Hey! I live almost on that campus. Personally, I like (read: Am obsessed with. -Ed) tabletop games, but I wouldnt want to play it on something like this. Granted this was a clunky ol' tech demo, but I play games on the computer and I play games on the tabletop. I don't need/want them to mesh. I know I sound obstinate but I like the imagination aspect of it. #dungeonsdragons
@Gruntybreath: What if said table were less 'computer graphicy'. Say, instead of trees, bushes, animated models, etc, you had an image of a battle mat with lines drawn on it for various things? (Obviously we're assuming less clunky tech demo-ness.) #dungeonsdragons
@Moleculor: Aside from the costs, I'd still feel it would draw from the core game. I'm DMing a game now, and I think a lot of the fun for me is in drawing the dungeon out on the grid, telling people what things happen where, and in what ways. I can't very well tell my paladin that his hammer knocks the goblins' head off and into the rogue when the display very well shows a man swinging and a goblin going down. We all play computer games and I feel the completely screen free game is something wholesome and necessary in our gaming diet.
The only ways I see this improving upon the normal game is in the organization aspect of it. Maybe a toolbar with options to open a map or a spellbook. What I saw in that was totally awesome, and what I'd look for in a product like this. I just don't see myself ever wanting this over pen and paper.
That all said, I'm sure its the future of the game and I'll eventually be sold into buying it. Its not like I won't want a surface for other things anyway.
@Gruntybreath: I could see why veterans of pen and paper games wouldn't necessarily want it, but I could see this as a draw for those who never played pen and paper games. It would be less of a transition from video games. As the price for Surface monitors drops, I could see this gaining a decent niche following. #dungeonsdragons
those dice rolling and movement is HELLA slow. why cant you use REAL dice that can then be read by the "surface"? you can. do that instead. more "physical" experience, dontcha think? #dungeonsdragons
As "cool" as the concept and demo are, to me it just looks like over complicating something that is already over complicated.
I'm sure others will try and this video here is a good indication of possibilities, but I guess nothing can really take the place of the traditional pen and paper, dice rolling experience. Yet.
Although one day far in the future I foresee a type of game that we saw in Star Wars being played on the Millennium Falcon, a tabletop game with 3d holographic avatars battling it out on command from their users. I could see that definitely being used for D&D and hell, even Pokemanz and the like. (Can you imagine how insanely popular a holographic fully animated Pokeman arena type game would be?) In the future experience but for now it's only a pipe dream and we struggle with even these kinds of "primitive" technologies shown here that attempt to replicate a simpler experience by complicating it at the cost of sacrificing imagination for the sake of "flash" and gimmickry, such as the virtual dice rolling taking several times longer to resolve than actually um, rolling real dice would take.
All that being said I've seen some crazy setups people have for enhancing their pen and paper games via the use of projectors, virtual tabletop software, lasers and whatnot, but none of it is as impressive as a fully modelled "miniature" setup with terrain, resin cast dungeons, painted miniatures and the like. When you see something that is 'tangible' like that it really speaks to the essence of creativity that some of these gamers have and the passion they have for their hobby. Any way you look at it, all of these are aids to help visualize and bring to life imagined ideas and concepts, visual tokens to represent a virtual world and whatever people use to aid them in that quest is always interesting to see. If you're into that sort of thing. #dungeonsdragons
@Sobersean: People already use programs to play online with drawn-out maps they made that figure things out for them as they go along, and people already buy sets of pieces to build maps on a 3D plane. What's so outlandish about combining the two, and making it a physical experience mixed with a virtual one? #dungeonsdragons
@Sobersean: I'm seeing it as the exact opposite. There's nothing better than a DM whose got his shit together; all the minitures, a collection of scenery, a workstation covered in PVC glue.
But in the digital age, physically constructive hobbies are less and less common and there's a distinct lack of DMs that use more than graph paper. I think that by allowing the DM to create digital content to the same effect will allow a whole new era of DMs to create a level of atmosphere for their adventure that could previously only be achieved with expensive, plentiful, and difficult to make set pieces. #dungeonsdragons
Crecente needs to update his Windows 7 article.
I completely forget its now got multi touch, so most of this can be done on Windows 7 ( jsut with the screen flat instead of up normally)
So Win7 can bring in new games n such.
Though maybe not so much for D&D I liked the RUSE demo, cos an RTS would work quite nice. #dungeonsdragons
@Yossarian: I definitely perked up a bit when seeing this titillating concept. I'm sure they're going to milk this for all it's worth. #dungeonsdragons
@Yossarian: even so, I'll definitely be keeping abreast of any further over development of this as they flesh out the idea and reveal more to us. After all it's an idea that I keep close to my bosom as I'm truly a gigantic fan of the subject matter.
It would be really hard to keep this under wraps for too long, it's just bursting at the seams ready to pop out on the gaming scene. I think gamers everywhere will be dying to dive right in and give this a twist. They'd be coconuts to not want to try this. Looks like mounds of fun right off the rack. #dungeonsdragons
That map does look very very awesome.
When it doesn't cost more then, well basically everything else on the market I'll be interested. #dungeonsdragons
I care nothing for D&D, Sheltered Dragons that live in Dungeons or Dungeons that contained Pale Skin Dragons but that demo was incredible.
The potential for more video games using this is sweet. I'd take the basic Monopoly game for now though, maybe watch as small cops take away my shoe to jail. #dungeonsdragons
@deanbmmv: The tech is still new, still being experimented with, as you see here. It will probably be another decade before it gets cheap. When the program is done, it might not be a feasible purchase for a DM, but maybe for a local geekshop on a rental basis. #dungeonsdragons
@Ghede: Tech isn't new, as I said, its been nearly 4 years, the tech is in Windows 7 as we speak, touchscreens are getting more n more affordable as t hey become prevalent on more and more PC's and devices.
For some reason Surface is still priced as a premium product.
The Surface demo pack is even thrown in Win7 as an example. #dungeonsdragons
@Crowbot: I'll pay 100$ for a 4.0 DnD MMO based on the forgoten realms settings.
Because DnD 4.0 is just perfectly fit for MMO game mechanics and combat.
That being said, DDO has one of the best combat system ever for an MMO since it is real time and really feel like an hack and slash. Too bad basically everything else sucked when I played it 2 years ago. Will give it a try again now.
10/20/09
10/19/09
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10/19/09
The only ways I see this improving upon the normal game is in the organization aspect of it. Maybe a toolbar with options to open a map or a spellbook. What I saw in that was totally awesome, and what I'd look for in a product like this. I just don't see myself ever wanting this over pen and paper.
That all said, I'm sure its the future of the game and I'll eventually be sold into buying it. Its not like I won't want a surface for other things anyway.
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
I'm sure others will try and this video here is a good indication of possibilities, but I guess nothing can really take the place of the traditional pen and paper, dice rolling experience. Yet.
Although one day far in the future I foresee a type of game that we saw in Star Wars being played on the Millennium Falcon, a tabletop game with 3d holographic avatars battling it out on command from their users. I could see that definitely being used for D&D and hell, even Pokemanz and the like. (Can you imagine how insanely popular a holographic fully animated Pokeman arena type game would be?) In the future experience but for now it's only a pipe dream and we struggle with even these kinds of "primitive" technologies shown here that attempt to replicate a simpler experience by complicating it at the cost of sacrificing imagination for the sake of "flash" and gimmickry, such as the virtual dice rolling taking several times longer to resolve than actually um, rolling real dice would take.
All that being said I've seen some crazy setups people have for enhancing their pen and paper games via the use of projectors, virtual tabletop software, lasers and whatnot, but none of it is as impressive as a fully modelled "miniature" setup with terrain, resin cast dungeons, painted miniatures and the like. When you see something that is 'tangible' like that it really speaks to the essence of creativity that some of these gamers have and the passion they have for their hobby. Any way you look at it, all of these are aids to help visualize and bring to life imagined ideas and concepts, visual tokens to represent a virtual world and whatever people use to aid them in that quest is always interesting to see. If you're into that sort of thing. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
But in the digital age, physically constructive hobbies are less and less common and there's a distinct lack of DMs that use more than graph paper. I think that by allowing the DM to create digital content to the same effect will allow a whole new era of DMs to create a level of atmosphere for their adventure that could previously only be achieved with expensive, plentiful, and difficult to make set pieces. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
I own three myself. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
10/19/09
Specifically where you say 'there is nothing better'. That is the essence of my viewpoint. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
I completely forget its now got multi touch, so most of this can be done on Windows 7 ( jsut with the screen flat instead of up normally)
So Win7 can bring in new games n such.
Though maybe not so much for D&D I liked the RUSE demo, cos an RTS would work quite nice. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
"Let the Wookie win". #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
only small though. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
New control scheme for Ninja Gaiden 3? #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
Also playing H-games, no more clicking on the mouse!! I mean if I were to play H-games....
10/19/09
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10/19/09
But I'll agree, this concept took my breasts away. Seeing as how I was having a down day, it's nice to come on Kotaku and perk up. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
It would be really hard to keep this under wraps for too long, it's just bursting at the seams ready to pop out on the gaming scene. I think gamers everywhere will be dying to dive right in and give this a twist. They'd be coconuts to not want to try this. Looks like mounds of fun right off the rack. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
How about the GM just runs a program and sends you an email telling you how much experience you got? #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
When it doesn't cost more then, well basically everything else on the market I'll be interested. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
At worst, you'll end up trading it to Gamestop for two XBox360 games. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
Sweet deal. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
The potential for more video games using this is sweet. I'd take the basic Monopoly game for now though, maybe watch as small cops take away my shoe to jail. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
10/19/09
10/19/09
"LIMITED WARRANTY..." #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
It has but its still insanely expensive for normal use. #dungeonsdragons
10/19/09
10/19/09
For some reason Surface is still priced as a premium product.
The Surface demo pack is even thrown in Win7 as an example. #dungeonsdragons
10/20/09
Had a good response too. Here is what it boils down to.
The price is 12.5K, not 20K, if 20K was the original price, it dropped 7500 bucks over 4 years.
Microsoft is probably planning on rolling out some cheaper hardware with the release of windows 7, if not them, then someone else. #dungeonsdragons
09/08/09
09/08/09
Because DnD 4.0 is just perfectly fit for MMO game mechanics and combat.
That being said, DDO has one of the best combat system ever for an MMO since it is real time and really feel like an hack and slash. Too bad basically everything else sucked when I played it 2 years ago. Will give it a try again now.
09/08/09
09/08/09
That's kind of messed up.