Perhaps the greatest thing that Wizards has accomplished in the digital arena, certainly since the launch of the new edition of D&D, is the Character Builder. Since the launch of this program, we’ve been working on a number of ways to improve both the tools and the experience. The first place we decided to make changes was to move from a client-based to a web-based tool set. We are moving to a web-based solution to make the tools accessible to multiple platforms. The web-based solution makes it easier for us to react to new technology opportunities, such as tablets and mobile devices. We also wanted to move to a solution that promotes individual account ownership and hinders piracy. Finally, we wanted a solution that would more easily interact with our community site and Facebook, for example.
We’ll launch the new Character Builder with a known issues list and FAQ, as well as with other roadmaps to highlight launch functionality and to lay out what we plan to do with future builds of the tool. Tool by tool, we’ll use the known issues lists and FAQs to make sure that there’s as little confusion as possible about what works, what we’d like to do in the future, and what we won’t be tackling in the near term.
There are five things I really, really like about the new Character Builder.
1. It’s ultimately portable. I can use it on any computer or computer-like device, wherever I am.
2. It’s both PC and Mac friendly. I can access it from either kind of machine.
3. There are multiple character sheet options. I can pick an Essentials character sheet or a sheet that takes advantage of the digital medium, and we can add other versions of sheets as demand warrants.
4. The user interface is better. We’ve learned a lot, tested a lot, and made a tool that is easier to navigate and use.
5. Content filters are better. The D&D game is loaded with content, and the new Character Builder offers lots of ways to filter that content for you. You can make choices up front to limit the amount of information you’re bombarded with, and you can add more elements later as your play style and game mastery demands.
OK, there are six things.
6. More agile. The new tools allow us to respond faster to customer needs. We can make updates and changes to the system more quickly, and the new content is pushed live almost instantaneously—content updates just happen, with no downloads required.
No, wait. Seven.
7. Dark Sun and Essentials. The new tool includes options so that you can create characters using the Dark Sun Campaign Setting and Heroes of the Fallen Lands as well as with material from all products already loaded into the previous tool. And more content is on the way.
不精確的翻譯:
從 4e 推出算起, CB 可能是 WotC 在電子領域上的最大成功. 我們在不停改良, 精益求精. 我們首先決定了由客戶端改成在線模式, 讓你更易跨平台使用到它, 例如手電和平版電腦. 提倡一人一戶, 打擊盜版, 與 facebook 逹成更住連繫.
(中略)
以下是我喜歡的 5 點:
1. 便攜性, 可以在任何電腦用.
2. PC / Mac 通用.
3. 你可以自選牛逼角色卡或新版角色卡
4. 改良 UI
5. 改良搜尋
6. 更新快, 不需下載
7. 有 Dark Sun & Essentials
翻譯完畢
個人認為其中 3, 4, 5, 7 應該做到現有的 CB, 6 是廢話因為更新週期目前沒變依然是一個月. 1 其實倒退了 - 你不連線就沒用. 2 是*唯一*的不改做不到.