I'm impressed that Maps seems to be getting regular updates and love. But in itself it's not enough to get my group to switch (from FG). I think they need to do a few improvements to the Encounter/Combat Tracker in order to make the combination worth the switch. But I don't recall the last time there was any update/improvement on that tool. Any ideas on if they are still working on it?
EDIT: Last update in the Change log appears to be from February 2022. :(
it does feel as if Maps and the Encounter Tracker have to walk hand-in-hand. One thing Foundry provides is adjective assignment at the time of combat. So if you have two goblins, you'll get "Kind Goblin" and "Territorial Goblin" or something. This provides no end of entertainment to my players and inspires much improv. If the combat tracker can associate the actors with the tokens on maps, we'd really be in business.
A question for all you Geeks who understand the tech:
Will you be able to access the 3D VTT via a browser?
Thanks Blakey
It's not impossible but I imagine they are using Unreal for the engine and that is not a WebGPU based game engine so they'd have to basically build a second client for browser only and maintain it side-by-side with the Unreal version. Let's just say the chances of that happening are almost zero.
There is possibly a way they (Hasbro) could do it. It depends on Hasbro deciding on if it is worth the money to do so to attract customers who do not have computers or tablets or cells capable of doing the 3d VTT natively and if they think they will get enough customers to try.
What Hasbro might do if they go this route or hire another company to do is all guesses until they announce, if they ever do. I have no special or secret information on how they are going to do this if they even plan or need to do it. All below is a way they might be able to.
It is called pixel streaming and would require a really good internet connection on the players side and Hasbro taking the effort to compile the 3dvtt to a host that they build and run or hire a 3rd party host that the players connect to via their browsers.
The players would use their web browser to connect to a session on the host and then that host session connects to the 3dvtt. This kind of connection has been used in the past for previous versions of UNREAL engines for development and production of games. It would require the host server to have a compiled version of the 3dVTT built for it.
I suspect there would be two additional costs involved if Hasbro did this if they could not get their 3dVTT to operate on phones, tablets and low-level computers.
The first additional cost would likely be a needed subscription to a “bridge” host that users use their web browsers to control the session on it they are renting. Players get a login and password and some initial tokens when the account is created. For current in existence now applications and games by other companies there are different levels of accounts ranging from about $25 per month to $90 per month for high end graphics to “Let’s talk” for multiplayer support and 4k.
The second cost would be additional tokens. Setups like this usually charge like two tokens per minute of connection and you can buy these tokens thru certain venders. As an example, let’s say you play 4 hours per Saturday every Saturday so that would be 4 x 4 x 60 x 2 = 1920 tokens per month. A well-known vender sells 1000 tokens for $10 so the monthly cost of tokens in this case would be about $20 per month.
Remember all the above is an example of how other companies are doing this. I have no idea if Hasbro is looking at something similar or even sees the need for it.
Last, even if Hasbro did do this there could be a chance that the 3dVTT running on users’ machines might not be able to be in the same party as those players using their web browsers thru an online host process like I have described above.
Please ask if anyone has questions or finds an error I have made. and keep it civil. Looking forward to the VTT.
I haven't heard an official announcement, but iits not ready to launch. I think they are using the Maps VTT to iron out some of the kinks with DnD Beyond. Also they are going to have to invest a bunch of time and money in DBB to get all the new characters into the system. No sense launching a 3D VTT that doesn't work with One D&D, which was only finalized a few months ago.
Hopefully the 3D VTT will launch before the end of 2025 but I suspect they will need even more time given the sky high promises regarding that system.
The good news is that Maps is becoming a useful tool. Currently I prefer AboveVTT, but the ability to use maps for the new DND Beyond Maps feature is a huge boost in value. I now have a reason to buy digital modules for internet play.
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I'm impressed that Maps seems to be getting regular updates and love. But in itself it's not enough to get my group to switch (from FG). I think they need to do a few improvements to the Encounter/Combat Tracker in order to make the combination worth the switch. But I don't recall the last time there was any update/improvement on that tool. Any ideas on if they are still working on it?
EDIT: Last update in the Change log appears to be from February 2022. :(
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
I can assure you, it's not
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Sorry, if I was unclear, I meant the last update, specifically mentioning or about the Combat Tracker was 8th February 2022. [REDACTED]
Thanks
Blakey
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
it does feel as if Maps and the Encounter Tracker have to walk hand-in-hand. One thing Foundry provides is adjective assignment at the time of combat. So if you have two goblins, you'll get "Kind Goblin" and "Territorial Goblin" or something. This provides no end of entertainment to my players and inspires much improv. If the combat tracker can associate the actors with the tokens on maps, we'd really be in business.
~~~
May All Your Sequences Converge
It's not impossible but I imagine they are using Unreal for the engine and that is not a WebGPU based game engine so they'd have to basically build a second client for browser only and maintain it side-by-side with the Unreal version. Let's just say the chances of that happening are almost zero.
There is possibly a way they (Hasbro) could do it. It depends on Hasbro deciding on if it is worth the money to do so to attract customers who do not have computers or tablets or cells capable of doing the 3d VTT natively and if they think they will get enough customers to try.
What Hasbro might do if they go this route or hire another company to do is all guesses until they announce, if they ever do. I have no special or secret information on how they are going to do this if they even plan or need to do it. All below is a way they might be able to.
It is called pixel streaming and would require a really good internet connection on the players side and Hasbro taking the effort to compile the 3dvtt to a host that they build and run or hire a 3rd party host that the players connect to via their browsers.
The players would use their web browser to connect to a session on the host and then that host session connects to the 3dvtt. This kind of connection has been used in the past for previous versions of UNREAL engines for development and production of games. It would require the host server to have a compiled version of the 3dVTT built for it.
I suspect there would be two additional costs involved if Hasbro did this if they could not get their 3dVTT to operate on phones, tablets and low-level computers.
The first additional cost would likely be a needed subscription to a “bridge” host that users use their web browsers to control the session on it they are renting. Players get a login and password and some initial tokens when the account is created. For current in existence now applications and games by other companies there are different levels of accounts ranging from about $25 per month to $90 per month for high end graphics to “Let’s talk” for multiplayer support and 4k.
The second cost would be additional tokens. Setups like this usually charge like two tokens per minute of connection and you can buy these tokens thru certain venders. As an example, let’s say you play 4 hours per Saturday every Saturday so that would be 4 x 4 x 60 x 2 = 1920 tokens per month. A well-known vender sells 1000 tokens for $10 so the monthly cost of tokens in this case would be about $20 per month.
Remember all the above is an example of how other companies are doing this. I have no idea if Hasbro is looking at something similar or even sees the need for it.
Last, even if Hasbro did do this there could be a chance that the 3dVTT running on users’ machines might not be able to be in the same party as those players using their web browsers thru an online host process like I have described above.
Please ask if anyone has questions or finds an error I have made. and keep it civil. Looking forward to the VTT.
Is there any feedback as to why the 3D VTT was not mentioned in the 50th-anniversary road map for this year?
My Author Page: www.peterjblake.com
Novels Published: Reynard's Fate, Kita's Honour, Okoth's War and Callindrill
I haven't heard an official announcement, but iits not ready to launch. I think they are using the Maps VTT to iron out some of the kinks with DnD Beyond. Also they are going to have to invest a bunch of time and money in DBB to get all the new characters into the system. No sense launching a 3D VTT that doesn't work with One D&D, which was only finalized a few months ago.
Hopefully the 3D VTT will launch before the end of 2025 but I suspect they will need even more time given the sky high promises regarding that system.
The good news is that Maps is becoming a useful tool. Currently I prefer AboveVTT, but the ability to use maps for the new DND Beyond Maps feature is a huge boost in value. I now have a reason to buy digital modules for internet play.