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.”

 

[Bagpuss]

I would rather have a monitor flat on the table to have something like a interactive map. Everyone looking at the laptop just strange.

Yeah at least that is a shared experience then. But I think that video with them sat round the table with laptops is misleading. They are clearly talking about a VTT for remote play. They are just round a table for the demo, but in reality they would all be in different places.

I would like to see something purpose build for a shared table based VTT. While most of the VTTs can kind of do it none seem purpose built for it and all have issues.

 

[Cergorach]

It looks good, it looks very good! BUT, this is WotC and my experience with WotC electronic D&D products for the last 25 years has been horrible! (note: No experience with D&D Beyond) Not only was their function feature set often lacking, the promised the moon and never delivered, but the most problematic issue was support. They just ditched products left and right.

Now, I'm pretty impressed with Magic: Arena (also from WotC), which has been going strong for the last 4.5+ years. This new tool might be the same... Or not... I have no glass ball. But Magic: Arena is F2P, no money you need to 'invest' in it if you don't want to.

WotC binds everything at their current edition, so if you're still playing something else you're F-ed. That's because it's not WotC's core business to make VTTs, while VTT makers do have it as their core business, so they make it possible for as many people as possible to access as many games as possible. Some VTT products even allow you to make your own rulessets, content, etc.

I also think that WotC is far, far behind in the VTT market, especially the 3D market.

Tabletop Simulator has been doing 3D tabletop for 8 years, they have been working on it for 9+ years. It's not very flexible, but also very complex and probably not the most user friendly, it might be the one that does capture the feel the best of sitting at a table...

Talespire has been doing exactly what's shown here for the last two years (in Early Access), they've been working on it for at least 4 years. And it's pretty rules agnostic.

Realm Engine is in Early Access for the last two years.

Yag has been around for a yearin Early Access.

RPG Stories is launching next week in Early Access.

There are many others, either already launched, kickstarted or coming SOON!(tm)... Imho the only thing WotC can add in this space is their exposure and D&D branding.

My interest will depend heavily on feature set, business model and cost, not to mention support/lifecycle.

For now I'll be playing around with my Foundry license (2D VTT) and my Talespire license (3D VTT)...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

It looks good, it looks very good! BUT, this is WotC and my experience with WotC electronic D&D products for the last 25 years has been horrible! (note: No experience with D&D Beyond) Not only was their function feature set often lacking, the promised the moon and never delivered, but the most problematic issue was support. They just ditched products left and right.

On the other hand, this is the first time D&D got a good movie. So maybe it is also time it gets a good 3d VTT.

 

[Bagpuss]

They talk about user produced content (good) being able to be shared (good), but they also refer to is as a "marketplace" so I suspect it will be shared like Roll20's marketplace, and they will take a cut of anything sold on it. I also notice the Ankheg was labelled Ankheg (painted), I really hope there isn't tiered microtransaction prices for miniature assets of painted and unpainted.

However I could be on board with unpainted minis for free, and you can pay to get them painted.

I really wonder how much can be input by the actual Keeper Dungeon Master (sorry too much CoC) that aren't assets bought from the marketplace.

 

[eyeheartawk]

Is it a toolbox, or is it horse armor?

You already know the answer.

I mean, when in like the past ever has the answer not been horse armor.

 

[robconley]

It looking to be an incremental improvement over Bioware's Neverwinter Nights. And it will be as popular as that was i.e. it will have a following and a community but will rapidly become it own thing separate from the tabletop hobby.

 

[mellored]

Ahh ha ha ha. No. You have no idea. If it’s not in the dataset wotc sells it will simply never happen. This sh*t is expensive. $5k per asset and up. No indie can afford that.

Do you mean 3d models art and effects? Because yes, sort of. Though anyone who makes minis will already have a 3d model that can be imported.

But map, stat block, custom spell text blocks, and custom classes (not automated) are easy to add.

 

[Burt Baccara]

Macro-level opinion: We want inclusivity, and we want to push the game to online. These two things do not always go well together.

Personal, micro-level take: I use Roll20 now and 90% of that is as a glorified whiteboard, character sheets, dice roller and to share images. I can do the last two in Discord, let someone map in a 3pp app or on paper, and have several options for sheets. Plus, I house rule and make calls all over the place (I am not a good GM for rules lawyers, nor are they good players for me—and that is OK). If anything, I'm trying to trim down, so this is not for me.

 

[TrainedMunkee]

Guessing it will probably be subscription and not micro transactions. Subscription is the golden goose of Silicon Valley and Microsoft. We all know current management's history. If I was a betting man, a combination of both. I am guessing the mini was labeled painted due to the fact that it is customizable, you get to paint it yourself. If I am being honest with myself, I will probably drop some cash on this, sadly. I have yet to find a VTT for 5e that satisfies me. Foundry is excellent for the other systems I run.

 

[Burt Baccara]

Guessing it will probably be subscription and not micro transactions. Subscription is the golden goose of Silicon Valley and Microsoft. We all know current management's history. If I was a betting man, a combination of both. I am guessing the mini was labeled painted due to the fact that it is customizable, you get to paint it yourself. If I am being honest with myself, I will probably drop some cash on this, sadly. I have yet to find a VTT for 5e that satisfies me. Foundry is excellent for the other systems I run.

Minecraft is $26.95 USD for an account, no subscription, and a ton of micro-transactions for skins. Realms though is $7.99 USD per month. Education Edition costs $5-12 a year. So, WotC might end up with a few tiers.