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.
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[RSKennan]

I expect a lot of groups form and don't go back looking for new players unless they lose a player.

That's pretty much the case in my experience. Once you're happy with your group(s), you don't need to go back looking for more. I've never had trouble building an FG group as a GM.

 

[nerfherder]

First of all, thank you smiteworks for coming here and answering lots of questions. I'm still deciding whether this is a product that my group might want to use, and reading this thread is providing me with lots of information to help guide my decision.

If you actually have Photoshop, then it would of course work too, but is very expensive.

Actually, Photoshop (including Lightroom) is only $9.99/month, which I'm sure you will agree is a reasonable subscription rate for quality software

 

[Nylanfs]

I gather you've been active on FG awhile, so is that because you already have a network to draw on? Again, just looking at the Guild Hall (I checked the 5e forum as Smiteworks suggested, but the game posts were far more sparse there -- I did find a thread started by a guy who couldn't find a game!), there doesn't seem to be much recruitment activity. I currently count 58 5E campaigns recruiting on Roll20.

I've owned the program since 2006 and have played and gm'd a handful of games in that time. I have one face to face group but they don't have FG.

My problem is that my schedule is really erratic and really can't plan out out more than a month in advance. And I don't feel comfortable joining a game just to have to miss quite a few of the sessions. One interesting consequence of my schedule is that I got to play with a Scottish group when they were playing a short term game of castles and crusades.

Besides the Guild Hall, you can look on the calendar, the Steam forums have a section for finding groups, the Society of Extraordinary Gamers have a bunch of groups that you can usually jump in on. And the FREE game convention FG-Con.com that happens twice a year is a good place to find a game group.

 

[Mistwell]

If you actually have Photoshop, then it would of course work too, but is very expensive. You are much better off with a drawing tool that supports layers, IMO.

Actually, Photoshop (including Lightroom) is only $9.99/month, which I'm sure you will agree is a reasonable subscription rate for quality software

That is hilarious!

 

[smiteworks]

I bought the non-sub version of Photoshop for myself for more than $600 IIRC. That was after previously owning a copy of Photoshop CS3, which was expensive in its own right. The other devs have the Adobe subs which add up to be a fair amount overall. Obviously, some people don't mind buying stuff that is expensive when the quality is there. I also pay $10 a month to DDI. It's all relative in the end. If you use something or want to support something you like, then the expensiveness becomes less important.

 

[Dire Bare]

Actually, Photoshop (including Lightroom) is only $9.99/month, which I'm sure you will agree is a reasonable subscription rate for quality software

Be wary of Adobe subscriptions. Unless they've changed their offers, the "monthly" subs come with a yearly commitment. And if you accidentally allow your sub to roll over to the next year? Yup, one more year commitment. And their customer service is terrible. I subscribed to the full Adobe suite for a year for a class, and when I tried to quit . . . . I almost became homicidal Adobe made it so difficult. I vowed never to purchase or subscribe to an Adobe product again I was so peeved, I even try to avoid using Adobe Reader!

 

[Psikerlord#]

If you're running windows pretty sure Paint comes for free. You can edit maps and draw your own maps on that pretty easily. Then just save as, load it into FG, stick a grid on it. Done.

Hmm I'm imaging a cool looking parchment like background. Probably with a grid already. Then just draw on it in Paint, save as, load it to FG, match up the FG grid. Done!

 

[Selvarin]

Well....I went for a basic subscription and bought the D&D PHB core pack.

I will say straight up, I'm a stickler about character creation. I'm not looking to play in a group via a server, my interest was more into seeing how easy it is to create a character and store it.

I'm sure it's a great product but I feel too constrained. Too many windows to make this choice or that (race, class, etc.)

Not my cup of tea, and I'm missing that $53 already.

Be 100% certain, and make sure to try the demo out as much as possible. One part in particular I had trouble with had me thinking maybe I should buy the pack and then it'll make sense. (The lower part of the Import Local Character threw me--it would be best if the full mini-menu was kept in full view.)

I wish the best to Fantasy Grounds, either way.

 

[vikingbrad]

I want to try out 5E on Fantasy Grounds for our face-to-face group. As a trial getting this

US$4/mth for standard user license and
US$2.99 Basic Rules, content of Starter Kit 4 character classes with 1 subclass each, 4 common races, 120 spells, backgrounds & character sheets

US$7 doesn't sound too bad.

 

[pickin_grinnin]

I'm not looking for a VTT option, but if I was, I would rule this out, based on price alone. I doubt they are at the magic balancing point where you get the maximum return from unit price versus total sales.

I wish Smiteworks luck, and hope this turns out to be a good option for a lot of people.