Heroes of Neverwinter continues to enjoy success on Facebook. As part of the ongoing promotion of the game Dungeon’s Master is pleased to offer 25 Adventure Bundle codes to our readers.

If you’d like to receive one of these codes all you have to do is leave a comment below telling us which Dungeon’s Master article you’ve most enjoyed and why. With over 800 articles in our archives there are plenty to choose from.

Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter Adventure Bundle includes the following:

• Ointment of Defense x 1: Just a small dollop of this milky ointment is enough to coat one’s armor and impart its enchanted defensive properties. Its effect last for the entirety of the Adventure during which it is consumed.
• Spider Egg Souffle x 1: A rare gastronomical indulgence of the moonstone mask inn.
• Kobold Incense x 1: Produces a pungent smoke that only Kobolds could enjoy.
• Healing Kit x 1: This healing kit allows the user to aid wounded allies.

One Adventure Bundle is available per comment, double and duplicate comments will be ignored.

D&D: Heroes of Neverwinter is developed by Atari and is available to play on Facebook.

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D&D Heroes of Neverwinter was released to the general public earlier this week. The game is a great way to get 4e Dungeons & Dragons fun in a short amount of time. Dungeon’s Master was fortunate enough to get 100 Beta Codes to give to our readers early in September. We are following-up on our coverage of Heroes of Neverwinter with an interview with the game’s developer, Ed Del Castillo. Ed took the time to answer some questions about the game and his background with all things D&D.

DM: What projects are you currently working on?

Ed: Right now all hands are on deck for D&D: Heroes of Neverwinter. There are other wonderful things in the works in the background, but Heroes is the focus.

DM: Do you play Dungeons & Dragons or any other RPGs?

Ed: Absolutely. I started with the original Red Box D&D and have been playing the paper game ever since, first as a player and then as a DM. Outside of D&D, I’ve played lots of paper games – Top Secret, Traveller, RoleMasters, Hero Systems, Mechwarrior, etc., etc. Paper games have been a part of my life for 30 years now.

DM: What video game are you currently playing?

Ed: Almost everything I’m playing now is either PC or mobile. On the PC Side, I’m playing League of Legends, D&D: Heroes of Neverwinter, Warstorm (until the end of September when they closed it down), and I’ve dabbled with a large variety of Facebook’s games but none have stuck. It’s hard for me to go back to those other games once I started playing Heroes. I just found it so much more interesting and engaging.

DM: How did Heroes of Neverwinter come to life?

Ed: Wizards of the Coast really wanted to take the next step in the D&D franschise. They figured that at its core, D&D is a deeply social experience so it made sense to them to bring this kind of game to the social networks. We and Atari agreed and off we went. For us, the sky is the limit with regards to what’s possible. We have plans to continue and extend the game until it’s a great replication of the D&D paper experience.

DM: Is there a plan to expand this type of D&D game to other platforms?

Ed: Absolutely! We can’t really talk about it right now, but we want you to be able to play D&D everywhere. For now, Facebook is a pretty ubiquitous but, we also want to move the whole shebang to iOS and android.

DM: What inspired the game design?

Ed: D&D 4th Edition. We wanted to create a game that players of D&D could enjoy in a faster timeframe with fewer people, and a game that could interest gamers who were getting tired of the more casual fare and wanted something deeper to play. So far the response has been great so I think we’re on the right path.

DM: How much input did the folks at Wizards of the Coast have about the storyline of some of the quests?

Ed: All of it. Everything that’s in the game is completely WotC approved and supported. They are very happy with the results and are hoping for a great success with this one. All the quests, the storyline, and the characters all come from the most recent narrative of Neverwinter and the northern regions of Faerûn. We wanted this experience to be as authentic as possible so the narrative runs straight through the stories of what WotC is doing in that area.

DM: Currently when you hit level 10 there isn’t much to do once you finish the level 10 dungeons. Is there any plan to expand the content up to level 20?

Ed: Absolutely. This is only the beginning for us. So far all signs point to a having a great fan base and building on our content. Of course, this is all in the hands of Atari, but we’re ready to grow the content for as long as the players will allow. Also, at 10th level we allow players to create their own dungeons so that’s a great way to contribute to the game and extend the fun.

DM: Will more dungeons be released, maybe filling up the rest of the map?

Ed: Once again, absolutely. Hopefully you’re seeing the pattern. With the permission of Atari, Hasbro, and WotC, we would go to town with this and add content to it from now until the day no one was interested any more. That’s what’s so great about a Facebook game. As long as it has enough supporters, there a great reason to continue to support it and build new stuff for it, just like the paper game world. So really, it’ll be up to the players.

DM: What incentive, other than achievements, is there to create a user dungeon now that they don’t grant experience?

Ed: For now, that’s the main tangible reward, but we should never undersell the intangible reward of building something cool for others to play. We have some pretty amazing plans for this and getting in early will have its advantages.

DM: Is there a plan to expand the amount or type of magic weapons? What about user created items?

Ed: Magic Items – yes. User generated Items – maybe. Magic Items will continue to emerge as time goes on. User generated items are definitely in the plan but coming up with an entire, balanced, crafting system would be a dream come true but will only materialize if there are enough players to support that kind of system. I hope they come, because I would love to do it.

DM: Some of our readers have commented on the lack of friendly fire from area of effect spells? Is there a plan to introduce a harder game mode where considering friendly fire would have to be a tactical decision?

Ed: Yep. The issue of friendly fire is really a matter of room size. With room sizes about where we have them now it’s very hard to get an AOE off without hitting a party member. As a result, AOE spells were becoming too occasional to be useful. It was a tough choice but this way the AOEs are the shotgun blasts we love them to be. As the game grows, room size will grow which will create more interesting tactical situations and more space to spread out the party and effectively use AOE under our friendly fire rules.

DM: Any plans to introduce a hardcore mode?

Ed: Man, would I love that! I think we’ll work on having dialable difficulty so that players of various proficiencies will feel challenged and properly rewarded. Beyond that, I’m thinking that the more hardcore game – at some point – would have to split from this game and become its own entity. The main barrier being the time investment. We want to keep the smallest time chunk for this game at less than 30 minutes but a hardcore mode would want something in the area of an hour or two. We would have to think about that and figure out if it would be ok just to be a switch in the game or if a different presence and message are warranted.

DM: Anything else you would like to add in closing?

Ed: It’s a game for folks that want something a little deeper than the casual fare which currently fills Facebook. As the fans come and play we’ll continue to grow the world, its content, its features, and its story. Isn’t that what you always wanted from an online D&D game? It is for me.

My thanks to Ed for taking the time to answer our questions about the game and providing some insight into where the game may be heading. What are your thoughts and experiences on the game?

Related reading:

• Heroes of Neverwinter Review
• The History of Dungeons & Dragons Computer Games

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I felt like I was playing Pools of Radiance. This was my impression 30 seconds into playing Heroes of Neverwinter. Why is this significant? Pools of Radiance was my gateway into the greater world of Dungeons & Dragons. It was like getting a shot of nostalgia right in the arm. I was hooked and there was nothing I could do about it.

Early in September we offered Beta codes for Heroes of Neverwinter to 100 readers. Now that the game has been officially released I’d like to share my thoughts on the game and hope to solicit yours. Also, be sure to stay tuned to Dungeon’s Master in October as we will have an interview with the Heroes of Neverwinter developer, Ed Del Castillo.

Heroes of Neverwinter has obviously been timed to coincide with the release of the Neverwinter Campaign Setting. The game has you creating a hero and venturing forth to save the city and surrounding environs.

Character creation is straightforward and fast. You have an option of four races; Human, Eladrin, Halfling or Dragonborn. A slight change from what we are used to seeing, in that there is no Dwarf or Elf. There are also four classes available and what they are should be an easy guess; Cleric, Fighter, Rogue and Wizard. Each of the races corresponds best with one particular class, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try a different combination.

Level progression has you selecting new powers, some of these mimic existing 4e powers and some are close examples. You also receive the standard attribute bump at level 4 and level 8. After completing each dungeon you are ranked on three categories: Slayer, Endurance and Style. As each name suggests points are awarded for your ability to survive, use tactics and deal damage. Combat is fairly standard 4e fair with a few exceptions. There are no opportunity attacks and flanking works simply by having two party members adjacent to an enemy.

Game play is addictive and fun. There were many nights when I would play my Fighter, then rotate my Cleric in, followed by my Rogue. Rinse and repeat for a fun, casual night of gaming. Heroes of Neverwinter is not a solo game, it is expected that for most dungeons you will want a balanced party. You have two options when it comes to building your party, you can recruit your friends’ characters for free or you can pay some gold in-game to hire someone at the tavern. No you cannot hire a level 4 hero, kill him during combat and take his stuff.

Another interesting element that the developers put in the game is the ability to spectate when anyone is using one of your characters. That’s right you can watch other players plow through dungeons, watching their use of tactics. You can even assist in the adventure by providing different bonuses as they play. Spectator mode also features limited chat functionality.

At level 10 the dungeon editor becomes available allowing you to create your own dungeons to challenge various players with. I’ve played some custom dungeons and many are a blast. Sadly, because of abuse by players, you don’t earn experience for completing a user-created dungeon. The sole purpose for creating them now in my mind is to make a dungeon that challenges players to think tactically and pray that the dice are with them.

The game does allow you to use Facebook credits to refresh timers, buy equipment or even get you out of a bind. I’m not a fan of this system, but I understand it costs money to develop the game. You do not have to use Facebook credits to enjoy the game, so don’t feel they are mandatory and the game isn’t intrusive about getting you to buy any credits.

Of course the game isn’t perfect and there are a few issues that I’m not a big fan of, but most of these are fairly minor. The first thing I dislike is the only way to control the way your party enters a room is by the order you recruited them. As you always enter a room in a T formation you have three characters up front. I normally play with a Fighter, Cleric and two Wizards. Which means one of my softer players is always front and center.

Another aspect of the game that I would like to see changed is how area of effect spells affect enemies only. I really wish there was a way to enable a harder game mode where my fireballs could damage my party as a way of upping the challenge.

Another dislike is the ability to share equipment between characters. My Fighter has a great suit of Exalted Armor that my Cleric can’t use because I can’t give it to him.

Finally we need more to do at level 10. As a level 10 character won’t earn more experience the only option is to create a new character and advance them, which is a lot of fun but isn’t anything new as you’ve already played all the characters over the career of your primary character.

Overall Heroes of Neverwinter is a great game. It has certainly provided some necessary and some not so necessary distractions for me over the past few weeks that I’ve been enjoying the Beta.

What are your thoughts on the Heroes of Neverwinter? Is there an aspect of the game that you enjoy or does something just drive you nuts about it?

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Dungeon’s Master has 100 beta codes to giveaway for the Heroes of Neverwinter D&D Facebook game.

Getting a code couldn’t be easier, simply comment on this article telling us in 2 or 3 sentences what makes 4e Dungeons & Dragons a great game. Please keep your response to 2 or 3 sentences.

Only the first 100 responses will receive a code. Only one (1) code will be provided per person, please don’t waste my time by commenting twice. Instructions on how to activate the code will be included in the Email you receive with your code.

Beta codes will be Emailed between Sunday and Monday, so please be patient.

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Can you recall the first Dungeons & Dragons character you ever created? Mine, like many others, was a Fighter from the Red Box set. I remember running him through the adventure contained in the box. I was hooked. The process was so creative, so imaginative.

Through the evolution of editions character creation has changed. We’ve gone from one book to many. During 3.5e I remember having multiple books open in front of me as I created my character sheet in excel. With the release of 4e we were given the gift of the character builder. I was in heaven, this is how character creation should be in our day and age. Everything I needed was available at my fingertips.

However, as 4e has continued to evolve and grow I realize that character builder is not the ultimate tool for designing your character. That role now falls to the Compendium. You are still building the character in the character builder, but all the research is occurring ahead of time with the Compendium.

However, the Compendium itself is only a tool. To use it effectively we need to incorporate keywords into our research. Using keywords with the Compendium allows us to sift through the vast amount of data that is available to us. Fortunately for us 4e D&D powers all have keywords associated with them.

Let’s use a case study to demonstrate what this process might look like. The concept for our case study will be a character that can control and manipulate enemies. Through trickery the character can turn foes into allies and manipulate the battlefield. Out of combat the character will follow up with this theme, a master of infiltration.

A Question Of Class

Based on how the character is to operate we will need to determine what keywords fit closest with our concept. Based on the concept for the case study most powers will likely be centered on the charm or dominate keywords. Our first task is to see exactly what options are available to us based on our anticipated keyword usage. To begin the process we start with a very high level view. We want to know how many classes use these two keywords. The Compendium provides the following information:

• Charm – 12 classes: Artificer, Bard, Blackguard, Hexblade, Hybrid Bard, Hybrid Rogue, Mage, Rogue, Sorcerer, Vampire, Warlock and Wizard
• Dominate – 1 class: Psion

What we end up with are 13 possible classes between our two keywords. A lot of choice and the classes cover three of the four roles available. The defender is the only one absent based on our keywords, this isn’t overly surprising given the type of character our case study is trying to build.

From this list three options immediately jump out as strong possibilities: the Bard, Psion and Wizard. All seem to fit within our criteria of a character that can control the battle, turning foes into friends.

However, just having our keyword in the class description doesn’t make our decision easier. If we are going to focus on our build, we need to know how much choice we have when it comes to power selection. We need to dig a little bit deeper in the Compendium. Using our two keywords we instead view the amount of powers that are available using each keyword. The Compendium provides the following information:

• Charm – 192 powers
• Dominate – 3 powers

Based on this information it is starting to look like a build that focuses on charm powers may be the strongest option. But with 192 powers, which classes benefit the most? Sorting the list by class we learn that the following classes have the highest number of charm powers:

• Ardent – 10 powers
• Bard – 22 powers
• Psion – 9 powers
• Warlock – 18 powers
• Wizard – 27 powers

Our original list of thirteen classes had been reduced to five. How do we now bring our list of five classes down to one? In order to do this some forward thinking is required. What Paragon Path would best suit our build? Once again we adjust the search parameters on the Compendium to show us which Paragon Paths feature the charm keyword. Our list is long, however we are able to sort it based on the five classes we have listed above. Only Paragon Paths that require one of these classes or that are open via another route are options for us. The following five Paragon Paths are options:

• Deadstalker
• Entrancing Mystic
• Phiarlan Phantasmist
• Shiere Knight
• Strovakal

Of these five classes only the Entrancing Mystic has a prerequisite based on class, in this case the Warlock. The other four options are based on race or feat selection. In examining the five Paragon Paths only the Entrancing Mystic has attack powers based on the charm keyword.

The next major decision we make during character creation is the race we select. Based on the charm keyword three races are available.

• Eladrin
• Githyanki
• Revnant

However, based on our idea of a manipulator and spy a Changeling seems like the most suitable choice.

The Right Feats

After looking at class, power and race options the next step is to figure out what feats might work best with our build. Once again we return to the Compendium and adjust the search criteria to look at what feats have the charm keyword. With twenty options many won’t work due to either racial or class requirements.

Many of these feats are designed to give the character a bonus to saves versus charm effects. In the end only one of these charm feats worked, but there were others that aren’t so specific that also fit our concept.

Beguiling Enchantment

As we are building a character based on the charm keyword having opponents take a penalty because of our strength fits the bill perfectly.

Other feats that use the charm keyword that might be considered for this build are:

• Fearless Mind
• Fey Senses
• Sturdy Mind

The Correct Tools For The Job

We have examined our class, powers, race and feats. The final stage is ensuring that our character is properly equipped for the job. Again, we adjust the search parameters of the Compendium to display the items that feature the charm keyword. A total of 227 items are available across all the tiers. To make the job easier, I sorted by equipment slot. The following three items listed below fit our build the best.

Amulet of Seduction

This item is first available at level five. It provides a +2 to Bluff and Diplomacy and imposes a penalty to the first saving throw a target makes based on a charm power that we have subjected them to. It also has a daily power that fits perfectly into our concept of manipulating our foes into aiding us.

Black Cave Pearl

This reagent has a level 14 and 24 version. The level 14 version allows you to roll two attack rolls on a charm power up to level 7 and use the better of the two results. At 800gp, that’s money well spent. The level 24 version works on powers up to level 17.

Laurel Circlet

This head item is first available at level 10. It provides a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Insight. The Diplomacy bonus won’t stack with the Amulet of Seduction, however the item is sufficiently useful that this overlap is worth it. The item provides a +1 item bonus to attack rolls on powers that have the charm or illusion keyword. The daily power provides a +2 power bonus to the next Charisma attack that you make this turn.

What Does Our Case Study Look Like?

We have a list of classes and their corresponding powers that work with our concept. We have a race that fits hand in glove with the concept. We also have two feats that provide interesting synergies. Finally, we have identified several items that will work.

How do we put it all together? Part of that answer depends on whether you would rather play a controller, leader or striker? Each of these roles and corresponding powers approaches the build in a slightly different manner.

My approach was to create a hybrid Warlock/Wizard. This provided me with a wide assortment of powers to select from. I felt that this build provided me the best of both worlds. The Wizard has the most powers that use the charm keyword. The Warlock gave me access to the Entrancing Mystic Paragon Path. This Paragon Path and the items we discovered also have synergies.

My reason for this choice can be summarized as follows:

• Mystic Rapture: Enemies moving or starting their turn within 3 of me take a -2 to saving throws, or -5 against charm powers. The Amulet of Seduction provides a synergy to this penalty, providing a total penalty for the first saving throw against a charm power of -7.
• Mystery Given Form: +1 attack with charm powers; if you miss all targets with an encounter charm power, it isn’t expended. The Laurel Circlet provides a +1 bonus to hit with charm powers, again another synergy.
• Hypnotism (Wizard at-will): An at-will attack that can I fall back on failing all else. Choose one of the following effects: The target uses a free action to make a melee basic attack against a creature of your choice or you slide the target up to 3 squares.
• Instant Friends (Wizard Utility): An out of combat power that provides a quick and friendly ally to assist with all types of things.
• Warlock’s Curse & Eldrict Blast: The build I created has weaknesses and in some situations is not a good controller at all. This is especially true against foes that can teleport. The default Warlock attack power allows me to provide some damage output if the situation calls for it.

Attached are a .pdf copy and the character builder file for the character I created. I have introduce the character in an active campaign, thus the reason the character is level 18. So far I’m enjoying the character and the build.

• warlock.wizard hybrid.pdf (right click, save as)
• warlock.wizard hybrid.dnd4e (right click, save as)

Building characters this way tends to provide you with a highly specialized character. It is possible that you will end up with at least one noticeable weakness. However, you will ideally have built a character that excels in one given area. If you are able to find opportunities to exploit this inside and outside of combat other players will soon take notice.

There a definitely other options that you could reach with this method. A Psion who takes the Thrallherd Paragon Path would be an interesting twist on the concept of our case study. However, without doing the research ahead of time many of the possibilities for a strong and specific build remain unknown.

Do you use the Compendium to research your character choices? What kind of success have you had in doing this? Do you prefer this method of designing and researching a character over traditional methods?

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“Egad! An app review on Dungeon’s Master?!?” Yes, only because the geek in me sometimes needs to link the love for D&D with the love for gadgets and toys. After purchasing my new Apple iPad back in November, one of first apps I downloaded was the DMTools app as I was to DM a small side story arc for our regular game. In the beginning, DMTools was a bit cumbersome to use, but after a session or two it has become an essential tool for my use as a DM.

PC and NPC database

The first thing I did in DMTools was to create a list of player characters, listing their key defenses (AC, Fort, Ref, Will), hit points and initiative modifier. Personally, I don’t use this information in DMTools, but it is a good reference should you quickly need to check a player’s defense score without them knowing. At the beginning of each gaming session I also add the monsters that I’m going to use to the NPC list, recording the same information as I did for the players. Once you create PCs and NPCs, you have your initial database from which you can draw from to create encounters.

Encounters

The next step was to create an encounter within DMTools. This is easy to do – just just select “new encounter” and add the PCs and NPCs (monsters) you need (an Orc here, Ogre there, two Wraiths, etc.) and the encounter is set. In any given gaming session I’ll have 2 or 3 encounters so I usually set them all up at once. Unfortunately there is no linkage into the Compendium, so picking monsters and encounter planning still needs to be done independently of the app.

Initiative Tracking

With the encounter participants and details already loaded into the app, you can select the encounter, which will add the PCs and NPCs that you have already pre-selected, and it will automatically roll initiatives and place the NPCs and PCs in proper order. I still like to let the players roll initiatives, so I need to manually rearrange the PCs – some way to manually set initiative numbers would be nice down the road. Being an iPad, it’s easy to drag PCs and NPCs up and down on the screen to arrange them in proper initiative order. If a PC decides to delay their turn or refocus, then moving them is also done with ease.

Hit Point and Condition Tracking

Once you get going with your encounter, it’s easy to track hit points and conditions. Scoring damage or healing is easily done with a few taps of the finger, along with tracking conditions such as marked, dazed, deafened, blind, slowed, etc. Some of the condition icons leave much to be desired – probably because mentally I can’t link the icon to a condition half the time, but that’s just me.

Dice Rolling

When it comes time to roll attacks with the monsters, it’s easy to do becasue there is a built in dice roller feature. The rolls are customizable and easy to program into the dice roller. It will save your custom rolls until you modify or delete them. For example, your monster has an attack of 1d20+24 and with 3d8+7 damage. You can program both these rolls into the die roller so that with one touch, it will roll and sum the results keeping the game moving quickly.

Notes Feature

Personally I haven’t had a need to use this feature of the DMTools app, but I can see where there may be a need at times to make quick notes. This is where you can do it.

Summary

Overall, I would give this application an 8 on a d10 based on its current features and the usefulness of this application to my role as a DM. Note that I’ve only used DMTools on the iPad so my experience is skewed in that manner.

Pros

• Customizable dice roller.
• Initiative tracking and easy management of initiative order.
• Easy hit point tracking (damage and healing) and condition tracking.
• Less time tracking monsters, more time focused on the game.

Cons

• Initial learning curve.
• Condition tracking icons could be more intuitive.
• No way to manually set initiative scores at the start of an encounter.

Wishlist

• Linkage to the DDI Compendium (yes, this is a stretch!).
• Rewards or random treasure feature (for gold or gems, items would be hard to do).
• Manually enter initiative scores at the start of an encounter.

App Details

• Price: $2.99
• DMTools is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.
• Created by Score Studios.

Score: 8 on a d10

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Last week I reflected on my initial reaction of the new web based version of Character Builder. Overall, I was not impressed and if you’d like the details feel free to read the post entitled Character Builder: Working As Intended. However, what I did not do was review the new version. My reaction and major complaint is that the new version just has too many bugs and the release should have been delayed. This does not mean that it doesn’t have any good features.

Today we look at the Legacy and Silverlight version of Character Builder. We’ll compare the two as I build a new level one character. The point here isn’t to point out problems with one or the other but to look at the differences in the process and determine if the Silverlight version is actually a step forward, bugs aside, from the Legacy version.

To do this we’ll create a level 1 Fighter from scratch going step by step in each version of character builder noting the differences and functionality of each step.

User Interface

The new Character Builder has a more attractive interface. It appears cleaner and the colour pallet is more appealing. Of course this is purely an aesthitic observation and I’m sure that for everyone who likes the new version there is another who prefers the legacy version.

The basic options at the start up screen are essentially the same, load a character or create a new one. However, the new CB does one better by asking if you would like to create a ‘Quick Essentials Character’. While the legacy version also allows  you to create a quick character it doesn’t present this option on the load screen.

This option is very “new player” friendly. It allows them to get into the game quickly using an Essentials build. The first question it asks is what type of character they would like and then presents further options from there. Even when selecting to build a custom character, players are asked their preferred play style. This limits the amount of classes a player needs to sort through.

Now as an experienced player who already knows what class I want to play or build before I load up the chracter builder this option is lost on me, I simply don’t need it. However, I can see this option being very useful for new players. There are over 24 character classes and for someone new to the game the pure amount of choices can be overwhelming.

Starting Options

Once a class is selected both versions move to race selections. Where the legacy version lists the races by there release, the new version first lists recommended races based on ability modifier synergies with the chosen class. Again we see that the new version is taking the existing system and inserting a way for new players to decide on a race that will make sense with their choices. Most experienced players are already going to have an idea of the race they want to play. The difference between the two, the new version is “new player” friendly while not do a disservice to more experienced players.

The ability score screen has also seen some enhancements with the new release. This is one screen I’m not a fan of. I enjoy having the point buy as the first screen I see. The new version displays various arrays that can be assigned to the attributes. The system is intuitive enough to put the high scores in the appropriate attribute based on class selection.

Powers and Feats

The two versions have slightly different takes on how to present power and feat selection. I can’t pick a clear favourite as I do enjoy the way that both versions present these options. The new version I do find more aesthetically pleasing, but this is a personal preference. I don’t think it does any better or worse of a job in presenting the options that are available to players. The one noticeable difference is the new version has an option to have the feat or power selected automatically.

Equipment

Again both versions of character builder provide all the options to players. My preference is for the legacy version of character builder. Perhaps it is familiarity, but I just enjoy the way the screen flows in the legacy version. I find it slightly more intuitive to use.

Character Sheets

Hands down the legacy version is doing a better job of this right now. The main reason for this is the ability to customize. I also feel the legacy version created a more useful power card. I printed off a character using both versions of character builder and held them up for my wife, who played D&D 20 years ago, to compare. Her response, the legacy version looks like it contains more information per page but the new version is easier to read. This could be translated to new versus experienced player friendly.

My hope is that we will eventually be able to customize the new character sheets to display information the way we want to see it.

Miscellaneous Items

There is one aspect of the new version I cannot stand and that is no scroll wheel on my mouse function. It seems a small thing, but I find it to be the biggest frustration and barrier to really getting into and enjoying the new character builder.

We all know that there are known bugs and issues with the new release, however I’m not here to rehash those arguments. The new release of Character Builder is good and once the bugs are worked out it will be great. They other day I spoke with someone who had just signed up for the DDI and had never used the legacy version of Character Builder. They loved the new version and thought the experience of creating a character was great.

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Disappointed. The word barely scratches the surface on my feelings towards the Character Builder. When Wizards of the Coast made the original announcement about the changes to the CB we remained silent, deciding we would wait until the new version was released before we commented. We had our opinions to be sure, but we felt to be critical of something we couldn’t actually experience wouldn’t be fair.

Well today I had my first taste of the new version of Character Builder. At first glance I was entranced. The interface is slick and very fluid. The updated CB is very user friendly, very new-to-the-hobby friendly as well. At first glance it appears that creating a new character would be a breeze and for the most part it is. It’s when you want to go beyond that first character that you start bumping into problems.

It didn’t take long for WotC to release a page of Known Issues for Character Builder.

Let’s take a look at a hand full of these known issues before I take a more general rant towards the DDI.

Importing custom characters from Character Builder Classic may cause crashes. To resolve this, remove all house ruled items and try to re-import again.

I read this as house rules are not supported on this version of Character Builder. While creating a character for the purposes of experimenting with the new build I found no option to add a house ruled item. Indeed there was no ability to add any custom data. It appears that though WotC will allow third-party material through the GSL they won’t support them with the character builder which really does choke the life out of any custom classes that may have been designed and published.

Import of hybrid characters is not working as intended.

I have a hybrid Wizard/Warlock. This character has one of the new defensive feats from the Essentials line up. I guess I’m just out of luck as the Classic version of Character Builder doesn’t have the feat and the new version is not supporting Hybrids properly.

Character sheets are not user customizable. Power cards are not customizable.

Seriously? In age of Web 2.0 this couldn’t be worked into the programming? I can understand power cards to an extent, but not being able to arrange the character sheet to my preference is a step back from Character Builder Classic.

Exporting character to a local drive is not implemented.

I distinctly remember reading that we would have the ability to save the character sheet as a pdf to share with friends. I’m not sure if I should read not implemented as not yet, or not ever. What I would like see is the ability to create a link and to share my character with anyone else who has a DDI subscription. As a DM I like to review the characters my players have, it allows me to create adventures that suite their powers and to provide appropriate challenges. I used to be able to request they email me a copy of the Character Builder file. Now I have to take a paper copy of the character home with me. Talk about a step backward.

These points are some of my larger issues with the new version of the Character Builder. I’m sure they will all be addressed and corrected in time, but that’s not the point. The point is there is a version of Character Builder that is working perfectly. While it may have some small data bugs, we are able to use it to create and share our characters freely. I’m speaking of course about the Classic version of Character Builder, which is in my limited experience far superior to the new version just released.

While I can completely understand, and agree with, the business decision to make the change to how the Character Builder operates, the implementation has left a great deal to be desired. In fact it’s left a bad taste in many a players’ mouths. With characters that now don’t work properly and house rules left out in the dark, I fail to see how the new version of Character Builder is an improvement. As I mentioned above, I’m sure these issues will be addressed and corrected, but the product should have been released in a far more functional format.

The DDI platform has been plagued with problems since the release of 4e. From delayed to scraped projects and now a revamp of an essential feature of 4e. I can’t imagine creating a character in 4e without the Character Builder and now I’m stuck with a version that has a few too many bugs and features missing.  The classic version hasn’t been updated in approximately three months which makes it less desirable as an alternative. A rock and a hard place, maybe paper and pencil is the route to go.

During the WotC Preview Seminar at GenCon I asked the panel what new digital offerings we would see for the DDI. The group was very noncommittal, after all they have been burned in the past. I let it slide. To realize now that what the digital team has been working on is a new version of Character Builder and not any of the other items we have long been promised is disappointing. That the new version is full of bugs is a further disappointment.

I don’t expect WotC to be a leader in digital/web technology. I expect them to be a leader in the hobby/RPG industry and they are. However, they have created a digital stream to accompany their print products. This digital stream, the DDI, is a significant income generating vehicle for WotC. Yet, since the release of 4e everything connected to it appears to be an afterthought. Either support it properly or drop it. Better yet, test the product. WotC has the email address of every single subscriber. Select 5 or 10% of us and ask us to beta test the new products so that they can be released to the general community with far less bugs. Just about every other digital gaming company does this and it works for them.

At the end of the day I’m a fan of Dungeons & Dragons, I’m a fan of what WotC is doing. I love 4e, I think the staff do a great job overall providing us with new content. I just wish they’d get the digital aspect of things right. The constant mistakes and short comings give the impression that WotC doesn’t care for its subscriber base. I know nothing could be further from the truth, all I ask is to get it right. Provide the digital team with the resources and man power to get things done right.

What are your initial impressions of the updated version of Character Builder? Do you love it or hate it? Given a choice would you use the classic interface or the new one? Let’s provide some feedback to WotC so that they can produce the products and platforms that we want to use.

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For the past five years the group at Dungeon’s Master have used MapTools as the primary means for displaying our combat encounters. To say that MapTools has changed the way we play the game would be an understatement. In a previous post, Desktop Killed The Tabletop Game, I wrote about how software like MapTools has the ability to change the way the entire hobby is played and I still believe that to be true. I believe that a blend of software and hardware, such as what the Surface Scapes project is doing, will also revolutionize the way we play our hobby. Perhaps not in its current form, but certainly we are seeing the beginnings of how technology can be applied to Dungeon & Dragons and bring our minis and maps to life.

As I mentioned, the Dungeon’s Master team has usied MapTools for many years. It’s been great in assisting us in keeping our game going. When a member moved beyond driving range it allowed him to continue to log in and play D&D with the rest of us. The experience wasn’t exactly the same, as he wasn’t sitting at the table, but he was able to participate and we were all able to keep in touch. Through a robust set of macro’s the software also allows you to track conditions, hit points, healing surges and numerous other aspects of the game. One of the trick with minis is finding ways to creatively mark each mini with the appropriate conditions. MapTools eliminates that problem.

However, it introduces a new problem to the mix. As everything is fairly automated, it means that player’s have less to do in between combat rounds and an active Internet connection can lead to trouble. As our member who moved away has made the decision to no long play D&D due to other obligations we’ve been left with the dilemma, do we still need MapTools for the original reasons we started using it?

The answer is clearly no, we do not. However, we’ve grown dependant on many of the features that are available to us through the software. However, the other night the decision was made not to use MapTools and instead to use a large battle map with minis. I was surprised by how refreshing the experience was.

Technology is a double edged sword. It can assist us, making many tasks light work. However, it can also provide us with a distraction that pulls away from our productivity. Now, before I go further I want to stress I’m an advocate of MapTools and other mapping software. It holds an important place in the game and demonstrates what is possible given time and some creativity to make the hobby better.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of Maptools and using a battle map with minis.

Pros

MapTools

• The DM is able to prep maps ahead of time. Building line of sight features in. All monsters are also able to be placed hidden on the map, with hit points able to be tracked through the software.
• Vision tools are available, allowing the fog of war to be removed as the PCs move about the map. The line of sight feature mentioned above eliminates discussion about whether or not a PC could be seen or not.
• Top down view of the battlefield allows for a dynamic view of the encounter.
• Blast and burst templates are able to be marked and clearly seen. Difficult terrain can be drawn onto the map.

Battle Map

• Maps are drawn ahead of time. Standard graph paper can be used or dungeon tiles. Alternately a large battle map with dry erase markers.
• The battle is viewed in 3D, giving a true sense of the scale of the battle and the size of the combatants.

Cons

MapTools

• Finding suitable maps can take time. Creating suitable maps takes time and requires a degree of skill.
• Usually requires an active Internet connection which can lead to player distractions.
• Technology doesn’t always work as intended and for something to not connect properly can lead to time spent trouble shooting.
• If the Internet goes down, so does your game.

Battle Map

• Tracking conditions can be cumbersome.
• Unable to see when a creature is bloodied unless its mini is marked.
• Maps need to be hand-drawn or dungeon tiles need to be purchased. Can result in maps always looking alike.
• You may not always have the correct mini, making your red dragon appear as an earth elemental so that the size is correct.

I’m sure there are plenty of other pros and cons to both methods of mapping. MapTools and minis have been used by our group to great effect and we enjoy what each delivers. At the end of the day I don’t think there is a single right answer on which platform to use. Rather it’s a question of what works best for your particular group.

In the end a hybrid approach might be best. With a flat panel monitor lying on the table displaying a map. PC minis could be used and the DM can still track hit points through the MapTools software.

How has your group experimented with different mapping applications? What have you had success with and what has been a downright disaster?

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About a year ago there was a Blogger Carnival about technology in RPGs. In our submission I raised the question of whether the desktop would kill the tabletop. In recent days that prediction may have come closer to reality with arrival of SurfaceScapes. If you’ve been following some threads in the RPG Blogger Network, read the latest Kobold Quarterly or even articles in main stream media (here or here) then you’ve likely already seen this technology reviewed. Some of the reviewers have actually had the opportunity to see things in action. Of that fact, I am very jealous.

However, I’m not going to allow my lack of hands on knowledge to prevent me from weighing in about where this technology could take our hobby in the future. First I’m going to say that I’m excited by what this technology offers D&D. The Dungeon’s Master team has been using Map Tools for the past several years at our game sessions, so we recognize the power that virtual tabletops bring to the hobby. I really do believe that this is the future of mapping, hit point and condition tracking and perhaps even character generation. What is most promising about the SurfaceScapes project is that they are actively working with Wizards of the Coast to bring this product to market. I think it’s fair to say that this project could turn out to be the virtual tabletop we were promised with the DDI.

With that said I do see some potential problems or pitfalls with the gaming table as presented. Call this my list of points I’d like to see addressed or things that I’d like to get greater clarification on. So far none of the reviews I’ve read have covered these issues.

1. Dice. I’m not giving mine up. The great thing about Map Tools and other virtual table tops is their dice rolling features. This allows you to play online with individuals who might not be readily available. The SurfaceScapes table is clearly designed to have everyone present. Dice and the rolling of them is a fundamental part of the game, I’m not sure I’m willing to give it up. Is it possible to equip the dice with pips that can be read after I roll them on the table?
2. While the table is capable of calculating movement, line of sight, difficult terrain etc. These are all aspects that the DM still needs to input into his map. Human input is still required to have things function. Does the table come with pre-generated graphic images that represent different terrain types and what the movement over them would be? Perhaps even having lava terrain that applies damage automatically when a mini is placed over it.
3. Continuing with the theme of data entry, would the DM be required to input NPC data? Or does the table come preloaded with NPCs given that WotC is working in partnership? How does the table update? Is a DDI subscription required?
4. Cost. The estimates on cost right now are about $10,000. Obviously, that’s not the kind of cash that I’m going to put up for my gaming table. You’re also not likely to see one of these in your FLGS anytime soon. The cost is too prohibitive. Also, the table does all the work, including the character sheet. If a FLGS bought one for LFR games, I’m not sure how much actual product they would sell. WotC on the other hand would like increase DDI subscriptions. Right now I see the table as being something that’s only going to be present at your big conventions. At least until that price comes down substantially.
5. One of the most appealing elements of the tabletop is it’s ability to draw in new players. However, if a new player experiences this at the FLGS and gets hooked, buys the books etc. Then they show up at their buddies place to play, now they have to do all the math themselves. This could be a let-down and may not keep people around long-term.

If I sound critical it’s because I am. I want this to work, I want to own one. However, I want to know that it’s in the best interest of the hobby. As it stands right now, I’m not sure I see the price on this thing dropping enough to make it anything other than the rich gamers toy and that won’t keep the company in business. The RPG hobby is a niche industry with only so much market potential.

Now that I’ve been fairly critical, let me give me 2 coppers on where I’d like to see this project go and where I think it might actually have some life beyond the heroic tier.

1. The expensive part of this project is the table itself. The processor running it and the multiple camera’s taking pictures of what is sitting on the table. This is what will keep people from purchasing the table. What isn’t so cost prohibitive is the software. I could see this project morphing from focusing on the table to becoming a software application designed to be used with touch screens.
2. Now I’m not a big technology geek, so I don’t know how sensitive these touch screens can get, but wouldn’t it be cool if they could read a form of braille on the bottom of tokens? If that’s possible then an iPad is cheaper than the table, just add the software. Of course the question of screen size would become a factor.

The preview of this technology is exciting and I’m a fan. I have some reservations about how well it will work overall for the average player. Even if the table drops in price, would it drop below $1,000? That’s a lot of money to spend if all it can do is run your D&D game.

If I’ve raised a question in this article and you know of a response to it in another review I’ve missed, please point me in the appropriate direction. My intent isn’t to bash this technology, rather it’s to provide some feedback to help see it succeed. Many of these questions are raised out of not experiencing things first hand. Either way I look forward to further information about the SurfaceScapes gaming table.

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