WotC's D&D Virtual Table Cancelled

Stoat · Jul 10, 2012

Frylock said:
WotC has done a lot with the character builder, and there is a ton of varied content presented in Dungeon and Dragon magazines, appealing to all sorts of interests among the 4e players. These are important pieces of the DDI, so making such a sweeping statement of neglect on the part of WotC is unfair.

And the Compendium! The Compendium is the best thing since sliced bread and canned beer.

I think WotC was behind the curve from the start with the VTT. There are tons of good VTT's available at prices ranging from reasonable to free. I had tried three different VTT's and looked at one or two others back when 4E launched. I think the market for VTT's in general is pretty small, and I don't think the product WotC was offering could compete.

darkwing · Jul 10, 2012

I figured the thing would fail when they said it wouldn't have the ruleset built in. Wizards makes the game and they can't even figure out how to implement their own rules. If people wanted a generic table top they'd use one of the free ones (and somewhat ironically, several of those do have rule-set modules).

darkwing · Jul 10, 2012

Stoat said:
I think WotC was behind the curve from the start with the VTT. There are tons of good VTT's available at prices ranging from reasonable to free. I had tried three different VTT's and looked at one or two others back when 4E launched. I think the market for VTT's in general is pretty small, and I don't think the product WotC was offering could compete.

If WotC had any business sense whatsoever they would have let those other table top (and other applications) companies/hobbyists use the D&D IP on condition that whoever used that IP with their application had a DDI subscription. That way they could get what they wanted (money stream) without re-inventing the VTT wheel.

Mithreinmaethor · Jul 10, 2012

Neuroglyph said:
I'm sorry, but I guess I'm confused. Wasn't VTT something promised to be a part of everyone's DDI accounts - something that WotC said would be available for all 4E DDI users? So all of us who have been paying for DDI all this time, waiting for VTT, were really just buying a Character Builder and a Monster generator? Nice burn WotC... nice burn.

First your use of the word promised is probably not the correct word in this instance.

As others above has stated the original developer was killed in a domestic dispute before 4e even went live so they pulled the concept from the table. And was talked about widely before 4e went live. It was just too late to pull it from the print run of the books. A sad and unfortunate series of events that they never could have foreseen.

You have never been paying for the VTT with your DDI subscription at any point and time. So your assertion there is incorrect as well.

Fifth Element · Jul 10, 2012

darkwing said:
If WotC had any business sense whatsoever they would...

...read internet messageboards, the best source of free business advice available! Generally, you do get what you pay for, but what have they got to lose?

Aberzanzorax · Jul 10, 2012

WOW.

Just....wow.

I think I might be out on 5e at this point. I can trust the game, but not the company.

I sincerely hope that 4e is retrocloned and all 4e players get great new free character builders (already been done better than WotC), VTTS (maptool, better than WotC), print books, and everything they (we) need to get our game on.

Here's hoping for a "Paizo" of sorts (KenzerCo?) for 4e players.

Cuz, man, I just have ZERO faith in WotC going forward (or, hell, going backwards regarding stewardship of the game...not a system...the game itself).

WotC has shown a very strong and reliable pattern...one of consistent failure...but it's been strong and reliable to be sure.

darkwing · Jul 10, 2012

Fifth Element said:
...read internet messageboards, the best source of free business advice available! Generally, you do get what you pay for, but what have they got to lose?

Well they do know how make money from MTG. But it's pretty clear they don't know what they're doing with D&D. The last financial statement I read from them only mentioned D&D for their income from licensing to 3rd parties.

Fifth Element · Jul 10, 2012

Aberzanzorax said:
I think I might be out on 5e at this point. I can trust the game, but not the company.

Careful, there might be a baby in that bathwater. I don't understand the emotional attachment people place on the companies rather than the games. If 5E is the awesomest edition of D&D ever, why would WotC's failed 4E VTT affect a decision to play it?

darkwing said:
Well they do know how make money from MTG. But it's pretty clear they don't know what they're doing with D&D. The last financial statement I read from them only mentioned D&D for their income from licensing to 3rd parties.

That would be a Hasbro statement, I assume? That just goes to show what small potatoes D&D is from the Hasbro standpoint, which in turn puts the lie to various claims of Hasbro meddling in the game (not relevant to this thread, but a common sight in many others).

If they know how to make money from Magic, then they have at least some business sense. Which makes your statement of "if they had any" specious.

Aberzanzorax · Jul 10, 2012

Oh, and they need to get movin on this page:
Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Tools

(The link to the VTT page mentions nothing about cancellation).

Also, funnily enough, you can "check out" dungeon and dragon "magazine"...

downloading a "sample" issue from
2008 http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/dragon/364/364_Dragon.pdf
2008 http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/dungeon/155/155_Dungeon.pdf

(When the magazines were of better quality, actually compiled, and longer).

Just pointing out the theme of "overpromise (and lead people to believe in more than they get) and underdeliver".

Pour · Jul 10, 2012

Aberzanzorax said:
I sincerely hope that 4e is retrocloned and all 4e players get great new free character builders (already been done better than WotC), VTTS (maptool, better than WotC), print books, and everything they (we) need to get our game on.

Here's hoping for a "Paizo" of sorts (KenzerCo?) for 4e players.

It's not 100% ported, but I'm interested in Pelgrane's 13th Age. They do good stuff over there, and Heinsoo and Tweet are the leads. I won't give up on 4e, though. I've had too much fun with it to just toss it aside, parent company failures or not. Come join us at fourthparty and help support!