An all-new Dungeons & Dragons gameplay experience is going to be coming in the next year or two and Wizards of the Coast is revealing some footage of this DnD virtual tabletop that is currently in development and will be compatible with the upcoming, evolving One D&D rules as well as the existing fifth edition. This new virtual space for campaigns is being developed to help players who are facing the problem of getting friends together in the same physical space to play DnD. Though the project is still far from completion, the initial demonstrations are impressive.
Wizards of the Coast showed footage of this new VTT in action during a recent DnD Direct Livestream event. The video showed a little bit about how players will be able to connect their virtual minis with a D&D Beyond account character sheet to make the experience more convenient. The artwork and even dice rolling are designed to look as real as possible and operates by using Unreal Engine behind the scenes.
The Goals Behind DnD's New Virtual Tabletop
Other companies have been providing virtual DnD tabletop experiences for players, but this will be the first official VTT that is being put out by D&D Beyond and Wizards of the Coast. Game Director Kale Stutzman stated in a D&D Beyond blog post that throughout development the team has concentrated on three major focuses:
This experience needed to satisfy three core criteria: It had to be Fun, like playing in person, it had to be Convenient both for Dungeon Masters and players, and it had to be Authentic to the rules and how people play the game. Using these keywords as our North Star, we started work on an immersive experience while trying to solve the real-world problems our players were having with learning how to play, connecting with each other, and keeping their groups alive.
Features That DnD's Virtual Tabletop Will Offer Players
In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to get groups together in the same room on a regular basis for events such as DnD. Virtual tabletops are designed to help to give another prospect when physical proximity may not be practical. Making more immersive environments for players around the world to come together in an online space could help players enjoy the game more often with more flexibility of options.
These are some of the benefits that DnD's VTT experience is going to be featuring according to D&D Beyond:
- Players can interact with a 3D space with multiple tools, minis, dice, and chat functions.
- Dungeon Masters can have full control over putting monsters into the world, assigning stats to minis, adjusting hit points of conditions, and more.
- Rolling dice should still feel like a fun experience, but the math behind those rolls will be automatically calculated unless players choose an option to manually handle it.
- Character sheets in D&D Beyond will connect with the VTT so players' minis on the virtual board will have the spells, weapons, and stats connected to them.
- There are 3D maps designed especially for the VTT, but also ways for DMs to import 2D maps to play on within the VTT.
- The VTT will include visual effects and animations that mirror what players are trying to do with casting spells or other visual aspects of the world.
The New Virtual Tabletop Will Be DnD 5e Compatible
While the VTT was originally announced to be in development for the new One D&D ruleset changes, this has been changed to now also feature 5e compatibility. The entirety of the Player's Handbook and Monster Manual are being built into the VTT system. Visual effects with spells and abilities by monsters and NPCs will all be designed to work with this virtual experience. Having the rules built into the background of the system will also allow DMs and players to focus more on the story and adventure and less on looking up certain rules to make sure they are being used correctly.
Connecting To D&D Beyond Allows Easy Access For Character Stats
Anyone, DMs or players, using D&D Beyond for character sheets or other information should appreciate that the VTT system will be designed to be seamlessly integrated with D&D Beyond. DnD character sheets can be assigned directly to a mini in the virtual board, not only translating their stats but also supplying the animations for attacks and spells. Players will still be able to take control and override things as needed, and will still have their free agency for whatever creative plans they come up.
Digital DnD Vs. Traditional DnD
Playing DnD digitally obviously isn't going to be the same experience as playing in person, and even rolling the dice on a VTT isn't as satisfying, despite how many cool VFX get added. Being in a physical space with other players can create energy as excitement in the room rises. Sensing what other players are thinking with just a look, or even being able to share a pizza, just can't be replicated in a virtual space.
That said, DnD is all about imagination, creativity, and roleplaying. Ultimately, tools such as the new VTT are designed to be able to add to the experience without taking away any of the core values which make up a good tabletop experience. Tools such as this are simply that - tools. VTTs can support when players cannot get together, and other features can help to make up for what is lacking with a remote game. Visual effects, 3D maps, and even just not having to calculate the math or memorize every rule could all be big enough boons for some players to make up for being virtual.
When DnD's Virtual Tabletop Will Be Released
Currently, DnD's VTT is in its pre-alpha development. There is still a lot of work that developers need to do before it will be ready to be launched to the public. Later in 2023, the VTT should be slowly opening up for some playtesting experiences, but the full release will most likely be mid to late 2024 at the earliest.
All that has been shown so far is simply a small representation of what the teams will be continuing to work on in the future, but even this small snippet of a preview is very impressive. The virtual tabletop could prove a very useful tool to help new players feel more comfortable trying out DnD with the rules pre-built into the system, and it will assist groups in being able to get around logistical hurdles in scheduling and locations. This new development will hopefully be yet another tool in the toolbox for DMs and players to get to experience the joys of Dungeons & Dragons.
Source: D&D Beyond, Dungeons & Dragons/YouTube