Status of D&D Game Table?


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Whether you are optimistic or pessimistic about the chances of that probably depend largely on how much stock you put into WotC's past failures with digital products.

I don't think it will ever come out. Despite all the fanfare that I saw it get at DDXP.

I think WOTC laid off some of the software people a few months ago too.

Mike
 

It is probably too late in the thread to offer a long winded opinion and have it be read by anyone. Too bad. The issue for me is that they've wasted time on minor applications or gimicky elements that I don't think I or the folks I game with even care about.

The character generator is awesome. Seriously. I'll use it. If I could only buy each of my players access to it, the rules compendium, and a player's only seat at virtual tabletop for a reasonable price... Perhaps if I had the virtual tabletop I could justify the current price.

I've outlined some ideas on the Wizards forums (username Hildy) for what needs to happen to make the encounter generator a full fledged DM's counterpart to the character generator. The kind of app DM's would pay for and spend hours each week using.

The last major piece I would need in place is the virtual tabletop. I've been promised it and now I want it dangit. Here is the thing. I never wanted a 3D environment with almost no rules integration. I want a tabletop... like Fantasy Grounds. That app offers amazing integration of rules without playing the game for you. Seriously, check out the 4e ruleset tutorials. Wizards needs to buy or license it now, complete the integration of the 4e ruleset, and maybe add some support for official Dungeon Tiles and maps from Dragon magazine so folks don't feel like they have to be digital art masters to get a nice map. I'd have to think they could have this ready inside of the year, if not before summer.

I'd be using fantasy grounds now if I could figure out how to compile the rules. I'm half tempted to find someone locally who can do it, have them come over and verify my books, and then pay them for their time to generate the files for me. Did I mention that I really want my virtual tabletop sooner than later? *sigh*
 

I don't know why it is such a problem to create.

There are plenty of people who know how to do the whole client server thing. I've even created simple web services that took me 10mins to find out how to do it - that obviously wouldn't cut the mustard with this app - but still..

They have already done the 3D engine, it's not like they need an intensivly fast realtime engine. At the same time why hasn't the visualizer been finished. It is just a collection of models and textures bunged together by a menu.

As for the rest of it - 4E is built for simplistic logic design. A lot of the annoyances have been taken out - such as circular area effects - that would be more tricky(er) to program with edge detection and such like - though probably not to someone with better/professional programming skills than me.

I can only assume the table will use the classes (programming not D&D) from the builder so they want to make sure that is stable and working before moving all that stuff into the table app.

I was dabbling with making one with a 2D interface, but I have other stuff to do so it would take ages, and when they announced the table I thought - well no point now, they are going to make one a damn site better than I could.

Stupid me. I could have finished it by now.
 

It's very poor of WOTC to hype the game table up so much as being a big plus point for 4th edition and then not deliver for years. It's obvious the 4th edition game has been designed to be ported to a computer environment. But still no game table.

Six months late, is passable but this, no way, it's very poor.

Very very poor, there are lots and lots of other good RPG systems out there and people are starting to move to them.

WOTC you need to try harder to give the people what they want.
 
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It's very poor of WOTC to hype the game table up so much as being a big plus point for 4th edition and then not deliver for years.

Six months late, is passable but this, no way, it's very poor.


are you kidding???

I keep seeing this here and at WotC site...I belive that the 4e books came out in june 2008...it is feb 2009 that is 8 months...but people keep saying these things are YEARS laate...it is only months...not even a year yet...
 

are you kidding???

I keep seeing this here and at WotC site...I belive that the 4e books came out in june 2008...it is feb 2009 that is 8 months...but people keep saying these things are YEARS laate...it is only months...not even a year yet...

Which people keep saying that these things are YEARS late?

It's not acceptable, because a fake bill of goods was sold to their customers. A product was promised and now it isn't (& might never) be available. I enjoy 4e, but haven't (and have no plans on) subscribing to DDI, until they offer the features in their entirety.

If I missed a deadline at work by a few days, my @SS is on a platter, but at WOTC they've missed it by 8 months and nobody's mentioning it.

P.S. I work in software development, we don't get YEARS-worth of extensions...
 



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