Status of D&D Game Table?

[Spatula]

Yes, but those programs tend to be generic, and ends-in-themselves... not supplements to an existing game. (You'd think WOTC could have just licensed one of said existing game table programs.... )

Well, there's where you see the difference between independant creators and big companies. The current crop of apps are fairly generic because they have to be, due to legal issues (although one I looked at had d20, thanks to the OGL). A company product is looking for ways to keep you coming to them and giving them your money.

I do agree that WotC would have been wise to bring in someone with some experience in any case - either licensing, partnering with, or hiring from some of the stuff that's already out there. As you note, the D&D VT was a lot more ambitious than what's currently available, ridiculously so IMO. The concept is lightyears ahead of what's been done to date, and that kind of jump is difficult to pull off - and nearly impossible in a such a short time frame. I'm guessing the bad experience with whoever did the 3e chargen demo probably convinced them that everything needed to be done in-house.

GTO was pushed as the "solution" to "Can't find a group"; the existing other apps are more, as you note, "Keep the old group together". I think WOTC was aiming for a much larger market for these tools than actually exists; hence, the large feature list, budget, and development time.

I'll bet there's a lot of players hungering for a game (or a particular style of game - finding a group is only half the battle) that can't get one in their area. Hard to say how many since there's no one catering to them currently.

Perhaps I'm wrong completely, and when it ships, it will Change Gaming As We Know It. I suppose we'll see in... 6 months? A year?

I'm kinda doubting it'll ever see the light of day, or if it does, its feature list will be dramatically pared down. But I'd still like to see a product that lets me game with my buddies scattered all over with a minimum of hassle.

 

[Spatula]

And fundamentally, the idea of online pickup games of D&D isn't any different than RPGA-style pickup games at conventions. It's also a potentially better online experience (in that it's more like the tabletop experience) for people than PBEM or PBP.

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

And fundamentally, the idea of online pickup games of D&D isn't any different than RPGA-style pickup games at conventions. It's also a potentially better experience (in that it's more like the tabletop experience) for people than PBEM or PBP.

And that seems to be one of the main goals of the Game Table application. I've been told rumors of the program being able to do searches for things like "Active Living Forgotten Realms games that haven't started yet for level 3 characters."

You join a bunch of people, play the LFR adventure, get your XP and gold and have it all tracked online, with a copy of your character sheet stored in the Character Vault. It's like being at a convention and being able to be mustered into a slot at any time of the day or night.

Although, I haven't heard anything about the Character Vault since it was announced months ago either.

 

[Asmor]

edit: what I really want is a robust NPC/Monster creator, so I can make fair encounters with monsters of my own creation (or to power up/down an existing monster).

Ask and ye shall receive

 

[Aeolius]

Because the reason they gave that it wasn't going to be cross-platform was that they cut development time dramatically by recycling a Direct3D engine that Hasbro owned due to being created for another project.

Perhaps I should have said "from the restart". I am aware of the limitations to the original VTT plans. I was simply stating that, if they were to redesign it from the ground up, scrap the antiquated technologies and build something cross-platform, with a functional z-axis.

 

[Drkfathr1]

I'm not bothered by the lack of the Table, but I'm not interested in DDI at all, I'll be just fine without it.

What concerns me is the fear that much of the "plan" for 4E revolves around the DDI and the various online apps. I worry that resources that would/should go into the book publishing will be diverted to the DDI, and if the DDI fails or doesn't live up to the expectations, then the rest of 4E may suffer for it.

I hope that explains why it matters to some of us, even though "we don't need it to play."

 

[Stoat]

The more I think about it, the less excited I get about WotC's 3D VTT. I game exclusively online now, and I DM. Every 2D VTT I've tried (Fantasy Grounds, Klooge, d20Pro) allowed me to drop in my own 2D-maps and tokens with relatively little trouble. I could swipe a map from WotC's archives, draw one in campaign cartographer, or generate one randomly at Gozzy's, and then BAM! game on. Likewise for tokens.

There's just no way a 3D VTT can give me that level of flexibility. I'm certain that it would have to be limited to the 3D tiles that WotC provided.

 

[Asmor]

The more I think about it, the less excited I get about WotC's 3D VTT. I game exclusively online now, and I DM. Every 2D VTT I've tried (Fantasy Grounds, Klooge, d20Pro) allowed me to drop in my own 2D-maps and tokens with relatively little trouble. I could swipe a map from WotC's archives, draw one in campaign cartographer, or generate one randomly at Gozzy's, and then BAM! game on. Likewise for tokens.

There's just no way a 3D VTT can give me that level of flexibility. I'm certain that it would have to be limited to the 3D tiles that WotC provided.

Actually, if you've seen the screenshots all of the tiles are are 2d, and it allows you to draw and such. I'd be really surprised if they didn't let you import your own graphics.

It's just the minis and some select accessories which are 3d.

 

[Scribble]

Actually, if you've seen the screenshots all of the tiles are are 2d, and it allows you to draw and such. I'd be really surprised if they didn't let you import your own graphics.

It's just the minis and some select accessories which are 3d.

I think they said certain tiles will be in 3d as well. This wouldn't invalidate your thoughts though, as you could still import other stuff... Just to get the fancy, you'd need to use the WoTC tiles.

 

[Stoat]

Actually, if you've seen the screenshots all of the tiles are are 2d, and it allows you to draw and such. I'd be really surprised if they didn't let you import your own graphics.

It's just the minis and some select accessories which are 3d.

Huh. I watched the demo videos and oogled the screenshots when the VTT was first announced, and I had in my head that they were 3D or maybe isometric. A good reminder that it never pays to rely on memory.

2D-tiles + ability to import my own = teh winz0rs. I would hope that WotC would go that route, and not try to drive people toward purchasing tiles by making it impossible to import from other sources.