JVisgaitis
Explorer
Flexor the Mighty! said:What MMO are you playing?
Probably DDO. Bah!
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Internet Saved the Tabletop Genre
- Thread starter Zaruthustran
- Start date
Probably DDO. Bah!
I just wanted to jump in really quick with three quick points.
First, virtual table tops are definitely not MMORPGs!
Second, I have been using one, Fantasy Grounds, for a long time now. I have really enjoyed the experience. Those interested in flexibility might look into the rulesets that are already available for Arcana Evolved and Iron Heroes for Fantasy Grounds. More will certainly come with time. Whether WotC ever produces rulesets, we will have to wait and see. The great thing is, you do not need them to play. You can play with the books, just like face to face using Fantasy Grounds.
Third, there is an upcoming virtual convention to showcase a number of these applications, including Fantasy Grounds. Check it out!
Part of what they have done is prepared a fairly comprehensive comparison chart between any of the developers that replied to their inquiries. This is a direct link to the chart. So, you need not rely on my opinion, you can compare them. (Using the chart, or the demos that are available.)
*Disclaimer: I am not employed by either the developers of Fantasy Grounds or the coordinators of iCon. I am just a forum member and satisfied user of Fantasy Grounds.*
Later.
First, virtual table tops are definitely not MMORPGs!
Second, I have been using one, Fantasy Grounds, for a long time now. I have really enjoyed the experience. Those interested in flexibility might look into the rulesets that are already available for Arcana Evolved and Iron Heroes for Fantasy Grounds. More will certainly come with time. Whether WotC ever produces rulesets, we will have to wait and see. The great thing is, you do not need them to play. You can play with the books, just like face to face using Fantasy Grounds.
Third, there is an upcoming virtual convention to showcase a number of these applications, including Fantasy Grounds. Check it out!
Part of what they have done is prepared a fairly comprehensive comparison chart between any of the developers that replied to their inquiries. This is a direct link to the chart. So, you need not rely on my opinion, you can compare them. (Using the chart, or the demos that are available.)
*Disclaimer: I am not employed by either the developers of Fantasy Grounds or the coordinators of iCon. I am just a forum member and satisfied user of Fantasy Grounds.*
Later.
I checked out the OpenRPG and Fantasy Grounds sites... this VTT thing has come a long way, err, baby...Hussar said:
But there is something that's pretty important to me, especially when I'm running the game; a live audience that chat, or VOIP, or even live video can't replicate.
There's a 'live theater' aspect to D&D that has a profound effect on play. My ability to characterize NPC's would suffer. Greatly.
Black_Swan
First Post
Take the books online...
Forget replacing the table with some sort of graphic intensive tool. The power of the internet is the easy sharing of information and that's what D&D 4e should make use of. Any and all books should be available in a searchable format, online.
Every gamer should get a free portal off of WoTC's site. They login and can search through any of the books that they've purchased and any free content made available. This includes errata, faq's, and access to customer service.
If you buy a hardcover it should come with a code that you can enter into your portal to add the book to your online library.
The library will be a completely searchable database that has all the rules and information you've purchased.
Users should also be able to enter and remove house rules that will come up when the appropriate search is requested.
This will erase the need for extensive libraries of rarely used books at home, for those who like viewing their content on the net.
Net books should be cheaper than hardcovers to make up for the fact that the publishing fees are removed.
For those who like hard covers fine..you buy the hard cover book at the normal rate and enter your code to access your electornic copy in your portal.
This will streamline actual gaming time, remove the plethora of books at your gaming table, and allow you to use that table for the battlemat or whatever props you want.
An onlline battlemat should also be available as well. This should be customizable llike maptool or any of the other virtual tables available.
Any and all published adventures should come with maps that can be plugged into the virtual table for ease of use.
Those are my thoughts..anyway.
Forget replacing the table with some sort of graphic intensive tool. The power of the internet is the easy sharing of information and that's what D&D 4e should make use of. Any and all books should be available in a searchable format, online.
Every gamer should get a free portal off of WoTC's site. They login and can search through any of the books that they've purchased and any free content made available. This includes errata, faq's, and access to customer service.
If you buy a hardcover it should come with a code that you can enter into your portal to add the book to your online library.
The library will be a completely searchable database that has all the rules and information you've purchased.
Users should also be able to enter and remove house rules that will come up when the appropriate search is requested.
This will erase the need for extensive libraries of rarely used books at home, for those who like viewing their content on the net.
Net books should be cheaper than hardcovers to make up for the fact that the publishing fees are removed.
For those who like hard covers fine..you buy the hard cover book at the normal rate and enter your code to access your electornic copy in your portal.
This will streamline actual gaming time, remove the plethora of books at your gaming table, and allow you to use that table for the battlemat or whatever props you want.
An onlline battlemat should also be available as well. This should be customizable llike maptool or any of the other virtual tables available.
Any and all published adventures should come with maps that can be plugged into the virtual table for ease of use.
Those are my thoughts..anyway.
I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
Zaruthustran, you speak with wisdom. The biggest problem with doing that is that D&D has had a somewhat sketchy relationship with a lot of new media. Their MMO was underwhelming. Their movie was a dud. It would take a lot for me to trust something like this designed by WotC, honestly.
But they can pull it off, and I'd *really* like to see it. In fact, I'd like to see it bundled in with the books. For instance, you buy the newest release, it comes with a disk that allows you to "upgrade" your program with the information from it.
Viewing this as a *supplement* to D&D rather than as what D&D would become is the key. Online interfaces would almost never be as able to model the innovative imaginations of four or five human beings, so there'd still be the desire to play around the table. But there'd also be the desire to play *online*, where you can find a group, run a scenario, and be done with it.
D&D, I feel, needs almost exactly this. There needs to be an online experience alongside the analog one.
But they can pull it off, and I'd *really* like to see it. In fact, I'd like to see it bundled in with the books. For instance, you buy the newest release, it comes with a disk that allows you to "upgrade" your program with the information from it.
Viewing this as a *supplement* to D&D rather than as what D&D would become is the key. Online interfaces would almost never be as able to model the innovative imaginations of four or five human beings, so there'd still be the desire to play around the table. But there'd also be the desire to play *online*, where you can find a group, run a scenario, and be done with it.
D&D, I feel, needs almost exactly this. There needs to be an online experience alongside the analog one.
I like these ideas a lot. As the OP said, these tools could be used to augment the tabletop experience, not replace it.
I would love an online character generator made by WOTC, a good dungeon creator would be even nicer.
As long as I still have all the tools needed to do it manually, I don't mind some automation to make it easier.
I would love an online character generator made by WOTC, a good dungeon creator would be even nicer.
As long as I still have all the tools needed to do it manually, I don't mind some automation to make it easier.
Zaruthustran
The tingling means it’s working!
Right on, Black Swan. My main point was that D&D should put the books online--as an OPTION--as well as simple tools with clean interfaces. I shouldn't have even mentioned online TT play; it got the thread into a weird tangent of D&D vs. MMO or "online-only" D&D.
That's not what I want.
I want searchable books, instant errata, an online character generator/database, and time-saving tools. These features make the game much, much more accessible. Much more playable. Less time spent with book-keeping BS means more time actually playing, and having fun.
-z
That's not what I want.
I want searchable books, instant errata, an online character generator/database, and time-saving tools. These features make the game much, much more accessible. Much more playable. Less time spent with book-keeping BS means more time actually playing, and having fun.
-z
Matchstick
Adventurer
Computers are very underused in RPG's today. What should happen is that computers should be leveraged to do all the things that they do best, and that includes many of the things that Z details. They shouldn't replace gamers or DM's, they should be tools, just like pencils and paper.
As far as house rules go, well everyone's assuming that this stuff is online on a web site you don't control. Make it a package you buy, and then download updates for when new books come out. You install it on your machine and you can then edit the ruleset to be whatever you'd like. You can change the descriptions, durations, damage, you name it of anything you'd like. For the character sheets you have the option to publish them to a web site.
When you start up Fantasy Grounds you choose a ruleset. If you want to make a custom ruleset you just make a copy of the files in the standard ruleset, paste them into a different folder, and then edit them. That way you haven't hosed up the original ruleset with your edits. When you start the program, you pick the ruleset. No biggie.
I'm surprised that computers don't play a much larger role in RPG's as it is, I can't imagine that the hobby will stay that way. It's too good of a tool.
As far as house rules go, well everyone's assuming that this stuff is online on a web site you don't control. Make it a package you buy, and then download updates for when new books come out. You install it on your machine and you can then edit the ruleset to be whatever you'd like. You can change the descriptions, durations, damage, you name it of anything you'd like. For the character sheets you have the option to publish them to a web site.
When you start up Fantasy Grounds you choose a ruleset. If you want to make a custom ruleset you just make a copy of the files in the standard ruleset, paste them into a different folder, and then edit them. That way you haven't hosed up the original ruleset with your edits. When you start the program, you pick the ruleset. No biggie.
I'm surprised that computers don't play a much larger role in RPG's as it is, I can't imagine that the hobby will stay that way. It's too good of a tool.
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