Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
White Dwarf Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Nest
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
EN Publishing
Twitter
BlueSky
Facebook
Instagram
EN World
BlueSky
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Twitch
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Publishing Business & Licensing
Bob the World Builder Interviews Kyle Brink
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Loren the GM" data-source="post: 8945866" data-attributes="member: 6882721"><p>I know lots of others have responded, but here is an actual VTT example that might inform the conversation.</p><p></p><p>On Roll20, I have access to what is in the SRD. If I pull out a goblin onto the tabletop, it is going to generate a small round token with text that says "Goblin" on it. But I now have a basic representation of the monster on the tabletop.</p><p></p><p>If I want something more detailed, I can buy the 5e Monster Manual. It has all the stats, and there are included tokens with the art from the MM attached to each monster that I can use on the tabletop. So, I have not only the goblin stat blocks, but I have the official Roll20/WotC Token for the goblin.</p><p></p><p>Roll20 also operates a marketplace where artists sell their products. In this marketplace are lots of other goblin images for sale. Some are other versions of tokens, some are top down images that more accurately feel more like minis, some are isometric or 2d versions. Maybe I'm looking for specific types of goblins, with shortbows instead of swords, or a wizard, or with a twirly mustache, or a specific art style. None have stat blocks attached, and I can buy them whether I own any specific game content on the platform.</p><p></p><p>If I purchase any of these options, I can open my game, open the official Goblin monster, and replace the official Token with whatever art I have purchased. Or, I can put 20 different images of goblins I have purchased onto the tabletop, and associate the stats with that token.</p><p></p><p>I could also pull an ogre out of the monster manual, but assign it a goblin image I've purchased, if I want to.</p><p></p><p>Ultimately, it is highly modular. As DM, I have complete control. But I am limited by what I have unlocked (or uploaded myself, as I can add my own images as well into the art library). So, I could run with the stock Goblin token, or swap out to create an entire cast of characters.</p><p></p><p>Applying all of this to the WotC 3D tabletop, it could be a few different ways they provide this. Maybe there is a default single goblin model you get if you are only using the free Basic Rules/SRD content (if they even offer that as a playable tier on the VTT). Or maybe they just have a general humanoid model (think crash test dummy) or go with a text labeled poker chip for anything you haven't purchased. You could still play, but it isn't as pretty as if you buy the MM and unlock the standard models. And there could be even cooler skins for those standard models that you can purchase, allowing your basic MM goblin to look like a wizard, or swap out weapons, or have a funny mustache, or add custom animations.</p><p></p><p>This all feels like what most VTT's are already doing, just with a slightly different twist because of the 3D nature of the platform.</p><p></p><p>I'd guess that as far as stats go, if you try to purchase a model of something you haven't unlocked (either through the free/SRD/Basic Rules tier, or through a book purchase) they would prompt you to buy the stats (I mean, to me that would make good business sense to help people opt in to buying more content). But it might not be required - they might also be fine if you want to use the model of the minotaur you just purchased as the art for the goblin you already have stats for, kind of like you can just buy art on the Roll20 marketplace, which feels like what Kyle was getting at with his comments.</p><p></p><p>Sorry if this was overkill, just felt it might be helpful to compare to an existing platform to understand what already exists as a way to see what they might do.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Loren the GM, post: 8945866, member: 6882721"] I know lots of others have responded, but here is an actual VTT example that might inform the conversation. On Roll20, I have access to what is in the SRD. If I pull out a goblin onto the tabletop, it is going to generate a small round token with text that says "Goblin" on it. But I now have a basic representation of the monster on the tabletop. If I want something more detailed, I can buy the 5e Monster Manual. It has all the stats, and there are included tokens with the art from the MM attached to each monster that I can use on the tabletop. So, I have not only the goblin stat blocks, but I have the official Roll20/WotC Token for the goblin. Roll20 also operates a marketplace where artists sell their products. In this marketplace are lots of other goblin images for sale. Some are other versions of tokens, some are top down images that more accurately feel more like minis, some are isometric or 2d versions. Maybe I'm looking for specific types of goblins, with shortbows instead of swords, or a wizard, or with a twirly mustache, or a specific art style. None have stat blocks attached, and I can buy them whether I own any specific game content on the platform. If I purchase any of these options, I can open my game, open the official Goblin monster, and replace the official Token with whatever art I have purchased. Or, I can put 20 different images of goblins I have purchased onto the tabletop, and associate the stats with that token. I could also pull an ogre out of the monster manual, but assign it a goblin image I've purchased, if I want to. Ultimately, it is highly modular. As DM, I have complete control. But I am limited by what I have unlocked (or uploaded myself, as I can add my own images as well into the art library). So, I could run with the stock Goblin token, or swap out to create an entire cast of characters. Applying all of this to the WotC 3D tabletop, it could be a few different ways they provide this. Maybe there is a default single goblin model you get if you are only using the free Basic Rules/SRD content (if they even offer that as a playable tier on the VTT). Or maybe they just have a general humanoid model (think crash test dummy) or go with a text labeled poker chip for anything you haven't purchased. You could still play, but it isn't as pretty as if you buy the MM and unlock the standard models. And there could be even cooler skins for those standard models that you can purchase, allowing your basic MM goblin to look like a wizard, or swap out weapons, or have a funny mustache, or add custom animations. This all feels like what most VTT's are already doing, just with a slightly different twist because of the 3D nature of the platform. I'd guess that as far as stats go, if you try to purchase a model of something you haven't unlocked (either through the free/SRD/Basic Rules tier, or through a book purchase) they would prompt you to buy the stats (I mean, to me that would make good business sense to help people opt in to buying more content). But it might not be required - they might also be fine if you want to use the model of the minotaur you just purchased as the art for the goblin you already have stats for, kind of like you can just buy art on the Roll20 marketplace, which feels like what Kyle was getting at with his comments. Sorry if this was overkill, just felt it might be helpful to compare to an existing platform to understand what already exists as a way to see what they might do. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
Publishing Business & Licensing
Bob the World Builder Interviews Kyle Brink
Top