D&D General Do you want a 3D vtt?

[Umbran]

Good grief, Dungeon Alchemist | AI Fantasy Game Mapmaking Software Dungeon Alchemist does nearly everything they're talking about (at a lower level, sure) and that was made by a couple of guys in their basement.

Dungeon Alchemist makes maps that you can print as hardcopy. But, as far as I am aware, it isn't a virtual table top. It doesn't handle tokens on those maps shared by disparate users, nor does it do any automation of gameplay. So, no, it doesn't do "nearly everything".

 

[Azzy]

Dungeon Alchemist makes maps that you can print as hardcopy. But, as far as I am aware, it isn't a virtual table top. It doesn't handle tokens on those maps shared by disparate users, nor does it do any automation of gameplay. So, no, it doesn't do "nearly everything".

For what it's worth, it does export to files that can be used by the Talespire VTT.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

For what it's worth, it does export to files that can be used by the Talespire VTT.

And Foundry by the look of it.

 

[darjr]

Is DA an AI scraper?

 

[Bagpuss]

I think WotC is making a mistake building one.

How easy is it monetize TotM, compared to say a 3D VTT, where you can sell DM's maps and assets and player's skins, and items?

It's not a direction I want to see D&D go, but I don't think it is a mistake in making one.

 

[Umbran]

For what it's worth, it does export to files that can be used by the Talespire VTT.

Sounds like a great tool to be used for a 3D VTT that allows import of assets, then.

 

[Bagpuss]

I don't think I'd switch from Roll20 for VTT. I actually appreciate how crude the whole thing ends up looking in Roll20 because it means the players are still relying on me as DM to narrate and tell them what's around them. A 3D VTT, to me, crosses that line of making it feel more like a video game that the PCs are exploring.

I agree to some extent, but if they integrated the monsters management better than Roll20 (which currently as a GM I need to set up a load of macros for real utility even on official stuff), I could be tempted.

 

[Velderan]

I agree to some extent, but if they integrated the monsters management better than Roll20 (which currently as a GM I need to set up a load of macros for real utility even on official stuff), I could be tempted.

Beyond20 Chrome extension + DDB handles all that for me. The DDB encounter builder also works through it to send things like initiative order and such. Or at least it did, I haven't DMed in around a year at this point.

 

[Hussar]

I still didn't have enough storage for my current campaign. And a single-level map from the current mega dungeon I'm running would grind Roll20 to a halt.

Note, this generally isn't a computer performance issue, but, an Internet speed thing - not only yours but every one of your players as well. And it can be a real bear. As a rule of thumb, any image more than a couple of megabytes isn't going to fly very well. One solution is to slice up your giant map into individually smaller jpg's and then stitch them together when building the map in whatever VTT you're using. That tends to solve the hanging up problem.

This also gets really exacerbated when dealing with fog of war and sight lines.

 

[Hussar]

Dungeon Alchemist makes maps that you can print as hardcopy. But, as far as I am aware, it isn't a virtual table top. It doesn't handle tokens on those maps shared by disparate users, nor does it do any automation of gameplay. So, no, it doesn't do "nearly everything".

The maps can be directly imported, included sight lines and lighting, into VTT's. No, true, it's not a VTT in and of itself. But, you take Dungeon Alchemist, wed it to Fantasy Grounds (for example) and you're good to go.

 

[Azzy]

And Foundry by the look of it.

Yes, my fellow DM in my group uses maps he creates in Dungeon Alchemist in our Foundry-based games. The maps look very nice.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Note, this generally isn't a computer performance issue, but, an Internet speed thing - not only yours but every one of your players as well. And it can be a real bear. As a rule of thumb, any image more than a couple of megabytes isn't going to fly very well. One solution is to slice up your giant map into individually smaller jpg's and then stitch them together when building the map in whatever VTT you're using. That tends to solve the hanging up problem.

This also gets really exacerbated when dealing with fog of war and sight lines.

Yeah this is a weird-ass issue, and I feel like with Roll 20 at least, it's a Roll 20-end issue. I have fast internet and am usually playing on my main PC. My friend has screamingly fast internet and is also on their PC. Others are on a variety of laptops and phones and tablets, and none of them have particularly fast internet.

Yet when there's a problem with a map/image in a VTT not showing up, it's often the people with the faster internet not getting it. Sometimes no-one is getting it. That's not our internet speed, and it's not the DM's internet speed either, because the image is already uploaded to Roll 20, and that's what we're connected to, not the DM's PC.

Which indicates a Roll 20 issue.

 

[M_Natas]

I voted no. Even online I'm using owlbear.rodeo instead of Roll20 or on of the other Systems to DM because the Prep Time for the VTT is minimal. The players have their character sheets at home and roll at home. All I need is a table to push tokens around as a DM and can put or a draw a Map in the background.
Even as a DM I don't print battle maps anymore. I did in the beginning with IG freaking maps. 4 A3 Pages for an encounter ...
But with limited time I concentrate on the ingame content not on the look at the table. Drawing it on a flipmat is way easier and faster.
Online, too.
All the visual also aids kill Imagination.

The players will not imagine the World anymore, they will watch a 3d rwndwring of it. And that kills immersion, because it will feel way more like a Video Game than an TTRPG.

And I'm not a grognard. I started playing D&D in 2018. Also I live in Germany were the Internet connection us usally not very good, so you till jave all the connection issues during a game, which would be even worse for a 3d Engine.

 

[Horwath]

only with Oculus support.

I would like to see exactly what my character sees.

With B&W filters for darkvision.

 

[Bagpuss]

have all the connection issues during a game, which would be even worse for a 3d Engine.

Not particularly most of the 3D stuff will be done at the client end so it isn't transferring significantly more data for it being 3D over a 2D VTT.

 

[Bill Zebub]

The 3D VTT I would want isn't the one they would make.

I would want the map...terrain and other physical features...to be drawn abstractly in 2D, but with elevation changes, staircases and the like in 3D. So basically like a hand-drawn isometric map.

Then, on top of that, I'd love for the "minis" to be detailed 3D and animated.

 

[Grantypants]

It seems like this system would work pretty well if you're using a prewritten module, but be a nightmare if you're trying to use customization or homebrew beyond what has already been programmed. What's the digital version of using pennies or skeleton minis to represent other monsters that you don't have minis for?

 

[Zaukrie]

I'd like a VTT with the following.....

3d, but not realistic. That's just too hard to make. I want something like Talespire, but easier to use, that interface is not my friend.

2.5d..... So standees for minis I don't have, where I can bring in art. Low walls you can see over, at an angle that isn't top down or fully first person.

Recreate something like me putting down 3d assets. Sometimes I have a 2d map where I put down a few assets, but it's mostly just aesthetics.

I need to be able to easily create monsters or NPCs , because I own a lot of third party stuff

Ability to draw a simple map if want.

Support for theater of the mind play.

 

[tetrasodium]

It seems like this system would work pretty well if you're using a prewritten module, but be a nightmare if you're trying to use customization or homebrew beyond what has already been programmed. What's the digital version of using pennies or skeleton minis to represent other monsters that you don't have minis for?

Pretty much this or google, there's been enough years building up 2d assets by now that odds are good that the GM has something close they can use for "this wolf is really a hellhound" style just like we've done with minis for ages. People questioned the choice of going 3d with good reason

 

[UngainlyTitan]

To be honest I am not sure I want 3d VTT but if there is one I want it to support 2d maps and AR/VR
What I would really like from D&DBeyond is campaign management tools that are integrated to the maps in the VTT. Like currently offered by FantasyGrounds but better. I want to be able to copy and paste from pdf and D&D Beyond to encounter and story elements and hyperlink them to each other and to the map.
Be able to track a time line and record events and place plot developments into the timeline.
Stuff like that.