D&D (2024) I am highly skeptical of the Unreal VTT

[Jer]

I know its not going to be right for me because when I game online I basically like to use a whiteboard and improvise.

But I also am not the target audience for their digital tools either since DDB is also in that category of "not right for me".

 

[robus]

Happy to see they're reworking the DMG to make it more friendly to new DMs. It's ass-backwards at the mo

 

[Stormonu]

My bookshelves are already full, and there won't be selling PDFs, so I'm out already.

 

[Umbran]

Yeah that's a fair point, but so many businesses don't do that, include really big corporate ones, because of the sheer burden of getting people up to speed on the newest engine.

And, if they were trying to ship six months from now, that would be important. But, their "we are pre-alpha" statements says we are years from product.

 

[Umbran]

My bookshelves are already full, and there won't be selling PDFs, so I'm out already.

The only constant is change. Refusing to change does mean one will be out at one point or another.

 

[Stormonu]

The only constant is change. Refusing to change does mean one will be out at one point or another.

Yep, and I'm sick of change, especially after 2019-2020. I'll go play with what I already have, just like I did around 4E. I can already see from the UA this edition will have nothing I want.

 

[Umbran]

Yep, and I'm sick of change, especially after 2019-2020.

That's fair enough. Good luck with it!

 

[darjr]

I actually prefer no
VTT and owlbear rodeo or just a shared doc.

But I think they are going all in and after the crowd who want all in. This ain’t roll 20 or a shared desktop. It’s really a video game sort of run by a GM. Kinda.

 

[jgsugden]

Not skeptical that it will come out, but skeptical that it is a good way to play D&D. I honestly believe that the fancier the VTT, the more it detracts from anything not combat, and makes it harder to run things on the fly or even homebrew prepped.

Thoughts?

This can be a real issue - but it is avoidable. Move the PCs to a blank screen when not engaged in combat and use theater of the mind. The distraction goes away. I do this on Roll20 these days - moving the PCs to a white background when the combat ends.

 

[Reynard]

This can be a real issue - but it is avoidable. Move the PCs to a blank screen when not engaged in combat and use theater of the mind. The distraction goes away. I do this on Roll20 these days - moving the PCs to a white background when the combat ends.

I need to start doing this for my Rappan Athuk game in particular and only drop a map when a fight starts.