Without a Table: Playing D&D Virtually
- Thread starter Greg Tito
- Start date
I didn't know it was up, I'll have to go try it out when I have a chance.
I've been using stuff like Maptools and this seems similar, which is good.
I've been using stuff like Maptools and this seems similar, which is good.
Shame it's coming out in beta four years later than promised and a year after I canceled my sub. That and they'll be a new edition out in a year or so. At least it'll go towards the new edition... ideally that is.
This made me think about renewing my Insider subscription... but I've kind of moved on from 4th edition. I'm still undecided.
They're a little late on this. I know I've personally moved on from 4th ed (still like it, just not running a game now) and I imagine many others have. Its a shame they couldn't get this out a few years ago, like they said they would.
When they first announced this back in 2008 I was completely on board with the idea. Since I live in the arse-end of the world with no friends into "nerd stuff" nor anywhere that sells D&D stuff for miles this would have finally been my chance to get into the game. Then it got delayed, again, and again. I wouldn't have minded the Insider sub fee for the table but everything we were given to tide us over was useless to me and simply not worth it. Soon it seemed they completely dropped this.
In the mean time however I found MapTools. A program that does exactly the same thing, for free, and can easily be used for any edition. I've recently started playing a few games with it and loving it. So why would I suddenly want to start paying a subscription for a program tied to a specific edition which will be dropped in a couple of years in favor of 5th?
Sorry WotC, 4 years ago I was jamming my money at the screen and you didn't want my custom, now that I've started flirting with other, better programs you've decided I'm finally good enough? Ain't good enough.
In the mean time however I found MapTools. A program that does exactly the same thing, for free, and can easily be used for any edition. I've recently started playing a few games with it and loving it. So why would I suddenly want to start paying a subscription for a program tied to a specific edition which will be dropped in a couple of years in favor of 5th?
Sorry WotC, 4 years ago I was jamming my money at the screen and you didn't want my custom, now that I've started flirting with other, better programs you've decided I'm finally good enough? Ain't good enough.
I hate being cynical and negative, but it'll probably never leave beta. WotC has been good recently at pushing a product and then rapidly abandoning it (ask any MtG player who's a fan of Planechase) and hiding it behind a paywall isn't the best way to achieve widespread acceptance.
I'd love to play with those voice fonts, though. That sounds like an immensely fun addition.
I'd love to play with those voice fonts, though. That sounds like an immensely fun addition.
Um, yeah.
Maybe if you'd brought this out 4 years ago like you said and maybe if you hadn't screwed us with character builder and then failed to support the forced online charbuilder (with char limit btw)and maybe if you hadn't just announced the new edition due in about a year this might actually be news worth a crap.
As it is all I can think is "are you actually retarded enough to think this will be worth us paying you money for?" .
Far too little, far too late when there are programs that do this you know....for free.
Maybe if you'd brought this out 4 years ago like you said and maybe if you hadn't screwed us with character builder and then failed to support the forced online charbuilder (with char limit btw)and maybe if you hadn't just announced the new edition due in about a year this might actually be news worth a crap.
As it is all I can think is "are you actually retarded enough to think this will be worth us paying you money for?" .
Far too little, far too late when there are programs that do this you know....for free.
Well, the complaint that D&D 4e is essentially a slow-moving TT MMO can now be shortened to slow moving MMO.
And really...no video? Just voice chat? Yuck, man. What makes RPGs RPGS is the social interaction aspect. You might as well play an overly obtuse wargame or an MMO online. It's like WotC is determined to see how D&D started and evolved, see the other RPGs which were developed and inspired to entertain players, and then to move as far away from that experience as they can.
And really...no video? Just voice chat? Yuck, man. What makes RPGs RPGS is the social interaction aspect. You might as well play an overly obtuse wargame or an MMO online. It's like WotC is determined to see how D&D started and evolved, see the other RPGs which were developed and inspired to entertain players, and then to move as far away from that experience as they can.
This has opened my mind to new ways to keep our D&D group together after 2 of our players move countries, now we can keep the Tale of Ziflodge alive 
Don't you just love the shared imagination experience?
Don't you just love the shared imagination experience?
This looks like an updated program I used back in 2002(Most likely OpenRPG or a clone). I can not remember the name, then again that was ten years ago. Did not have voice chat, only text chat, but offered a fairly good system of playing online with a group of friends.
I'm also an old school D&D player. My group will either play 1st or 2nd edition only, we have a library of books dedicated to the two editions we've collected over ebay and used bookstores over the years.
I'm also an old school D&D player. My group will either play 1st or 2nd edition only, we have a library of books dedicated to the two editions we've collected over ebay and used bookstores over the years.
I wouldn't doubt that they could easily scrub clean the UI elements of 4th edition and retool it for 5th (or any other edition)... If they coded it with the amount of flexibility they say they did.
Also, why does it have to be an online only tool? Given the iPad release it would be awesome if you could turn all the clunkier physical aspects of DnD into a cleaner digital media.
Keep the dice rolling with actual dice but I would enjoy an item list that doesn't get smudged the hell up as it ages with play.
Also, why does it have to be an online only tool? Given the iPad release it would be awesome if you could turn all the clunkier physical aspects of DnD into a cleaner digital media.
Keep the dice rolling with actual dice but I would enjoy an item list that doesn't get smudged the hell up as it ages with play.
