D&D Next

[MagicSN]

Originally Posted by TaylorBland

Very cool. i hope that this gets out soon, i really would like to play D& D5 with HL. no rush, keep up the good work. and for the record, if i were better at computer scripts, i would be helping you. but, i am computer illiterate and i have no freaking clue what half the damn script means anyway. once a playable update is ready, do you think you can give us some sort of link so we can use and tinker with it ourselves?

As I was asked by several people, here is the current state of affairs:

That "nothing is released yet" from my implementation of D&D 5e for Herolab is NOT due to technical reasons. It is due to legal reasons. I would not want WotC to sue me over infringement of intellectual property.

I did not give up hope though, and am continueing to work on the scripts (I would say their current state is noticably better than the 4e implementation of Hero Lab and asides from some minor issues and the odd feat missing everything is there) in the hope the situation will change in the future, allowing me to release this project.

If WotC will allow 3rd party character editors or at least agree on "not actively pursueing" authors of such programs it could be released. If an official licence would be given to Lone Wolf it could be given to them (this offer to Lone Wolf stands). If WotC would agree on publishing the data files on their webpage (Hey, no licence issue then, right? ^^), this could be done.

As to the "technical" state of things: All major things implemented, some small things still at work (for example some missing stuff with the Tome-Pact of the Warlock). Encounter Builder works too BTW. Tactical Console too.

My main focus is currently on refactoring and making the code "nicer" (it is not small). As well as changing the code to separate houserule-magic-items/playtest-magic-items from magic items from the release version (basically an option if the non-release-version-items should be displayed or not, but this is not yet implemented, current work still ongoing).

Best regards,
MagicSN

[TaylorBland]

understandable. i just hope that 5th edition stuff comes out soon. i really like the game and HeroLab has already been a big help on my M&M3e games. but, legality is a reasonable issue. again, i wasn't trying to rush things, just a simple inquiry.

Have fun with it and the best wishes to you.

[dafrca]

Just listened to the Dev call for WotC's character program. They are so clueless. I could not believe how many times they said a feature that was asked about was unimportant or not needed.

I pray that a herolab version will be allowed, even if it is a user created file.

[MagicSN]

Originally Posted by TaylorBland

understandable. i just hope that 5th edition stuff comes out soon. i really like the game and HeroLab has already been a big help on my M&M3e games. but, legality is a reasonable issue. again, i wasn't trying to rush things, just a simple inquiry.

Have fun with it and the best wishes to you.

Sure, don't worry, I understood perfectly. I just have to say, I would like myselves to release it but I can't, and this is quite frustrating.

Actually this weekend I have come so far that *if* there would not be legal issues preventing a release I would have released a Beta version now (some minor issues in classes, and the Tactical Console still needs some work - the Console is usable, but with several little "issues").

MagicSN

[talsharien]

Let's face it, wizards will not allow their product to be issued to anyone else whilst they are paying a 3rd party company to build their own product. Magic, your work sounds awesome but none of us will ever experience it due to licensing issues which won't change. I love the new 5th edition and am starting a campaign this week with (for the 1st time in a long time) very little digital support. I have spent 3 days building an excel character generator and game tracker. Unfortunately my understanding of the Authoring Kit is minimal, despite reading the 300 page manual (might try a chinese version). So my point is that we can discuss 5th edition for HL as much as we like, it won't happen (well at least not until Wizards need more money and release 6th edition in 2016)

[MagicSN]

Originally Posted by talsharien

Let's face it, wizards will not allow their product to be issued to anyone else whilst they are paying a 3rd party company to build their own product. Magic, your work sounds awesome but none of us will ever experience it due to licensing issues which won't change. I love the new 5th edition and am starting a campaign this week with (for the 1st time in a long time) very little digital support. I have spent 3 days building an excel character generator and game tracker. Unfortunately my understanding of the Authoring Kit is minimal, despite reading the 300 page manual (might try a chinese version). So my point is that we can discuss 5th edition for HL as much as we like, it won't happen (well at least not until Wizards need more money and release 6th edition in 2016)

There were actually some interesting bits on Mike Mearls' Twitter recently, where he mentioned about WotC working on
details regarding "licencing". Also when asked about a OGL he did not answer with a "plain no", but with a "first dealing
with licencing". While not knowing what exactly was behind these answers from him, it at least sounded interesting.

[nylanfs]

It was actually fairly similar to the wording they used before the original GSL came out. So I'm not holding my breath. We're waiting over at PCGen on what WotC decides.

[talsharien]

It will come down to how bad their own product is i suppose. I use HL and RW and am loathe to have to move to another digital product but ......

[rob]

It's definitely NOT time to throw in the towel. There are still a number of things that have not been officially and publicly ruled in or out at Wizards. That means there's still possibilities.

I wholly understand everyone's frustration with a lack of info, but big corporations move slowly. To make it worse, huge corporations (like Hasbro) have vastly different agendas and expectations at different levels, so the top execs (in Rhode Island) won't necessarily have the same priorities as a small business unit (like the tabletop D&D team) - and vice versa. So all that has to be sorted out, which often occurs at seemingly glacial speed.

All we can do is wait and keep our fingers crossed at this point. We might get an amazing OGL. We might get an unworkable GSL. We might get nothing. But there's still a chance we might get something we can all run with.

[RavenX]

Just throwing this out there, but for future reference, you guys and gals do realize you can ask Mike Mearls things directly via Twitter right? I asked him about people building character creation software, waiting for a reply from him.

@mikemearls is his SN on twitter. He goes by No Wifi Mearls up there. Most of the WotC design team is on there. It might be quicker to ask on Twitter rather than their forums too, since they actually do check their twitter pages somewhat regularly.