D&D (2024) D&D's Upcoming Digital Tabletop

Perhaps the showstopper of todays D&D Direct event was a preview of the upcoming D&D digital playspace. Hosts Gina Darling and Ify Nwadiwe met with Kale Stutzman, principal game designer of D&D Digital, where he ran them through an adventure using the technology. The video shown in the presentation, though, was labeled “Pre-alpha gameplay footage.”

The upcoming D&D VTT uses Unreal Engine 5 to power it.

“There are a lot of ways to play D&D online and we don't think a lot of them hit the big three things we think are important – fun, convenience, authenticity,” said Stutzman.

In the demo, you see the dice roll on the screen, and it bursts into the result. Encounter mode is when you roll initiative

“The DM can set the mood, the lighting, what time of day is it. Is it raining? Are there fire embers falling from the sky?” said Stutzman.

The community will be able to create and share assets. “We want to make content that's building blocks that people can break apart and make their own content with. That remix is core to the DNA of D&D, said Stutzman.

Stutzman didn't answer when the VTT will release, but he did say that D&D staff and limited friends and family are trying it now and that they're going to gradually open it up. “...and a lot of people listening will be able to play it this year,” Stutzman added, which means a play test in “late 2023.”

 

[Zaukrie]

Considering I used the 4e vtt to run games…vapor ware is an exaggeration, IMO. It never left beta because the developer died, but it was already easy and fun to use, in beta. And integrated with the 4e character builder pretty well.
if they’d finished that suite of tools, the state of digital tools in TTRPGS would be a lot different.

I remember trying to go from the 4e tools to roll20 or one of its competitors, trying multiple programs, and even years later never having quite as easy a time, or having as much fun with as low a barrier to entry.


I doubt they’re going to halfway integrate it with ddb.

Yeah the potential to use procedural generation to help the DM improvise new scenes on the fly is pretty cool.

Lolwut?

You saw people playing pretty normal D&D with a digital tabletop instead of physical minis, complete with improvisation and bending the rules to facilitate play, and…someone see the end of D&D ? Hwhat?

This is laughable. Not as bad as the comment above this one, but still quite out there.

Yeah video games at this fidelity never get fan made mods lol

From all I’ve read, the engine should support fan mods just fine. And the goal is explicitly to allow users to make new stuff.

Make isn't necessarily sell..... And they didn't integrate with DNDbeyond, they imported.... We'll see. I have high hopes

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Make isn't necessarily sell..... And they didn't integrate with DNDbeyond, they imported.... We'll see. I have high hopes

The implication was that they ported the character directly with trivial process/effort.

There’s no reason to think that encounters and monsters and the like won’t be just as easy, IMO,

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Stutzman didn't answer when the VTT will release, but he did say that D&D staff and limited friends and family are trying it now and that they're going to gradually open it up. “...and a lot of people listening will be able to play it this year,” Stutzman added, which means a play test in “late 2023.”

There has to be tremendous pressure to release this in 2024.

 

[MNblockhead]

you can use other VTTs for that, what does this one get you that you are interested in it for that?

For me it would be full support for D&D mechanics. The most important thing that this VTT will need to attract me is that is has to have to best support for D&D official rules. It would be nice if it also allows some support for homebrewing, but that's not a deal breaker for me. None of the VTTs I've tried really automate rules in a convenient, fun, and consistent manner. The major VTTs are designed to be game-system neutral. I don't think any of them are going to be able to provide as good of an experience for D&D as a VTT designed just for D&D.

From what I've seen in yesterdays demo and have read, I can see using the WotC VTT for running official WotC modules. Maybe for third-party or self-created adventures if the 2D tools are easy to use. I'll continue to use Foundry for other systems. I'm just tired of wrestling with my VTT to get the basic automations for area of effect spell saves and damage to work consistently. If the WotC VTT solves that for me, it'll be worth paying for, even if as a 2nd VTT just for D&D.

 

[MNblockhead]

It looks beautiful, but I’ve been hurt before. Especially by Hasbro.

I would definitely use a tool that looks like this, but I’m not stoked about the inevitable microtransactions for new minis, tiles, and spells. I also assume it’ll be strongly locked into the core D&D ruleset, which is also a bummer. Finally, while it looks beautiful now, 3D stuff always ends up looking dated a few years later.

Ahh I’m being too negative. But I’m gonna wait before I let myself get excited about this.

Regarding your complaint about it being strongly locked into the core D&D ruleset. For me, that the is its strongest selling point. PLEASE do not try to make it system neutral. Make it the VTT with the best support of the 5e/OneDnD ruleset. Optimize the interface around this. Make using automations in the VTT convenient.

If they can pull off outstanding support for the ruleset, I could care less if the graphics look dated. If it fully support the official rules and offers a convenient and responsive interface, the rest is eye candy that I don't care too much about.

One thing that bothers me more and more with many VTTs is the emphasis on making things look cool for your screenshots and video streams but which are just a time consuming pain to prep in regular gaming. I'm really getting tired of running D&D in Foundry. So, while I'm retaining a healthy level of skepticism, I'm still going to jump on any early test or beta access to the WotC VTT in the hopes that it delivers quality of life improvements to make running the game easier.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Looks great! But I don't think that it will be usefull for GMs who like to improvise. But buying and playing full ready to go Adventures might work very well. I am very curious about the pricing model they plan to have with it.

I know that was just a presentiation thing, but having all palyer on the same table with each their own laptop using the online 3D VTT seems like a strange usecase

I wish I had that with 4e. That was what I hoped for the video game that failed hard... so lets see how it works out.

 

[Clint_L]

I wish I had that with 4e. That was what I hoped for the video game that failed hard... so lets see how it works out.

Of course they will sell virtual dungeon tiles, miniatures, etc. Which you can then use to create your own sets. They’ve already said as much. I don’t see how, aside from being virtual, this is different from what I do with my miniatures and Dwarven Forge and stuff. Except this will almost certainly be way cheaper, and definitely easier to store.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Ah. I misunderstood....I expect people to use the assets they supply and sell stuff, not build assets. If allowed.

Still they are out there, they have blender and are not afraid to use it.

 

[Vincent55]

Just like the Patreon or foundry owners. I have no idea how this is different at all.

Well, i own foundry and the patron thing I can stop at any time and will not impact the stuff I own, I suspect that with the others this is not going to be the case. I don't need any more add-ons as of now for my VTT as I downloaded all that I need, so I have nothing going out as payments. With the D&D one, you will have microtransactions for skins, different dice, and other art assets to get you to spend more money. But as it is not out yet I could be wrong and they might out of the goodness of their heart not do this.

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Of course they will sell virtual dungeon tiles, miniatures, etc. Which you can then use to create your own sets. They’ve already said as much. I don’t see how, aside from being virtual, this is different from what I do with my miniatures and Dwarven Forge and stuff. Except this will almost certainly be way cheaper, and definitely easier to store.

Ok... I don't really see the connection to my post, but I answer anyway.

I hoped sword cost legends would allow me to present d&d on computer lika a computer game. I set up the dungeon and players can engage with it and me.

I for my part don't see a point in roll20. To me it is not immersive enough to be better than graph paper and not easy enough to set up and use. Not worth thr hassle.
If the 3d VT allows better immersion and is actually easy to set up and use, I can see me using it for some epic battles.

I mentioned 4e, because 4e especially was great for tactical battles. Playing 1 player skirmish vs DM controlled (or even AI controlled) creatures would have been a really fun game.
5e is a bit less tactical, but I expect such a game mode to be fun.

I for my part have no fear of AI DMs.
A VTT that allows me to set up the battle and test it against AI controlled creatures would be a great asset for new DMs.