WoTC - D&D Virtual Table in Open Beta!

catsclaw227 · Nov 3, 2011

I received a Wizards Broadcast yesterday with this information in it:

Wizards Community said:
You have a new broadcast on your site at The Wizards Community!

WotC_Huscarl from the group D&D Insider has sent you a broadcast.
Subject: Join the D&D Virtual Table Open Beta Today!

As a limited time bonus to DDI Subscribers, Wizards of the Coast is excited to extend an invitation for you to participate in the Dungeons & Dragons Virtual Table Open Beta!

The D&D Virtual Table provides an online environment where DMs and players can get together for a session of D&D, no matter where they are in the world. Build maps, create characters, and run private or public D&D sessions. This is your chance to get in on some games and check out the features of this easy-to-use tool.

The D&D Virtual Table also includes the following features:

Dozens of map tiles and character and monster tokens to create and customize adventures

Ability to import characters from the D&D Insider Character Builder

Ability to import monsters from the newly-updated D&D Insider Monster Builder

Online storage for all your adventures

Integrated Vivox voice chat, including voice fonts

To access the Virtual Table Beta, simply click here and log in. Be sure to visit the DDI Beta Forum in our Wizards Community so that you can give us your feedback and report any bugs. And if you’re not sure what to do once you get to the Virtual Table, click here to jump straight to the Getting Started discussion thread in the Beta Forum. Use of the VT Beta is subject to DDI terms and conditions. Click here for more information.

We look forward to hearing what you think about the D&D VT!

I can't wait to check it out! Have any of you used it yet and how well is it working?

jimmifett · Nov 3, 2011

Awesome! A shame i'm going camping this weekend...

catsclaw227 · Nov 4, 2011

I still haven't had a chance to poke around in it yet, but I imagine I will over the weekend.

Zaran · Nov 4, 2011

Are there any improvements in this version? I figure they would try to show the best face if they open it to the whole Od DDI

Delgar · Nov 4, 2011

Not sure what would make you think that when the released the woefully inadequete online character builder and monster builder.

Zaran said:
Are there any improvements in this version? I figure they would try to show the best face if they open it to the whole Od DDI

D'karr · Nov 4, 2011

Zaran said:
Are there any improvements in this version? I figure they would try to show the best face if they open it to the whole Od DDI

Well, it does let you import characters directly from your DDI account, so that is a huge PLUS. You can do the same with monsters, which is another huge PLUS.

They are definitely moving in the right direction. MAP making is still slow (my opinion) as I can't simply import an already drawn out map.

What I find best about the VTT is that it works without any complicated setup on the part of the player. Simply go to the session, join, and launch. No setup for port forwarding, voice setup, character frameworks, etc.

It simply works out of the box. I know that they've had some big stumbles on this one, and I would have still preferred an isometric (3D) miniatures view, as that would have definitely set this game board completely apart from anything else on the market, but I think they are real close to a very fine, stable, and user friendly product.

Zaukrie · Nov 4, 2011

It seemed very, very easy to use.

Not sure why they don't have some simple stuff:
unique tokens tied to every monster (not needed for the test, but they art exists, just put them in)
full art for all existing tiles

But, I have to say, it was easy to use. Kind of hard to make a map, because they don't have wall art you can just drop on there.

I would also have preferred a more 3d view....but it is not there yet.

Zaran · Nov 4, 2011

Zaukrie said:
It seemed very, very easy to use.

Not sure why they don't have some simple stuff:
unique tokens tied to every monster (not needed for the test, but they art exists, just put them in)
full art for all existing tiles

But, I have to say, it was easy to use. Kind of hard to make a map, because they don't have wall art you can just drop on there.

I would also have preferred a more 3d view....but it is not there yet.

The biggest reason I haven't spent more than 30 minutes on the VT is the fact that there aren't pictures for every monster or at least a way to use my own pictures. The next biggest is to be able to import maps.

catsclaw227 · Nov 4, 2011

Zaran said:
The biggest reason I haven't spent more than 30 minutes on the VT is the fact that there aren't pictures for every monster or at least a way to use my own pictures. The next biggest is to be able to import maps.

Importing maps is a biggie for me. I use a lot of maps I create in photoshop or from the web. Also, with a prepublished adventure, I like to resize the maps or use the hi-res versions like I can do in MapTools.