Start a campaign with a virtual table now, or wait?

[heruca]

Like it says on the tin:

I want to start a new campaign with some long-distance buddies.

Based on the first look at the DDI game table, should I wait until it comes out of beta?

Or should I start with one of the current virtual table solutions out there?

What's the community consensus best right now?

By all means, don't wait. You don't even know how long you'll have to wait, since there's no release date for WotC's VT, yet.

If you want something that is cross-platform, easy to install and to use, supports audio, and has a Lobby feature for finding games and players, take a look at Battlegrounds.

Or use any of the other 60 or so virtual tabletop programs that are already available, and don't require a DDI subscription to use.

 

[OnlineDM]

I'm just chiming in to say that I agree with everyone else - dive right in with the existing tools. I personally love MapTool, but Gametable (OSU-gt) is also good.

If the Virtual Table comes out to everyone in three months and is wonderful, there's nothing stopping you from migrating over to it at that point in time. But I imagine it will take a while to work out all of the kinks, during which time you might have played a complete campaign in your virtual tabletop of choice.

Have fun!

 

[Stormonu]

At this point, WotC's VT is still vaporware - I wouldn't wait as they did can the last version, despite the tales of beta testers and even showing it at a couple of Cons. Besides, with the current track record, you can expect it will have tremendous bugs at release.

I think you would be much better served by a "mature" VTT that already has an established base of users to draw from.

 

[Hussar]

Heh, I want to argue with Stormonu, but, you know what? I just can't. Everything he just said there is perfectly fair.

 

[Filcher]

It must be the holidays. This is the second thread I've seen now where everyone agrees.

 

[amerigoV]

It must be the holidays. This is the second thread I've seen now where everyone agrees.

I disagreed in the other thread (Vorpal Swords) and I will do it here as well. If you are using ANY non-Wizards product* to game, then you are NOT playing D&D. And I do not mean "thats not D&D to ME" crap either. Its not D&D. You may as well be playing GURPs or Rolemaster.

*That includes pencils and paper.

So you better just wait and be happy about it!


(fyi Maptools rocks, but then again, I play Savage Worlds so it is acceptable to use it. BUT NOT YOU D&D PEOPLE - you have to wait!).

 

[heruca]

*That includes pencils and paper.

LOL!

 

[Filcher]

I disagreed in the other thread (Vorpal Swords) and I will do it here as well. If you are using ANY non-Wizards product* to game, then you are NOT playing D&D. And I do not mean "thats not D&D to ME" crap either. Its not D&D. You may as well be playing GURPs or Rolemaster.

*That includes pencils and paper.

So you better just wait and be happy about it!


(fyi Maptools rocks, but then again, I play Savage Worlds so it is acceptable to use it. BUT NOT YOU D&D PEOPLE - you have to wait!).

My apologies. I must have had my Grinch-Sensitive-Sunglasses on.

 

[Stormonu]

LOL!

I wouldn't laugh so much...I have a D&D cup (w/ Regdar on it) to drink from during the game, and AD&D pencils from my 2E player packs.

 

[amerigoV]

I wouldn't laugh so much...I have a D&D cup (w/ Regdar on it) to drink from during the game, and AD&D pencils from my 2E player packs.

I was only half joking, as I figured they had made them at some point over the last 30-some years. What prompted that comment was a recollection of seeing graph paper in my gaming store with the official d20 logo on it during the height of the d20 craze (abet, not from Wizards, so it still was not real D&D ).