Thank you for Fantasy Grounds!

[swbuza]

In the 1980s, I was introduced to D&D and RPGs in general by some buddies in college. We spent those college years in the ping-pong lounge at the University of Maine, taking over the table with as many as twelve players sitting around it (which is too many, but I digress). Fast forward nearly thirty years and RPGs have been part of our lives all along, but as time went by, more and more of us departed for distant lands. Before the Internet was a commodity, we "played" RPGs via BBS forums and FidoNet accounts. Then it became play by email. We tried MMORPGS and found them boring grinds. We tried gaming with Skype and images on web pages. Those technologies helped, but none of them allowed us to recapture the feel of tabletop gaming.

Until Fantasy Grounds.

Here we are again, the same group of guys with thousands of miles between us. The VTT (with Discord) has brought us a sense of nostalgia. It just works. We aren't spending time fiddling with technology. We're spending time gaming. The technology has slipped into the background and the story has emerged. It really does feel like we're around the ping pong table again. This is something we haven't achieved until now, and we've tried *all* of the options. No other VTT captures the feeling of tabletop gaming the way FG does. I'm not sure if I can even put my finger on why that is.

So, from our group to the SmiteWorks crew, simply "Thank You."

[Nickademus]

No other VTT captures the feeling of tabletop gaming the way FG does. I'm not sure if I can even put my finger on why that is.

Just a guess, but I think it's because of the 3D physics dice; one of the major selling points of FG1.

[Zacchaeus]

Yeah, I agree with your sentiment. Just finished our session tonight with the group I DM'd for when they were all wee boys. 25 years on and they are scattered around the world too and we have the same hilarious time as we always did but we couldn't do it without FG. I've never tried or used any of the other VTT's since FG was the one I stumbled upon so I've nothing to compare it with, but for me FG is the dog's bollocks :)

[swbuza]

Just a guess, but I think it's because of the 3D physics dice; one of the major selling points of FG1.

I certainly think this adds to the nostalgia feel. It seems very realistic. But it's just so integrated in one screen. Everything we need is right there.

[Full Bleed]

I've used most of the VTT's that have come out in the last 15 or so years. And, IMO, Fantasy Grounds and Maptool stand out as being the best at what they do. This, of course, is purely subjective.

That said, I don't think that there is any tabletop simulator quite like Tabletop Simulator. While it has woefully weak game management and too few of the nifty VTT features I've come the rely on, it "feels" more like playing on an actual table than anything I've ever used.

I'd love to see a VTT capture the same sense of "true table" playing that it has. I thought that Tabletop Connect was headed in that direction before FG swallowed it up... but with Carl on board, all may not be lost. Can't wait to see what he unleashes once he gets all the foundational conversion work done for FGU... he certainly had a vision, and I hope he's able to realize it.

[Grumpy_Grognard]

Just a guess, but I think it's because of the 3D physics dice; one of the major selling points of FG1.

I especially love that if you hold the alt key down while rolling a die, it spins until you release the key. Always reminds me of That Guy and his worn 20-sider with the rounded corners.

[Nylanfs]

NOOOOOO, Now you've let them know!

[LordEntrails]

NOOOOOO, Now you've let them know!
Don't worry. I'm sure this is the fourth or fifth time I've learned this. I'm sure to forget it in a week or two.

[Asterionaisien]

I especially love that if you hold the alt key down while rolling a die, it spins until you release the key. Always reminds me of That Guy and his worn 20-sider with the rounded corners.
That i didnt know! Ty for the tip, there is always something to learn here.