Virtual Tabletop possiblities

[Glyfair]

Somewhere on the WotC forums a possibility was mentioned, and I know at least one WotC employee replied.

Yes, the virtual tabletop allows friends from across the country to game together regularly. However, it also can help bring the convention experience home as well. Only a small percentage of gamers get to visit the big gaming conventions. The chance to game with Gary Gygax, Monte Cook, Keith Baker, or whomever was pretty much limited to those who got to do that (unless they happen to live in your town). Now, you can manage that at home.

I know Keith held a contest to see who "won" spots at his table at GenCon. I can definitely see him doing a semi-regular contest (depending on his workload) and running a one-off virtual Eberron game.

Certainly the more popular WotC designers, and probably freelancers, would be options for this. There might be options for ex-WotC or non-WotC celebrities as well. Sure, some might not like virtual tabletop gaming (I can see some of the older Gygax era gamers not being interested in the learning curve to run such a game), others might not want to encourage WotC. Some certainly would be interested (I could see Monte Cook doing it).

In fact, I can see WotC using this as a promotional tool. I'm pretty sure they will consider expanding UnCon in this direction. Maybe they could give away, or auction off for charity, spaces at a table with real celebrity gamers? With the right finesse, they might be able to offer a table with a D&D designer DMing and Will Wheaton or Vin Diesel. It wouldn't even necessarily have to have been a celebrity know to game. Sure, Tom Hanks is unlikely, but maybe they could get Lucy Lawless, Kiefer Sutherland or Michael Rosenbaum to play so they can push the Dragonlance movie.

Thoughts?

 

[wedgeski]

This has occurred to me as well, and it doesn't have to be high-profile industry types either. I can just imagine the stampede if, for example, PC offered to run a one-shot on the virtual table for a group of ENWorlders.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

It is an interesting idea, although the idea of gaming with celebrities like Lucy Lawless and Kiefer Sutherland seems silly if they are not gamers. I certainly would not want to join a virtual game with them if they have no clue as to what they are doing.

The idea of many available one-shots is interesting. What would also be nice would be if there could be a rating system for DMs and virtual one-shot games rating different aspects. People could then select a game and DM that suits them best.

 

[vongarr]

Some time ago there was a discussion on gamegrene.com about getting paid to DM. This was before the insider thing was mentioned, so it would have been a table top DM getting paid to DM. It obviously doesn't work.

But it could work on the DI. Set up a rating system like we see on ebay. Charge some minuscule fee per hour or whatever. The key here would be to not require players to have their own E-version of books or miniatures that would be in use. I realize this the thought of paying a DM is heresy, but that doesn't mean it would not work, esp. with the DI.

In addition, or without this, you could have a "DM of the month" type thing. After certain "ranked" games (Where the DM's know they will be scored) the players will submit a user review of the DM based upon various factors. Scores would be tallied, and there would be some kind boon to the DM of the month. Now, this wouldn't work at all if they include webcam functionality - Pretty women would be the DM of the month every month, I think.

You could do the same for players. Doesn't RPGA have some kind of system where the DM rates the players after the game? I seem to remember this when I ran a few games at Origins '04.

 

[JediSoth]

But it could work on the DI. Set up a rating system like we see on ebay.

It would have to be a lot more hack-proof than anything we've seen from WotC or e-Bay. Shopping is one thing, but the government really cracks down on taxing income from something even remotely resembling a job. And DMing is work. It might be fun, but it's work.

JediSoth

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

What I'm trying to piece together, is how it can work with Microsoft's Surface technology.