WotC D&D Beyond Update: 2024 Core Rulebooks, Maps, and Third Party Content.

Maps has a number of updates.

• Lots of feature improvements to maps--tokens, fog, and user interface.
• 'Spectator Mode' allows DMs to open a separate tab as a player view on a separate monitor, streaming, etc.
• 'Draw Tool' allows you to freehand draw on the map.
• 6 products from back catalogue plus third party content added to library.
• Pointer added.
• You can now rename a token.
• Enhancement and support will include the 2024 core rulebooks.

Maps is 'here to stay' and will continue to be supported.

Regarding third party products, apparently they are inviting 'many third parties to the party'.

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[Oofta]

I'll consider giving that a try. It still seems a bit silly to me to have to build fake characters just to give someone an Icon, but I appreciate your advice! The simpler the work-around, the better.

If you don't have a master account/unlimited PCs you could even just use custom monsters. I think.

 

[Reynard]

I just repeated they're stated goal. They are still working on the VTT which will be the full-featured competition to other VTTs. This is supposed to be a dirt simple map tool that doesn't enforce any rules and is simple to use and learn.

You're forgetting that they plan to release a fully 3D VTT. They'll specifically really want this one to be the opposite of that. Simple. Flat.

I reckon the 3D VTT will be the big and complex option, while Maps will be the small and simple one.

I am not forgetting anything. The 3D VTT is a different beast entirely, aimed a different audience, designed for a different (monetization) purpose. Beyond Maps is intended to bring people to Beyond, and to do that it HAS to be better than VTTs where you can already leverage Beyond to use the VTT -- specifically, Roll20.

 

[Mistwell]

Hmm. I suppose I could just use the player maps and use the draw feature to add in the secret doors and traps rather than use layers to hide them. I'll give it a try.


I reckon the 3D VTT will be the big and complex option, while Maps will be the small and simple one.

Right I edited my comment after I posted that but likely simultaneous with your reply

I agree, there will be two different platforms. The 3d VTT with high end complexity and graphics. And the Maps which will be much more simple. I still think they're going to add more complexity though. I think spell templates is very likely.

 

[SlyFlourish]

I spent some time playing with it on Twitch today and I really dig it. I'm glad WOTC is hedging their VTT bets with this and the 3d VTT. I'm pretty bearish on the 3d VTT but this is nice and simple.

I'm a fan of owlbear rodeo and this seems to follow the same philosophy of focusing on what you need to get tokens on a map in front of your players for a game. No, it doesn't have rendered light sources and dynamic shadows and all of that. No, it doesn't directly integrate with character sheets or monster stat blocks. You have to open that up in a new window. It does have a shared group chat box that shows dice rolls and that's probably as much integration as it needs.

For me there were only a couple of things I felt like it missed that it really needed: the ability to upload your own tokens and some way to write text on the maps. The former is probably more important than the latter but I write notes on maps all the time. Again, probably not critical. Being able to upload your own tokens is pretty key though.

Other than that, it has a lot of great features in a very simple layout. If I were playing an adventure on D&D Beyond with just WOTC-published material (or the few non-WOTC 5e books on there), I'd totally use this.

OTOH, I really like having my technology stack split up into more discrete components like Discord, Owlbear Rodeo, BB Edit (for notes and stuff), Notion or Obsidian and so forth.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I am not forgetting anything. The 3D VTT is a different beast entirely, aimed a different audience, designed for a different (monetization) purpose.

Yes, that's exactly our point.

Beyond Maps is intended to bring people to Beyond, and to do that it HAS to be better than VTTs where you can already leverage Beyond to use the VTT -- specifically, Roll20.

Sure, but "better" has a LOT of different metrics. It doesn't have to do all the things that other VTTS do, but better (that's what the 3D VTT will be for) - it has to do the job of running icons around on a map during D&D play - with as little work as possible.

That's a metric that I, for one, would find entirely "better" than any other VTT.

 

[Reynard]

That's a metric that I, for one, would find entirely "better" than any other VTT.

I am not saying tah isn't true for you. You know your preferences.

However, given how every VTT I know of, including Owlbear (formerly celebrated for its simplicity) is rushing to add lighting and effects and automated character sheets, I do not believe for one second that those elements are not on the Maps to-do list.

 

[Rabulias]

So far this is all very crude compared to the more advanced Virtual Table Tops out there. Right now our groups are using Foundry. You cast fireball through your character sheet, which deducts the spell slot from your character sheet and then gives the player a template to place on the map. Once placed, the fireball then automatically is applied to all creatures in the area of effect, rolls their saves automatically, adjusts any applicable resistances, and applies damage on DM clicking approved. It then shows a fireball, with a sound effect, and you see people being harmed by it.

I don’t want all that automation. I kinda don’t want to need to have it either.

Me neither. Yeah, those bells and whistles are cool, but I'd prefer to keep it simple. If/when Maps can do layers, I'll be all over it.

That’s where I am with all the tech extras, too. Give me a basic VTT that I can treat like a shared tabletop. Anything more is missing the point.

In fairness to Foundry VTT, the automation Mistwell demonstrates requires some (free) automation modules to be installed. Even then, you can customize the level of automation. I am not a fan of complete automation. There are a number of circumstances in the game where a character might have advantage or disadvantage, or some other modifier to their attack roll or their saving throw, that Foundry and the modules have no way of determining, so I still like the roll prompt to come up for me and my players. Same for rolling damage. What I find really nice in the automation is keeping track of spells and effects over time, dealing with all the various resistances, vulnerabilities, and immunities when damage is applied, and the impressive animations of spells and effects.

YMMV, but I did not want anyone to expect that impressive show with just Foundry VTT by itself.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I am not saying tah isn't true for you. You know your preferences.

Sure, but I won't be the only one, surely.

However, given how every VTT I know of, including Owlbear (formerly celebrated for its simplicity) is rushing to add lighting and effects and automated character sheets, I do not believe for one second that those elements are not on the Maps to-do list.

Oh, you might be right - but as long as their use remains "simple", which I think is the design ethos of Maps.

 

[Reynard]

Oh, you might be right - but as long as their use remains "simple", which I think is the design ethos of Maps.

Most VTTs* have simple individual solutions for these things. it is when they come in aggregate that they become a problem.

*Except Fantasy grounds. Which I use. Because of sunk cost. Ugh.

 

[Zaukrie]

So they are adding features that are already standard on roll20.

What's the point of this post? They're in alpha..... In development for less than a year...