DnD on Microsoft Surface Update

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Ah. Now we're getting somewhere.

I just haven't seen the WHY this will replace computers currently.

It's not going to replace computers. It will supplement them and expand them into the living room for a larger segment of the population. It's going to be a new (occasionally better) way to do some computer applications. It will also be a new way to do some currently non-computer games that will be at least better for some, though probably worse for others. It better talk to all my media devices and give me a series of super cool UIs for interacting with them. There will also be completely new ideas invented for it that I can't currently wrap my head around because the thing isn't common enough yet to have caused inspiration to the right people.

WHY would I want to switch? An answer of "Because it's so cool!" just doesn't cut it.

That's always how it starts for a percentage of the population, though. Not enough for you. Not enough for me out of the gate for price reasons. Then it will get cheaper to make them. They'll get more common. Then someone will make a "killer app" for it and it will jump to the top of my wish list.

The Microsoft Surface? Big cumbersome thing without as much functionality as a computer with a cool interface.

It will have different functionality, just from the sheer size of it. You don't see having a table-sized virtual desktop as providing some ergonomic or ease-of-use benefits for some applications? Or for sharing a computer application with multiple people in the same room?

A big ol' shared computer space would actually be just nice to have, IMO. My wife and I would definitely use if for both work and games, and my lord would it be cool for work. The paperless lab could actually happen.

Maybe I'm just a nerd who hangs out with nerdy people, but pulling up a Wikipedia page, a youtube video, or a neat journal article (what? I hang out with other scientists ) on the table when we're having a conversation among friends would be super convenient. Right now we either need to relocate to the office or pass around someone's iphone if we want to share something like that, so not everyone at once can have the same experience.

Shared social experience of all this digital stuff is something that is already pretty powerful. Even if all this does is make that slightly more convenient, it will eventually become a big, fat, hairy deal.

The idea, the concept, is great- but it's current form sucks.

Once the technology is there to say build multi touch into smaller things like LCD screens, and such, I can see it exploding, but computer/coffee table?

I just don't think the current form is going to be the one that makes the concept explode into houses around the world.

It's not perfect. Needs to start somewhere though. I'm choosing to be slightly more "Power to the People!" here, because I want part of my living room to act like the bridge of the Enterprise sooner rather than later.

 

[Mistwell]

Microsoft said it expects prices to drop enough to make consumer versions feasible in 2010. The price is already down to $5,000 for some models. They are aiming to get the price so low that it will be pervasive for things like tabletops, counters, and even hallway mirrors.

You guys thinking this is 10 years away are probably off by a lot. I think the next generation of XBOX will have games that play on MS Surface. This isn't 10 years off, this is probably 1-2 years off as a viable commercial product. They SHOULD be at least thinking about developing for it now.

 

[falcarrion]

Why would anyone do this? Microsoft itself certainly has other things in mind for Surface than to make it a D&D prop.
And wizards likely won't support it as it is much too expensive for the average D&D gamer to buy, so its a bad investment.

It looks cool, but from a economic standpoint its crap. Maybe in 10 years or so if it is a big success (imo unlikely).

The reason is they are learning and creating code that can be used in different aplacations for Multitouch tables. Besides it is fun. The fact that they get to do it on a surface table is great. Multitouch is the future of computers. Look what it has done for the Iphone and Itouch. Many companies are investing heavly into multitouch tech. And being able to write the software in flash cs3 or 4, actionscript etc. will open the job market for them.

 

[Derren]

It will supplement them and expand them into the living room for a larger segment of the population. It's going to be a new (occasionally better) way to do some computer applications.

List them.

Surface is inferior for most consumer applications compared to a PC, Mobil or specialized input device.

Games? Can't do FPS and other mainstream games.
Office applications? Don't need multitouch for that. Also, lack of keyboard and awkward screen to read from.
Art? Tablets (Wacom for example) already offer everything surface can do.
Picture Editing? Surface does not offer any advantages over a PC with Photoshop.
Video editing? You need massive processor power for that. Surface will hardly have that. Also, see picture editing.
Media browsing like on an IPod? Get an Ipod. Its cheaper and portable.

No one will buy surface for board games, D&D and some odd, once in a year, applications. Its more something for businesses than for consumers.

 

[falcarrion]

Numer of early adopters willing to spend lots of money who watch TV >>>>> Numer of early adopters willing to spend lots of money who play D&D

And you only need one table per gaming group, so even less customers.

And 10 years would be quick. LCDs and Plasma TVs needed longer from prototypes to reaching a significant market share. And they didn't need special software written for them like surface.

Since multitouch tech has been around since the late 1990's. Having it in your home within 2 years is not unreasonable. Have you ever used a touch screen ATM? Windows 7 already has multitouch software built in it, as this is the OS for the suface.

 

[falcarrion]

List them.

Surface is inferior for most consumer applications compared to a PC, Mobil or specialized input device.

Games? Can't do FPS and other mainstream games.
Office applications? Don't need multitouch for that. Also, lack of keyboard and awkward screen to read from.
Art? Tablets (Wacom for example) already offer everything surface can do.
Picture Editing? Surface does not offer any advantages over a PC with Photoshop.
Video editing? You need massive processor power for that. Surface will hardly have that. Also, see picture editing.
Media browsing like on an IPod? Get an Ipod. Its cheaper and portable.

No one will buy surface for board games, D&D and some odd, once in a year, applications. Its more something for businesses than for consumers.

The way to look at the surface is that it is just a large monitor. Its just big enough to house the computer inside. Anything you can do on a computer you will be able to do on the surface sooner or later. Its just a matter of the software companies, putting in hand gesture reconition software in the programs.

 

[Derren]

The way to look at the surface is that it is just a large monitor. Its just big enough to house the computer inside. Anything you can do on a computer you will be able to do on the surface sooner or later. Its just a matter of the software companies, putting in hand gesture reconition software in the programs.

And as I listed, for most consumer applications a real PC would be the better alternative compared to surface. That will slow down the adoption rate.

Just read Mistwells link. Most things Microsoft talks about are bussineses, not consumer.

 

[falcarrion]

List them.

Office applications? Don't need multitouch for that. Also, lack of keyboard and awkward screen to read from.
.

They don't lack a keyboard. Its just a virtual keyboard. This is already in the windows 7 software. and your fingers are the mouse.

 

[Derren]

They don't lack a keyboard. Its just a virtual keyboard. This is already in the windows 7 software. and your fingers are the mouse.

And now guess with what you will type faster. A real keyboard which gives feedback or a virtual one. Surfaces looses again. Space isn't much of an issue because of foldable/flexible keyboards.

Surface has nothing going for it (on the consumer market) other than being "cool" and new and some fun applications. But the functionality is behind specialized devices or PCs.

If surface costs $500 or less, like other specialized devices like netbooks, people will start buying it in larger quantities to get the few applications surface can do. But as long as it costs more than a PC, people wil buy the PC instead as it is simply better.

 

[Dannager]

If surface costs $500 or less, like other specialized devices like netbooks, people will start buying it in larger quantities to get the few applications surface can do. But as long as it costs more than a PC, people wil buy the PC instead as it is simply better.

You're making it sound like Surface is an equivalent good to a personal computer, that they somehow fill the same need.

They don't.

The personal computer is a workstation and single-person entertainment tool. Surface is something else entirely. No one's really sure what exactly it will be used for yet, since the technology is so new, but to pretend that you can somehow know at this moment that there will not be a significant market for it down the line is just wrong.