DDI Questions

[Luinnar]

I'm thinking of subscribing to DDI and I have some questions.

I have never subscribed before, will I be able to download past online issues of Dragon/Dungeon?

Any hassles with un-subscribing? Do I just click cancel on a form or is it more complicated?

Does the character builder get updated with new books right away, or is there a lag?

Anything else I should know about?

Thanks!

 

[Pyrex]

I believe you can download any dungeon/dragon content released since WotC took back the license and began using them to publish 4E content.

When you subscribe, it sets up as auto-renew. Fortunately it warns you that it is auto-renew and tells you how to cancel the auto-renew.

 

[Aegeri]

I believe you can download any dungeon/dragon content released since WotC took back the license and began using them to publish 4E content.

When you subscribe, it sets up as auto-renew. Fortunately it warns you that it is auto-renew and tells you how to cancel the auto-renew.

It's also pretty easy to cancel the auto-renew compared with some things.

*Grumbles about Xbox live*

 

[redboxrazor]

There is typically a one-month delay between content releases and their corresponding Character Builder updates.

 

[doctorhook]

There is typically a one-month delay between content releases and their corresponding Character Builder updates.

QFT. This is probably one of the most important things to be aware, lest ye mistakenly think that your D&DI subscription will give you new content the same day the hardcovers are released.

Also, be aware that while some entries in the compendium and character builder are "fluffy" (classes, for example), you still won't have access to most of the fluff from any given book. D&DI is great for seeing all the feats and powers in one place, though.

 

[malraux]

I believe you can download any dungeon/dragon content released since WotC took back the license and began using them to publish 4E content.

That said, you get access to all of those issues, not just the ones for the month you subscribe.

 

[webrunner]

Builder update is first tuesday of the month, including the releases of the previous month.

Note, however, that magazine content isn't truly 'released' until the compiled issues, and counts as a release for the next month (as it's at the end of it's own month) so there's an extra month delay on that content.

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

I think the best things about DDI are the character builder and adventure tools (even though the latter doesn't have much besides monster stats at the moment). They're really solid programs that are well worth a one-time subscription payment. They continue to work after you've let your subscription lapse, you just don't have the latest content. (Though sometimes newer character builder files will confound older versions).

You do miss out on a lot of the fluff, but with as easy as it is to re-skin things in 4e, it's a bargain, essentially getting all of the rules and items that are published to-date for the price of the sub (even if you only pay for a month of it).

 

[Doctor Proctor]

The only thing I would add is that the one thing that could be an issue when canceling your subscription is that you need to do it a few days ahead of the auto-renew date (I think it said 3 days, but I'm not 100% sure). This means, for example, that if your subscription renews on the 20th, you can't cancel on the 19th...you'd need to do it earlier in the month. It's not a huge deal though, since your subscription remains active until that renew date passes. So you could cancel on the 5th, and you still have access to everything until the 20th. You just need to plan a bit when canceling is all.

 

[Jack99]

The DDI is the best thing since sliced bread. Since you are considering subscribing, I am going to assume that you are neither anti-4e, nor anti-tech. Which are, IMO, the only two reasons not to get it....

Have fun