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.”

 

[GreyLord]

It looks great and appears to easily integrate the rules into aesthetically pleasing graphics!

If they hit all the notes of fun, convenient, and authentic I think many players and groups will be extremely pleased with the result! (At least from my point of view currently).

 

[Zaukrie]

My concern with it being not part of DnD Beyond is having to buy stuff twice (three times!)....assuming they build maps/adventures based on books from WotC.

 

[Dire Bare]

I remember seeing previews for a similar product around 4th ed, which turned out to be vaporware. I like the idea and the 3 principles, but I'll reserve judgment until we see an actual product.

Well, actually . . . there was a fully 3D VTT in development for 3RD EDITION, over 20 years ago, in addition to the later Gleemax project that was to debut with 4th Edition.

Early 5th Edition didn't preview a VTT, but did preview a digital toolset that was being worked on before D&D Beyond. That fell apart, and later we got D&D Beyond. It's why fans are so hesitant to get excited . . . we've been here before three times already!

The previews for the 3rd Edition digital toolset and VTT were pretty good . . . in an alternate universe, fans have been playing on the official D&D VTT for decades!

 

[MonsterEnvy]

My concern with it being not part of DnD Beyond is having to buy stuff twice (three times!)....assuming they build maps/adventures based on books from WotC.

It is linked to Beyond.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

Well, actually . . . there was a fully 3D VTT in development for 3RD EDITION, over 20 years ago, in addition to the later Gleemax project that was to debut with 4th Edition.

Early 5th Edition didn't preview a VTT, but did preview a digital toolset that was being worked on before D&D Beyond. That fell apart, and later we got D&D Beyond. It's why fans are so hesitant to get excited . . . we've been here before three times already!

The previews for the 3rd Edition digital toolset and VTT were pretty good . . . in an alternate universe, fans have been playing on the official D&D VTT for decades!

A 3D VTT for Third Edition!

I did not know that.

 

[Zaukrie]

It is linked to Beyond.

For characters, we don't more than that, IIRC.

 

[CleverNickName]

Yeah, that's a hard pass for me on the animated 3D isometric video-game stuff. It looks like it was written to sell asset packs, avatars, skins, and the like, and "oh and you can play D&D with it too" was an afterthought.

I just need a VTT that will let me drop in a map, screen it, and then get out of the way. Roll20 and Discord have everything we need:

 

[Imaro]

Yeah, that's a hard pass for me on the animated 3D isometric video-game stuff. It looks like it was written to sell asset packs, avatars, skins, and the like, and "oh and you can play D&D with it too" was an afterthought.

I just need a VTT that will let me drop in a map, screen it, and then get out of the way. Roll20 and Discord have everything we need:

View attachment 280124

I'm not seeing how the playing of D&D was an afterthought with it. Don't get me wrong if you want to stick to basic tech for your VTT... that's cool but unless there's some flaw you're aware of that makes the 3D VTT unsuitable for play... I'm not understanding this statement.

 

[Baumi]

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

 

[CleverNickName]

I'm not seeing how the playing of D&D was an afterthought with it. Don't get me wrong if you want to stick to basic tech for your VTT... that's cool but unless there's some flaw you're aware of that makes the 3D VTT unsuitable for play... I'm not understanding this statement.

It's hard to describe. To me, it has looks like it was developed to be a videogame first and foremost, and then someone figured out they could use it to also play D&D. (I'm sure that's not the case...it's just how it looks.) In other words: it blurs the line between video game and tabletop a lot more than I like.

I'm sure it'll be a smash hit, but it's not doing it for me. If I want to draw my own map or create a custom monster, I'm either out of luck or I've got hours of prep work. It doesn't look like I'll just be able to scribble something up in an hour, save it to PNG format, and be good to go.