New screenshots of character visualizer, virtual tabletop

[Stogoe]

They look good enough to substitute for the unpainted minis, coins, dice, random rocks and stones we usually use around our game table.

THIS.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

I'm impressed by the detail, particularly the 5 o'clock shadow and adam's apples on the female figures.

Well the article did point out that those of us with transgendered characters wouldn't be left out. Now if they can come up with some atractive females this could be considered a feature.

 

[Tewligan]

I'm impressed by the detail, particularly the 5 o'clock shadow and adam's apples on the female figures.

She's a 4th level WarTranny!

 

[Tewligan]

D&D should emulate retro 70's graphics instead.

Agreed!

 

[small pumpkin man]

They look good enough to substitute for the unpainted minis, coins, dice, random rocks and stones we usually use around our game table.

I disagree, I will always prefer no art to bad art, not to mention poor 3D art tends to look particularly bad, especially when making an attempt at realism as this does. Thing is, the two characters fighting the beholder look relatively well done, if not particularly high tech, it's just the pictures of half made characters which look really really awful.

If I was going to use an internet game board, there are already free ones which have basic sprite art and allow me to easily enter my own, the only reason I would have to use this would be a shiny 3D, extremely intuitive interface. Since the 3D lacks "the shiny" and the only interface I've seen from WotC is Gleemax (which I find unintuitive and irritating to navigate) I can't see myself ever using this.

 

[Corinth]

Of all the things I wouldn't mind being stolen from WOW, I would object least to stealing their character and effect models. Good God, that DDI preview makes chicken scratches look good.

 

[Nytmare]

My guess is that someone at WOTC has a sense of humor and pushed this out to create a lot of noise prior to the real unveiling next weekend, or that someone at Boingboing doesn't like 4th ed, got these a LOOOONG time ago and wanted to try for a sucker punch. I don't really like either one of those answers though.

Was this released anywhere else? Is Boingboing a normal venue for teasers like this?

From top to bottom, this looks unprofessional and sloppy. Especially compared to the high standards Wizards appears to have regarding the rest of the line's production value. I can't believe that these are anything but early drafts, it just doesn't mesh.

Even compared to the graphics in DDO, these examples pale in comparison. And it's not just the characters either. The menu designs, the fonts, and even the color choices look unpolished and thrown in temporarily.

As for designing to the specifications of your userbase's technology, you design for a range and allow the users to modify display settings. You don't design for the lowest common denominator and hope that the people who HAVE nice setups don't mind. Plus you're not talking about any serious rendering here. How much animation are we really expecting for that game table?


[EDIT] - It's kinda like a cheeseburger except with avocado instead of cheese and they forgot to put the hamburger patty in and they give you two bottoms of a bun instead of a real set and then forgot the ketchup.

 

[hong]

It's kinda like a cheeseburger except with avocado instead of cheese and they forgot to put the hamburger patty in and they give you two bottoms of a bun instead of a real set and then forgot the ketchup.

 

[Mistwell]

I care a lot less about what it looks like, than I do about whether it functions. I just want a friggen character generator that works with all the official books, and is modable by individuals or 3rd parties to adapt to house rules and third party publications, and that looks right when you print out the character sheet. That's it. That's all I want. I've wanted it since 3.0.

A functional game board that works right with all the rules would also be nice. Something like Klooge, but with more functionality. I suspect that is what we will get.

I don't understand you guys focusing on what it looks like...it's not in itself a game guys, it's just a quick visualization of the actual game. Who cares if it's even stick figures, if it works?

 

[Imban]

Hmm. For the virtual tabletop, I'm wondering what's going to be there in terms of things that... aren't dungeons. Will there be support for towns and outdoors?