Some D&D Insider bits (Update 9/13: Lots of new info)

[DaveMage]

Wait a minute.

I may be dense, but are they actually saying that you will have to BUY virtual miniatures if you want them to be represented (as a graphic other than a token) on your online battlemat?

Please tell me I'm missing something.

 

[Mercule]

That's what I'm gathering. Unless it's included in the "nominal fee" to access the online content for books, guess who won't even consider upgrading virtual minis.

 

[Treebore]

If they've put together a killer application to enable long-distance gaming, why on Earth should it be free? I even pay my FLGS a few bucks to use their room for an evening, which I think is quite reasonable.

Because with SKYPE and gametable I already do it for free. Maybe not as 3D glitzy as the DI looks like it will be, but hey, its free, and up to 9 of us can pllay for free. So online DI is not going to be for me.

 

[Pale]

Personally, i'm not pleased with the idea of collectible digital miniatures. I've already spent tons of $$$ on the plastic versions, and this seems like more pressure to populate an online scenario with additional digital figures. Since i'm the one that typically DM's, it would fall on me to purchase this stuff. The final price would probably be the deciding factor, but still, having to buy new boosters all over again just to play something as a back up to the table game doesn't sound enticing. I'm up for the changes they're making in 4e, they sound great, but the DI is sounding less and less interesting.

I'm not all that keen about buying real minis in randomized booster packs (I don't), let alone virtual ones (not a chance in Helheim).

The CCG approach to mini-collecting leaves me feeling very, very cold.

 

[Dire Bare]

Right, so long as you don't mind excluding all D&D players with Mac or Linux. This could have been OpenGL or something else cross-platform. I know that my group is unusual (evenly split between Mac and PC), but it's a shame Wizards came out of the gate with a design that simply can't be easily ported, when there are easy ways to do it.

Well, it's true those dozen or so Mac/Linux users will be out in the cold, but Wizards isn't alone in not worrying overmuch about a niche market.

No offense, of course!

 

[Dire Bare]

Wait a minute.

I may be dense, but are they actually saying that you will have to BUY virtual miniatures if you want them to be represented (as a graphic other than a token) on your online battlemat?

Please tell me I'm missing something.

You're not missing something, other than possibly the realities of commerce (not meant in offense).

So far we don't know much. It's POSSIBLE that to obtain more, 3D virtual, minis, you MIGHT have to pay a fee. They MIGHT be available randomly. Wizards HASN'T fully fleshed this out yet. All this is up in the air, even if it is fairly likely.

It's also possible (although we haven't heard this yet) that virtual minis MIGHT be included with the "e-version" of a D&D book you purchase. Now that is what I'm hoping for, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Most importantly, why should additional 3D virtual minis be available at NO cost? You do realize that each 3D virtual mini made available costs Wizards time and resources, whipping up new 3D monsters for your virtual gametable isn't free for Wizards, why should it be free for us?

(not aimed at DaveMage) I'm a little tired of people treating D&D Insider like it should be some sort of free community service provided gratis by Wizards. WHY? Why shouldn't Wizards run D&DI with an eye towards cutting a profit? All this moaning about cost . . . I'm certainly not made of money, but I don't begrude a game company trying to provide a cool product for a cost.

But even if Wizards offers randomized virtual boosters of 3D virtual mini's for a cost, if you don't want to pony up you'll still be able to use tokens and your existing 3D virtual minis on the D&D gametable just fine. It's interesting, as this models the RW experience quite closely . . .

 

[Pale]

Most importantly, why should additional 3D virtual minis be available at NO cost?

Because all they're going to do recycle published art... at no cost?

 

[Dire Bare]

Because all they're going to do recycle published art... at no cost?

"Buzz!" Wrong answer!

How much THREE-DIMENSIONAL artwork does Wizards have lying around, ready to "recycle"?!?!?

Recycling art was a huge deal in the TSR days of 2nd Edition, and it drove me nuts. Wizards has used very little recycled art in their 3rd Edition products (there certainly are a few pieces), so why assume they are going to start with 4th Edition, other than to simply be negative?

Even if they base a THREE-DIMENSIONAL model on an existing TWO-DIMENSIONAL piece of artwork (which they currently do with the physical D&D minis), this isn't recycling and certainly isn't at no cost to Wizards.

 

[Treebore]

"Buzz!" Wrong answer!

How much THREE-DIMENSIONAL artwork does Wizards have lying around, ready to "recycle"?!?!?

Recycling art was a huge deal in the TSR days of 2nd Edition, and it drove me nuts. Wizards has used very little recycled art in their 3rd Edition products (there certainly are a few pieces), so why assume they are going to start with 4th Edition, other than to simply be negative?

Even if they base a THREE-DIMENSIONAL model on an existing TWO-DIMENSIONAL piece of artwork (which they currently do with the physical D&D minis), this isn't recycling and certainly isn't at no cost to Wizards.

I'll be fine using my Fiery Dragon POGs/counters on Gametable for my games. For Free. Don't have any desire to pay for 3D images when the counters do the job. Heck the counters, which I also get to use on my real game table, only cost me $20 to $30 (US), and I got hundreds of them. Plus a CD so I can print out as many more as I need. I don't collect miniatures, and I'm sure not going to collect digital images. I have much better things to waste my money on.

 

[Dire Bare]

I'll be fine using my Fiery Dragon POGs/counters on Gametable for my games. For Free. Don't have any desire to pay for 3D images when the counters do the job. Heck the counters, which I also get to use on my real game table, only cost me $20 to $30 (US), and I got hundreds of them. Plus a CD so I can print out as many more as I need. I don't collect miniatures, and I'm sure not going to collect digital images. I have much better things to waste my money on.

Soooo, what's that got to do with using "recycled" art?

Sigh. Anyway, as mentioned above in several posts, D&DI will also include counters. You don't like the 3D "minis" (at cost or not), then just use the counters. Wizards seems to be willing to give us options.

Fiery Dragon counters are teh awesome. And while I haven't used it, I've heard nothing but good things about Gametable.

But what's your point?

If you're happy with your current setup and aren't interested in D&DI, well that's cool.

But why point out your use of counters in another product to compare against D&DI that uses counters also . . .

It's like saying, "I won't use product A, because I use product X because it uses maps!" Just after hearing that product A has excellent maps . . . .