This could all be solved if DDB would just put out a VTT so we could finally do everything on one sight. They would probably become the #1 VTT very quickly if they just provided a similar experience to r20 that was integrated with the rest of their site.
They have VTT on their road map. It's why, for example, they developed digital dice and are about to support shared dice rolls since these are early steps toward offering a VTT.
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Much that once was is lost. Objects in Mirror Image are closer than they appear. All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers and portrayers...
This could all be solved if DDB would just put out a VTT so we could finally do everything on one sight. They would probably become the #1 VTT very quickly if they just provided a similar experience to r20 that was integrated with the rest of their site.
This is basically my hope.
Currently, we use Zoom for vid/voice chat and Roll20 for the tabletop. We roll real/digital dice off screen (honour system) and players use their DDB sheets. As a DM, I use tools from DDB such as adventure modules, combat tracker, etc. In addition, I use OneNote for taking notes.
Package all that up in to one application and whoever does that first will corner the entire market and could charge a monthly fee of whatever they want. I hope DDB gets to take my money :-)
It why would they do that (from either side)? Helping a competitor make more money, makes no sense at all from a business point of view.
if you like roll20 then go with that, if you like DDB, then go with that. The choice already exists and that’s all their needs to be.
If you want to use DDB with Roll20, and you haven't tried it already, my group has had great results using Beyond 20. We use Discord for voice.
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Much that once was is lost. Objects in Mirror Image are closer than they appear. All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers and portrayers...
Building a VTT from scratch seems like a VERY large project, and one filled with stumbling blocks. Keep in mind that Roll20 has a hug marketplace of user made art. So, for the most part, they didn't have to build every item that a dm might want. And then there is the fact that people would want it done well.
It may make more sense for Dndbeyond to eventually buy one of the competitors. Which also depends on how far down the line they are in making their own VTT.
Building a VTT from scratch seems like a VERY large project, and one filled with stumbling blocks. Keep in mind that Roll20 has a hug marketplace of user made art. So, for the most part, they didn't have to build every item that a dm might want. And then there is the fact that people would want it done well.
It may make more sense for Dndbeyond to eventually buy one of the competitors. Which also depends on how far down the line they are in making their own VTT.
I really don’t think that trying to shoehorn someone else’s product into the DDB brand is the way the go. The effort taken to make some other product fit with DDB, could be better spent developing their own fully integrated product.
They were barely able to get (most of) the functionality of Tasha's done on time. What gives you the impression that they have the resources or expertise to put together a VTT? Their best bet is to try to license out a version of Foundry VTT where 90% of the work is done. But I'm not really sure they've got the financials to make that possible, or they would've done it already.
Thank you. I found this to be very helpful. I was confounded, thinking that the extension was supposed to import the whole character sheet, but after reading your post, I got it the rest of the way set up and it's updating HPs from DNDBeyond to the Roll20 avatars.
Cool stuff!
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Respectfully,
Bob45eDnD
Warning: objects in this game may be more dangerous than they appear.
I haven't tried it yet, I am not involved with it, but it does seem like an interesting attempt after seeing the youtube video. Note that this is an ALPHA so still a long way to go.
Using Beyond20 works well for integrating DnDBeyond with Roll20 however that is not an import.
I've written a bunch of macros in Roll20 to speed up combat. They rely on accessing Proficiency and other Stats. To effectively use them then requires players (or me) maintaining two character sheets.
Wizards is causing consternation. I have resources in DnD Beyond (that I purchased before discovering Roll20) that I do not want to pay for a second time (Players Manual as the first example). I don't want to buy new DnD Beyond material as if I'm going to invest in a product I want it integrated with my VTT. As of now I am disinclined to purchase material in Roll20 as I can't access it from DnD beyond and/or don't want to throw money away if Wizards is going to develop a killer VTT.
I see no good solution for my impediment. Unless I simply missed something I am only posting a complaint to the deep pockets (Wizards) that are not producing solutions for a hugely growing VTT market.
Wizzards needs to license their property cross platform (without gouging), create true integration or deliver their own VTT -- doing this a few years ago would be foresight, right now it's hard not to call it hindsight.
Using Beyond20 works well for integrating DnDBeyond with Roll20 however that is not an import.
I've written a bunch of macros in Roll20 to speed up combat. They rely on accessing Proficiency and other Stats. To effectively use them then requires players (or me) maintaining two character sheets.
Wizards is causing consternation. I have resources in DnD Beyond (that I purchased before discovering Roll20) that I do not want to pay for a second time (Players Manual as the first example). I don't want to buy new DnD Beyond material as if I'm going to invest in a product I want it integrated with my VTT. As of now I am disinclined to purchase material in Roll20 as I can't access it from DnD beyond and/or don't want to throw money away if Wizards is going to develop a killer VTT.
I see no good solution for my impediment. Unless I simply missed something I am only posting a complaint to the deep pockets (Wizards) that are not producing solutions for a hugely growing VTT market.
Wizzards needs to license their property cross platform (without gouging), create true integration or deliver their own VTT -- doing this a few years ago would be foresight, right now it's hard not to call it hindsight.
Move off of roll20 in favor of FoundryVTT. There are multiple options to do a real import of the content you own in DDB to foundry. This is why I continue to purchase content on DDB.
Hmmm... let me just make sure. Your solution for my problem is to:
Buy Foundry ($50) then buy any number of modules to expand what I need.
Spend a hundred hours learning a new VTT and a new coding environment.
In the end I get to "import" characters (after buying the module) but no better Wizards product support. At least if I buy a module from Roll20 I get monster tokens and maps to import.
Yeah, I really don't see the cost benefit until Roll20 really pisses me off. Though if Foundry offered a 30 day trial I would at least spend some time reviewing it.
I'm not sure why DDB developers would put all the time and effort into making it easy for you to use a competitor, though.
Building a VTT is very costly. They could develop a robust API and let the other VTT developers spend all the effort to actually make the VTTs. The customers (that’s us) will use whichever VTT we like best but pay D&D Beyond for content. This keeps costs low for DDB while keeping the revenue steam going.
Hmmm... let me just make sure. Your solution for my problem is to:
Buy Foundry ($50) then buy any number of modules to expand what I need.
Spend a hundred hours learning a new VTT and a new coding environment.
In the end I get to "import" characters (after buying the module) but no better Wizards product support. At least if I buy a module from Roll20 I get monster tokens and maps to import.
Yeah, I really don't see the cost benefit until Roll20 really pisses me off. Though if Foundry offered a 30 day trial I would at least spend some time reviewing it.
When you say "buy modules" are you talking Foundry or Beyond, because once you spend the $50 one time, all the things you can add to Foundry are open source and free. If you are talking about on Beyond if you don't own it already then being able to import it into Roll20 wouldn't be an option either.
I get that it is frustrating that there isn't one option, and until Wizards (or more likely DDB) builds a VTT you are pretty much going to have to use 1-3 tools to make online smooth. I recommend Foundry/DDB/Discord. The first host all your maps, the second all your character details which can be imported to foundry with the click of a button, and the last for communication (audio and or video). This combination is the best and most robust I have found to work.
To be fair not all modules are free, some are behind a paywall including the DDB importers. A lot of work goes into these so I don't mind that. Keep in mind though that if you are self hosting foundry its just a one time $50 cost vs the ongoing Roll20 monthly fees. I ditched Roll20 a long time ago as it seemed like it was not gettting much development or features added and I don't like my content being locked on one VTT if I purchase it there.
Sure it was extra work learning a new VTT but it was not even close 100 hours. If you know Roll20 then you will know a lot of the basic concepts of foundry. There is a tool R20Exporter and Converter to import roll20 to foundry to help speed things up.
My prep time is cut down a considerable amount with the extra tools avaible and my players love all of the features.
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Great work around
This could all be solved if DDB would just put out a VTT so we could finally do everything on one sight. They would probably become the #1 VTT very quickly if they just provided a similar experience to r20 that was integrated with the rest of their site.
They have VTT on their road map. It's why, for example, they developed digital dice and are about to support shared dice rolls since these are early steps toward offering a VTT.
Much that once was is lost.
Objects in Mirror Image are closer than they appear.
All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers and portrayers...
It why would they do that (from either side)? Helping a competitor make more money, makes no sense at all from a business point of view.
if you like roll20 then go with that, if you like DDB, then go with that. The choice already exists and that’s all their needs to be.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
This is basically my hope.
Currently, we use Zoom for vid/voice chat and Roll20 for the tabletop. We roll real/digital dice off screen (honour system) and players use their DDB sheets. As a DM, I use tools from DDB such as adventure modules, combat tracker, etc. In addition, I use OneNote for taking notes.
Package all that up in to one application and whoever does that first will corner the entire market and could charge a monthly fee of whatever they want. I hope DDB gets to take my money :-)
If you want to use DDB with Roll20, and you haven't tried it already, my group has had great results using Beyond 20. We use Discord for voice.
Much that once was is lost.
Objects in Mirror Image are closer than they appear.
All the world's indeed a stage, and we are merely players, performers and portrayers...
Just use beyond 20 extension, you don't have to import anything. They even have a version for foundry VTT.
Building a VTT from scratch seems like a VERY large project, and one filled with stumbling blocks. Keep in mind that Roll20 has a hug marketplace of user made art. So, for the most part, they didn't have to build every item that a dm might want. And then there is the fact that people would want it done well.
It may make more sense for Dndbeyond to eventually buy one of the competitors. Which also depends on how far down the line they are in making their own VTT.
I really don’t think that trying to shoehorn someone else’s product into the DDB brand is the way the go. The effort taken to make some other product fit with DDB, could be better spent developing their own fully integrated product.
That is just my opinion though.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
They were barely able to get (most of) the functionality of Tasha's done on time. What gives you the impression that they have the resources or expertise to put together a VTT? Their best bet is to try to license out a version of Foundry VTT where 90% of the work is done. But I'm not really sure they've got the financials to make that possible, or they would've done it already.
Thank you. I found this to be very helpful. I was confounded, thinking that the extension was supposed to import the whole character sheet, but after reading your post, I got it the rest of the way set up and it's updating HPs from DNDBeyond to the Roll20 avatars.
Cool stuff!
Respectfully,
Bob45eDnD
Warning: objects in this game may be more dangerous than they appear.
Since this has been bumped recently this guy has used DNDBeyond to have a VTT without another site/program (except the browser extension).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ2RUdov7jw&feature=youtu.be
I haven't tried it yet, I am not involved with it, but it does seem like an interesting attempt after seeing the youtube video. Note that this is an ALPHA so still a long way to go.
Called - AboveVTT
I would like to see Foundry be bought by Beyond and integrated. It is easily the best VTT on the market.
I'm not sure why DDB developers would put all the time and effort into making it easy for you to use a competitor, though.
A caffeinated nerd who has played TTRPGs or a number of years and is very much a fantasy adventure geek.
Using Beyond20 works well for integrating DnDBeyond with Roll20 however that is not an import.
I've written a bunch of macros in Roll20 to speed up combat. They rely on accessing Proficiency and other Stats. To effectively use them then requires players (or me) maintaining two character sheets.
Wizards is causing consternation. I have resources in DnD Beyond (that I purchased before discovering Roll20) that I do not want to pay for a second time (Players Manual as the first example). I don't want to buy new DnD Beyond material as if I'm going to invest in a product I want it integrated with my VTT. As of now I am disinclined to purchase material in Roll20 as I can't access it from DnD beyond and/or don't want to throw money away if Wizards is going to develop a killer VTT.
I see no good solution for my impediment. Unless I simply missed something I am only posting a complaint to the deep pockets (Wizards) that are not producing solutions for a hugely growing VTT market.
Wizzards needs to license their property cross platform (without gouging), create true integration or deliver their own VTT -- doing this a few years ago would be foresight, right now it's hard not to call it hindsight.
Move off of roll20 in favor of FoundryVTT. There are multiple options to do a real import of the content you own in DDB to foundry. This is why I continue to purchase content on DDB.
Hmmm... let me just make sure. Your solution for my problem is to:
Buy Foundry ($50) then buy any number of modules to expand what I need.
Spend a hundred hours learning a new VTT and a new coding environment.
In the end I get to "import" characters (after buying the module) but no better Wizards product support. At least if I buy a module from Roll20 I get monster tokens and maps to import.
Yeah, I really don't see the cost benefit until Roll20 really pisses me off. Though if Foundry offered a 30 day trial I would at least spend some time reviewing it.
Building a VTT is very costly. They could develop a robust API and let the other VTT developers spend all the effort to actually make the VTTs. The customers (that’s us) will use whichever VTT we like best but pay D&D Beyond for content. This keeps costs low for DDB while keeping the revenue steam going.
When you say "buy modules" are you talking Foundry or Beyond, because once you spend the $50 one time, all the things you can add to Foundry are open source and free. If you are talking about on Beyond if you don't own it already then being able to import it into Roll20 wouldn't be an option either.
I get that it is frustrating that there isn't one option, and until Wizards (or more likely DDB) builds a VTT you are pretty much going to have to use 1-3 tools to make online smooth. I recommend Foundry/DDB/Discord. The first host all your maps, the second all your character details which can be imported to foundry with the click of a button, and the last for communication (audio and or video). This combination is the best and most robust I have found to work.
To be fair not all modules are free, some are behind a paywall including the DDB importers. A lot of work goes into these so I don't mind that. Keep in mind though that if you are self hosting foundry its just a one time $50 cost vs the ongoing Roll20 monthly fees. I ditched Roll20 a long time ago as it seemed like it was not gettting much development or features added and I don't like my content being locked on one VTT if I purchase it there.
Sure it was extra work learning a new VTT but it was not even close 100 hours. If you know Roll20 then you will know a lot of the basic concepts of foundry. There is a tool R20Exporter and Converter to import roll20 to foundry to help speed things up.
My prep time is cut down a considerable amount with the extra tools avaible and my players love all of the features.