kitsune9
Adventurer
My personal take on VTTs is that in addition to the map features, campaign management, and dice rollers, there needs to be a video and audio component. The chat feature is for secret notes.
Secondly, there needs to be apps developed that links mobile and tablet devices to the VTT so that players can have their character sheets, notes, and dice on their devices while looking at a screen that has the map and video. Their computer screen serves as the "table" while their personal devices serves as the "player's surface". The GM has his own.
Thirdly, additional apps should include rulesets that affects actions and gameplay. For example, if the party's cleric casts bless, everyone's character sheet is automatically updated with a +1 to attack rolls and their Will save is noted that they have a +1 vs. fear or the person who receives bear's endurance gets their Con adjusted, hp increased, and Fort save increased. These kind of apps will be invaluable because they can breathe life back into games that have overcomplex or heavy-bookkeeping rules. How many of you looked at crunch-heavy games and thought they were cool because you have all these awesome charts of critical hits or effects or other things, but during actual play, it was a real headache to update the character sheet and keep things moving?
Actually, I'm kind of surprised that there hasn't been apps for these rules, particularly for the ones with their own SRDs or Open License.
Also, these can aid traditional table-top play. The first is that with an app that links the mobile and tablet devices to the GM's iPad, you've gotten rid of regular character sheets and dice. Heavy rulebooks are gone too. With complex rulesets, you can affect characters beneficially or with harmful effects. For example, if you are playing Rolemaster, the app knows which weapon you're using so the die roll looks up the appropriate table, determines the damage, then rolls on the critical hit table and gives the result. The GM tablet displays the result as well and the monster affected has its stats updated.
Realistic rules such as encumbrance can be tracked better.
Some could argue that with all this technology, why not just play a MMORPG? It's going to come down to individual taste as well. For some games with complex rulesets, technology is a good boost to enhance the play experience and a VTT further adds to the fun. For really simple games or more free-form games, then a VTT or anything kind of tech isn't needed.
Secondly, there needs to be apps developed that links mobile and tablet devices to the VTT so that players can have their character sheets, notes, and dice on their devices while looking at a screen that has the map and video. Their computer screen serves as the "table" while their personal devices serves as the "player's surface". The GM has his own.
Thirdly, additional apps should include rulesets that affects actions and gameplay. For example, if the party's cleric casts bless, everyone's character sheet is automatically updated with a +1 to attack rolls and their Will save is noted that they have a +1 vs. fear or the person who receives bear's endurance gets their Con adjusted, hp increased, and Fort save increased. These kind of apps will be invaluable because they can breathe life back into games that have overcomplex or heavy-bookkeeping rules. How many of you looked at crunch-heavy games and thought they were cool because you have all these awesome charts of critical hits or effects or other things, but during actual play, it was a real headache to update the character sheet and keep things moving?
Actually, I'm kind of surprised that there hasn't been apps for these rules, particularly for the ones with their own SRDs or Open License.
Also, these can aid traditional table-top play. The first is that with an app that links the mobile and tablet devices to the GM's iPad, you've gotten rid of regular character sheets and dice. Heavy rulebooks are gone too. With complex rulesets, you can affect characters beneficially or with harmful effects. For example, if you are playing Rolemaster, the app knows which weapon you're using so the die roll looks up the appropriate table, determines the damage, then rolls on the critical hit table and gives the result. The GM tablet displays the result as well and the monster affected has its stats updated.
Realistic rules such as encumbrance can be tracked better.
Some could argue that with all this technology, why not just play a MMORPG? It's going to come down to individual taste as well. For some games with complex rulesets, technology is a good boost to enhance the play experience and a VTT further adds to the fun. For really simple games or more free-form games, then a VTT or anything kind of tech isn't needed.
