Testing d20Pro Virtual Tabletop Tuesday Night

[Thorin]

Startup instructions:

1. Make sure you have Java 1.6.0.10 or higher installed
2. Install d20Pro from http://www.d20pro.com/downloads.php
3. Get demo license from same place
4. Start d20Pro (Start->MindGene->d20Pro)
5. Click "Player" when prompted for Judge or Player
6. Enter your actual name for Player Name
7. Enter cenek.dyndns.org for IP Address
8. Enter 10101 for Port
9. Click the green checkmark button and wait for a connection to succeed

As "Judge", I then receive a request to broadcast the current map to you.  I will do so, and make you owner of a token on the map that represents your character.

We'll start off out of combat so that you can move around freely, but once combat starts you will be limited to only moving on your turn.

[Melbosa]

So what about these characters you want us to play?  Where are they?

[Thorin]

Sorry, been real busy.  d20Pro attaches stats to the tokens, so I hope to have some basic data entered before we start.  Gotta still have a birthday party here.

[Thorin]

I'm interested to hear your impressions, guys.  Please try to point out both good and bad bits about your experience, don't just limit it to all positive or all negative.

[Thorin]

Oh, and here's the log from the game.  I really like that there's in-character chatter in the official log...  To view the logfile, just hack off the .txt extension and leave the .html extension.

[Lazybones]

It is not bad, there are some areas that where made much more difficult from lack of prep.

If I was going to play a caster for example I would want all my Effects pre built before starting play. It is too bad those are not more strongly linked with the spells themselves.

I also had stability problems under Mac OS and had to run it inside a windows VM.

We NEED Voice chat at a minimum, it is too hard to explain program related issues in that little chat window.

[Thorin]

Concerns

1. Players need better feedback on whether the Judge has received their action
2. Effects need to be explained better so Players know how to use them
3. I wish I could move the Chat and Log windows to the side instead of on the bottom, so more of the map is visible on my widescreen monitor

Prep

Yes, better prep would have helped.  Apparently Players can create their own characters if they start their client in Judge mode.  When they're done, they can then restart their client in Player mode and they can "Upload Creature".

Visuals

The map and tokens are only going to look as good as we can either make or find online.  When creating maps, a more definitive difference between Wall and Floor needs to be used.  Maybe next map I'll go old-school black (or grey) lines on white.  Or something like that.

That being said, I found a Dundjinni User Art Pack last night that has hundreds of high-quality free tokens in them to use.

Voice Chat

Yes, voice chat would probably be nice.  Once we get used to the app there'll be less program-related 'splainin' to do.  I really liked that Melbosa threw in the in-character comments, that was cool.

Play Style

I noticed that at first no one knew how to proceed; everyone was waiting for me to move the tokens, while I was waiting for someone to say, "My character walks in".  It was nice to see that we got past that fairly quickly.  The intent of the tool is to let the Players tell the Judge what they want to do, and at times to just go and do it, but that it's very much still the "My character does this / My character does that" play style that is used around a table.  In other words, it's not a video game with a human opponent, it's still pen-n-paper style D&D.

System-Specific Tools

d20Pro has more tools to help the game progress than the other Virtual Tabletops I tried.  The other ones all focus more on being system-independent.  Things like declaring an attack, or a skill check, or anything like that either have to be done through a chat window and a third-party die roller or by spending a bunch of time programming macros.  While some (like MapTools) have really pretty mapping and per-character fog-of-war, I found d20Pro's system-specific tools to be surprisingly helpful last night.

As Lazy said, though, having a little more stuff prepped (especially Effects) would certainly help.

Summary

I found our test-run mostly satisfying.  If I were given a choice of no D&D or D&D with d20Pro as the Virtual Tabletop, I'd pick the latter.

Question

While we were focusing on the mechanics of this tool, did you notice a bit of plot or story coming out?  I did, between the narratives and the in-character comments and even one of the monsters surviving long enough to say "Arrgghhh", and I liked that.  Good to see we weren't completely focused on mechanics, even in a test.

[Melbosa]

Pros

• Cross Plateform
• Relative Realtime response
• In game chat versus ooc/gm chat
• Built in tools for DnD itself
• Log of the game
• Allows for long distance participation

Cons

• Layout is limited for customization
• Not clear when you have submitted something for approval
• Cross Plateform stability issues
• Not intuitive at first to use abilities/powers
• Can see issues when the group gets larger - chat overlap, GM not able to follow everything
• No PM chat - would be nice for non-game related or quick jokes
• Shortcuts only work depending on window and item focus, which annoyed the hell out of me last night

My Opinion
The software needs work.  It is well on its way now, but I don't think it is worth paying for yet (there might be software you can borrow in the mean time).  There is some definite refinements and design flaws that need to be worked out.  Realistate for the product seems to require a 22" or bigger monitor.  Wasn't very friendly on my 17" laptop.

I personally don't mind the lack of Voice chat, as you noticed Tom played more in character than I have ever seen him do in person - and it was a blast.  I've played so many MMOs that I could stick with the chat myself - although I see Lazy's point with the software support side.  Video Conferencing would be nice, but I'd definitely be using 2 computers or dual monitors for that.

Again, I'm like Thorin in this... if it was between no DnD and this, I'd choose this.

I think I'd like to play once more, a whole story, with characters we've made.  Then I can make my final decision.

[Lazybones]

I was on a 13" laptop, the layout could use work.

The app lacks polish, not sure about paying for it yet.

[Tom]

I don't really have much to add. Nothing constructive anyhow

[Thorin]

I was on a 13" laptop, the layout could use work.

The app lacks polish, not sure about paying for it yet.

I hear ya about the "polish".  I tried Fantasy Grounds, and while it looks really shiny and neat, I had trouble actually figuring out how to use it (beyond picking up the photo-realistic dice and rolling them).  And it sure didn't have any easy-access attacks or spells or keeping track of rounds and effects during rounds and all that.

Now, as for using any Virtual Tabletop on a 13" laptop, well, you just aren't gonna enjoy that experience

[Thorin]

Do you have another, bigger monitor Lazy?  I don't know how you do it with a 13" screen.  What's your resolution set at?

I think I'd like to play once more, a whole story, with characters we've made.  Then I can make my final decision.

Yeah, I'd like that as well.  We could take some time and make actual characters, and then start one of the modules that I've been dying to run?  It'd probably take a couple or three sessions to complete.  That would give us a much better idea of whether the app works for us.  The possibility of doing two or three sessions would also give us the push to set up some kind of voice chat.

Are you up for it Mel?  Lazy?  Tom?  Anyone on the forums would be welcome to join in - Tonnica?  Mr. A?  Akvad?  CowGirl?  Rae?  Darren?

(Mel, Lazy, can you double-check that "D20 Games" can be seen by all forum users?)

[Thorin]

By the way, there's an update of d20Pro planned for release sometime over the summer.

[Lazybones]

I am interested, however even with this being more flexible I can see my self having limited time over the summer.

I can use the 17" monitor on my desktop or bring my 17" work laptop home, but that is for me to work out. I only have a small computer desk for one person in the living room these days, I no longer have the massive dedicated computer room that I had in Edmonton.

[Melbosa]

D20 Games is visible to everyone. Only the sub forums are visible to certain groups.