It seems the Big News of this past week revolved around DDI and the changeover to a pay-as-you-go web-based online toolset.  The change to a Silverlight-driven Web-Based Character Builder was announced early in the week by Trevor Kidd on the D&D Forums, and later discussed by Bill Slavicsek in this month’s Ampersand.  Needless to say, the 4E Community was on both sides of the fence over the issue, both for and against the impending changes later this month.

Comments abounded on twitter, forums, and blogs sites regarding the DDI Subscription changes.  For instance, Dave “The Game” at Critical-Hits.com wrote a commentary Character Builder: The Next Generation which went over the pros and cons of the changes to DDI.  And one of the long-time regulars from my own 4E campaigns guest-blogged on my site last Friday with a player’s perspective on the changes to Character Builder.  And with a title like Marlett’s Musings: The DDI Debacle, it is not too hard to figure out what side of the argument he was on!

In other news, this past weekend, one of my two D&D 4E campaigns tried out D&D 4E Gamma World as a playtest to assist me in preparing for the review I will be posting on EN World News this week.  Without giving too much away about their responses, let’s just say that I may have trouble getting them to give up their mutant alter-egos in favor of returning to the wilds of Faerun!  Watch for my complete Gamma World review this coming Wednesday!

So until next blog… I wish you Happy Gaming!

Blogs at Neuroglyph Games This Week:

The State of the GSL

EN World Review – Vor Rukoth by Wizards of the Coast

Marlett’s Musings: The DDI Debacle

D&D 4E News This Week:

• WotC’s newest Monster Vault Excerpt this week takes a gander at the rank and smelly Otyugh!
• In this new Dragon Magazine feature, find out about the Commerce Beneath the Murkendraw among the darkest denizens of the Feywild at the Murkroot Trade Moot!
• Bart Carroll discusses upcoming releases like the Monster Vault, the new Gamma World Adventure, and more in his November and Beyond column.
• At-Will.com’s Gamefiend continues his discussion on the merging of FATE with D&D in Fauxspects: FATE and 4e, part 2.
• Mike Shea at Sly Flourish.com has some another monster manual update, making the baddest of the bad even badder in Monster Optimization: Pimp my Tarrasque.
• Ameron at Dungeon’s Master.com recaps his blog highlights in Month in Review: October 2010.
• ChattyDM at Critical Hits.com discusses alternatives to character demise in Ghoulish Mailbag: Handling PC Death.
• WotC offers November Adventure Hooks to entice your heroes for upcoming adventure and product releases.
• Steve Winters pens the Dragon Editorial and discusses how D&D differs from so many other games in Achieving Equilibrium.
• Ameron at Dungeon’s Master.com ponders the question: Does Alignment Matter in 4e D&D?
• ***SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*** WotC’s Trevor Kidd has announced the upcoming release of a new Web-Based Character Builder. Check out the announcement, as well as the discussion, and the new CB FAQ.
• Dave “The Game” at Critical Hits.com has posted an analysis and commentary on the Character Builder: The Next Generation.
• Bart Carroll posts responses to the Relive the Adventure contest in this month’s November News column.
• In this new Dragon #393, Winning Races: Wilden offers a selection of new backgrounds and feats for the elemental fey called The Stormchasers!
• Kobold Quarterly presents a new column, detailing encounters that can be fitted into any adventure setting. Check out the Encounter Codex: The Eye of Ihmrahotep.
• Dungeon’s Master.com posts its 500th blog with a discussion of Fortune 500 – Extreme Wealth in D&D
• At-Will.com’s Ryven has more ideas on using old skills in a new and exciting way. Check out Serious Skills: History.
• Dave “The Game” at Critical Hits.com posts the Critical Hits Podcast #25: Tomb of Horrors Actual Play (Part 4).
• Ed Greenwood pens a new Eye on the Realms, taking a look at one of the more unusual trades in Waterdeep: Rastigur Stornont.
• The Escapist has a video of Opening the Monster Vault.
• Steve Winters’ Dungeon Editorial inquires about the types of adventures gamers like, asking: What’s Your Flavor?.
• Ameron at Dungeon’s Master.com reports onD&D Encounters: Keep on the Borderlands (Week 7).
• WotC announces Changes Coming in Essentials, with two discussion threads and a pdf document you can download for more information.
• WotC posts another Monster Vault Excerpt this week, with the fearful beast that swallows adventurers whole – the Purple Worm!
• In the new Class Acts: Hexblades, there is a new build using the Star Pact for these warlocks who find themselves Star Crossed!
• In ths month’s Ampersand, Bill Slavicsek discusses the changes to DDI as well as a preview of the upcoming Class Compendium in The Next Wave in Digital Offerings!
• RPGNet.com’s Ben MacFarland does a Review of Kobold Quarterly #15!
• Wimwick at Dungeon’s Master.com ponders What Happened To The Chaos? in character alignment.
• At-Will.com’s Gamefiend thinks Death is Boring: Re-skinning ‘Dropped’ in 4e.
• Mike Shea at Sly Flourish.com posts his DM Tip Twitter Archive: October 2010.

Tags: D&D 4e, news, review

This entry was posted by Editor-in-Chief on Sunday, November 7th, 2010 at 6:41 pm and is filed under RPG News & Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.