DDI, the VTT, and an Untapped Market--People Like Me

[joethelawyer]

Just to lay out where I'm coming from, PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS AS AN EDITION WAR STARTER, but just to tell you my point of view, I don't like 4e as a tabletop rpg. It doesn't fit my style of play. However, from what I've seen and heard of it, I think the rules would make a great base for a fun computer game---similar to Diablo. Hell, I still play Diablo 2 once in a while.

If they got the VTT thing going, and I was able to login on a boring Thursday night for a couple hours and take part in a pickup game in some guy's dungeon that he threw together, that would be cool as hell. It's sort of like a combo between Diablo and D&D. An interactive tactical combat Diablo style game, which can be changed by the players thru interaction with the DM. I would actually buy 4e books and learn the system for that. I would subscribe to DDI for that.

I don't think I'm alone here.

 

[Festivus]

That's exactly what I am doing tonight instead of playing a CRPG or MMORPG. I have been doing this for years and enjoy the heck out of it. 3.5, 4E they all play just fine online.

Get a hold of Maptool and look at some of the stuff people are doing with it... it's impressive.

I also think that 4E could make a really good CRPG or MMORPG... in fact, I bet we see one before too long.

 

[Mark]

I was thinking about running some games in this style using a project and maptool.

 

[Umbran]

Sure, there's a market for it. Sure, it'd be cool. But, you know, the economics of the thing may just not work out, especially right now.

Here's to hoping.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I have recently downloaded Maptool and am currently getting to grips with it. So far it looks pretty cool and is easier to use than anything else in that area that I have tried.
One does need to go and search for art for it, but it seems really powerful. Now I must map out a scenario and actually run a session.

 

[Vorput]

I agree, that would be pretty awesome.

PLus I still hold most any video game based upon 4e rules, and done well, would be successful.

 

[malraux]

I would subscribe to DDI for that.

I don't think I'm alone here.

How much would you be willing to pay, and how could WotC meet the demand better than Blizzard, or just something like maptools plus a decent forum?

 

[joethelawyer]

How much would you be willing to pay, and how could WotC meet the demand better than Blizzard, or just something like maptools plus a decent forum?

I'd probably pay 10 bucks a month for it. I don't care who meets the demand, as long as it is met. Given WOTC's track record with technology, they ought to let Blizzard do it and just get royalties from it. I've downloaded maptools, but I can't make heads or tails of it. They ought to put out a DM version of maptools, and a players version. All I want to do is login, choose wizard, pick my spells, join the adventure and play. I want the interface to be no more complicated than the old Temple of Elemental Evil game put out by Atari, which I also still play once in a while.

Now that I think about it, I wish they would ust use TOEE as a base and do what I was saying with the Pathfinder/3.x systems---put out interactive dungeon crawls with it.

We can dream, right?

 

[S'mon]

I played 4e for the first time last Sunday. I had a very strong feeling "Wow, this would make a great computer game!" - I really wish one were available along the lines you describe. Some way not to wait 15 minutes for my turn to come around.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

The VTT was never meant to adjudicate rules. Maptools can take some of the workload of the shoulders of a DM, but it is not a "plug and play" style program. It IS for DMs and pretty easy to use for players - but it is still a program to run RPGs online.
As 4e is a tool to, well, play an RPG. That´s what it´s good at. If you want to play a computer game, or do not feel satisfied by playing 4e as intended, no software tool will change that.
Ever.