Wizards announces the D&D Virtual Table

[Stitched]

Looks like they finally did it.

https://community.wizards.com/go/thr..._Virtual_Table

[Sorontar]

That doesn't look 3D. How am I going to import my virtual miniature from the character visualization suite?

[Stitched]

You don't. It was folly to expect a fully 3D application, with light sources/visibility, that also support networked multi-player, voice and text chat, and integration of all the source content.

I am glad, however, that they have incorporate the tilesets and will probably use the new tokens that ship with the Essentials line. They say they don't have integration with the source material but I guess they must have *some* future plan for it depending on how they handle content creation for modules (importing monsters with stats/tokens), character sheets from DDI, etc.

Maybe the planned "Neverwinter" will be the 3D version of all this. Will have to see how extensible it is when compared to it's namesake; "Neverwinter Nights"

[Sigurd]

May never match the quality of FG. Will likely never match the value.

[silvereagle72]

I am not impressed. They may have an edge in the resource library and re-loaded graphics though.

[unerwünscht]

I expected something better from HASBRO! Their VTT just reeks of fail.

[Sorontar]

I expected something better from HASBRO! Their VTT just reeks of fail.

Indeed, they have promised much and the one thing they did deliver successfully IMO (character builder) has just taken a pretty big downgrade whilst paying customers beta test their web based solution.

Nice to see the old CB has been fiddled with by enterprising folk so that you can enter custom data now. I'm currently updating it with all the Essentials feats as a test.

How secure is FG's use of a 4E ruleset? I seem to recall Smiteworks getting a full green light (due to it's bare bones nature, with regards to 4E details), but I'd hate things to get messy if WotC get greedy over their new VTT down the line, and and throw their toys out of the pram.

[Sigurd]

How secure is FG's use of a 4E ruleset? I seem to recall Smiteworks getting a full green light (due to it's bare bones nature, with regards to 4E details), but I'd hate things to get messy if WotC get greedy over their new VTT down the line, and and throw their toys out of the pram.

Ya know we can salute that flag forever or get on with playing. Smiteworks will figure out something. Personally I think WOTC would be hurting themselves to go after customers genuinely enthusiastic for their products. I buy, or bought, their books while they were making 3.x. Now I buy pathfinder.

I couldn't play without either company so thanks to each.

Sigurd

[Zeus]

I for one see this as a good move on Wizards part, even though at this moment I have no plans to move from FGII. Now Wizards have the makings of a VT I am sure over time once released they will add the integration with the online CB and future Monster Builder. It makes absolutely no sense not to.

The good news for existing FGII users is that it opens up another resource pool potentially, I am thinking in the first instance good quality digital 4E tokens and tilesets and later perhaps NPCs and other material.

For me the 3D aspect sounded nice but it would have detracted from the Role Playing element turning the game into more of a video game based RPG. The core features that attracted me to FGII was the table look, feel and immersion, oh and the 3d dice

[Stitched]

I guess we will have to wait and see how it turns out. If they can run all their game systems through it (Dark Sun, the planned Ravenloft, Gamma World), it's not a bad thing. Having the ability to drop in updates across the board (DDI, Compendium, and now this VTT), gives them a bit of an edge if you want to play a pure 4E game out of the box.