Dannager
First Post
I imagine that any professionally-designed suite of Surface gaming tools would come with a pretty robust DM toolkit.
Microsoft Surface used for D&D
- Thread starter darjr
- Start date
falcarrion
First Post
Lets hope that microsoft is working on the Oahu. A cheaper version of the surface.
TwinBahamut
First Post
It seems to me that the whole thing would work a lot better without the virtual dice and without the minis. I have never considered dice and miniatures to even be remotely essential to the D&D experience, after all. I would like it better with pure random number generation and computer images for character representation.
I am pretty dubious of any design that forces the DM to use a separate screen, though.
I am pretty dubious of any design that forces the DM to use a separate screen, though.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Legend
For technical/pratical reasons?
I mean, in regular play, many DMs use a DM Screen and probably all DMs have their DM notes that they don't exactly share with their players. A special "DM View" might be ultimately necessary.
I think a seperate DM screen is pretty desirable if you are implementing any fog of war on the main screen. Though the DM only needs a connected laptop.
Jeremy Ackerman-Yost
Explorer
Just from a control perspective, the DM needs his own screen. This is especially important if he's going to make changes on the fly, adjust terrain, etc. Plus, I think it would be handy to have controls for your creatures that the players can't see, and so on. All of which would be easiest to do with multi-touch, but could also be done with a keyboard and mouse.
Dannager
First Post
I think, all things considered, the ideal setup would be the Surface table, a DM with a laptop for handling control of the map, and each player with their own handheld (an iPhone would be adequate) that is connected to the Surface table via Bluetooth so that they can digitally manage their character sheet, and even "queue up" their next action ahead of time.
That last part isn't even a stretch; I'm pretty sure we're going to see touchscreen smartphones becoming increasingly common to the point where they are standard. Including the smartphone interface requires nothing more than a downloadable app (that you could include a set of free downloads with the D&D Surface package).
That last part isn't even a stretch; I'm pretty sure we're going to see touchscreen smartphones becoming increasingly common to the point where they are standard. Including the smartphone interface requires nothing more than a downloadable app (that you could include a set of free downloads with the D&D Surface package).
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kenmarable
Hero
As a proof of concept, this is incredible and definitely where I see RPGs moving (at least as an option, sort of like DDI 2015 or something).
In fact, if:
1) the dice rolling could be done with real dice (use dice with clear enough numbers and it can read the bottom number to determining the top number), and
2) you could use either minis or images (a la Pozas' awesome counters),
then forget proof-of-concept, I would pay to use that tomorrow!!
Of course, it's already easy to envision so many more features that could easily be added. Right off the top of my head, I can imagine a *relatively* straightforward:
-- integrated note-taking system - tag locations with notes, players keep notes by typing on the surface and storing them miniaturized along the edge, etc. - all searchable and able to be keyword tagged for quick reference
-- loot management - that magic sword is an actual icon that can be dragged from the treasure to the PC and even dragged from PC to PC
-- heck, have all campaign resources can be built in so that you can view the setting as a virtual zoomable world (Google Faerun), as an interactive timeline (scroll through history and see text, images, and even video of historical events), NPC listings shown visually to help remember Tom the Barkeep from Thomas the Terrible...
Maybe not as easy, but still feasible - if you use icons rather than miniatures, you could handle 3-dimensional combat easier. Picture an isometric multi-level map with the "current" level visible and the others semi-transparent, so you can see how the different levels relate to each other. Just drag a slider to move the view up and down.
Combat management is just a portion of how RPGs can be integrated into this sort of device. Publishers can release data packs that update the campaign information, so on and so on.
I've thought about this a lot over the past several years. I have even started designs for these sorts of things, but for current market Flash/web tech rather than multitouch surface computing. When I've tried explaining it in the past, people have just scratched their heads confused. Hopefully this sort of thing can show people what the possibilities really are.
In fact, if:
1) the dice rolling could be done with real dice (use dice with clear enough numbers and it can read the bottom number to determining the top number), and
2) you could use either minis or images (a la Pozas' awesome counters),
then forget proof-of-concept, I would pay to use that tomorrow!!
Of course, it's already easy to envision so many more features that could easily be added. Right off the top of my head, I can imagine a *relatively* straightforward:
-- integrated note-taking system - tag locations with notes, players keep notes by typing on the surface and storing them miniaturized along the edge, etc. - all searchable and able to be keyword tagged for quick reference
-- loot management - that magic sword is an actual icon that can be dragged from the treasure to the PC and even dragged from PC to PC
-- heck, have all campaign resources can be built in so that you can view the setting as a virtual zoomable world (Google Faerun), as an interactive timeline (scroll through history and see text, images, and even video of historical events), NPC listings shown visually to help remember Tom the Barkeep from Thomas the Terrible...
Maybe not as easy, but still feasible - if you use icons rather than miniatures, you could handle 3-dimensional combat easier. Picture an isometric multi-level map with the "current" level visible and the others semi-transparent, so you can see how the different levels relate to each other. Just drag a slider to move the view up and down.
Combat management is just a portion of how RPGs can be integrated into this sort of device. Publishers can release data packs that update the campaign information, so on and so on.
I've thought about this a lot over the past several years. I have even started designs for these sorts of things, but for current market Flash/web tech rather than multitouch surface computing. When I've tried explaining it in the past, people have just scratched their heads confused. Hopefully this sort of thing can show people what the possibilities really are.
w_earle_wheeler
First Post
Glad to see someone is working on this. I know many of us envisioned using Surface tech for RPGS and tabletop wargames.
There are so many ways to do the dice rolling: random number generation, rolling virtual dice with a "physics" engine, having a real-world dice that can be recognized on the screen -- heck, even a programmable wristband that tracks your hand's rolling motion for a virtual throw without having to touch the screen.
As for a separate DM screen, I think that will always need to be an option for secret in-game improvisation.
There are so many ways to do the dice rolling: random number generation, rolling virtual dice with a "physics" engine, having a real-world dice that can be recognized on the screen -- heck, even a programmable wristband that tracks your hand's rolling motion for a virtual throw without having to touch the screen.
As for a separate DM screen, I think that will always need to be an option for secret in-game improvisation.
darjr
I crit!
It looks like this was the evil doings of those PVP guys!
Penny Arcade - A list of things
D&D + Microsoft Surface = Unheard-of Levels of Radness | GeekDad | Wired.com
Oooohh!
Penny Arcade - A list of things
D&D + Microsoft Surface = Unheard-of Levels of Radness | GeekDad | Wired.com
Oooohh!
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