Fellowship of the Dice

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dn ... terbuilder

You can download WotC's beta 4th ed character builder. It requires Windows and .NET 3.5 SP1.

I went through the application and the only thing that I don't really like is that you have to click "Next" button on each screen or you lose those values. You can level up your characters after you've finished level 1.

I just got the chance to mess around a bit more with this and it's pretty nice. You can save your characters and then just email them to the DM. It also does automatic character validation.

The only downside is that it uses the standard char gen options found in the PH. So vWorld char gen can't be used...

It also includes all of the new 4th books: Forgotten Realms and Martial Powers, etc.

It will be pretty nice, if they keep this as a free download.

You can input your stats directly into the fields for them, so you can avoid the standard point buy forund in the PHB.

The only downside to the free demo is that it's only up to third level.

(which makes sense, I'm assuming they want people to pay for it at some point in time)

Down with 4E!

Just kidding (kinda)

Nate wrote:The only downside to the free demo is that it's only up to third level.

(which makes sense, I'm assuming they want people to pay for it at some point in time)

I think this is more of a "beta" than "demo". So they probably only have the first couple levels of data there for testing. Hopefully, they'll have a full version of this out.

There's no way to encrypt .NET applications like this. I can easily open up the files and look at the source code (I'm a .NET programmer). So I don't think they'll be locking down or protecting their final application. If so, it'll just take a day for someone to remove the protection and reassemble the code into a new .exe file. They could use some obfuscation to make it harder, but I'm sure that'll just make it take an extra day or so to undo it.

Unless, of course, they add a logon screen to access the databases. I didn't check to see if the databases were local files or calls to a web service.

The full version is now out, but it requires a D&D Insider account to go past level 3. I broke down and signed up. If you are planning on playing 4e regularly it is worth it for the character builder and the dragon magazine articles.

The only disappointing thing is it's not mac compatible...

And I can't install that on my work pc, the IT guys'll come down here and lay the smack down on me. At the current prices I may just sign up anyways for the magazines, But I wish they would have made it mac compatible.

What if you download a Virtual PC for your work PC, then install the char builder on the Virtual PC?

You could also try one of those Mac programs that allows you to run Windows. I can't remember the name, but my gf has one of those programs with Windows installed on her Mac laptop.

I'm a bit disappointed that it's not web based. That's how I initially thought it was going to work when they first announced it a while ago.