Still would like to know if I am going to see ads if I buy a digital rule book but don't get a subscription. Ads on the website I can deal with Ads on the digital rule book would be bothersome
Also, what is the refund policy on digital rule books?
My understanding of the 'digital books' is access to the book content in the existing website platform. Ie; the content will be available just as the free content is available now. Not a separate book, as such. The 'ads' I imagine, will be sidebar and header (Google's Display Network) style ads on the site.
I looked & I couldn't find the answer so far but if the answer is out there & I missed it then I am sorry for wasting you time but I need to know if this is going to be a tactical console like Hero Lab, one that I can keep initiative, monster hit points, & conditions of monsters & PC's, that can be used for my group that actually meets in person in the same room & not online? I did see that you are working on an initiative tracker but I couldn't find anything about a full tactical console.
Later campaign management tools will come with very good combat/intiative tracking. It'll be simple to pull a creature/npc into the encounter and have it flow from there. I'm very much looking forward to it.
Do you have to be playing online, or can my friends & I be at the same table and run it? The reason I ask is because I saw a youtube video that says that DDB is only for streaming your games. I know that streaming is a part of what can be done on DDB, but I want to know if its more than that. I just want it to run with my friends at the same table without streaming & if I can't do that I can't use DDB. But so far I am liking what I see. Ty
What I mean is that if we all had computers at the table with DDB accounts linked up can I run this for my group? When all the tools are available that is.
DDB is meant for tabletop play first, online play second. Though there will be some features and tools that are meant for VTT like Roll20 and FantasyGrounds, and some that are used exclusively with twitch, the vast majority of DDB's function and tools will be built to assist DMs and players at the table.
Still would like to know if I am going to see ads if I buy a digital rule book but don't get a subscription. Ads on the website I can deal with Ads on the digital rule book would be bothersome
Also, what is the refund policy on digital rule books?
My understanding of the 'digital books' is access to the book content in the existing website platform. Ie; the content will be available just as the free content is available now. Not a separate book, as such. The 'ads' I imagine, will be sidebar and header (Google's Display Network) style ads on the site.
If I am spending $30 on a digital rulebook, I should not see ads while I am in the rulebook. There are no ads inside my current hardback player's handbook, and the PDFs of other game systems I bought on RPGnow or Paizo don't show me ads.
Now if I don't want to subscribe to the character manager, show me all the ads you want, while I am in the character manager.
If the character manager can't be decoupled from the rulebooks, then that's an issue. Because I know I can't be the only one that doesn't want to use the character manager. I just want a digital rulebook.
If I am spending $30 on a digital rulebook, I should not see ads while I am in the rulebook. There are no ads inside my current hardback player's handbook, and the PDFs of other game systems I bought on RPGnow or Paizo don't show me ads.
This. I will probably wait for maturity of the campaign manager and an encounter/combat tracker before subscribing (I really, truly, don't care about a character manager as a stand-alone tool -- not a knock to those who do, though). For whatever use I get out of the tools, in the meantime, feel free to show me ads.
As far as the Compendium goes, I'd say the same applies as long as I'm using the SRD/Basic content. If I haven't given Curse any money, feel free to take up the right-hand margin (or some such) with ads*. Once I buy content, though -- and I'll probably get the opening week sale, if nothing else -- I expect to not be pestered. In thinking about it, this may be a make-or-break for purchasing Compendium content. I'll probably wait a couple days and see whether those who bought are getting ads.
* First note: Please no flashy, animated ads. I cannot imagine how distracting that would be during a game. I'm already ADD enough, juggling all the normal game demands. I don't need something that doesn't ad game value dancing around in the corner of my vision.
Second note: There's a difference between an ad and showing me stubs for unpurchased content. If I haven't picked up the SCAG, but search for Bladesinger, I want to see that stub and be able to buy it.
There are no ads inside my current hardback player's handbook, and the PDFs of other game systems I bought on RPGnow or Paizo don't show me ads.
Minor point of fact: There is an ad on the final page of the Player's Handbook, it has simply slipped your notice because it - like all the ads that are in the back of all those Paizo products - is unobtrusively placed and relatively inoffensive because it is an ad for more of what you already have, rather than something less directly related displayed in some obnoxious way like those banner ads that stay visible on screen no matter where you scroll to on a page that sometimes block the view of the website/app they appear on.
There's a history of "Like what you see, buy more of the same!" ads in RPG books. It's usually the last page of the book. That's been happening for decades. And it's perfectly acceptable to me for Curse to advertise other D&D Beyond products in some unobtrusive manner, like RPG publishers do in their print copies. But to have some kind of rotating banner ad gettting me to buy miniatures, or other 3rd party products while I am browsing paid content is kind of a hard pill to swallow, at least for me.
Look I own the 5th E books. I have no intention of paying for information I already own. For some of you, you not only own the physical books but also the digital versions of the books on FG and Roll20. Now WoTC is coming along and asking for you to pay AGAIN for stuff you already own. Sorry WoTC you came way too late to the online party. D&D Beyond is nothing but a glorified SRD with some Twitch integration. If you feel that's worth paying for then knock yourself out. I for one will be sticking to the free membership and using this site like it should be, a simple SRD to look up rules on the fly.
Further $30 for a digital pdf? Are you nuts? Paizo is releasing their new core rulebook Starfinder for $10. Get real. I figured WoTC had learned their lesson from 4th E, I guess not. I am seriously disappointed in WoTC. For those who don't get why I'm disappointed look up http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ Everything WotC is asking you to pay for is offered by Paizo for free whether you own their books or not.
Wow, having read through the new pricing details and FAQ, I feel like this offer is extremely generous and client-centric. A couple of examples:
The cost of any individual elements or bundles you unlock within a particular source will be credited toward the purchase of the full source.
- Being able to get credit for content already purchased when upgrading to a higher content package. For example having all the classes from the PHB and then buying the PHB credits the price you paid for the classes towards the purchase price of the PHB. Or having any combination of books and upgrading to the Legendary package. This kind of flexibility is amazing to see and really encourages me towards the Legendary package -- but at my own pace.
The Master Tier subscription allows a subscriber to turn on content sharing for up to 3 campaigns in which she participates. Each campaign can have up to 12 participants (13 counting the DM). Turning content sharing on for a campaign means that any content unlocked by any participant (player or DM) within that campaign is available for all players and the DM for use. We originally announced that a DM has to unlock the content in order to share, but that is no longer the case - anyone in that campaign can unlock content and share it with the other people in that campaign as long as one person (doesn't have to be the DM) has a Master Tier subscription and has used it to toggle content sharing on for that campaign.
- This is amazingly flexible. As long as -1- participant in your campaign has a Master tier subscription, EVERYONE'S purchased content is available to all participants in the campaign.
So yeah, definitaly a day-1 buy for me, and looking forward to future announcements regarding Adventure League support, mobile app, collaboration with Roll20 and other VTTs, etc. If they keep the same ethos, I will be a very satisfied and long-term customer. To me, this is business done right.
Way too expensive at the moment especially as most customers will have the hard copies of the books. Any way to delete my beta account or will it be done automatically?
Further $30 for a digital pdf? Are you nuts? Paizo is releasing their new core rulebook Starfinder for $10. Get real.
Have you never heard the term "loss leader"? I ask because what is "nuts" is expecting anyone/everyone to sell all of their digital books at a price lower than what it cost to make (because the writers have to be paid at least $0.02 a word, and artists have to be paid for their works too - including the artist whose art is to choose attractive, yet readable, fonts and dressing up the pages themselves) just because one company happens to believe that selling a few particular items below cost will result in enough purchases of other materials from the company to cover the loss.
Or, if you really believe that $10 is what a book the size of a core book actually cost a customer, maybe you could go complain at Paizo about the pricing of their adventure and campaign setting products which they are "overcharging" for?
I don't expect WoTC to constantly take a loss selling their products. However, Starfinder and D&D Beyond are launching in the same quarter, and even if they weren't Paizo and WoTC are still competing for the same market. Paizo is simply doing a better job. After all what do you think is going to be more popular this month? Launching a pay as you go online SRD that requires customers to pay for content they already own, or the launching of a new core rulebook that is dirt cheap in PDF format? Not to mention that Paizo already has an online SRD that contains all of the information included in the released core rulebooks, and that SRD is FREE regardless of whether you own the books or not.
My opinion is simply that WoTC is asking people to pay for content they already own to add to what is essentially an online SRD. Which is a ridiculous. If people are willing to do this then great, but I think most of their customers are probably not willing to pay a monthly sub on top of re-purchasing content that is already owned for what is for most people a fancy online SRD. Not only do I find this situation in bad taste but I am disappointed in a company that would even attempt this type of nonsense not to mention act like it is no big deal. Especially in light of WoTC's direct competition providing essentially the same service (to the extent that 90% of the customer base will use it) for free.
Anecdotal: To me the greatest travesty is I actually really enjoy 5th E and I want WoTC to succeed. Instead WoTC is continually demonstrating a lack of moral backbone when it comes to their customer base; just as they did during the play test and launch of 4th E. I can understand why so many people I talk to refuse to purchase or get involved with WoTC and 5th E in general. WoTC constantly demonstrates, through their actions, that it has a low opinion of their customers.
My group and I are brand new to D&D (we just finished our 3rd session on Saturday). I've been really excited for the launch of DDB and was considering buying the "Legendary Bundle" AND getting the subscription. You seem to be really experienced with WoTC, so I'm asking y'alls opinions on whether or not you think it's worth it for us. We are (at least as of right now) a completely tabletop group, with no VTT expectations. I trust this forum's input since it seems like there is a lot of experience behind the posters.
The best thing about the legendary bundle is that you can buy it whenever you want. Since your group is fairly new to D&D, it might be best to get the founder pack items and build up as you go along. Remember, anything you purchase in the future will lower the price of the legendary bundle for you. Your DM Subscription will help so that others don't need to purchase the content you've already purchased, but if you want to split the cost with the rest of your players you might want to wait until tomorrow's announcement for details on how that'll work. ;)
TY
I looked & I couldn't find the answer so far but if the answer is out there & I missed it then I am sorry for wasting you time but I need to know if this is going to be a tactical console like Hero Lab, one that I can keep initiative, monster hit points, & conditions of monsters & PC's, that can be used for my group that actually meets in person in the same room & not online? I did see that you are working on an initiative tracker but I couldn't find anything about a full tactical console.
Later campaign management tools will come with very good combat/intiative tracking. It'll be simple to pull a creature/npc into the encounter and have it flow from there. I'm very much looking forward to it.
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Do you have to be playing online, or can my friends & I be at the same table and run it? The reason I ask is because I saw a youtube video that says that DDB is only for streaming your games. I know that streaming is a part of what can be done on DDB, but I want to know if its more than that. I just want it to run with my friends at the same table without streaming & if I can't do that I can't use DDB. But so far I am liking what I see. Ty
What I mean is that if we all had computers at the table with DDB accounts linked up can I run this for my group? When all the tools are available that is.
DDB is meant for tabletop play first, online play second. Though there will be some features and tools that are meant for VTT like Roll20 and FantasyGrounds, and some that are used exclusively with twitch, the vast majority of DDB's function and tools will be built to assist DMs and players at the table.
Site Rules & Guidelines --- Focused Feedback Mega Threads --- Staff Quotes --- Homebrew Tutorial --- Pricing FAQ
Please feel free to message either Sorce or another moderator if you have any concerns.
Thank you. You helped a lot. That guy on youtube got it all wrong then. I feel better. Ty
There's a history of "Like what you see, buy more of the same!" ads in RPG books. It's usually the last page of the book. That's been happening for decades. And it's perfectly acceptable to me for Curse to advertise other D&D Beyond products in some unobtrusive manner, like RPG publishers do in their print copies. But to have some kind of rotating banner ad gettting me to buy miniatures, or other 3rd party products while I am browsing paid content is kind of a hard pill to swallow, at least for me.
Look I own the 5th E books. I have no intention of paying for information I already own. For some of you, you not only own the physical books but also the digital versions of the books on FG and Roll20. Now WoTC is coming along and asking for you to pay AGAIN for stuff you already own. Sorry WoTC you came way too late to the online party. D&D Beyond is nothing but a glorified SRD with some Twitch integration. If you feel that's worth paying for then knock yourself out. I for one will be sticking to the free membership and using this site like it should be, a simple SRD to look up rules on the fly.
Further $30 for a digital pdf? Are you nuts? Paizo is releasing their new core rulebook Starfinder for $10. Get real. I figured WoTC had learned their lesson from 4th E, I guess not. I am seriously disappointed in WoTC. For those who don't get why I'm disappointed look up http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ Everything WotC is asking you to pay for is offered by Paizo for free whether you own their books or not.
Wow, having read through the new pricing details and FAQ, I feel like this offer is extremely generous and client-centric. A couple of examples:
- Being able to get credit for content already purchased when upgrading to a higher content package. For example having all the classes from the PHB and then buying the PHB credits the price you paid for the classes towards the purchase price of the PHB. Or having any combination of books and upgrading to the Legendary package. This kind of flexibility is amazing to see and really encourages me towards the Legendary package -- but at my own pace.
- This is amazingly flexible. As long as -1- participant in your campaign has a Master tier subscription, EVERYONE'S purchased content is available to all participants in the campaign.
So yeah, definitaly a day-1 buy for me, and looking forward to future announcements regarding Adventure League support, mobile app, collaboration with Roll20 and other VTTs, etc. If they keep the same ethos, I will be a very satisfied and long-term customer. To me, this is business done right.
Way too expensive at the moment especially as most customers will have the hard copies of the books. Any way to delete my beta account or will it be done automatically?
Have you never heard the term "loss leader"? I ask because what is "nuts" is expecting anyone/everyone to sell all of their digital books at a price lower than what it cost to make (because the writers have to be paid at least $0.02 a word, and artists have to be paid for their works too - including the artist whose art is to choose attractive, yet readable, fonts and dressing up the pages themselves) just because one company happens to believe that selling a few particular items below cost will result in enough purchases of other materials from the company to cover the loss.
Or, if you really believe that $10 is what a book the size of a core book actually cost a customer, maybe you could go complain at Paizo about the pricing of their adventure and campaign setting products which they are "overcharging" for?
I don't expect WoTC to constantly take a loss selling their products. However, Starfinder and D&D Beyond are launching in the same quarter, and even if they weren't Paizo and WoTC are still competing for the same market. Paizo is simply doing a better job. After all what do you think is going to be more popular this month? Launching a pay as you go online SRD that requires customers to pay for content they already own, or the launching of a new core rulebook that is dirt cheap in PDF format? Not to mention that Paizo already has an online SRD that contains all of the information included in the released core rulebooks, and that SRD is FREE regardless of whether you own the books or not.
My opinion is simply that WoTC is asking people to pay for content they already own to add to what is essentially an online SRD. Which is a ridiculous. If people are willing to do this then great, but I think most of their customers are probably not willing to pay a monthly sub on top of re-purchasing content that is already owned for what is for most people a fancy online SRD. Not only do I find this situation in bad taste but I am disappointed in a company that would even attempt this type of nonsense not to mention act like it is no big deal. Especially in light of WoTC's direct competition providing essentially the same service (to the extent that 90% of the customer base will use it) for free.
Anecdotal: To me the greatest travesty is I actually really enjoy 5th E and I want WoTC to succeed. Instead WoTC is continually demonstrating a lack of moral backbone when it comes to their customer base; just as they did during the play test and launch of 4th E. I can understand why so many people I talk to refuse to purchase or get involved with WoTC and 5th E in general. WoTC constantly demonstrates, through their actions, that it has a low opinion of their customers.
My group and I are brand new to D&D (we just finished our 3rd session on Saturday). I've been really excited for the launch of DDB and was considering buying the "Legendary Bundle" AND getting the subscription. You seem to be really experienced with WoTC, so I'm asking y'alls opinions on whether or not you think it's worth it for us. We are (at least as of right now) a completely tabletop group, with no VTT expectations. I trust this forum's input since it seems like there is a lot of experience behind the posters.
The best thing about the legendary bundle is that you can buy it whenever you want. Since your group is fairly new to D&D, it might be best to get the founder pack items and build up as you go along. Remember, anything you purchase in the future will lower the price of the legendary bundle for you. Your DM Subscription will help so that others don't need to purchase the content you've already purchased, but if you want to split the cost with the rest of your players you might want to wait until tomorrow's announcement for details on how that'll work. ;)
Site Rules & Guidelines --- Focused Feedback Mega Threads --- Staff Quotes --- Homebrew Tutorial --- Pricing FAQ
Please feel free to message either Sorce or another moderator if you have any concerns.
Boom. That's exactly the feedback I was looking for. That makes a lot of sense. Big thanks!