Just wondering if there are any plans for near term updates that would actually help a DM manage/run a campaign? It seems like there are a lot of tools that could fit in your wheelhouse (i.e., adding algorithms, shortcuts, and auto-calculation to Wizards rules content). Off the top of my head....any tools to calculate and plan encounters (a la kobold fight club), organize notes or locations, filter/scale purchased content or monster options based on your party makeup, something to help generate standard NPCs, keep track of more complex NPCs or villains with character sheets and auto scale them as the party grows in strength, or even something as simple as generally having customizable quick references more easily on hand like Inn and item prices, statuses, etc. without having to look them up through search (i.e. digital dm screen), etc. etc. would be very helpful.
In general, focusing more on structuring the content to be used as an outline during a game session rather than duplicating paper content with a quick lookup. I don't mean to be curt or overly blunt....maybe there is greater value that I'm just not seeing...but that is how it currently appears and I like to think that it could be SO much more.
Obviously the auto calc and baked in rules are nice for PCs on their character sheets but the quick look up just doesn't seem like enough of a $300+ value add to bail on my already substantial paper investment (unless you finally give folks a way to use UPC codes to at least get a discount....which would also help provide a bit of incentive :-)
I know campaign management tools are planned; they are hoping to get started on those sometime later this year, but note that I said hoping. I don't know how much of what you listed is in the plans, although I know a customizable DM screen has been requested already.
Some of the notes and references you want (links to specific rules, locations, etc) and outlining for a session can be done already in the DM private notes sections, especially if you use spoilers and the beyond help extension for Chrome to create links to subsections of the "books,". I use the notes this way myself. I can provide more details if you would like.
There will never be a way to use UPC codes to get a discount. UPC codes are not unique; every PHB (for example) has the same UPC code.
Also, keep in mind that you don't need to spend $300+ to use DDB. You can buy what you need piecemeal, and/or homebrew what you want/need. if you have friends who use DDB, A Master Tier subscription and content sharing can be a great option. I've only purchased the PHB, a race, a subclass, a few monsters, an adventure, and a hero tier subscription. I'm lucky enough to be part of a pbp campaign here that has content sharing turned on; one of my fellow players has the legendary bundle, so I have access to everything, which is nice. (And a bit ironic: we lost content sharing for a bit, and in a panic I bought the monsters and the adventure I mentioned, as I was running a weekly game had been relying on content sharing for it. Two days later content sharing was turned back on!). But it I didn't have access to everything via content sharing, I'd make do with what my budget would allow. I love the individual purchase options in that regard. See This post for more discussions n of the wide variety of buying options.
Fair enough. Didn't realize UPCs weren't unique to the print. Just a thought :-)
I'm already deep into Evernote for all my campaign details, so I'm good on the front. But thank you for the advice.
I appreciate the options for not purchasing the entire book (per previous point...I don't need the lore, just the mechanics to help me run the game). But even just adding core rule books (PHB, DMG, MM) and bits and pieces from the other books to make sure my players have access to the full set of spells, race, class, and a decent set of magic items is getting close to $200. Plus a subscription to share that content with my players and now we're at $250. Again, focusing on this as a tool set, it would be nice to separate the pieces that help run, track, and autocalculate the game mechanics from the lore (beyond the core book set). Perhaps, bundle all the necessary player/item/mechanics info across books at decent price rather than a bundle every book on the platform. Just a thought.
Entirely possible I'm not representative of their target (for what it's worth, I'm new to the game so this isn't some kind of resistance to going digital) and if D&DB has enough folks that are fine with this price point I'm just pissing in the wind. But for what it's worth, imho focusing on tools would add a lot more value than lore.
Just wondering if there are any plans for near term updates that would actually help a DM manage/run a campaign? It seems like there are a lot of tools that could fit in your wheelhouse (i.e., adding algorithms, shortcuts, and auto-calculation to Wizards rules content). Off the top of my head....any tools to calculate and plan encounters (a la kobold fight club), organize notes or locations, filter/scale purchased content or monster options based on your party makeup, something to help generate standard NPCs, keep track of more complex NPCs or villains with character sheets and auto scale them as the party grows in strength, or even something as simple as generally having customizable quick references more easily on hand like Inn and item prices, statuses, etc. without having to look them up through search (i.e. digital dm screen), etc. etc. would be very helpful.
In general, focusing more on structuring the content to be used as an outline during a game session rather than duplicating paper content with a quick lookup. I don't mean to be curt or overly blunt....maybe there is greater value that I'm just not seeing...but that is how it currently appears and I like to think that it could be SO much more.
Obviously the auto calc and baked in rules are nice for PCs on their character sheets but the quick look up just doesn't seem like enough of a $300+ value add to bail on my already substantial paper investment (unless you finally give folks a way to use UPC codes to at least get a discount....which would also help provide a bit of incentive :-)
I know campaign management tools are planned; they are hoping to get started on those sometime later this year, but note that I said hoping. I don't know how much of what you listed is in the plans, although I know a customizable DM screen has been requested already.
Some of the notes and references you want (links to specific rules, locations, etc) and outlining for a session can be done already in the DM private notes sections, especially if you use spoilers and the beyond help extension for Chrome to create links to subsections of the "books,". I use the notes this way myself. I can provide more details if you would like.
There will never be a way to use UPC codes to get a discount. UPC codes are not unique; every PHB (for example) has the same UPC code.
Also, keep in mind that you don't need to spend $300+ to use DDB. You can buy what you need piecemeal, and/or homebrew what you want/need. if you have friends who use DDB, A Master Tier subscription and content sharing can be a great option. I've only purchased the PHB, a race, a subclass, a few monsters, an adventure, and a hero tier subscription. I'm lucky enough to be part of a pbp campaign here that has content sharing turned on; one of my fellow players has the legendary bundle, so I have access to everything, which is nice. (And a bit ironic: we lost content sharing for a bit, and in a panic I bought the monsters and the adventure I mentioned, as I was running a weekly game had been relying on content sharing for it. Two days later content sharing was turned back on!). But it I didn't have access to everything via content sharing, I'd make do with what my budget would allow. I love the individual purchase options in that regard. See This post for more discussions n of the wide variety of buying options.
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
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Fair enough. Didn't realize UPCs weren't unique to the print. Just a thought :-)
I'm already deep into Evernote for all my campaign details, so I'm good on the front. But thank you for the advice.
I appreciate the options for not purchasing the entire book (per previous point...I don't need the lore, just the mechanics to help me run the game). But even just adding core rule books (PHB, DMG, MM) and bits and pieces from the other books to make sure my players have access to the full set of spells, race, class, and a decent set of magic items is getting close to $200. Plus a subscription to share that content with my players and now we're at $250. Again, focusing on this as a tool set, it would be nice to separate the pieces that help run, track, and autocalculate the game mechanics from the lore (beyond the core book set). Perhaps, bundle all the necessary player/item/mechanics info across books at decent price rather than a bundle every book on the platform. Just a thought.
Entirely possible I'm not representative of their target (for what it's worth, I'm new to the game so this isn't some kind of resistance to going digital) and if D&DB has enough folks that are fine with this price point I'm just pissing in the wind. But for what it's worth, imho focusing on tools would add a lot more value than lore.