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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 7581541" data-attributes="member: 22779">My totally unfounded, purely gut feeling (stupid gut) prediction.1.  VTT play will continue to grow and expand while face to face game will remain largely static, or will grow at a much slower pace.2.  Print publication will continue as it remains the primary means to draw new gamers into the hobby.  Even those of us who do play online still own at least the core books in paper form.  3.  However, the growth of VTT play will push a lot more integration between print and VTT's.  We're seeing this now with modules from WotC coming out at almost the same time in print and on platforms like Fantasy Grounds.  Other companies are starting to join in as well - I can buy En World modules on FG for example.4.  The hobby will shift from being mostly supported by print with a bit of icing for virtual play to mostly being supported by virtual play with print being the icing.  Which, in turn will drive greater integration and support between the games and virtual games.Honestly, I do see VTT play as the way forward for RPG gaming.  The biggest roadblock to play is actually getting five or six people in the same room on a fairly repeatable basis.  VTT play short cuts this and makes getting a group together so much easier.  Once the UI's for VTT's like Fantasy Grounds get out of the stone ages, and actually start embracing all the advantages that playing on a computer brings, I think we'll see a big surge in VTT play.  Right now, it's the learning curve and the fact that the VTT's are often unreliable and frankly, very very poorly designed to take advantage of online play (lack of built in VoiP, lack of animation, extremely fiddly tools - try setting line of sight on a Roll 20 map and you'll see what I mean) that is holding VTT's back.I think though, with the acceptance of Twitch streaming, the notion of integrating online play and RPG's is becoming far more acceptable than it was, even five years ago.  It used to be that VTT play was the red headed stepchild of gaming.  It was what you did because you couldn't get a group together.  Now, it's often touted as equal to face to face play with user numbers that support being able to find a game that you want to play when you want it.</blockquote>

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