part of the dev team though, so I may have misunderstood).
What changes would you suggest should be made to improve the compendium page?
Is it the layout? The content? The colour scheme?
Pun-loving nerd | Faith Elisabeth Lilley | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
I like the new layout!
Personally, I dislike the darkness of the boxes and that the boxes have images in them that distract from the links. There is also no need to even put chapters; that's just unnecessary extra writing and labeling that detracts from the information, and no need for a hyper link in a box that says "view chapter 1." But boxing the information is okay, and the headers are okay, and the hyperlinks are okay.
Color scheme is fine, it fits the site and adds more interest than before that's fine. And it is at most a 3rd tier concern. The issue is the organization of the content.
Step-step character is chapt 1. But it's not really - it's the singular bruenor build from the PHB. And the only part of chapt 1 - you'll read it once. Put in under the introduction. And then you'll have to look at chapters 2-5 to build the character or reference skills, feats and weapons.But again no mater how fun that is to do - since we all love trying to mess with builds. All that info isn't always what we look at repeatedly, out side of skills. And I would assume the character builder that is phase 2 will make those pages almost redundant.
But What I liked so much about the first layout is I actually learned about actions I didn't know I coul do in combat like the Help action which worked awesome in my las game when I didn't have magic weapon to damage a creature but I could assist on attack thru that action. Because the sections were fuller and organized by logical process of use. Which is why I said this new layout is built like the book and really borderin on frustrating to navigate.
so organization of the rules to help players either learn them or master them. And don't be a turd like my older brother and just stand there and dodge as action every time. Or the DM will have NPCs help each other to hit you using help.
I'm not sure I want to deal with a compendium of chapters that I would have to hunt to find what chapter applies to me - I would probably just use the book.
I don't like new layout because of bad load time.