Project Sigil Sigil, WotC 3D vtt game automation no more?

[darjr]

Teos mentions an article from Geekwire noting a shift in the 3D vtt strategy.

Wizards quietly tested Project Sigil out at a recent PAX Unplugged conference, where it learned that the more it attempted to use Sigil to “automate” D&D, the less people seemed to like it. That influenced an evolution of the tool from a sort of virtual D&D companion into an easy-to-use 3D map builder.

Geekwire article follows.

https://www.geekwire.com/2025/inside-wizards-of-the-coasts-new-gaming-lair-where-dd-architects-chart-their-course-for-2025/

 

[Zaukrie]

I'm on the discord, I don't see that conversation among the geeks at all.....but who knows?

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I'm on the discord, I don't see that conversation among the geeks at all.....but who knows?

I think there's often a difference between "fans" of a product who are active and obsessive enough to post on a Discord about it and more casual testers/users or the like.

(As an example, one videogame I follow has a mechanic that is deeply off-putting to basically most players, and leads to the game having maybe 1/5th as many "active" players as you'd expect given the copies sold, but those people who do keep playing all "got over" that mechanic somehow, so tend to defend it, albeit often in slightly mealy-mouthed terms because it's just not a fun one.)

So it's possible that the "fans" of the 3D VTT like the automation, but that a larger group WotC is surveying didn't enjoy the same changes the same way.

I do think that without serious automation the "push" factor for convincing people to subscribe to the 3D VTT will be pretty weak, so interesting either way.

 

[Zaukrie]

I think there's often a difference between "fans" of a product who are active and obsessive enough to post on a Discord about it and more casual testers/users or the like.

So it's possible that the "fans" of the 3D VTT like the automation, but that a larger group WotC is surveying didn't enjoy the same changes the same way.

I do think that without serious automation the "push" factor for convincing people to subscribe to the 3D VTT will be pretty weak, so interesting either way.

How would they know if they haven't seen the new VTT? I see nothing in the announcements from the devs about this either. All I'm saying is, we don't know much of anything at this point. It's seriously alpha at this point. Like, not close to beta, IMO.

 

[darjr]

I'm on the discord, I don't see that conversation among the geeks at all.....but who knows?

This is good to know.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

How would they know if they haven't seen the new VTT? I see nothing in the announcements from the devs about this either. All I'm saying is, we don't know much of anything at this point. It's seriously alpha at this point. Like, not close to beta, IMO.

I'm assuming any changes to the VTT are based on them showing it to people? How else would it work? Closed alpha stuff.

 

[darjr]

I think there's often a difference between "fans" of a product who are active and obsessive enough to post on a Discord about it and more casual testers/users or the like.

(As an example, one videogame I follow has a mechanic that is deeply off-putting to basically most players, and leads to the game having maybe 1/5th as many "active" players as you'd expect given the copies sold, but those people who do keep playing all "got over" that mechanic somehow, so tend to defend it, albeit often in slightly mealy-mouthed terms because it's just not a fun one.)

So it's possible that the "fans" of the 3D VTT like the automation, but that a larger group WotC is surveying didn't enjoy the same changes the same way.

I do think that without serious automation the "push" factor for convincing people to subscribe to the 3D VTT will be pretty weak, so interesting either way.

It is interesting. I would much rather have less automation except when it comes to dealing with making the terrain and miniatures.

The rules less so.


But I’m always thought I was in the minority.

 

[Zaukrie]

I'm assuming any changes to the VTT are based on them showing it to people? How else would it work? Closed alpha stuff.

I'm on the closed alpha......

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think the VTT all along has smelled of "this is something we could make money from" rather than "this is us responding to demands from our audience."

Yes, you could completely automate D&D. A lot of us loved Baldur's Gate 3, after all. But I'm not interested in replacing my current D&D experience with Baldur's Gate 3 and I'm certainly not going to pay for the privilege.

 

[Zaukrie]

It is interesting. I would much rather have less automation except when it comes to dealing with making the terrain and miniatures.

The rules less so.


But I’m always thought I was in the minority.

I also generally want less automation.....but we appear to be in the minority.