D&D Compendium

Subject: D&D Compendium Fri Aug 01, 2008 3:05 pm

I stumbled onto the new D&D Compendium over at the WotC site. It is apparently a searchable databate of the basic rules set.

The main page makes it sound like it's part of D&D Insider, but the compendium works for me, and it seems pretty handy. It's a lot like that D&D wiki that Patrick found, but the results are much more detailed.

Give it a shot, see if it actually works or if my access is a fluke.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:20 pm

It IS a feature of the D&D insider however the D&D insider is all free right now as it is in a trial period so enjoy all the features as they launch them while they are free. Get hooked on them so you will want to pay for them later.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:49 pm

Is the rest of it working? How long does this free period last? When the maptools equivalent is up we should give that bitch a shot.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:54 pm

I'm all for trying the program out, I would even pay for it... But I would not subscribe to it since that is bullshit to have a subscription for a static project like maptools. However, I did do the tour of D&DI and it looked freakin's weet.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:52 am

Quote :: a subscription for a static project like maptools.

It's not really a static program because the most useful parts of maptools, the chat and the maps, require that we all be signed into a shared server, which is hosted and maintained by the maptools folks.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:56 pm

Quote :: which is hosted and maintained by the maptools folks.

I actually think it turns your computer into the server and the others into clients. I think they host a service that can show what games are running but I dont think they use there servers for game info (as that would take huge bandwith and they would probably have to charge for it). On the MMO's your client has to fetch game info that's only on the servers but in this case it's fetching the map info from my (or whoevers) computer. I dont think it pulls anything else off their servers

Sorry just and aside. My other thing I was going to say is don't get spoiled on that compendium since it will be $$$ to use later.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Sun Aug 03, 2008 3:38 pm

Quote :: I actually think it turns your computer into the server and the others into clients. I think they host a service that can show what games are running but I dont think they use there servers for game info (as that would take huge bandwith and they would probably have to charge for it). On the MMO's your client has to fetch game info that's only on the servers but in this case it's fetching the map info from my (or whoevers) computer. I dont think it pulls anything else off their servers

Tis true, my mistake. Though, they do offer dedicated server support in special cases, apparently.

Subject: Re: D&D Compendium Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:08 am

I think you are right they seem to have some server stuff like that is "official" but I am not sure what it does, maybe it's for beta testing and stuff. Not sure.

The good thing about a like...Wizards server is they would do the tech work on it and we probably wouldn't face tech issues as much, potentially.
The bad part is if their server is down our session is down no if ands or buts.

I am still holding out hope that the long dev time and delays means they are taking a hard look at what they are offering (quality) and if it will be worth the dollars they are putting in to what they can get out of the players.