Today, the Beta version of the D&D Insider Character Generator became available to subscribers (and possibly some non-subscribers who signed up to beta test.) At GenCon, we were given a preview of the Character Generator alongside several of the other applications, but we didn’t get a chance to use it hands-on. Today, however, I went through and inputted the character I’m currently playing to test it out, and it all went very smoothly… with one exception.
Installation takes a while, especially on the step to update the .net framework to its current version- a period of about 15 minutes where there’s no indication that anything is happening. A reboot is required, but other than those two things, it went pretty smoothly.
Launching the app takes a little bit, which I’m presuming is when it connects to the Internet to get current data. I expected to have to sign-in to my D&D Insider account, but that did not happen at any step.
For the purposes of the test, I began inputting my Eladrin Wizard/Warlock (who I based on a certain popular character.) The first step was to choose my race. The selection includes all the PHB races, monster manual races (with some replaced with their Dragon updates), and Forgotten Realm races.
After pushing “Choose Race” and then pressing “Next Step”, I was on to choosing my class. This is how most of the generator works: selecting by pressing the “choose” button, then the “Next Step” button lights up when done, and takes me along to whatever I need next.
I select Wizard, and then I am presented with class-specific choices: in this case, which Implement to use. I pick Wand, and move on. (You can also choose a quick build.)
Next is the Background Choice, which applies if you’re in Forgotten Realms or Scales of War. I am neither, so I move past this optional step.
Next comes ability score choices. All the standard options you’d want are there, except for adjusting the amount of points you start with (in case you have an overly friendly or mean DM.)
Training Skills is next. I select my skills, and it reminds me to train my bonus skill for being Eladrin.
Next step is choosing feats, which automatically displays the ones I qualify for. I select “Pact Initiate” for my multiclass warlock. After selecting it, I then am taken back to the class menu to select my choice of Pacts (Fey) and then my choice of free skills (Theivery.) The “Next Step” button takes me to each of these choices in turn, and then back on track.
Power choice comes next, walking me through each selection of at-will, encounter, and daily powers (including selecting an extra daily for being a Wizard.)
The equipment list tells you what items you can use, and it lets you add any items without spending money. Turning on “shopping mode” manages your gold, and tells you what you can and cannot afford.
As a wizard, I have my choice of rituals. Since the program includes data from Adventurer’s Vault, alchemical rituals are there as well.
Finally, you can fill in all the details, like your name, alignment, etc. You can also attach a character portrait, which I happen to have, courtesy of Greywulf’s mad rendering skills.
All the details filled in, I can save my character, and look at the character sheet.
The character sheet has all the details you’d want. The best part, however, are the power cards that have all the details filled in for you, including Second Wind and Action Point usage. I was then able to print it to my Adobe PDF maker. It took me a few tries to realize that each page pops up with a separate print dialogue, which means I had to name each a different file and then combine them in Acrobat. Not a big deal for me, but it would be nice when printing to not have to confirm it for each page.
The resulting sheet is here: Istarya’s Character Sheet
But wait! I’ve been playing in Bartoneus’s campaign since June, and Istarya is now level 4. He also has some magic items that he’s gained on his journey. So let’s level him up.
Ah, damn, the Beta version only supports up to Level 3. That’s annoying. I still make him Level 3 and add his items. Leveling is easy: it tells you what needs to be done, and walks you through it.
Here’s the final product: Istarya Level 3
As you can see, my magic items’ daily powers have been added to the power card list.
And that’s the character generator. It’ll be a boon for those just starting out, but as someone involved in an ongoing campaign, it’s not as useful as I was hoping right off the bat. Still, I already have high hopes for it, and I’m already more impressed with it than I was with e-tools.
One problem that I have found is that if you use an array for selecting your stats, it always put the highest number into Str, the next into Con, on down the line.
I’m not sure what us the best way to handle that, but that does not seem to be it.
Milambus´s last post: First Game, First Death
Great screenshots, it’s nice for us non-subscribers to be able to see it that well. Overall it looks so cool! I’m almost wanting to buy a subscription…but I’m an indebted, broke, cheap as hell college student, so it’s not happening.
Wyatt´s last post: Religion In Eden (RPG Blog Carnival)
@Milambus
Admittedly, it does put in the exact array you picked. And you can drag the purple circles to swap values. So it reduces it to a drag and drop operation.
Graham´s last post: Starting a new game, new system & new DM… back in September…
It’s at this moment that I realize I should have put screenshots in my review. 😉
Tony Law´s last post: 4E Character Builder now in Beta – My Review
Has anyone stopped to think that 4th Edition is so simple that this is not necessary? The tool is interesting, but not worth the monthly cash.
Trask, The Last Tyromancer
Trask´s last post: Interview: Ewen Cluney Translator of “Maid” RPG
Rev agree that tool alone not worth monthly cash…Rev recall Insider not just Character Builder…Rev subscribe for Dungeon/Dragon content, but Rev have Macbook…no Builder for Rev…
🙁
Reverend Mike´s last post: To Hell With Finishing That Adventure Log Today…
Wyatt: Good, that’s exactly what I was aiming for! Hoping to give people a better picture before they decide to buy or not.
Tony: I see you’ve done that now 🙂
Trask: I actually use a character generator for 4e now (a programmed Excel spreadsheet that does all the work.) While it is much simpler, it’s still easier to let a program do all the calculations and list all the options. Plus, the big thing for me about the official generator is that it automatically makes power cards with all the rules text and your bonuses filled in (though I notice it doesn’t fill in all the effect text that has variables: for example, it doesn’t tell me how many spaces my thunderwave pushes.)
Rev: I forget to talk about the Mac issue. It’s a PC only program, though I have read that people are having success using the different PC on Mac options. Personally, I installed it on my PC laptop, and will leave my iMac unsullied by Windows.
@Dave: The unsullied comment made me chuckle, because I installed Windows XP on my Macbook, and now my Windows friends joke that I’m being brand disloyal, and my Mac friends are serious about it. But for programs like this, I’d say it was worth it. Those power cards look terribly nifty…I’m almost reaching for my credit card…(No! Bad Wyatt! Food and internet connection come first!)
Wyatt´s last post: Monsters Of Eden: Heroic Tier
@Dave – It was a good idea. 🙂
Tony Law´s last post: 4E Character Builder now in Beta – My Review
This does seem nifty, but I’m not sure a monthly fee is warranted. I would pay a few bucks to have a program on my hard drive. I’m inclined to take a wait and see approach…
Disclaimer: The fact that I’m not even playing a game at the moment undoubtedly affects this decision.
I agree that this isn’t worth any $$$ beyond a one time small activation fee.
And when you purchase books, they should come with sealed keys which can be used to unlock that data inside the generator.
Example?
Buying Player’s Guide and spending $5 one time to activate the software is fair.
Each additional book/resource you buy has a key in it which can be used to unlock that content for your software. If you want to make a Spellsword in the generator, you’ll need a key from the Forgotten Realms book.
I really feel WoTC still doesn’t get the “cyber generation” with the way they handled this whole online thing. Sucks – totally a missed opportunity, imo.
Monthly Sub should be for monthly content (magazines, D&DI, etc)
One time fees should be for things I own (like books and resources)
For them to put such tight restrictions on what fans can do software-wise, and then to charge a monthly fee for something I have already purchased is kind of a slap in the face, imo.
Tonester et al: The rationale behind the monthly fee, as pointed out, is that you’re buying a package of things (so far, Dungeon, Dragon, Compendium, beta Chargen, bonus tools.) The character generator in particular pulls all of its data from the Compendium which is updated with every new thing coming out in a book, Dungeon, and Dragon. So not only are you just downloading a program, you’re getting regular updates as part of the fee.
As far as having a code in each print book, they toyed with that idea for a while. As it was explained to me, there’s any number of logistics to deal with: either you seal the book so that no one can open it (which both readers and retailers hate) or you have an easily stealable code, and everything that goes with it. While I’m not onboard with all the decisions they’ve made about the digital initiative, this one makes a lot of sense to me, and I like the idea of a totally complete Compendium and Character Generator a lot. There will be books that I’m not interested in except for a single monster or somesuch. This way, I’m getting easy access to all of the content.
@The Game – Agreed about the Generator and Compendium being all-encompassing. I’d rather have one location to go to rather than looking all over for something. That’s why I like RPGBloggers. 😉
Tony Law´s last post: CommentLuv Contest
Interesting times.
It’s good to see this coming to fruition, but I’m still left wondering what it offers over the 4e Javascript Character Generator other than a polished interface and that gawd-awfully laid out character sheet – and that’s free, generates to 30th level, works on any OS with a decent web browser (or IE), and includes the Barbarian too.
I know which one I’m going to stick with 😀
@greywulf – Right now, it offers nothing more than what you’ve stated. However, going forward, it will always have the most updated information when it connects to the WotC server. It also saves the data in XML format, which makes it a helluva lot easier to import it into ANY character sheet that someone creates and that takes advantage of XML.
Tony Law´s last post: CommentLuv Contest
Greywulf: Sure, and I used the 3e version of that generator all the time. What the official one does that makes it stand out is the power card generation and inclusion of all rules text that you need. Of course, I’d rather all the unofficial ones do that too (and for WotC to allow it legally) and the character generator they put out stand on its own merits. However, for the time being, it’s the only way to get a complete character with everything I want in one place… up to third level. (d’oh)
@greywulf
Also, the “gawd-awfully laid out” character sheet in the program is fully customizable. you can rearrange whatever you want, save or import custom layouts (only a matter of time before someone creates a custom layout of your favourite sheet), and basically customize most aspects of it.
And the saving in XML, which Tony Law mentioned, will allow the creation of a sheet viewer, so those sheets not possible with the WotC code will then be possible.
As for what the program offers over pathguy’s?
Rules text, of course. But it is also much faster and cleaner-looking, better organised, etc.
But the best part, to me, is the Quick Creation mode, where with 5 mouse clicks you have a full playable PC. Great for when you die unexpectedly mid-session.
The root of a lot of Wizard’s problems, and a lot of the complaints, is that this isn’t a complete package or product we’re looking at. They announced everything too early, made too many promises, and now are slowly trying to release what content they can and ALSO make money off of that. They provided me with several months of free Dungeon and Dragon articles, which I’m very grateful for. I’ll be reserving any complete criticism of D&D Insider or their pricing packages for if/when the entire thing is finally available.
Thanks, Dave & Graham, that answers my questions. It’s good to know the layout can be fully customized. Didn’t know that till now 😀
For me personally, it still feels like double dipping. In my opinion, any arguments for “dishonesty” could just as easily be applied to the current setup (i.e. give my username/password to a friend to make characters, save the .pdfs of the magazines and give them out, etc).
The books are “static” resources. If there are changes to books, it is either due to balance or bug fixes… something I feel like any purchaser of a book is entitled to as part of the cost. But, in order to get these changes integrated into current resources, I either have to buy a re-release of the book, mark up the book I have (repeatedly), or… rent the updates from them in digital form?
Bah humbug.
I guess what I’m trying to say is… if they want to include this cool tool as part of whatever subscription model they have, that is fine. As someone who has paid money for hardcover books that were outdated less than a month after their release and REALLY outdated a couple of months after their release, I feel somewhat cheated that I don’t have access to this tool for the resources I have purchased. I just feel it should work both ways.
At the very least, the compendium should be freely available to people who bought books… at least for the resources they have purchased.
Well, bottom line is that you can feel like they should be doing something different, but ultimately it’s the market that will decide. I was mainly trying to point out that they did try and do what you suggest, but after doing the research, it turned out to be more unfeasible than it first appears. Like everyone in the industry, they have to listen both to players and to the retailers who sell their stuff.
balance or bug fixes… something I feel like any purchaser of a book is entitled to as part of the cost
Really?
I honestly can’t think of any other book products that give you corrected information for free if you buy the book.
Maybe some textbooks. Maybe.
But WotC still does give you the updates for free.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/updates
This page has all of the compiled errata, for free, for anyone.
I hardly think you can expect much more for free, seeing as this is more than any other book industry provides.
Graham´s last post: Starting a new game, new system & new DM… back in September…
Oh, and just to note:
any arguments for “dishonesty” could just as easily be applied to the current setup
True.
But the issue then is just WotC having to give up some bandwidth.
If the books had unique numbers inside, and some unscrupulous person went to the bookstore and wrote that number down and used it, it wouldn’t cost WotC anything extra. But the legitimate customer wouldn’t be able to use the number once they got the book home, which is unacceptable.
That, combined with the fact that getting a unique number into every book would cost a fair amount extra to get published, is what caused WotC to not do it that way.
Graham´s last post: Starting a new game, new system & new DM… back in September…
@Graham Stepping in because I disagree with you there. In every other industry, if a product is faulty you could reasonably expect to be able to return the goods and receive a working replacement for free. Here in the UK that right is enshrined in the Sale of Goods Act, and I’m pretty sure there’s an equivalent right in the US and elsewhere.
Errata is fine for for minor typos and corrections, but the fubar that was Skill Challenges, etc goes beyond that. I’ll accept they did what they could, but anyone who thinks it’s possible to “patch” a book the way that software can be patched is wrong. At least, not without a craft knife, glue and a steady hand 😀
Me, I’m pleased that the Character Builder is being so well received. If it does what it promises to do (and so far, it sounds great!), then that + Dungeon, Dragon and the DDI for $60-ish a year sounds like a real bargain to me.
@greywulf
Yes, but generally only if it was something like a printing error.
If I bought a book about physics, and it talked about chemistry for a chapter, I wouldn’t be able to expect them to give me a copy that where that “flaw” was “fixed”.
That’s how I see the major updates to the D&D books. They were published how they were published, and they work alright as published. The skill challenge and stealth errata make them work better, and they were provided for me for free. But I wouldn’t expect a full recall, reprinting, and redistribution just for that.
Graham´s last post: Starting a new game, new system & new DM… back in September…
Yeah, though it’s unfortunate, I don’t view the core books as being somehow unusable now that the errata is out. The part that really irritates me is the opposite: the parts of the Compendium that are wrong, which has already come up in at least one game. (Otyugh was missing his stinky aura.)
The real issue here, that we’re all avoiding, is if my character above is one of the awesomest ever, with a great character portrait to match. I’m going to have to go with: absolutely.
“f the books had unique numbers inside, and some unscrupulous person went to the bookstore and wrote that number down and used it, it wouldn’t cost WotC anything extra. But the legitimate customer wouldn’t be able to use the number once they got the book home, which is unacceptable.”
There is more than 1 way to skin a cat. I get one-time activation codes all the time for pre-ordering games at various stores. All it requires is for me to go online, punch in some receipt info and place I purchased it from and the code is emailed to me the next day.
Textbooks come with sealed CDs in the back that include one-time activation keys for expensive software all the time. The book isn’t sealed.
Some places have consumers photocopy the Proof of Purchase and receipt and mail/email it in.
Point is, other companies are finding ways to include this added value to consumers and for some company to say, “It wasn’t feasible” usually just means, “It wasn’t worth it to us” … especially when the concept of a simple website done correctly doesn’t seem to be feasible to them. Throw in the tight restrictions on user-created content and the picture starts to get painted a slightly different way (from my personal point of view). WoTC just hasn’t adjusted to the online thing yet… that’s fine. I hope it all comes together in time.
In the end, we can agree to disagree. In the meanwhile, it sounds like many of you will get it and I’m sure WoTC appreciates your business. I actually think the Magazine Subs alone are worth the cost, but again, that isn’t the principle issue for me. My issue is that the Compendium and Character Creators for content that consumers have purchased a right to access via books should be made available as well online. Its the right thing to do, imo… whether they subscribe to magazines or not… especially considering the volatile and constantly-changing nature of the content.
And, for people who subscribe to the magazines, I can see “renting” those things for people who may not have bought the books as a good gesture as well.
Lets be clear here… the Compendium is a user interface for sql queries. It isn’t rocket science or some private link to 8gb HD movie torrents. Its also the only places to have real-time interactive content updates that don’t involve you flipping to reference pages at the back to ensure it hasn’t changed.
Each time you buy a new resource, you can unlock that content from the DB. This ensures that the Compendium doesn’t give you access to info you haven’t purchased.
*edit*
Good point Dave. I haven’t used the character creator. Maybe if I had, my view would be different about it in particular. However, I’ve already conceded some things might be worth the subscription (character gen in particular), but at the very least, the Compendium should be unlocked for everyone who has purchased books.
*edit*
“But I wouldn’t expect a full recall, reprinting, and redistribution just for that.”
But expecting access to a searchable database with these changes for free seems somehow unreasonable? You guys use this for free every day… its called Google. I’m going one step further… I sent ~$200 to Goog.. er WOTC.
Yes, I suppose we will have to agree to disagree on this. Since I’ve talked to the brand people directly, I’m willing to take them at their word that it proved to be unfeasible for their market, and that retailers weren’t fond of the idea, but YMMV.
My personal preference would be to open the Compendium to everyone for the three core books only and do what they’re doing now with the rest of the data from other books: you can see it in searches but not read it if you’re not a member. The Compendium isn’t structured like the old d20 online SRDs… there’s no way to play the game just using it, so opening up that data carries little risk.
Textbooks come with sealed CDs in the back that include one-time activation keys for expensive software all the time. The book isn’t sealed.
Yes, and with the sealed CD, you can tell whether or not it’s been tampered with/stolen. Good luck convincing a company to include a sealed CD in every one of their books without raising the cost of said books.
Some places have consumers photocopy the Proof of Purchase and receipt and mail/email it in.
That’s a possibility, but it would require paying people to check each submission as it gets sent in. With the recent job cuts they’ve already done, that seems unlikely.
Personally, I agree 100% with Dave. The core books should be free in the compendium, with the rest as the subscription.
Maybe there is a way to do it well, as well as inexpensively. I haven’t found it yet, though.
But I have to ask:
Throw in the tight restrictions on user-created content
What tight restrictions on user-created content?
Do you mean the GSL? In that case, it doesn’t actually apply to user-created content. It only applies to sold 3rd-party content. And you can create content without using the GSL, too.
Hopefully the GSL revisions will make it better, but in no way does the current GSL affect user creation of custom content and posting it on your personal site or forums. Just selling it.
Graham´s last post: Starting a new game, new system & new DM… back in September…
You don’t need an ongoing subscription to use the tool!
I repeat.
You don’t need an ongoing subscription to use the tool!
This is what wizards announced a couple months back.
You can subscribe for one month (once the non-beta is out), download the tool, and cancel immediately and you’ll have it forever.
What you DO get if you subscribe is ongoing content updates. You’ll get all the latest books and dragon magazine crunch added to your character creator.
But you don’t need to keep up a subscription just to use the basic tool.
Just check the announcement from about 2 months ago.
Your level 3 character didn’t get a bonus from his robe like he should.
Your AC should be 16 at level 3. 10 + 1/2 your level + Int mod + 1 AC from robe.
@HeirToPendragon
Dave apparently forgot to equip the item. There should have been a +1 in the Enhancement Bonus slot for AC if he had.
If you don’t equip it in the items screen, it still displays the first armour you can wear in your Armour slot, which is the bad behaviour. If not equipped, it should be in your Other Equipment.
Graham´s last post: Starting a new game, new system & new DM… back in September…
If the core books were available in the compendium for free, then there would be little incentive for most folks to purchase the books at all. I personally like the current setup. My only gripe would be if they increase the cost of the membership for the character generator. I think that if you’re paying an ongoing membership, you should be able to keep using Dragon mag and Dungeon mag articles in the character generator without having to pay a higher fee.