FANTASY GROUNDS Virtual Tabletop's D&D License!

Officially licensed D&D electronic tools! For real! Fantasy Grounds, one of the leading virtual tabletops, has just released a set of D&D 5th edition licensed data packages. These include the D&D Basic Rules, packs for each of the core classes, and a pile of monster packs. Each states specifically that "This product is licensed from Wizards of the Coast." This appears to be the first officially licensed and branded electronic product. (thanks to Matchstick for the scoop)

Check out their D&D wares here. They mention that "The DMG is still in the works, along with the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, The Rise of Tiamat and Princes of the Apocalypse." and that "The basic 5E ruleset will continue to be provided directly within Fantasy Grounds to all licenses. These purchasable options add a new graphics theme that is officially branded, along with the library module support, and whatever other enhancements we could squeeze in, like tokens or portraits or decals."

Here's the announcement:

We are proud to announce that we are officially licensed to sell D&D source material and content inside of Fantasy Grounds! This is the beginning of a great new partnership between SmiteWorks and Wizards of the Coast that will benefit gamers worldwide.

You can purchase the D&D Complete Core Class Pack with all the class, feats, spells and equipment or you can purchase individual classes only. You can also buy the monsters in packs or as the D&D Complete Core Monster Pack. These products have been converted to work really tightly with Fantasy Grounds to give you the best possible gaming experience - we know you're going to love them. They contain all the great artwork and content from the official products and all the smarts and integration to work with Fantasy Grounds. Not only will you get the same content that can be found in print, but you also get an exciting new Fifth Edition theme, adventures and content customized specifically for ease of play inside of Fantasy Grounds.

For Dungeon Masters and players on a budget, you might pick up a Player Customization Pack and one or two Class Packs of your choice. Dungeon Masters can often get by with just the Adventure of their choice and one or two Monster Packs.

Don't forget that players can gift purchases through Steam for Dungeon Masters who have linked their license on Steam.
​

​

 

[smiteworks]

I thought it might be helpful if I posted a quick video walkthrough of what the Core Monster Pack or smaller $4.99 Monster Packs actually look like. Since you can still key all this info yourself, you'll have to decide if the data entry and indexed lists plus the images and tokens are worth it for you.

I apologize in advance for my voice and the occasion coughs. I actually got sick the day of the launch and still have a bit of it.

[video=youtube;6b9BLbQ6ejw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9BLbQ6ejw[/video]

 

[Harry Dresden]

I thought it might be helpful if I posted a quick video walkthrough of what the Core Monster Pack or smaller $4.99 Monster Packs actually look like. Since you can still key all this info yourself, you'll have to decide if the data entry and indexed lists plus the images and tokens are worth it for you.

I apologize in advance for my voice and the occasion coughs. I actually got sick the day of the launch and still have a bit of it.

[video=youtube;6b9BLbQ6ejw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9BLbQ6ejw[/video]

I can't seem to get your demo to work. I've ran the installer 3 times and when I click on the exe file it just sits there for a moment and then nothing. I am running Windows 7 64 bit version.

 

[Hollow Man]

I know you added race to the descriptions of the Core Class and Character Customization packs, but it's not listed in the description of the Basic Rules Pack (it's only listed in the description as being in the Basic pdf that WotC provides to anyone free of charge). Are the four basic races included in the Basic Rules Pack?

-HM

 

[Sunseeker]

On the pricing. Kinda sorta. 150 bucks is actually pretty accurate.

40 bucks for the standard license
50 bucks for the Class Pack
50 bucks for the Monster Pack
50 bucks (presumably) for the DMG pack.

So, 200 dollars/DM is pretty much what this will cost. For my group, with 6 DM's, that's 1200 dollars to play D&D. You better be giving me a helluvalot of bang for my buck for 1200 dollars. Even 200 dollars, which is pretty much what this is going to cost anyone who wants to get the full value out of the program, is darn steep.

Right. $190(40 base product, 50x3 for the core books) is what you will pay to play/run a custom 5th edition game with the rules currently out...by yourself. $300($50x3 for 5th core material and $150 for license) a is what you will pay to pay that...with anyone besides yourself who didn't shell out their own $190.

 

[smiteworks]

I know you added race to the descriptions of the Core Class and Character Customization packs, but it's not listed in the description of the Basic Rules Pack (it's only listed in the description as being in the Basic pdf that WotC provides to anyone free of charge). Are the four basic races included in the Basic Rules Pack?

-HM

It includes those.

 

[redrick]

On the pricing. Kinda sorta. 150 bucks is actually pretty accurate.

40 bucks for the standard license
50 bucks for the Class Pack
50 bucks for the Monster Pack
50 bucks (presumably) for the DMG pack.

So, 200 dollars/DM is pretty much what this will cost. For my group, with 6 DM's, that's 1200 dollars to play D&D. You better be giving me a helluvalot of bang for my buck for 1200 dollars. Even 200 dollars, which is pretty much what this is going to cost anyone who wants to get the full value out of the program, is darn steep.

First of all, if you are rotating DMs, you might be better off just taking turns paying for the Ultimate subscription. $10/month means that you can get 2 years before you hit the cost of buying 6 basic licenses.

But, it is a fair question — is there a way to have multiple GMs and share content between these GMs? For instance, on Roll20, the subscription features offered to a campaign are determined by the creator of the campaign, not the GM. (Though I think the creator has to remain as a GM.) This way, you can create a campaign and then promote somebody else to GM to allow them to run a leg of the campaign, while allowing them to use your subscription features. Is something like this possible with FG? Is there a reasonable way for a group to share resources within one campaign?

I think rotating GM campaigns are probably the minority, but it is a great way to play and definitely something that should be supported and encouraged whenever possible. I'm really trying to push my Roll20 group to take a turn running brief one-shot adventures as interludes in between campaign legs while I am preparing the next big thing. I can set them up with a campaign containing all of my various NPC character sheets and tokens, just like a face-to-face GM could hand over her box of monster miniatures, dungeon tiles and Paizo flip-maps and say, "your turn!"

 

[smiteworks]

Right. $190(40 base product, 50x3 for the core books) is what you will pay to play/run a custom 5th edition game with the rules currently out...by yourself. $300($50x3 for 5th core material and $150 for license) a is what you will pay to pay that...with anyone besides yourself who didn't shell out their own $190.

If a DM has the modules, the players don't need to buy them to access them while connected to the DM. Only in the case of 6 DMs all playing who want to own all the options does it start to add up there, since there isn't an option for DM's to share the content among themselves. Many DM heavy groups I'm aware of rotate DM's on a more monthly basis (if not longer) and they get a 1 month sub at $9.99 for FG during that time to let all the other DMs play for free. When they are ready to switch, they cancel their sub and the next DM picks up a sub. If you have a hiatus, you can skip time between re-subs too. Then you are just looking at whether or not each DM needs or wants to pick up each of the different packs.

For the player packs specific to this group, it probably makes sense to pick up the PC Customization Pack ($9.99) + the pack for the type of character you want to play for each DM ($2.99-$5.99). Each DM might actually want the full Monster Pack, but some might be okay with entering a few manually and picking up just a celestials & fiends pack for their game ($4.99) or one or two of the others.

It sounds like a few people are trying to find the most expensive possible solution where every player is also a DM who plans to play every single class in games when they are playing and they alternate between playing and DM'ing constantly throughout each week. If that actually does apply to you, then I'd say that the cost is most definitely worth it just so you can maximize your gaming time even further.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

It is pretty expensive, but I am glad the option is there.

Me too! I'm glad they have a demo version. $150 for permanent ultimate license is... well, it's a lot, which is presumably why they have the mini-packs that you can buy instead, but if the tool is good enough it would be worth it to me. (Let's be honest, I sometimes spend more than that on an impulse-buy for some cool new gadget at Costco--might as well give the money to WotC instead, to support the hobby.) I'll check out the demo.

My main requirements are: line-of-sight and fog-of-war management; ability to handle large-scale battles cleanly (30 to 80 combatants); support for WE-GO initiative systems (a la Speed Factor from DMG) instead of the default IGOUGO; ability to auto-place units/terrain over a scattered area (trees in a forest, furniture in a castle, guards in a castle). I don't actually really care much about the rules content since I can track that in my head, but a tool which can do all or most of the above will be good enough to prevent me from writing my own. Here's hoping this one works.

 

[hbarsquared]

I don't know if this is for me, but hot damn this is exciting!

One, the idea of WotC licensing out to a proven, successful, company. I highly doubt this is in any way exclusive, and this bodes well for licenses for future platforms.

Two, although I'm not familiar with VTTs, Fantasy Grounds seems an excellent choice. A user-friendly, professional, high-end option. It looks to have features that most others don't have.

Three, with regards to the cost, it makes complete sense to me. FG is in no way required or a necessity - it is a uigh end luxury for online use, and you get what you pay for. Dwarven Forge is an apt analogy. Sure, I'd love physical terrain for my games, but I'm good with a battlemat, just as I don't need a VTT to play online with friends when there's Google Hangout. But for those who want that experience, Dwarven Forge is worth the $100s investment, and I'd say FG is the same. The complaints make no sense to me (especially considering the subscription options...)

Four, [MENTION=87795]smiteworks[/MENTION], I applaud you and your company. Your participation here on ENWorld, your willingness to amswer questions and explain, your acceptance of feedback, the quick turnarounds on updates... Some of the best "customer service" I've seen anywhere - I'd be happy buying a license just knowung it's goung to a professional company I now admire.

Thank you.

 

[smiteworks]

Four, @smiteworks, I applaud you and your company. Your participation here on ENWorld, your willingness to amswer questions and explain, your acceptance of feedback, the quick turnarounds on updates... Some of the best "customer service" I've seen anywhere - I'd be happy buying a license just knowung it's goung to a professional company I now admire.

Thank you.

Thanks for the kind words. I lurk here quite often. There are only two of us in the company and one other official developer, but thankfully we are also supported by an active and helpful fanbase. It's our passion, for sure.