I would like to vent a suspicion that has been bothering me since the announcement of OneD&D.
The website has been updating at a snails pace since its debut 5 years ago, but this year has been especially slow; with 1 major update to the character sheet, all announced features being effectively dropped from the roadmap, the dev update all but suspended, and several minor fixes/adjustments all up.
I understand the official story is that the acquisition has triggered some restructuring, which has put focus on other essential tasks, but that's not what I want to talk about.
What I want to talk about is what's going to happen to the ********et now that OneD&D has been announced. I have reason to believe that DDB is preparing to abandon the tools they have now, and commit all efforts to preparing a new toolset for OneD&D when it launches one or two years from now.
We regularly get the retort from dev staff that the spaghetti code is hard to work with, which makes new features slow to develop and implement. While I don't doubt that the technical debt owed to this site is massive, the thing that really shakes my faith is that its issue's may go forever unresolved to prioritize the newest iteration of the game.
It wouldn't surprise me if I was correct in assuming that the toolset we have now will be abandoned, at least to some degree or another. What would surprise (and be extremely disheartening) is if whatever new array of tools are developed for OneD&D outright replace the ********et, either cutting off enough of it to make traditional 5e play impossible, or otherwise rendering the game as we know it inaccessible (be it classes, races, or magic items).
I'm aware the profit-driven mindset of a company would orient towards the most profitable course of action, which is usually catering to (and funnelling its user base towards) the hottest new thing. It would make them no money to support a toolset for 5e, let alone further its development, so it leads me to believe that the devs have been ordered to cease work on "non-essential" functions and content implementation in favor of getting a head-start on a new toolset for OneD&D.
And the reason I think a new toolset is favorable for them, as opposed to working with what they have now, is that working with what they have now has proven to be both inefficient and costly. It would be a catastrophic waste of resources to adapt what they already have.
So essentially, it is likely that all non-essential development tasks have been silently and indefinitely suspended while they prepare for OneD&D, and it would be absurd of them to even try to salvage the train wreck that is the foundations of the current toolset. Homebrew would be incompatible, stringing old content into the new content would require new bridging tools to be developed, and old characters would need to be processed for compatibility with the new changes.
My only hope now is that the old toolset continues to be hosted on the site, buried under whatever new things they develop for OneD&D. Ideally they wouldn't discontinue it, Australian consumer laws at the very least would warrant they provide full refunds for any purchased content that can no longer be accessed, so it would cost them more to remove the old tools than to hide them way in the back.
But, this revelation has sapped the last modicums of hope I had left for this site, at least for the current toolset. Unless we get more info from the devs and social teams, im not too certain what other conclusions we can draw. Ill watch to see what happens leading up to the release of OneD&D, I've already pre-disappointed myself so at least I can be happy if I'm proven wrong. But all the potential I saw for 5e in this site all those years ago has seemingly been squandered... Only time will tell, I guess.
I think it is vastly more likely they will try to utilise the present system - this site has become the forerunner because of its easy to use tools and homebrew system, and they are not going to toss all that away just to rebuild from the ground up. After all, they spent some $150 million on acquiring Beyond when, if they wanted a new system, they could have built one on their own. If they do make a new system because that is easier than fixing the code, they almost certainly will leave the “legacy” version of content, so there will still be ways to find and access the original 5e materials.
It is not super relevant to this thread, but I would appreciate if you could direct message me a link to your citation about the Australian rules. The last update I heard on it - maybe 5 years ago - explicitly did not cover D&D Beyond’s product type, because you are buying the service, not the software itself (you don’t buy an executable file from Beyond, as is the case with Steam, the subject of the case a few years back). I do not follow Australia’s legal developments all that closely (though they have been an interesting forerunner on digital issues and are worth keeping an eye on), so it is possible something has changed in the past couple of years.
I take the OPs post as supposition really, imho, but I gotta say I hope that is happening. But I don't think DnDBEYOND will go away. It's a pretty great brand.
This site lacks a robust data base and search system. If one can't be integrated into the current code, then I say dump it. Though, I think the character creation, and that's the best part of the whole site, will remain. Perhaps as a sorta 5e Legacy thing?
After all, they spent some $150 million on acquiring Beyond when, if they wanted a new system, they could have built one on their own.
I think what they were buying was the user base, not the toolset. WotC has a history of buying up toolsets for their games then abandoning them for a newer version (I think they've done that twice for MtG). For this though, i think that whatever toolset they have the devs make will be for DDB, i dont think they will redirect everything somewhere else entirely.
It is not super relevant to this thread, but I would appreciate if you could direct message me a link to your citation about the Australian rules.
Give me some time for that, im in que for OW2, and it goes live like nowish, so hopefully i can get some game sin before i have to reque after a server issue boots me
Yes, they acquired D&D Beyond at least partially for its user base.
To that end, they will not massively piss off said user base by deprecating everything that base has paid for up to now. At an absolute minimum, they will leave the current tools up with a skeleton crew to provide maintenance while they develop a new tool in parallel.
An oft-repeated theme of OneD&D is its backwards compatibility, to a point where they insist it isn't a new edition. I don't think they would put this message upfront and center if the plan was to pull support for 5e in any sense.
Will we get updates and/or fixes to the current builder once support begins for the new system? Probably not. We probably won't ever get stuff like Theros Piety or Supernatural Gifts. But I highly doubt they'll take away anything we already have.
I think a large part of it is going to come down to just how backwards compatible it actually ends up being. If it's not too, too far off, and they can do it like when Tasha's came out, and let you click a button for optional features, then staying with the current engine makes a lot more sense.
But the further the new characters get from the current one, the harder that would be to pull off, I'd think.
I mean, at some point, you stop supporting old editions. Same as why they don't make a character builder for 1-4 editions. They want to support and drive sales of the new product. Not make it easier for people to use something that doesn't generate revenue for them.
I have no experience with coding or any of that. But I think if the "engine" that this site is built on can't handle what is coming in One D&D then it will be scrapped. But that doesn't mean that everything here will be lost. You will still have access to the books you purchased, they will just have to be moved over to whatever the new "engine" will be. The character builder will be different, currently there is still a lot of 5E that isn't supported, so why keep it so only part of One D&D is supported. If a new site can be built to handle what WotC is trying to accomplish then lets have it. But I don't think everything DDB has already provided will be lost, it will just have to be moved to what WotC goes to next. And I'm sure it will be a huge process to complete, but they have to 2024 to work it out.
Yeah, even if they scrap the engine... I can't see them throwing away everyone's stuff. While it wouldn't necessarily be illegal...if you want to sink the franchise, at least digitally, that's how you do it. Even if they scrap the engine, they'll make a way to let you keep your stuff on the new site. At the very least, they'll give you PDFs or something. As much as I complain about some of their policies...I don't think they're that stupid that they'd screw their customer base over by just binning it all.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I think the handling of legacy races has shown that currently DndBeyond isn't really set up well for handling versioning or editions (yes, yes it's not a new edition - but it ain't exactly PHB 2014 either).
To me that's part of the challenge since the site would become pretty empty if it were to be stripped down to only current versions (even if we do consider the modules backwards compatible) of WotC content only. It's already a challenge that its is restricted to current version WotC content only, considering the richness of 3rd party content. But if there can only be "current" and "legacy" content in a big mishmash - then the site will be severely challenged looking ahead over the next couple of years.
I've been wondering along the same line as the OP, but for a different reason. For me, it comes down to the badly lacking DM support (support for running the game). How long has the Encounter Builder been in beta? It's features are very limited at this point, and there has been no hint any improvements. I remember last year when they said DM support was something they were excited to get to... but nothing so far.
Many people, myself among them, have expressed concerns similar to those of the OP in the forums recently. From what I can gather, their focus right now is on homebrew. Because we all have vastly different expectations of D&D Beyond, it's hard for anyone to agree on what an appropriate path forward is. Homebrew is the focus that best addresses everyone's needs. If this is indeed their current focus and they manage to finally make things like simple math and monster proficiency bonus overrides possible with homebrew, I will be very pleased. For me, a robust homebrew system is MOST IMPORTANT. Evidence of this focus was recently asserted by a developer in another forum post. I included the link below for those who haven't seen it.
The stupidest thing WotC could possibly do is bar us from using our purchased content. The distrust this would create would all but guarantee that the people who bought 5e content and lost access would never buy a digital product from WotC again. It's much more likely that they will include legacy and current versions of classes, races, etc. when one D&D releases updated versions. We've already seen something similar with monsters of the multiverse.
From a software standpoint, nothing they have right now is super complicated to build. I haven't taken the time to look at how they've done what they've done, and I have no idea how big their dev team is, but I can honestly say that the main tools people use the site for are not super complicated. The dice is probably the most challenging thing to build and at this point it's just reskinning the models (although I might just be saying that because it's the only thing I don't already know how to build).
If I were to hazard a guess, tools will continue to evolve and might be replaced by better tools. That said, any content you have now will stay yours and you'll almost certainly be able to use the new tools with the old content. By the time the virtual tabletop is out, and One D&D is in full swing, I would bet heavily on any content you have now being forward compatible with that. I'm betting we'll see more subscription options, more micro transactions, and more paid content like that. You'll likely buy the virtual tabletop (although it might be free or subscription based). You'll definitely buy maps, minis, etc for it. I think the cheaper the virtual tabletop is, the more likely people will buy adventures for it. Anything you can buy a physical copy of, you'll be able to do a virtual version of now. You'll still buy the books. You'll still buy the subscription so your party can share books. It will be a full service virtual D&D system that will add to whatever you've already purchased. I also wouldn't be surprised if buying the physical books would get you the digital books in the not too distant future. They're heavily invested in you using this service. They'll want to strongly encourage you to use it and that does mean keeping access to legacy content. The tools won't stay the way they are now forever though. That'd just be boring and bad for business.
Many people, myself among them, have expressed concerns similar to those of the OP in the forums recently. From what I can gather, their focus right now is on homebrew. Because we all have vastly different expectations of D&D Beyond, it's hard for anyone to agree on what an appropriate path forward is. Homebrew is the focus that best addresses everyone's needs. If this is indeed their current focus and they manage to finally make things like simple math and monster proficiency bonus overrides possible with homebrew, I will be very pleased. For me, a robust homebrew system is MOST IMPORTANT. Evidence of this focus was recently asserted by a developer in another forum post. I included the link below for those who haven't seen it.
The stupidest thing WotC could possibly do is bar us from using our purchased content. The distrust this would create would all but guarantee that the people who bought 5e content and lost access would never buy a digital product from WotC again. It's much more likely that they will include legacy and current versions of classes, races, etc. when one D&D releases updated versions. We've already seen something similar with monsters of the multiverse.
That is an interesting comment indeed...
More ways to build and program our homebrew is always welcome, so if Heartless's words imply what they seem to imply, it may alleviate some of my concerns. If for whatever reason they do try to salvage the current character builder, for one i'll be amazed, but i would also be worried about stability going forward. I would hope then that the team is committing a good chunk of resources to actually paying off some of the early unresolved technical debt.
Again, at the very least, ive pre-disappointed myself, so i can only be happy if im wrong i guess.
No updates of any real impact since February (other than on the mobile app - that team is boss! But also not WotC owned so of course, they carry on developing their product).
No Dev Updates. No meaningful communication on this either. Complete lack of respect to the community shown. Prior to going 'off air' without any warning, it would frequently be cancelled with no notice.
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
In the meantime, they'll churn out any new books released to keep that sweet skrilla rolling in.
Someone mentioned above that they can see DDB codes coming with the books. Based on the trial, that ain't their plan! The bundle deal, with postage, is far, far from a good deal. Yes, it's a trial, but if you're expecting a price tag of 'free' - don't!
Maybe we'll get some updates, but they ain't communicating anything so we have no real idea.
I remain hopeful, but the above is pretty much on the nail I reckon.
...The bundle deal, with postage, is far, far from a good deal....
Depends where you are, I think. In the US, it was a reasonable deal I think (as in, it was cheaper than buying them seperstely), but in the UK, it was cheaper to buy them separately.
I'm hoping they got the message that to get that elusive market of people who bought one of digital or physical, they have to sweeten the deal more than "You don't have to do two different transactions", which seemed to be their hope with this one.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
Looking at how WotC is hiring Microsoft e-commerce people to run DnD... yeah I'm suspecting it will turn into stripped down content and unfinished content combined with microtransaction hell. Just look at Halo Infinite for an example.
Well at least Pathfinder 3e is going to be popular.
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
Looking at how WotC is hiring Microsoft e-commerce people to run DnD... yeah I'm suspecting it will turn into stripped down content and unfinished content combined with microtransaction hell. Just look at Halo Infinite for an example.
Well at least Pathfinder 3e is going to be popular.
or COD for the last 3 years... and probably the foreseeable future
No updates of any real impact since February (other than on the mobile app - that team is boss! But also not WotC owned so of course, they carry on developing their product).
No Dev Updates. No meaningful communication on this either. Complete lack of respect to the community shown. Prior to going 'off air' without any warning, it would frequently be cancelled with no notice.
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
This is really sad, but I'm fearful this is the direction DnD Beyond is going in. I didn't always watch but I miss the days that Adam Bradford would post a video covering what was coming up, even if it was just minor changes or notification that something was still ongoing in terms of progress.
I'm excited for new features, but this site is really morphing into a commercial site rather than a community site :/
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
#Open D&D
Have the Physical Books? Confused as to why you're not allowed to redeem them for free on D&D Beyond? Questions answered here at the Hardcover Books, D&D Beyond and You FAQ
Looking to add mouse-over triggered tooltips to such things like magic items, monsters or combat actions? Then dash over to the How to Add Tooltips thread.
No updates of any real impact since February (other than on the mobile app - that team is boss! But also not WotC owned so of course, they carry on developing their product).
No Dev Updates. No meaningful communication on this either. Complete lack of respect to the community shown. Prior to going 'off air' without any warning, it would frequently be cancelled with no notice.
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
This is really sad, but I'm fearful this is the direction DnD Beyond is going in. I didn't always watch but I miss the days that Adam Bradford would post a video covering what was coming up, even if it was just minor changes or notification that something was still ongoing in terms of progress.
I'm excited for new features, but this site is really morphing into a commercial site rather than a community site :/
agree. Similar to the Titanfall hack, the community is not the problem
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
Looking at how WotC is hiring Microsoft e-commerce people to run DnD... yeah I'm suspecting it will turn into stripped down content and unfinished content combined with microtransaction hell. Just look at Halo Infinite for an example.
Well at least Pathfinder 3e is going to be popular.
I think this may be too hasty. Its not like that one company that is offering $999 MTG direct-to-consumer packs.
I would like to vent a suspicion that has been bothering me since the announcement of OneD&D.
The website has been updating at a snails pace since its debut 5 years ago, but this year has been especially slow; with 1 major update to the character sheet, all announced features being effectively dropped from the roadmap, the dev update all but suspended, and several minor fixes/adjustments all up.
I understand the official story is that the acquisition has triggered some restructuring, which has put focus on other essential tasks, but that's not what I want to talk about.
What I want to talk about is what's going to happen to the ********et now that OneD&D has been announced. I have reason to believe that DDB is preparing to abandon the tools they have now, and commit all efforts to preparing a new toolset for OneD&D when it launches one or two years from now.
We regularly get the retort from dev staff that the spaghetti code is hard to work with, which makes new features slow to develop and implement. While I don't doubt that the technical debt owed to this site is massive, the thing that really shakes my faith is that its issue's may go forever unresolved to prioritize the newest iteration of the game.
It wouldn't surprise me if I was correct in assuming that the toolset we have now will be abandoned, at least to some degree or another. What would surprise (and be extremely disheartening) is if whatever new array of tools are developed for OneD&D outright replace the ********et, either cutting off enough of it to make traditional 5e play impossible, or otherwise rendering the game as we know it inaccessible (be it classes, races, or magic items).
I'm aware the profit-driven mindset of a company would orient towards the most profitable course of action, which is usually catering to (and funnelling its user base towards) the hottest new thing. It would make them no money to support a toolset for 5e, let alone further its development, so it leads me to believe that the devs have been ordered to cease work on "non-essential" functions and content implementation in favor of getting a head-start on a new toolset for OneD&D.
And the reason I think a new toolset is favorable for them, as opposed to working with what they have now, is that working with what they have now has proven to be both inefficient and costly. It would be a catastrophic waste of resources to adapt what they already have.
So essentially, it is likely that all non-essential development tasks have been silently and indefinitely suspended while they prepare for OneD&D, and it would be absurd of them to even try to salvage the train wreck that is the foundations of the current toolset. Homebrew would be incompatible, stringing old content into the new content would require new bridging tools to be developed, and old characters would need to be processed for compatibility with the new changes.
My only hope now is that the old toolset continues to be hosted on the site, buried under whatever new things they develop for OneD&D. Ideally they wouldn't discontinue it, Australian consumer laws at the very least would warrant they provide full refunds for any purchased content that can no longer be accessed, so it would cost them more to remove the old tools than to hide them way in the back.
But, this revelation has sapped the last modicums of hope I had left for this site, at least for the current toolset. Unless we get more info from the devs and social teams, im not too certain what other conclusions we can draw. Ill watch to see what happens leading up to the release of OneD&D, I've already pre-disappointed myself so at least I can be happy if I'm proven wrong. But all the potential I saw for 5e in this site all those years ago has seemingly been squandered... Only time will tell, I guess.
I think it is vastly more likely they will try to utilise the present system - this site has become the forerunner because of its easy to use tools and homebrew system, and they are not going to toss all that away just to rebuild from the ground up. After all, they spent some $150 million on acquiring Beyond when, if they wanted a new system, they could have built one on their own. If they do make a new system because that is easier than fixing the code, they almost certainly will leave the “legacy” version of content, so there will still be ways to find and access the original 5e materials.
It is not super relevant to this thread, but I would appreciate if you could direct message me a link to your citation about the Australian rules. The last update I heard on it - maybe 5 years ago - explicitly did not cover D&D Beyond’s product type, because you are buying the service, not the software itself (you don’t buy an executable file from Beyond, as is the case with Steam, the subject of the case a few years back). I do not follow Australia’s legal developments all that closely (though they have been an interesting forerunner on digital issues and are worth keeping an eye on), so it is possible something has changed in the past couple of years.
I take the OPs post as supposition really, imho, but I gotta say I hope that is happening. But I don't think DnDBEYOND will go away. It's a pretty great brand.
This site lacks a robust data base and search system. If one can't be integrated into the current code, then I say dump it. Though, I think the character creation, and that's the best part of the whole site, will remain. Perhaps as a sorta 5e Legacy thing?
I think what they were buying was the user base, not the toolset. WotC has a history of buying up toolsets for their games then abandoning them for a newer version (I think they've done that twice for MtG). For this though, i think that whatever toolset they have the devs make will be for DDB, i dont think they will redirect everything somewhere else entirely.
Give me some time for that, im in que for OW2, and it goes live like nowish, so hopefully i can get some game sin before i have to reque after a server issue boots me
Yes, they acquired D&D Beyond at least partially for its user base.
To that end, they will not massively piss off said user base by deprecating everything that base has paid for up to now. At an absolute minimum, they will leave the current tools up with a skeleton crew to provide maintenance while they develop a new tool in parallel.
An oft-repeated theme of OneD&D is its backwards compatibility, to a point where they insist it isn't a new edition. I don't think they would put this message upfront and center if the plan was to pull support for 5e in any sense.
Will we get updates and/or fixes to the current builder once support begins for the new system? Probably not. We probably won't ever get stuff like Theros Piety or Supernatural Gifts. But I highly doubt they'll take away anything we already have.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
I think a large part of it is going to come down to just how backwards compatible it actually ends up being. If it's not too, too far off, and they can do it like when Tasha's came out, and let you click a button for optional features, then staying with the current engine makes a lot more sense.
But the further the new characters get from the current one, the harder that would be to pull off, I'd think.
I mean, at some point, you stop supporting old editions. Same as why they don't make a character builder for 1-4 editions. They want to support and drive sales of the new product. Not make it easier for people to use something that doesn't generate revenue for them.
I have no experience with coding or any of that. But I think if the "engine" that this site is built on can't handle what is coming in One D&D then it will be scrapped. But that doesn't mean that everything here will be lost. You will still have access to the books you purchased, they will just have to be moved over to whatever the new "engine" will be. The character builder will be different, currently there is still a lot of 5E that isn't supported, so why keep it so only part of One D&D is supported. If a new site can be built to handle what WotC is trying to accomplish then lets have it. But I don't think everything DDB has already provided will be lost, it will just have to be moved to what WotC goes to next. And I'm sure it will be a huge process to complete, but they have to 2024 to work it out.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Yeah, even if they scrap the engine... I can't see them throwing away everyone's stuff. While it wouldn't necessarily be illegal...if you want to sink the franchise, at least digitally, that's how you do it. Even if they scrap the engine, they'll make a way to let you keep your stuff on the new site. At the very least, they'll give you PDFs or something. As much as I complain about some of their policies...I don't think they're that stupid that they'd screw their customer base over by just binning it all.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I think the handling of legacy races has shown that currently DndBeyond isn't really set up well for handling versioning or editions (yes, yes it's not a new edition - but it ain't exactly PHB 2014 either).
To me that's part of the challenge since the site would become pretty empty if it were to be stripped down to only current versions (even if we do consider the modules backwards compatible) of WotC content only. It's already a challenge that its is restricted to current version WotC content only, considering the richness of 3rd party content. But if there can only be "current" and "legacy" content in a big mishmash - then the site will be severely challenged looking ahead over the next couple of years.
I've been wondering along the same line as the OP, but for a different reason. For me, it comes down to the badly lacking DM support (support for running the game). How long has the Encounter Builder been in beta? It's features are very limited at this point, and there has been no hint any improvements. I remember last year when they said DM support was something they were excited to get to... but nothing so far.
C. Foster Payne
"If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around."
Many people, myself among them, have expressed concerns similar to those of the OP in the forums recently. From what I can gather, their focus right now is on homebrew. Because we all have vastly different expectations of D&D Beyond, it's hard for anyone to agree on what an appropriate path forward is. Homebrew is the focus that best addresses everyone's needs. If this is indeed their current focus and they manage to finally make things like simple math and monster proficiency bonus overrides possible with homebrew, I will be very pleased. For me, a robust homebrew system is MOST IMPORTANT. Evidence of this focus was recently asserted by a developer in another forum post. I included the link below for those who haven't seen it.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/d-d-beyond-feedback/152738-thank-you-ddb-devs?comment=6
The stupidest thing WotC could possibly do is bar us from using our purchased content. The distrust this would create would all but guarantee that the people who bought 5e content and lost access would never buy a digital product from WotC again. It's much more likely that they will include legacy and current versions of classes, races, etc. when one D&D releases updated versions. We've already seen something similar with monsters of the multiverse.
From a software standpoint, nothing they have right now is super complicated to build. I haven't taken the time to look at how they've done what they've done, and I have no idea how big their dev team is, but I can honestly say that the main tools people use the site for are not super complicated. The dice is probably the most challenging thing to build and at this point it's just reskinning the models (although I might just be saying that because it's the only thing I don't already know how to build).
If I were to hazard a guess, tools will continue to evolve and might be replaced by better tools. That said, any content you have now will stay yours and you'll almost certainly be able to use the new tools with the old content. By the time the virtual tabletop is out, and One D&D is in full swing, I would bet heavily on any content you have now being forward compatible with that. I'm betting we'll see more subscription options, more micro transactions, and more paid content like that. You'll likely buy the virtual tabletop (although it might be free or subscription based). You'll definitely buy maps, minis, etc for it. I think the cheaper the virtual tabletop is, the more likely people will buy adventures for it. Anything you can buy a physical copy of, you'll be able to do a virtual version of now. You'll still buy the books. You'll still buy the subscription so your party can share books. It will be a full service virtual D&D system that will add to whatever you've already purchased. I also wouldn't be surprised if buying the physical books would get you the digital books in the not too distant future. They're heavily invested in you using this service. They'll want to strongly encourage you to use it and that does mean keeping access to legacy content. The tools won't stay the way they are now forever though. That'd just be boring and bad for business.
That is an interesting comment indeed...
More ways to build and program our homebrew is always welcome, so if Heartless's words imply what they seem to imply, it may alleviate some of my concerns. If for whatever reason they do try to salvage the current character builder, for one i'll be amazed, but i would also be worried about stability going forward. I would hope then that the team is committing a good chunk of resources to actually paying off some of the early unresolved technical debt.
Again, at the very least, ive pre-disappointed myself, so i can only be happy if im wrong i guess.
Let's not beat around the bush....
No updates of any real impact since February (other than on the mobile app - that team is boss! But also not WotC owned so of course, they carry on developing their product).
No Dev Updates. No meaningful communication on this either. Complete lack of respect to the community shown. Prior to going 'off air' without any warning, it would frequently be cancelled with no notice.
Be under no illusion. All focus now is on One D&D and the VTT. The endless micro transaction possibilities for this are far too delicious to ignore.
In the meantime, they'll churn out any new books released to keep that sweet skrilla rolling in.
Someone mentioned above that they can see DDB codes coming with the books. Based on the trial, that ain't their plan! The bundle deal, with postage, is far, far from a good deal. Yes, it's a trial, but if you're expecting a price tag of 'free' - don't!
Maybe we'll get some updates, but they ain't communicating anything so we have no real idea.
I remain hopeful, but the above is pretty much on the nail I reckon.
Depends where you are, I think. In the US, it was a reasonable deal I think (as in, it was cheaper than buying them seperstely), but in the UK, it was cheaper to buy them separately.
I'm hoping they got the message that to get that elusive market of people who bought one of digital or physical, they have to sweeten the deal more than "You don't have to do two different transactions", which seemed to be their hope with this one.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
Looking at how WotC is hiring Microsoft e-commerce people to run DnD... yeah I'm suspecting it will turn into stripped down content and unfinished content combined with microtransaction hell. Just look at Halo Infinite for an example.
Well at least Pathfinder 3e is going to be popular.
or COD for the last 3 years... and probably the foreseeable future
Updog
This is really sad, but I'm fearful this is the direction DnD Beyond is going in. I didn't always watch but I miss the days that Adam Bradford would post a video covering what was coming up, even if it was just minor changes or notification that something was still ongoing in terms of progress.
I'm excited for new features, but this site is really morphing into a commercial site rather than a community site :/
#Open D&D
Have the Physical Books? Confused as to why you're not allowed to redeem them for free on D&D Beyond? Questions answered here at the Hardcover Books, D&D Beyond and You FAQ
Looking to add mouse-over triggered tooltips to such things like magic items, monsters or combat actions? Then dash over to the How to Add Tooltips thread.
agree. Similar to the Titanfall hack, the community is not the problem
Updog
I think this may be too hasty. Its not like that one company that is offering $999 MTG direct-to-consumer packs.