WotC Guessing as to WotC's VTT plans

[Aldarc]

I hope that this does not become WotC's own Metaverse.

 

[LordEntrails]

WotC have hired literally hundreds of developers for D&D beyond

Where do you get that from? Not that I'm all that plugged in, but this is the first I've heard that they might have hired ANY additional developers for DDB and their VTT. Hundreds you say? That' would be enough to put out several AAA games in matter of months. That would require an overall size team many times that size just to manage it. Actually, I don't think you could effectively manage that many developers on a single limited scope application like a 3D VTT. But hey, what do I know?

So what I'm expecting is a ...

Which is nothing like what I'm expecting they are even trying for. It's nice to dream. I mean I dream of being gifted a full race prepped GT3RS or R8, of maybe even a LMDP prototype and the crew and funds to race it as much as I want. But yea, I'm not expecting that.

 

[J.Quondam]

Where do you get that from? Not that I'm all that plugged in, but this is the first I've heard that they might have hired ANY additional developers for DDB and their VTT. Hundreds you say? That' would be enough to put out several AAA games in matter of months. That would require an overall size team many times that size just to manage it. Actually, I don't think you could effectively manage that many developers on a single limited scope application like a 3D VTT. But hey, what do I know?

It was mentioned in Hasbro's "fireside chat" for investors this past week, 350 hired for DDB. Here's the thread with the overview info:

WotC - Hasbro Bets Big on D&D

During today's 'Hasbro Fireside Chat', Hasbro's Chris Cocks, chief executive officer, and Cynthia Williams, president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming mentioned D&D, and about betting big on its name. This was in addition to the Magic: The Gathering discussion they held on the same...

www.enworld.org

 

[LordEntrails]

It was mentioned in Hasbro's "fireside chat" for investors this past week, 350 hired for DDB. Here's the thread with the overview info:

WotC - Hasbro Bets Big on D&D

During today's 'Hasbro Fireside Chat', Hasbro's Chris Cocks, chief executive officer, and Cynthia Williams, president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming mentioned D&D, and about betting big on its name. This was in addition to the Magic: The Gathering discussion they held on the same...

www.enworld.org

Thx. That huge. Just ROM is $25 million a year in labor/salary, plus facility costs etc.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

I'd consider using a 3d vtt as long as I can get skins to make the monsters look like a motley assortment of chess pawns, coins, monopoly pieces, and the random other gewgaws I've typically used on a battle map.
Oh, and I need the ability to make the environment look like it was hastily scribbled with a dry-erase marker!

Yep, if we could do Monopoly pieces for PCs and Chess pieces for monsters, I'd be like my group's time playing 4E.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

3d VTTs will either not really go very far or become a major constraint on DM and player flexibility and creativity.

I don't know why it would do this, given that people use minis and boards.

 

[Reynard]

I really don't think the 3D thing is going to be that constraining. First of all,it's guaranteed to be easy and modular. And I think most players are pretty casual and won't care much -- just by law of averages on numbers of new players. Some folks will create really amazing layouts and if WotC is smart they will make it easy for folks to share and even sell their stuff.

The really big question is how tied to Beyond will the VTT be. If you can't use the poorly though out winged cat race you found on reddit, that might hurt them.

 

[darjr]

I don't know why it would do this, given that people use minis and boards.

Not all 3d terrain all the time?

Interesting.

Did you see this somewhere?

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Not all 3d terrain all the time?

Interesting.

Did you see this somewhere?

I think @MonsterEnvy is just saying that the concept of a VTT is not that odd considering that people have been using minis for decades.

 

[Greg Benage]

I don't know why it would do this, given that people use minis and boards.

The concern would be, they release a Temple and Cavern set. So the only limit is your imagination...as long as it's a temple or cavern. But my adventure features a crypt! Well, the Crypt Expansion for the Temple Pack is coming in 2026.

As it stands, I can grab any one of thousands of 2D maps online and use them. Hell, I never have to leave the Dyson Logos site if I like his style. But maybe they'll give the community tools to create these assets, and we'll have thousands of community-made 3D environments to choose from. I'll be surprised, but that would be nice.