You get tokens on DNDbeyond..... Free.....I have no idea what they'll charge for models, but the sky is falling posts in this thread are almost humorous.
D&D General Do you want a 3D vtt?
Steel_Wind
Legend
I hate to break it to you, but yes, a textured, shader specified, 3d model is significantly more expensive than a 2d image. It takes more technical skill to do a kick-ass original texture -- while still requiring a bevy of pure artistic talent, too.
This is why developers move to asset sourcing/purchasing from freelancers living in Eastern Europe or in the 3rd World so as to reduce as much off of those costs as they can. The 2d artists suffer from the same global competition.
Yeah, it's more expensive. By a lot.
darjr
I crit!
A lot of that original art is expensive too. Some of it very.
But I get your point. In the case of the 3d vtt it's, my guess, at least as expensive as having to commission the art twice. And at least once for every creature instead of just some of them.
I think that the post you quoted is half wrong but your reply is probably off the mark too.
A 3d VTT would almost certainly come with a bunch of standard models & skins like the ones in the PHB for them in the base purchase but more monsters and retextured ones that allow the GM to have things like a red yellow blue green red & orange $monster in a fight might be part of an extra purchase like the MM, a MM+Models bundle , or even a monthly sub that includes lots of content simply because 3d models are a heck of a lot more work than just copying part of a 2d image.
It won't make much sense for wotc to nickle & dime GMs too much on monster models & skins simply because the GM has an outsized workload involved in the group using a VTT & can simply say "we are moving to arkenforge, Foundry, owlbearrodeo, roll20 or whatever" & cease to be a vehicle for getting the buttons to purchase 1$ PC model accoutrements before the eyeballs of a party of players seeing them in the player interface smartphone app. Annoying a person in that sort of position is such an obviously bad idea that it's just not something to be all that concerned about
MonsterEnvy
Legend
That's more talk about how they should do more stuff with merch, tv, and games. I would say the Brand is under monetized, but brand does not refer to the TTRPG in this case from what I understood.
Hussar
Legend
So, how can something like Heroforge bang out 3d models for free?
Again, people really, REALLY need to scale back their expectations. This is not going to be AAA level 3d graphics. It's just not. There's no way they're going to go that route. It's going to be simple, 3d models, little or no animation, texturing will be very basic and rudimentary.
But, again, my point was that we get a Monster Manual which has hundreds of pieces of art in it, for about 40 bucks. The idea that they're going to charge you several hundred dollars for the models (someone mentioned paying dollars/model) just to use the Monster Manual in the VTT is ridiculous. It's not going to happen.
darjr
I crit!
Last I checked the hero forge mini's are not free. Are they?
Also I don't think the D&D miniatures will be like mix and match dolls like Heroforges are. Not to take away from Heroforge, I have a few of them, all stls.
I'd be surprised if they were not to some degree for PC minis. WotC can't sell bob a flaming halberd, a fluttering cape a skull faceplate helmet and a tacticool bandolier of pouches for his model if those aren't semimodular enough to all go onto one PC model.
Azzy
ᚳᚣᚾᛖᚹᚢᛚᚠ
The don't. Ignoring physical miniatures altogether, STL files (for 3D printing) and digital minis (used in 3D VTTs) each cost $8.
That's not to say WotC won't bundle their 3D minis with their books, but it is likely that they may cost extra (though likely less per mini than Hero Forge).
