I think a monthly fee should be out of question. After all, we don't pay for our handbooks every month. We buy them once and that's it. I'm aware that websites and apps have a maintenance cost, but this should be covered with the money people pay for new content on this web. 5-10 dollars/euros per book should be enough (depending on the amount of character options and mechanics they include). Maybe a bit less if you buy the physical copy of the book.
I wouldn't be opposed to lifetime or yearly membership. But my biggest question is, if I have multiple members of my household that want to use it, do we each have to purchase? My husband DM's and I play. Both of us would gain from using Beyond. He wants to use it for homebrew and I love to make characters and tweak them. If there's a monthly subscription, there's no way both of us are going to pay for it. Yearly or lifetime? That's totally do-able.
I have to admit, I love DnD but they are so late to this party that its not even funny. In their absence others have stepped in to fill this digital hole. I have already purchased books and have been using other digital resources as a player and as DM. For this to be worth it, it would have to be more than just a reference library. I would like the mobile apps to integrate character sheets, reference libraries, as well as campaign management tools. For example, I use both of the Fight Club Programs on my campaigns. I would like for the DnD Beyond app to handle all of that within the same architecture and make it easy to use,and easy to switch between functions (like have tabs for different components). I also want the character sheets and the campaign builder/manager to be dynamic and include individual trackers for abilities like bardic inspiration and superiority dice, or expertise. The campaign builder/manager should be easy to use for custom campaigns but should also allow for the download and integration of adventure modules. I would also want to have unearthed arcana loaded up into the app as well. It would also be nice to integrate sounds, ambient music, battle sounds, special FX, portraits drawn by the EPIC artists of DnD. For example, if my character casts Tasha's Hideous Laughter I want there to be a button under the spell in my spell list called FX that when i press it I hear Skeletor's manical laughing as I cast it. Little things like that would definitely justify new expenditures. I would like to see a onetime purchase for access to the app and a monthly sub of $5-10 for updates to new content/ unearthed arcana/bug fixes/forums/group finder etc. Also a one time purchase fee for access to books/modules/adventures. If we already own the books we should be given a code to redeem the digital version in the app for free and all future printings of books should have a redeemable code. Also, cross platform functionality (ios, android, etc). Here's hoping!
If the character creation is behind a subscription, what happens if I stop paying? Do I lose my content? This is the big reason I want a flat pay model, then maybe add-on for additional content like books.
Since I have already purchased the core rule books, I would still pay a fee to use this digital service. I would much rather keep the books at home and travel with a laptop or iPad and some dice. So far I am really happy with how this is looking and ease of navigating around.
I think $10/month with access to ALL D&D content is reasonable (if a little top tier)
For $10 per month, I can get.
* Google Play Music All-Access/YouTube Red: with access to a wide variety of albums, the ability to listen offline, plus ad-free YouTube that can play in the background.
* Office 365: Full versions of Microsoft Office on 5 computers/tablets, plus 1 TB of OneDrive AND 60 Skype minute
* Netflix Streaming: A wide selection of movies and TV series, including exclusive shows, on multiple devices all in HD.
At a $10 price point, I'd expect from D&D Beyond
* Unlimited Character backup/creation
* Access to ALL official WotC content in the database and character builder, with limited online access
* Save and print, as well as export custom material/characters for backup.
I very much agree with modelling a subscription after other's (Netflix, Hulu, Spotify) where it's a monthly fee that gives you unfettered access.
What I'd like to see if I had my druthers would be very similar:
Buffet style flat-fee subscriptions: monthly with annual pre-pay discounts.
Player (lite or free level where you can create a character and associate it with a campaign similar to how Roll20 works)
Full (default level with gifting/party-donating functionality so it's not all on the GM to buy)
Offline support: Exportable/printable character sheets. Temp resource downloads (like Spotify does with songs)
Multiple devices to allow having a Laptop with your GM info, phones/ipads with characters, etc. ---The below is where DNDBeyond suddenly becomes really powerful and hard to fight the urge to sub if done well---
Custom Campaign: This gets tricky where this would have to be very much in line with Obsidian Portal. I'd drop my OP account in a heartbeat if we would see:
Wikis
NPC/Character vault
Adventure log (story recaps, exp/loot/milestones/etc per session, etc)
GM Worldbuilding tools (Real opportunity here)
Submit to DM Guild integration & templates
Custom Timeline, pantheon, society and cartography display & management
Streaming Integration
Included API with Roll20 and perhaps a discount on their integrated WoTC products for having a DB sub?
Custom Stream Overlays for use with OBS/X-Split or the like
Dice Rollers designed for streaming (separate from chat, noise)
i had dnd insider for about 3 months when a group of us wanted to play and learn DnD on our own and it was a huge resource. However, we put a stop to it because we couldn't justify paying for a service we could do ourselves. (we mainly got it to ensure we were adding our bonuses from armor and weapons correctly) Especially with google being able to look up a lot of questions and monsters just as fast if not faster than insider could. I find it hard to own the monster manual, players handbook, and DM book as well as throwing more money towards DnD for 'simplicity' sake. Is it a great idea..yes. Is it a wonderful site..absolutley. Will I use it in my games..no doubt. But as stated before, a $10 fee can get you a lot nowadays and to justify 120 dollars a year seems out of hand to me when i've done just fine without it, and as previously stated, google could do.
furthermore: even some monsters such as displacer beast, and beholder are under copyright laws and can't be added. But not if you have google. All stats and pictures are right there. Yet again, something free and easily accessible on my phone does exist (at least as far as a 'monster manual' is involved, but also as far as 'conditions').
I would be willing to pay a subscription as a DM that would allow me to "borrow" content from the WotC library, much as I do for my Kindle Unlimited service. You can borrow with the option to purchase (at a discounted price, you're already paying for the subscription). The borrowed library would be limited to a certain number of books, supplements, etc., allowing the DM to utilize that resource until it was returned (i.e. the campaign setting has shifted). Just a thought. Insofar as scanning codes for purchased hardcover content, I would suggest that the code would have to be linked to a registered DDB account. That code is single use. If that code is stolen, it will be registered to an account. That account is banned and new code issued to the purchaser. If you buy the hardcover from Amazon (further incentive for Amazon to streamline this process) that code is for more secure as it is shipped from Amazon rather than sitting in a brick and mortar. Just my 2cp.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Natch!! Congratulations, you have successfully narfled the garthok!"
Here is a thought... Why don't you offer a code or something with your printed books so if I already purchased the monster manual I could just enter the code and get the digital version so I'm not buying this thing twice... Or at least offer a discount or something.
Not entirely sure I want to pay anything for the content, since I already own the books I need. The ability to store my own content and to track my players would be worth a fee. Having a way to track my player's characters as they advance through an adventure would would be optimal, especially if I am able to create adventures through the tools. I think I would be best served by a Dungeon Master's assistant toolset.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.
Are there any plans to allow selling your own content to other D&D Beyond users?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.
I am going to have to agree - Having already purchase the core books, the Fantasy Grounds system and Core Books again on there, plus a module or two - I am finding it difficult to have much of a desire to once again purchase the bore books yet again. Where is the motivation in doing so?
Well since every one else has an opinion. Let me point out most groups I've played with the dm bore the brunt of the cost and a few players started started collecting. I would love for the basics to be free. I also think buying something equivalent to the complete series of books for a reasonable price would be great. The first book I ever bought was the complet fighters ad&d 2e because it gave me options in game and was a lot cheaper then the core books. I eventually bought almost ever 2e book published. I guess I'm saying give players a reasonable and useful price point in, and it won't just be DM's buying supplements.
I think a monthly fee should be out of question. After all, we don't pay for our handbooks every month. We buy them once and that's it.
I'm aware that websites and apps have a maintenance cost, but this should be covered with the money people pay for new content on this web.
5-10 dollars/euros per book should be enough (depending on the amount of character options and mechanics they include). Maybe a bit less if you buy the physical copy of the book.
I wouldn't be opposed to lifetime or yearly membership. But my biggest question is, if I have multiple members of my household that want to use it, do we each have to purchase? My husband DM's and I play. Both of us would gain from using Beyond. He wants to use it for homebrew and I love to make characters and tweak them. If there's a monthly subscription, there's no way both of us are going to pay for it. Yearly or lifetime? That's totally do-able.
A dwarf with a canoe on his back? What could go wrong?
I think that having a party package would be great to share with your family/party
With every Roll came a new Adventure
This sounds like a good deal, and if you add a party account (15usd up to 5 players) that would be great
With every Roll came a new Adventure
I have to admit, I love DnD but they are so late to this party that its not even funny. In their absence others have stepped in to fill this digital hole. I have already purchased books and have been using other digital resources as a player and as DM. For this to be worth it, it would have to be more than just a reference library. I would like the mobile apps to integrate character sheets, reference libraries, as well as campaign management tools. For example, I use both of the Fight Club Programs on my campaigns. I would like for the DnD Beyond app to handle all of that within the same architecture and make it easy to use,and easy to switch between functions (like have tabs for different components). I also want the character sheets and the campaign builder/manager to be dynamic and include individual trackers for abilities like bardic inspiration and superiority dice, or expertise. The campaign builder/manager should be easy to use for custom campaigns but should also allow for the download and integration of adventure modules. I would also want to have unearthed arcana loaded up into the app as well. It would also be nice to integrate sounds, ambient music, battle sounds, special FX, portraits drawn by the EPIC artists of DnD. For example, if my character casts Tasha's Hideous Laughter I want there to be a button under the spell in my spell list called FX that when i press it I hear Skeletor's manical laughing as I cast it. Little things like that would definitely justify new expenditures. I would like to see a onetime purchase for access to the app and a monthly sub of $5-10 for updates to new content/ unearthed arcana/bug fixes/forums/group finder etc. Also a one time purchase fee for access to books/modules/adventures. If we already own the books we should be given a code to redeem the digital version in the app for free and all future printings of books should have a redeemable code. Also, cross platform functionality (ios, android, etc). Here's hoping!
If the character creation is behind a subscription, what happens if I stop paying? Do I lose my content? This is the big reason I want a flat pay model, then maybe add-on for additional content like books.
Since I have already purchased the core rule books, I would still pay a fee to use this digital service. I would much rather keep the books at home and travel with a laptop or iPad and some dice. So far I am really happy with how this is looking and ease of navigating around.
Holy cow, $40 a book? It's $60-75 here for a hardcover. Where do you live??
I very much agree with modelling a subscription after other's (Netflix, Hulu, Spotify) where it's a monthly fee that gives you unfettered access.
What I'd like to see if I had my druthers would be very similar:
---The below is where DNDBeyond suddenly becomes really powerful and hard to fight the urge to sub if done well---
i had dnd insider for about 3 months when a group of us wanted to play and learn DnD on our own and it was a huge resource. However, we put a stop to it because we couldn't justify paying for a service we could do ourselves. (we mainly got it to ensure we were adding our bonuses from armor and weapons correctly) Especially with google being able to look up a lot of questions and monsters just as fast if not faster than insider could. I find it hard to own the monster manual, players handbook, and DM book as well as throwing more money towards DnD for 'simplicity' sake. Is it a great idea..yes. Is it a wonderful site..absolutley. Will I use it in my games..no doubt. But as stated before, a $10 fee can get you a lot nowadays and to justify 120 dollars a year seems out of hand to me when i've done just fine without it, and as previously stated, google could do.
furthermore: even some monsters such as displacer beast, and beholder are under copyright laws and can't be added. But not if you have google. All stats and pictures are right there. Yet again, something free and easily accessible on my phone does exist (at least as far as a 'monster manual' is involved, but also as far as 'conditions').
Rev. 6:8
I would be willing to pay a subscription as a DM that would allow me to "borrow" content from the WotC library, much as I do for my Kindle Unlimited service. You can borrow with the option to purchase (at a discounted price, you're already paying for the subscription). The borrowed library would be limited to a certain number of books, supplements, etc., allowing the DM to utilize that resource until it was returned (i.e. the campaign setting has shifted). Just a thought. Insofar as scanning codes for purchased hardcover content, I would suggest that the code would have to be linked to a registered DDB account. That code is single use. If that code is stolen, it will be registered to an account. That account is banned and new code issued to the purchaser. If you buy the hardcover from Amazon (further incentive for Amazon to streamline this process) that code is for more secure as it is shipped from Amazon rather than sitting in a brick and mortar. Just my 2cp.
"Natch!! Congratulations, you have successfully narfled the garthok!"
Here is a thought... Why don't you offer a code or something with your printed books so if I already purchased the monster manual I could just enter the code and get the digital version so I'm not buying this thing twice... Or at least offer a discount or something.
Ah. They usually start at $65 here per book at the LGS.
Not entirely sure I want to pay anything for the content, since I already own the books I need. The ability to store my own content and to track my players would be worth a fee. Having a way to track my player's characters as they advance through an adventure would would be optimal, especially if I am able to create adventures through the tools. I think I would be best served by a Dungeon Master's assistant toolset.
Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Are there any plans to allow selling your own content to other D&D Beyond users?
Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein.
― Friedrich Nietzsche
I am going to have to agree - Having already purchase the core books, the Fantasy Grounds system and Core Books again on there, plus a module or two - I am finding it difficult to have much of a desire to once again purchase the bore books yet again. Where is the motivation in doing so?
sorry - thought that was a reply to a previous post and would be put in place - sorry about that.
Well since every one else has an opinion. Let me point out most groups I've played with the dm bore the brunt of the cost and a few players started started collecting. I would love for the basics to be free. I also think buying something equivalent to the complete series of books for a reasonable price would be great. The first book I ever bought was the complet fighters ad&d 2e because it gave me options in game and was a lot cheaper then the core books. I eventually bought almost ever 2e book published. I guess I'm saying give players a reasonable and useful price point in, and it won't just be DM's buying supplements.
I'm going to abstain from voting this poll because of the obvious.
It all depends on price-point, and what that price-point gives us access to.
I do agree that its a good idea to get a read about the subject.
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