D&D 2024 Development Update (October 4th, 2024)

Hey everyone, There's a new post on the Roll20 blog that covers some information about the Dungeons and Dragons Deveopment process, including what’s happened so far, what’s launching next week, and what’s going to happen long-term. You can read it over on the blog , but here’s the quick version: Spell Upcasting for 2024 content and many bugfixes are already available today ( changelog ), and we’re continuing to release multiple updates per week. Automated Level Up and Starting Equipmen t will be available starting Thursday, October 10th. We’ll continue to release updates weekly for additional features including full mod script support, compact view for NPC sheets , and more. Read more on the blog!

Tuo said: If your business is selling cars, and all your previous cars have had wheels, announcing that your new model that shipped without wheels will now have wheels isn't very exciting. You are, of course, completely correct. To continue with your analogy, we're just trying to be sure you know when your wheels will arrive. I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience so far, and I hope that we can make it up to you as we continue to level up the sheet. RPGeezer said: Thanks for the update and keep on keepin’ on!… Thank you! We will!

Hi Mark, Thanks for sharing your thoughts and frustrations. I understand that our excitement around the D&D 2024 release has set high expectations, and I’m sorry to hear that your experience has fallen short of that. To clarify, the PHB 2024 content is functional in the VTT. If you’re experiencing core issues with creating and playing characters, accessing the new Compendium, or using the drag-and-drop features in VTT, please let us know so we can investigate further. I realize that some highly anticipated features, like Automated Level Up, are still on their way. These features are rolling out this week, and we’re working to quickly release updates that improve the overall experience and capture any bugs that come in as quickly as we can repro them. We’re committed to making the new sheet everything you’re hoping for, and each week’s updates bring us closer to that vision. Thank you for sharing your feedback, and for your patience as we continue to refine this experience. 

Jen said: The blog says "supporting drag-and-drop for proficiencies" is on the long-term list. If you can answer: What does "for proficiencies" mean here? Will we be able to drag and drop all the usual things (weapons for attack rolls, class features, etc.) like we could before?  Should we expect drag-and-drop to work for sheets using the character builder? Manually updated sheets? Is Jumpgate required? Any idea how long "long term" may be?  I want to start a new campaign soon and assuming we stick with Roll20, I want to set it up with whatever choices will be optimal for ease of use features like drag-and-drop. (Jumpgate or not, character builder or manual editing.) Hi Jen! Great questions. When we say “drag & drop for proficiencies,” we’re referring specifically to dragging and dropping from the Proficiencies category in the Compendium. Weapons are already drag-and-drop enabled, and class features will follow very soon. Drag & drop will indeed work for characters created with the character builder. Currently, you can drag and drop items and spells directly onto the sheet, and they’ll populate fully. Feats, Features, and Proficiencies will be added next. We don’t plan to enable drag & drop for backgrounds, classes, or species since those involve choices that need to be made through the builder for everything to function properly. However, you’ll be able to manually input a class and then drag relevant class features onto the sheet -- some manual updates may still be needed, like adjusting ability scores if a feature offers an ability score choice. As for timing, drag & drop for proficiencies is in QA now. Basic drag & drop for 2024 features (names and descriptions within the Features category) is also in QA, and we’re working on adding all the associated data. Drag & drop for feats, including all feat data, is nearly out the door. So, you can expect proficiencies and basic feature support very soon, with more advanced automation rolling out soon after as they complete the development process. Hope this helps with your campaign setup planning!

Linda  said: Back in the old days when I was working in software development we had test teams for feature test (is the new stuff working as planned), regression test (is the old stuff still working as it used to), performance test (is the running speed of old and new stuff together is sufficient) and a number of other testings. It seems this was deemed too expensive so everything is put to the unpaid beta test team i.e. the users. I think that by now it's clear that the quality many of us pay for has not been achieved so far and will not be in the near future. Do you have a concise plan how to reach the necessary software quality? Hi Linda! Thanks for your insights. In many ways, those testing standards you mentioned remain central to our approach. Our developers first test their own work, followed by our dedicated (and admittedly small) QA team, and finally, we sometimes conduct swarm testing by bringing the whole office together to stress-test a feature. We're always open to feedback and improvements in our QA processes. With a small team handling software that incorporates vast data sources and varied custom inputs, there can be a gap between what a team of 5 (and up to 50 with company wide swarm testing) can catch and what millions of users will encounter across different systems. This isn’t meant as an excuse but rather a bit of clarity as to your question. The biggest shift in our process, and in the industry generally, is an emphasis on beta testing where possible, and then rapid responsiveness to fix anything that was completely unforeseen. After a launch, our team is prepared to diagnose and address issues as they arise. A key part of our approach is taking in, processing, and delivering fixes for new issues as quickly as possible. That’s why you’ll often see dozens of minor, and sometimes major, updates within a single day. Thanks again for raising this, I appreciate your insights, feedback, and it’s always good to keep these discussions open.

Rick A. said: Dean said: ...  a team of 5 (and up to 50 with company wide swarm testing)  ... That information alone explains a lot. Jumpgate + the new character sheet + new PHB compendium is a lot for such a small team. When did Roll20 get the information from WOTC so that you could start developing the character sheet and PHB compendium? While I can't go into specifics, generally any publishing partner only sends files to digital partners once the print files are locked for the physical printer. This is generally standard for publishing partners. Digital partner companies like us grow used to and (somewhat) specialized in fast turnarounds and guessing / anticipating some of the data structure needs based on previous history or other games. We're not always spot on with those assumptions, but we get a little closer most times.  Gauss said: Dean said: We don’t plan to enable drag & drop for backgrounds, classes, or species since those involve choices that need to be made through the builder for everything to function properly.  That is not historically how the 5e compendium works and would be considered a loss of function comparing 2014 to 2024. Backgrounds, Classes, and Species should be drag/droppable. Even if there are choices that do not populate other elements should populate.  That leaves those choices as the only thing to separately drag/drop. Please reconsider this decision. People should not be forced to use a character builder.  Thanks for the feedback, will discuss with the team more :) 

(x-posting!) We’ve released  automated level up functionality, along with starting equipment,  in the new  D&D Character Builder !  As we mentioned in our recent  blog post ,  characters created prior to this release will require choices to be remade when leveling up : including Class, Species, Background, and Ability Scores (and any relevant sub choices).  We know this is not ideal, but this is a one time occurance.  Any newly created characters you make going forward will easily level up. This is the first of many releases to improve the Character Builder experience. With this release, you will also notice some improvements to the UI/UX of the Builder based on all of your feedback, as well as performance improvements across the board! Known Bugs We’re ensuring this process is working smoothly with 2014 content as well as 2024 content, but you will notice some places where this may not be working as intended with the legacy content.  We are also aware of a few places where certain dropdown selectors are duplicating choices which shouldn’t impact your ability to create your character.  There are also intermittent issues where skills & conditions are not loading onto your sheet when first opening, this is a display issue only and will be corrected if you close & reopen your sheet. Please continue to  report any bugs  you find so we can get them addressed quickly!

Hey folks -- closing this thread and moving to this thread  to keep the information tidy. Thank you!