Does anyone remember when they announced all of the cool digital tools for 4E? Yeah, that was why I bought into 4E. sadly, WotC NEVER delivered on the tools except for the Character builder, which lacked a lot of functionality. I am just afraid that D&D Beyond is more of the same and with what I've seen so far, especially the "Campaign Manager," I think I'll hold only my money until I see some real proof of progress.
Does anyone remember when they announced all of the cool digital tools for 4E? Yeah, that was why I bought into 4E. sadly, WotC NEVER delivered on the tools except for the Character builder, which lacked a lot of functionality. I am just afraid that D&D Beyond is more of the same and with what I've seen so far, especially the "Campaign Manager," I think I'll hold only my money until I see some real proof of progress.
D&D Beyond isn't made directly by WotC, so it's possible you might not need to worry. Nice name, by the way.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Thank you. Of course, the digital promises they made for 4E were 3rd party too, so, until proven otherwise, I will err on the side of caution. Obviously I truly hope that they deliver on what they've advertised, but there is a long and distinguished history of disappointment here.
Does anyone remember when they announced all of the cool digital tools for 4E? Yeah, that was why I bought into 4E. sadly, WotC NEVER delivered on the tools except for the Character builder, which lacked a lot of functionality. I am just afraid that D&D Beyond is more of the same and with what I've seen so far, especially the "Campaign Manager," I think I'll hold only my money until I see some real proof of progress.
I didn't stick with 4E long enough to really get a feel for the strengths and weaknesses of the platform (looks like I have about a dozen issues of Dungeon saved). What my concern was was with the nature of errata towards the end of 3.5. I think I recall the same idea carrying into 4E, but could be wrong. There was kind of a "living text" notion behind the errata and the errata was of such a scale as to be well beyond fixing typos and clearing up confusion (rewrite of polymorph). As a DM using the online compendium, I couldn't be sure that what I was reading online was even close to the rule my Luddite player saw in his book.
If DDB ever hits a point at which I have a similar issue, it will cease to be of value, to me. I'll make sure I have a copy of the physical books about which I care, and never look back. It's unfortunate that Curse is completely at the mercy of WotC, on this matter, but that's life.
Errata isn't to change rules. It's only to fix typos and add (minor) clarity. Even later expansion books cannot change the rules, only add options. If you actually change rules, that's an edition.
Does anyone remember when they announced all of the cool digital tools for 4E? Yeah, that was why I bought into 4E. sadly, WotC NEVER delivered on the tools except for the Character builder, which lacked a lot of functionality. I am just afraid that D&D Beyond is more of the same and with what I've seen so far, especially the "Campaign Manager," I think I'll hold only my money until I see some real proof of progress.
Honestly, it feels like a "you get what you pay for" situation; however, if you're willing to pay into it, D&D Beyond is well worth it, in my opinion. It goes far beyond a meager character builder. The capability for online books is immensely useful (at least for me), and searching for monsters with the advanced filters has proven worthwhile while creating adventures. The community here seems to be flourishing, and the ability to share homebrew material is great.
Not trying to convince you, necessarily; it might not be for you. But there is a lot of progress here already, and I'm definitely excited to see what comes next.
I'm afraid I have to add my name to the throng of people who gladly paid for the physical books, but refuse to buy them a second time. Anyone who legitimately purchased a PHB/DMG/MM should have access to all of the PHB/DMG/MM content online. These books have premium $50 price tags; if the first $30 went to the book and the remaining $20 covered digital, it would be close to reasonable. Instead, you're looking at a huge and unexpected reinvestment in the same material.
Video games have already solved this problem; they shrink-wrap their product and provide a sealed, one-time-only unlock code inside for (additional, in their case) digital content. Alternatively, if you're worried about people tearing open books in the store for their codes, you could have the codes be handed out separately by the retailer.
Instead of either of these options, you've gone and sold the books with no strategy for stimulating activity in the digital space--or rather, a strategy that alienates your most hardcore supporters, people who bought books first and trusted you to sort out digital later.
It's those early adopters who run games, and pull others into the hobby. When those new players see the DM doing just fine without your electronic toolset, what's their motivation to buy it?
I suspect you must have looked at Hero Lab, Fantasy Grounds and other third-party e-tools and seen thought that you could replicate that model. I myself have purchased Pathfinder content for Hero Lab even after purchasing the physical books. But the difference here is that everyone knows that their money is going to *the exact same people who sold you your expensive books in the first place*, not some plucky startup trying to capture a small piece of the market. That realization forms a huge mental barrier when it comes to purchasing this digital content.
My copy of the PHB was signed by Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford at its Gen Con launch in 2015. I'm that kind of fan. But one expensive set of purchases is enough for me. Until you guys recognize that digital and physical media should always be sold as a bundle, and can retroactively give early adopters digital versions of what they've already bought, I'll stick with homebrew spreadsheets and cost-effective third-party tools.
I'm afraid I have to add my name to the throng of people who gladly paid for the physical books, but refuse to buy them a second time. Anyone who legitimately purchased a PHB/DMG/MM should have access to all of the PHB/DMG/MM content online. These books have premium $50 price tags; if the first $30 went to the book and the remaining $20 covered digital, it would be close to reasonable. Instead, you're looking at a huge and unexpected reinvestment in the same material.
Video games have already solved this problem; they shrink-wrap their product and provide a sealed, one-time-only unlock code inside for (additional, in their case) digital content. Alternatively, if you're worried about people tearing open books in the store for their codes, you could have the codes be handed out separately by the retailer.
Instead of either of these options, you've gone and sold the books with no strategy for stimulating activity in the digital space--or rather, a strategy that alienates your most hardcore supporters, people who bought books first and trusted you to sort out digital later.
It's those early adopters who run games, and pull others into the hobby. When those new players see the DM doing just fine without your electronic toolset, what's their motivation to buy it?
I suspect you must have looked at Hero Lab, Fantasy Grounds and other third-party e-tools and seen thought that you could replicate that model. I myself have purchased Pathfinder content for Hero Lab even after purchasing the physical books. But the difference here is that everyone knows that their money is going to *the exact same people who sold you your expensive books in the first place*, not some plucky startup trying to capture a small piece of the market. That realization forms a huge mental barrier when it comes to purchasing this digital content.
My copy of the PHB was signed by Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford at its Gen Con launch in 2015. I'm that kind of fan. But one expensive set of purchases is enough for me. Until you guys recognize that digital and physical media should always be sold as a bundle, and can retroactively give early adopters digital versions of what they've already bought, I'll stick with homebrew spreadsheets and cost-effective third-party tools.
Dude.. Curse and WOTC are not the same people. If WOTC were providing this service, your video game argument would have some legs. (On the other hand, if WOTC were making this product, would it be as robust as D&D Beyond is? Would it even exist? WOTC are game designers, whereas Curse is more equipped to handle this digital venture.)
I'm afraid I have to add my name to the throng of people who gladly paid for the physical books, but refuse to buy them a second time. Anyone who legitimately purchased a PHB/DMG/MM should have access to all of the PHB/DMG/MM content online. These books have premium $50 price tags; if the first $30 went to the book and the remaining $20 covered digital, it would be close to reasonable. Instead, you're looking at a huge and unexpected reinvestment in the same material.
Video games have already solved this problem; they shrink-wrap their product and provide a sealed, one-time-only unlock code inside for (additional, in their case) digital content. Alternatively, if you're worried about people tearing open books in the store for their codes, you could have the codes be handed out separately by the retailer.
Instead of either of these options, you've gone and sold the books with no strategy for stimulating activity in the digital space--or rather, a strategy that alienates your most hardcore supporters, people who bought books first and trusted you to sort out digital later.
It's those early adopters who run games, and pull others into the hobby. When those new players see the DM doing just fine without your electronic toolset, what's their motivation to buy it?
I suspect you must have looked at Hero Lab, Fantasy Grounds and other third-party e-tools and seen thought that you could replicate that model. I myself have purchased Pathfinder content for Hero Lab even after purchasing the physical books. But the difference here is that everyone knows that their money is going to *the exact same people who sold you your expensive books in the first place*, not some plucky startup trying to capture a small piece of the market. That realization forms a huge mental barrier when it comes to purchasing this digital content.
My copy of the PHB was signed by Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford at its Gen Con launch in 2015. I'm that kind of fan. But one expensive set of purchases is enough for me. Until you guys recognize that digital and physical media should always be sold as a bundle, and can retroactively give early adopters digital versions of what they've already bought, I'll stick with homebrew spreadsheets and cost-effective third-party tools.
Dude.. Curse and WOTC are not the same people. If WOTC were providing this service, your video game argument would have some legs. (On the other hand, if WOTC were making this product, would it be as robust as D&D Beyond is? Would it even exist? WOTC are game designers, whereas Curse is more equipped to handle this digital venture.)
My mistake, but it's *very* effectively branded with D&D logos and styles. I won't be the only one who doesn't make that distinction.
Also, if WOTC and Curse can enter into a business arrangement to produce D&D Beyond, they can enter into a business arrangement to distribute access codes with printed materials. The video game argument stands.
I'm afraid I have to add my name to the throng of people who gladly paid for the physical books, but refuse to buy them a second time. Anyone who legitimately purchased a PHB/DMG/MM should have access to all of the PHB/DMG/MM content online. These books have premium $50 price tags; if the first $30 went to the book and the remaining $20 covered digital, it would be close to reasonable. Instead, you're looking at a huge and unexpected reinvestment in the same material.
Video games have already solved this problem; they shrink-wrap their product and provide a sealed, one-time-only unlock code inside for (additional, in their case) digital content. Alternatively, if you're worried about people tearing open books in the store for their codes, you could have the codes be handed out separately by the retailer.
Instead of either of these options, you've gone and sold the books with no strategy for stimulating activity in the digital space--or rather, a strategy that alienates your most hardcore supporters, people who bought books first and trusted you to sort out digital later.
It's those early adopters who run games, and pull others into the hobby. When those new players see the DM doing just fine without your electronic toolset, what's their motivation to buy it?
I suspect you must have looked at Hero Lab, Fantasy Grounds and other third-party e-tools and seen thought that you could replicate that model. I myself have purchased Pathfinder content for Hero Lab even after purchasing the physical books. But the difference here is that everyone knows that their money is going to *the exact same people who sold you your expensive books in the first place*, not some plucky startup trying to capture a small piece of the market. That realization forms a huge mental barrier when it comes to purchasing this digital content.
My copy of the PHB was signed by Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford at its Gen Con launch in 2015. I'm that kind of fan. But one expensive set of purchases is enough for me. Until you guys recognize that digital and physical media should always be sold as a bundle, and can retroactively give early adopters digital versions of what they've already bought, I'll stick with homebrew spreadsheets and cost-effective third-party tools.
Dude.. Curse and WOTC are not the same people. If WOTC were providing this service, your video game argument would have some legs. (On the other hand, if WOTC were making this product, would it be as robust as D&D Beyond is? Would it even exist? WOTC are game designers, whereas Curse is more equipped to handle this digital venture.)
My mistake, but it's *very* effectively branded with D&D logos and styles. I won't be the only one who doesn't make that distinction.
You haven't been the only one who didn't make that distinction. This week.
Also, if WOTC and Curse can enter into a business arrangement to produce D&D Beyond, they can enter into a business arrangement to distribute access codes with printed materials. The video game argument stands.
I can't counter that, nor can I support it. I just don't know.
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"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
The argument only works if a) both companies take a profit loss or b) wotc raises prices on the physical copies to compensate curse for the digital copies. If it's b, then you're paying more regardless if it's one transaction or two
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How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat On - Mod Hat Off
I'm afraid I have to add my name to the throng of people who gladly paid for the physical books, but refuse to buy them a second time. Anyone who legitimately purchased a PHB/DMG/MM should have access to all of the PHB/DMG/MM content online. These books have premium $50 price tags; if the first $30 went to the book and the remaining $20 covered digital, it would be close to reasonable. Instead, you're looking at a huge and unexpected reinvestment in the same material.
Video games have already solved this problem; they shrink-wrap their product and provide a sealed, one-time-only unlock code inside for (additional, in their case) digital content. Alternatively, if you're worried about people tearing open books in the store for their codes, you could have the codes be handed out separately by the retailer.
Instead of either of these options, you've gone and sold the books with no strategy for stimulating activity in the digital space--or rather, a strategy that alienates your most hardcore supporters, people who bought books first and trusted you to sort out digital later.
It's those early adopters who run games, and pull others into the hobby. When those new players see the DM doing just fine without your electronic toolset, what's their motivation to buy it?
I suspect you must have looked at Hero Lab, Fantasy Grounds and other third-party e-tools and seen thought that you could replicate that model. I myself have purchased Pathfinder content for Hero Lab even after purchasing the physical books. But the difference here is that everyone knows that their money is going to *the exact same people who sold you your expensive books in the first place*, not some plucky startup trying to capture a small piece of the market. That realization forms a huge mental barrier when it comes to purchasing this digital content.
My copy of the PHB was signed by Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford at its Gen Con launch in 2015. I'm that kind of fan. But one expensive set of purchases is enough for me. Until you guys recognize that digital and physical media should always be sold as a bundle, and can retroactively give early adopters digital versions of what they've already bought, I'll stick with homebrew spreadsheets and cost-effective third-party tools.
Dude.. Curse and WOTC are not the same people. If WOTC were providing this service, your video game argument would have some legs. (On the other hand, if WOTC were making this product, would it be as robust as D&D Beyond is? Would it even exist? WOTC are game designers, whereas Curse is more equipped to handle this digital venture.)
My mistake, but it's *very* effectively branded with D&D logos and styles. I won't be the only one who doesn't make that distinction.
You haven't been the only one who didn't make that distinction. This week.
Also, if WOTC and Curse can enter into a business arrangement to produce D&D Beyond, they can enter into a business arrangement to distribute access codes with printed materials. The video game argument stands.
I can't counter that, nor can I support it. I just don't know.
That's the double-edged sword of branding your product under another company: Try *really hard* to look like someone else to the customer, and you might just succeed.
Like any product or service, if the benefits justify the costs, people will buy it. There are a lot of price points on DnDBeyond.com depending on your needs or desires, some quite steep and others, like just buying the PHB, quite reasonable. You need to weigh out the benefits vs the cost for yourself. Getting bogged down in the idea that you already purchased the print version and therefore should have access to the digital version overlooks an important fact -- you aren't buying a pdf version of the book at all but rather a much broader range of services that allows you to generate and maintain characters online, access spells, magic items, monsters, etc. You are paying for the infrastructure that they've created and are growing.
The argument only works if a) both companies take a profit loss or b) wotc raises prices on the physical copies to compensate curse for the digital copies. If it's b, then you're paying more regardless if it's one transaction or two
Not exactly... When you lower prices, you reduce profits---on that one sale. But you also sell more. So it comes down to the additional incremental cost of producing one more copy of the software for sale. In the case of software--a web app in particular--the additional incremental cost, while not zero (there are still support and bandwidth costs), is commonly very, very small. I suggest that Curse has not yet found the sweet spot where costs are lowest and profits are maximized. I find it hard to believe they're there yet. Of course, I can't back that up with numbers; I can only reflect on the anecdotal evidence of my own experience, that of my friends, and the comments I read on this message board and elsewhere.
But let's put aside Curse's profitability for the moment, and consider WotC's. Digital media is generally cheaper to produce and distribute than print media, even when development costs are considered for a rules engine like the one that powers 5E. It is in WotC's long-term interest to convert gamers from print to e-tools as much as possible, because it's a more profitable way to distribute their IP. E-tools should be a loss leader for WotC, designed to make the electronic experience an indispensable part of their game. Instead, the current model, in which each of these companies needs to make profits independently on their own separate revenue stream, is clearly hampering adoption, even if only a third of their customers balk at these prices like I do.
I'm by no means poor; I make a six-figure salary and my wife works, too. I'm also by no means technologically averse; I work in IT managing a development team, and routinely adopt new technologies. And I refuse to pirate copyrighted material. In short, I'm the ideal demographic for purchasing electronic tools for my favorite hobby. But I just can't justify the prices they're asking. I may only be one tiny data point in a vast retail landscape, but I don't think I'm alone.
"But they have implemented flexible pricing to meet everyone's needs," you may say. I've heard that particular spin before, from Fantasy Grounds. I ask you: Does it *feel* like flexible pricing, or does it feel like you've simply been given the option of being nickel-and-dimed to death? $1.99 per feat? $1.99 per spell? It reminds me of booking a flight on a really cheap airline (Spirit, for example) that asks you to pay extra for each bag, extra to choose your seat, extra to board early, extra to check in at the airport, and so on (all true). I might put up with it if all my other flight options are considerably more expensive, but I certainly won't come away delighted with the product, and I certainly won't recommend it to my friends. And with D&DB, there are certainly less expensive options.
In summary, lower prices are in the best interest of both Curse and WotC. For Curse, it'll sell more subscriptions, and (I believe, based on the small incremental cost of each additional user) increase profits. For WotC, it is in the interest of their long-term profitability to subsidize the cost of digital for their traditional print customers. E-tools should be cheaper for those who have bought the books. That it also happens to be the right thing to do (or, more cynically, represents a good PR opportunity) is just a fortuitous side effect.
I know many who've never bought physical books, and D&D Beyond looks VERY appealing to them. No digging through pages, content always at the ready on their mobile devices, etc. The price model is very well structured and they couldn't be happier.
I've said it before, but there's obvious value in what's being offered here if it has individuals who've already purchased the content contemplating buying it again. Basing an argument on the fact that one has bought physical books already cannot be validated in determining the business model nor worth of what D&D Beyond offers. To the new purchaser, this is a fantastic opportunity and offers astounding convenience. The convenience of not having to flip pages, carry around pounds of content, and use paper character sheets is what's on display here. Those who can't justify the value are free to stick to pencils, and those who appreciate the additional choice brought to the open market can opt in as they please.
Products and services are only worth what people will pay for them, and D&D Beyond is off to a fantastic start with this launch.
I know many who've never bought physical books, and D&D Beyond looks VERY appealing to them. No digging through pages, content always at the ready on their mobile devices, etc. The price model is very well structured and they couldn't be happier.
I've said it before, but there's obvious value in what's being offered here if it has individuals who've already purchased the content contemplating buying it again. Basing an argument on the fact that one has bought physical books already cannot be validated in determining the business model nor worth of what D&D Beyond offers. To the new purchaser, this is a fantastic opportunity and offers astounding convenience. The convenience of not having to flip pages, carry around pounds of content, and use paper character sheets is what's on display here. Those who can't justify the value are free to stick to pencils, and those who appreciate the additional choice brought to the open market can opt in as they please.
Products and services are only worth what people will pay for them, and D&D Beyond is off to a fantastic start with this launch.
The problem that I have is:
1. No offline access
2. No bookmarking
3. No annotations
The product feels unfinished to me. I feel like these things should have been available out the gate. Heck, a simple ePub from Barnes and Noble or a Kindle eBook offers these features.
I know many who've never bought physical books, and D&D Beyond looks VERY appealing to them. No digging through pages, content always at the ready on their mobile devices, etc. The price model is very well structured and they couldn't be happier.
I've said it before, but there's obvious value in what's being offered here if it has individuals who've already purchased the content contemplating buying it again. Basing an argument on the fact that one has bought physical books already cannot be validated in determining the business model nor worth of what D&D Beyond offers. To the new purchaser, this is a fantastic opportunity and offers astounding convenience. The convenience of not having to flip pages, carry around pounds of content, and use paper character sheets is what's on display here. Those who can't justify the value are free to stick to pencils, and those who appreciate the additional choice brought to the open market can opt in as they please.
Products and services are only worth what people will pay for them, and D&D Beyond is off to a fantastic start with this launch.
The problem that I have is:
1. No offline access
2. No bookmarking
3. No annotations
The product feels unfinished to me. I feel like these things should have been available out the gate. Heck, a simple ePub from Barnes and Noble or a Kindle eBook offers these features.
Offline access is supposed to be on its way with the app. And the rest would be nice; you should suggest them. But even for an unfinished product, it has a pretty good look to it. Games get updates, as do other websites that ask for money for their services. DDB is no different, and while it doesnt have everything yet, I definitely think it already has plenty of value.
The product feels unfinished to me. I feel like these things should have been available out the gate. Heck, a simple ePub from Barnes and Noble or a Kindle eBook offers these features.
I fully agree. : ) I too, also pine for these features. It's all a continuous work-in-progress; Good things are on the way.
Not exactly... When you lower prices, you reduce profits---on that one sale. But you also sell more.
The problem lies in hitting the right lower price so that the end result of the more sales that you make is equal, or ideally superior, total profits - and it really isn't an easy target to hit when you consider that the current price point is already acceptable to the majority of potential customers (as evidenced by there being far more people buying in than balking at the price tag), so you end up aiming for (to use a random number) so any drop in price significant enough to attract the potential customers that aren't satisfied with the current price is likely to ripple across the sales that would have happened even at a higher price point and create a loss in total profit as a result.
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Does anyone remember when they announced all of the cool digital tools for 4E? Yeah, that was why I bought into 4E. sadly, WotC NEVER delivered on the tools except for the Character builder, which lacked a lot of functionality. I am just afraid that D&D Beyond is more of the same and with what I've seen so far, especially the "Campaign Manager," I think I'll hold only my money until I see some real proof of progress.
Carpe DM - gimme a roll!
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
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Thank you. Of course, the digital promises they made for 4E were 3rd party too, so, until proven otherwise, I will err on the side of caution. Obviously I truly hope that they deliver on what they've advertised, but there is a long and distinguished history of disappointment here.
Carpe DM - gimme a roll!
When buying a book on this site, would that give me a PDF version of it, or would i need to be online o view it
Why so serious??
-Dresden White
I'm afraid I have to add my name to the throng of people who gladly paid for the physical books, but refuse to buy them a second time. Anyone who legitimately purchased a PHB/DMG/MM should have access to all of the PHB/DMG/MM content online. These books have premium $50 price tags; if the first $30 went to the book and the remaining $20 covered digital, it would be close to reasonable. Instead, you're looking at a huge and unexpected reinvestment in the same material.
Video games have already solved this problem; they shrink-wrap their product and provide a sealed, one-time-only unlock code inside for (additional, in their case) digital content. Alternatively, if you're worried about people tearing open books in the store for their codes, you could have the codes be handed out separately by the retailer.
Instead of either of these options, you've gone and sold the books with no strategy for stimulating activity in the digital space--or rather, a strategy that alienates your most hardcore supporters, people who bought books first and trusted you to sort out digital later.
It's those early adopters who run games, and pull others into the hobby. When those new players see the DM doing just fine without your electronic toolset, what's their motivation to buy it?
I suspect you must have looked at Hero Lab, Fantasy Grounds and other third-party e-tools and seen thought that you could replicate that model. I myself have purchased Pathfinder content for Hero Lab even after purchasing the physical books. But the difference here is that everyone knows that their money is going to *the exact same people who sold you your expensive books in the first place*, not some plucky startup trying to capture a small piece of the market. That realization forms a huge mental barrier when it comes to purchasing this digital content.
My copy of the PHB was signed by Mike Mearls and Jeremy Crawford at its Gen Con launch in 2015. I'm that kind of fan. But one expensive set of purchases is enough for me. Until you guys recognize that digital and physical media should always be sold as a bundle, and can retroactively give early adopters digital versions of what they've already bought, I'll stick with homebrew spreadsheets and cost-effective third-party tools.
My mistake, but it's *very* effectively branded with D&D logos and styles. I won't be the only one who doesn't make that distinction.
Also, if WOTC and Curse can enter into a business arrangement to produce D&D Beyond, they can enter into a business arrangement to distribute access codes with printed materials. The video game argument stands.
You haven't been the only one who didn't make that distinction. This week.
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both" -- allegedly Benjamin Franklin
Tooltips (Help/aid)
The argument only works if a) both companies take a profit loss or b) wotc raises prices on the physical copies to compensate curse for the digital copies. If it's b, then you're paying more regardless if it's one transaction or two
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Like any product or service, if the benefits justify the costs, people will buy it. There are a lot of price points on DnDBeyond.com depending on your needs or desires, some quite steep and others, like just buying the PHB, quite reasonable. You need to weigh out the benefits vs the cost for yourself. Getting bogged down in the idea that you already purchased the print version and therefore should have access to the digital version overlooks an important fact -- you aren't buying a pdf version of the book at all but rather a much broader range of services that allows you to generate and maintain characters online, access spells, magic items, monsters, etc. You are paying for the infrastructure that they've created and are growing.
I know many who've never bought physical books, and D&D Beyond looks VERY appealing to them. No digging through pages, content always at the ready on their mobile devices, etc. The price model is very well structured and they couldn't be happier.
I've said it before, but there's obvious value in what's being offered here if it has individuals who've already purchased the content contemplating buying it again. Basing an argument on the fact that one has bought physical books already cannot be validated in determining the business model nor worth of what D&D Beyond offers. To the new purchaser, this is a fantastic opportunity and offers astounding convenience. The convenience of not having to flip pages, carry around pounds of content, and use paper character sheets is what's on display here. Those who can't justify the value are free to stick to pencils, and those who appreciate the additional choice brought to the open market can opt in as they please.
Products and services are only worth what people will pay for them, and D&D Beyond is off to a fantastic start with this launch.
[ Site Rules & Guidelines ] --- [ Homebrew Rules & Guidelines ]
Send me a message with any questions or concerns
-Dresden White
[ Site Rules & Guidelines ] --- [ Homebrew Rules & Guidelines ]
Send me a message with any questions or concerns
The problem lies in hitting the right lower price so that the end result of the more sales that you make is equal, or ideally superior, total profits - and it really isn't an easy target to hit when you consider that the current price point is already acceptable to the majority of potential customers (as evidenced by there being far more people buying in than balking at the price tag), so you end up aiming for (to use a random number) so any drop in price significant enough to attract the potential customers that aren't satisfied with the current price is likely to ripple across the sales that would have happened even at a higher price point and create a loss in total profit as a result.