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5 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2008 - 9:00AM
#351
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Dragon Slayer
- D&DI News Guide
Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2005
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The model of the V minis is based on the Magic the Online Game. No copies, ever.
Got a source for that? If not, you're assuming. I find that option HIGHLY unlikely.
I would think that it would be for the actual V-mini game online than the simple Tabletop. To make these the same in both applications is the implication that is being thrown about.
I don't follow. Maybe it's work that's fried my brain, but that first sentence doesn't make any sense to me.
The problem with the release is that there isn't one. The thing is a "feature" of the subscription service DDi, and so the only we to get it or use it is to be online, pay 120 dollars a year, and possibly buy seperate V-minis for it. It has been hinted that around 20 minis (or "a number of...") would be given to those that register the MM online (get that cyber copy)
Well, while we haven't been given a preview of the Game Table I'm pretty sure (99%) I've read that they intend to open it for Beta about a month before DDI come fully online. I'll see if I can find the source for that.
Side note - I may be confusing the Game Table and the Character Creator for the "beta".
Your right, we could speculate all we want, but to see that the V-minis was even considered for the tabletop was disheartening enough. All we get is "It is begin looked into" type of elusive answers.
I haven't seen ANY evidence that they wanted to sell v-minis before the game table was a concept. Quite the opposite, I've only seem them as hand-in-hand options.
I'm willing to be proven wrong, however, so state your source and I'll look into it.
Wolf Star76 Community Advocate (SVCL) for D&D Organized Play, Avalon Hill, and the DCI/WPN LFR Community Manager DDi Guide  Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
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5 years ago ::
Jan 20, 2008 - 3:31AM
#352
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Date Joined:
Aug 20, 2007
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Please ensure that any software components support the Mac OS.
Another +1 for Mac support, otherwise all this goodies miss a large percentage of potential DM's. 
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5 years ago ::
Jan 25, 2008 - 1:35PM
#353
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Date Joined:
Oct 19, 2007
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Another +1 for Mac support, otherwise all this goodies miss a large percentage of potential DM's.
Well, I actually think it will be a SMALL percentage of DM's (while Apple wants everyone to believe they are bigger than they are in the home market, they still have a way to go yet!), but it is a shame not to make it universally available to ANY desktop...really no excuse nowdays with all the development tools availalble. I understand they are working off existing technology investments, but it is a bit disappointing.
I have a Mac and a Windows notebook, so not concerned here, but I can see they have alienated a strongly growing market.
Alvo.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 09, 2008 - 4:58PM
#354
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Date Joined:
Sep 12, 2004
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I used to think that a laptop at the gaming table was a really good thing. I felt like it was helping me in some way. What I realized is that I was looking at a screen more often then my players--which is a bad thing.
If the tools are geared toward generating things ahead of time, they have a chance of making the table-top experience better.
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5 years ago ::
Feb 09, 2008 - 5:13PM
#355
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I used to think that a laptop at the gaming table was a really good thing. I felt like it was helping me in some way. What I realized is that I was looking at a screen more often then my players--which is a bad thing.
Better than even more time spent paging through books finding rules or flipping back and forth in adventures. 
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5 years ago ::
Mar 07, 2008 - 11:19PM
#356
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Date Joined:
May 24, 2004
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Well, I actually think it will be a SMALL percentage of DM's (while Apple wants everyone to believe they are bigger than they are in the home market, they still have a way to go yet!), but it is a shame not to make it universally available to ANY desktop...really no excuse nowdays with all the development tools availalble. I understand they are working off existing technology investments, but it is a bit disappointing.
I have a Mac and a Windows notebook, so not concerned here, but I can see they have alienated a strongly growing market.
Alvo.
I guess what confuses me is why the OS should matter. If you look across the world of development, especially when you think in terms of services, much is moving to OS neutral web-based applications. The D&D Insider portion would seem to tilt this way, but the Game Table application (it seems to me) should be able to be developed that way as well. If they didn't /couldn't/wouldn't, why not look at an emulator like Cider to make their application easily ported?
I am interested in this suite of services, although the cost structure seems a bit high, but the Windows/Mac requirement seems a bit backward looking.
G
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5 years ago ::
Mar 08, 2008 - 3:34AM
#357
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Date Joined:
Aug 21, 2007
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Hello,
I posted this question in another forum but I think it belongs here.
Is the DM kit just for use with the DDI game table, or can the materials(created maps mainly) be exported for printing or use with another online virtual table?
The monthly fee is too much for my players, several of which already own other virtual table top software they are comfortable with. However, if I can export my work from the DM's kit, I will be all over it.
Any info would be greatly appreciated (especially from anyone with the name WizO...:D )
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5 years ago ::
Mar 08, 2008 - 4:15PM
#358
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Dragon Slayer
- D&DI News Guide
Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2005
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I guess what confuses me is why the OS should matter. If you look across the world of development, especially when you think in terms of services, much is moving to OS neutral web-based applications. The D&D Insider portion would seem to tilt this way, but the Game Table application (it seems to me) should be able to be developed that way as well. If they didn't /couldn't/wouldn't, why not look at an emulator like Cider to make their application easily ported?
I am interested in this suite of services, although the cost structure seems a bit high, but the Windows/Mac requirement seems a bit backward looking.
G
Many of the services (The magazines, Rules Database, and Character Generator) are cross-platform. They're flat text(-ish) services.
Because the Game Table, Miniature Maker, and Map Maker are 3D tools they needed an easy way to hook into 3D drivers. For better or worse they chose to work with DirectX, since that gives them access to Windows desktops (which are dominant).
Wolf Star76 Community Advocate (SVCL) for D&D Organized Play, Avalon Hill, and the DCI/WPN LFR Community Manager DDi Guide Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
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5 years ago ::
Mar 09, 2008 - 5:44PM
#359
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Date Joined:
Sep 14, 2006
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Selling randomized "v-minis" is such an absurd idea that I sincerely hope this is just a misunderstaning of what was actually said. Selling them for a slight cost might be acceptable if it was accompanied by a lowering of the cost of subscription (9.95 is an OK price if the content turns out to be as snazzy as they say and it allows for online access to all the rules, but requiring a 12 month commitment or charging half again as much is tacky)
If randomizing and charging a significant ammount for minis required to make the subscription fully worthwhile is the only way to make it sufficiently profitable, however, this project of theirs should be doomed to failure.
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5 years ago ::
Mar 10, 2008 - 4:24AM
#360
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
- Dragon Slayer
- D&DI News Guide
Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2005
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Selling randomized "v-minis" is such an absurd idea that I sincerely hope this is just a misunderstaning of what was actually said. Selling them for a slight cost might be acceptable if it was accompanied by a lowering of the cost of subscription (9.95 is an OK price if the content turns out to be as snazzy as they say and it allows for online access to all the rules, but requiring a 12 month commitment or charging half again as much is tacky)
If randomizing and charging a significant ammount for minis required to make the subscription fully worthwhile is the only way to make it sufficiently profitable, however, this project of theirs should be doomed to failure.
It's been said several times, in several places that the packs will absolutely NOT be randomized. When you buy v-minis you'll know what you're getting.
Wolf Star76 Community Advocate (SVCL) for D&D Organized Play, Avalon Hill, and the DCI/WPN LFR Community Manager DDi Guide Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter
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