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Topic: Surfacescapes
Tarquinn
Personally responsible for the decline of the American Dollar
posted 12-16-2009 04:30:00 PM
Tapletop roleplaying of the future?

I think it needs a good voice recognition programm to really replace pen and paper, but it is interesting anyway.

~Never underestimate the power of a Dark Clown.
Bloodsage
Heart Attack
posted 12-16-2009 04:32:00 PM
quote:
Quoth Tarquinn:
Tapletop roleplaying of the future?

I think it needs a good fur suit to really replace pen and paper, but it is interesting anyway.


Can't say I disagree.

To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

--Satan, quoted by John Milton

Tarquinn
Personally responsible for the decline of the American Dollar
posted 12-16-2009 05:00:26 PM
~Never underestimate the power of a Dark Clown.
`Doc
Cold in an Alley
posted 12-21-2009 10:09:54 AM
After watching the demo, a few thoughts come to mind.
  • And yet we're still waiting for WotC to release the D&DI online game table they promised for June 2008 (and demonstrated at conventions in March 2008).
  • It's fun to look at, but seems like it would cost a lot more than it's worth. It's basically a dedicated dual-monitor touch-screen PC.
  • The AI could use a little work. The first d20 stopped on an edge, and the path that was supposed to avoid AoO provoked one anyway. Still, not bad for a beta.
  • Hopefully GM's won't need to prep the adventure on the same console where they run it. Gaming stores would be far more likely to buy this than home-based GMs would be.
  • Proof that D&D can no longer be differentiated from war gaming?
  • Would people who buy this need to pay a fee for rules updates?
  • Base eight is just like base ten, really... if you're missing two fingers. - Tom Lehrer
    There are people in this world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that! - Tom Lehrer
    I want to be a race car passenger; just a guy who bugs the driver. "Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Can I put my feet out the window? Man, you really like Tide..." - Mitch Hedberg
    Please keep your arms, legs, heads, tails, tentacles, pseudopods, wings, and/or other limb-like structures inside the ride at all times.
    Please submit all questions, inquests, and/or inquiries, in triplicate, to the Department of Redundancy Department, Division for the Management of Division Management Divisions.

    Tarquinn
    Personally responsible for the decline of the American Dollar
    posted 12-21-2009 12:55:42 PM
    Also this.
    ~Never underestimate the power of a Dark Clown.
    Random Insanity Generator
    Condom Ninja El Supremo
    posted 12-22-2009 01:53:04 AM
    quote:
    `Doc had this to say about Knight Rider:
    After watching the demo, a few thoughts come to mind.
  • And yet we're still waiting for WotC to release the D&DI online game table they promised for June 2008 (and demonstrated at conventions in March 2008).
  • It's fun to look at, but seems like it would cost a lot more than it's worth. It's basically a dedicated dual-monitor touch-screen PC.
  • The AI could use a little work. The first d20 stopped on an edge, and the path that was supposed to avoid AoO provoked one anyway. Still, not bad for a beta.
  • Hopefully GM's won't need to prep the adventure on the same console where they run it. Gaming stores would be far more likely to buy this than home-based GMs would be.
  • Proof that D&D can no longer be differentiated from war gaming?
  • Would people who buy this need to pay a fee for rules updates?

  • DM for my game actually looked at the pricing of the system after I showed him the original video... The developer version of Surface was 12k delivered, 15k for delivery with warranty. It's an underpowered PC in a 4x3 "coffee table" setup, the display on the screen is a DLP Projected 1024x768 max (30" display area, diagonal measure).

    The software being shown there is "in development", but I don't see it ever being a marketable item other than to big gaming stores or conventions that cater to the tabletop gaming masses. I'd *love* to have this kind of setup, especially if it is remotely accessible (table in the game room, but I can link in from my PC in the bedroom to setup the game), but I don't see the cost coming down sufficiently or the size being increased (currently we have 7 total players) to make this happen.

    And the D&D Virtual Table is vaporware. I doubt it will *ever* happen. Mostly because their online character tools lag 6 months behind the availability of the books and that's a "simple" program by comparison.

    Oh, and the AoO was probably avoided because the Mage that was walked past wasn't wielding a weapon, therefor can not produce an AoO (can't threaten without weapon).

    D&D vs War Gaming.... D&D without role playing (or D&D done as roll play) has been War Gaming for years... Hell, what did TSR stand for to begin with?

    * NullDevice kicks the server. "Floggings will continue until processing power improves!"
    -----------------------------------
    "That was black magic, and it was easy to use. Easy and fun. Like Legos." -- Harry Dresden
    -----------------------------------
    That's what playing Ragnarok Online taught me: There's no problem in the universe that can't be resolved by the proper application of daggers to faces.
    Dr. Gee
    Say it Loud, Say it Plowed!
    posted 12-22-2009 02:16:35 PM
    quote:
    And I was all like 'Oh yeah?' and Random Insanity Generator was all like:
    Mostly because their online character tools lag 6 months behind the availability of the books and that's a "simple" program by comparison.

    Are you talking about the character builder? That's updated monthly and has the newest books put in at most a month after they were released if the book was released after the middle of the month when an update goes out.

    `Doc
    Cold in an Alley
    posted 12-29-2009 09:13:59 AM
    quote:
    Random Insanity Generator is attacking the darkness!
    DM for my game actually looked at the pricing of the system after I showed him the original video... The developer version of Surface was 12k delivered, 15k for delivery with warranty. It's an underpowered PC in a 4x3 "coffee table" setup, the display on the screen is a DLP Projected 1024x768 max (30" display area, diagonal measure).

    Yeah, that's about what I figured. Oy.

    quote:
    And the D&D Virtual Table is vaporware. I doubt it will *ever* happen. Mostly because their online character tools lag 6 months behind the availability of the books and that's a "simple" program by comparison.

    Good thing I decided to wait for the virtual game table before subscribing to D&DI, rather than signing up for D&DI in the hopes that they'd finish the game table. That's the only feature that would make Insider worthwhile for me.

    quote:
    Oh, and the AoO was probably avoided because the Mage that was walked past wasn't wielding a weapon, therefor can not produce an AoO (can't threaten without weapon).

    Which leaves one wondering why the monster moved over the extra space at all. Unless the caster is standing on rough terrain, there's no justification for the exact path the creature followed. Like I said, though, not bad for a beta.

    quote:
    D&D vs War Gaming.... D&D without role playing (or D&D done as roll play) has been War Gaming for years... Hell, what did TSR stand for to begin with?
    Tactical Studies Rules.

    Sounds more like a path of study at West Point than a gaming company.

    But it does seem that each new edition depends more upon use of a grid than its predecessor.

    Base eight is just like base ten, really... if you're missing two fingers. - Tom Lehrer
    There are people in this world who do not love their fellow human beings, and I hate people like that! - Tom Lehrer
    I want to be a race car passenger; just a guy who bugs the driver. "Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Can I put my feet out the window? Man, you really like Tide..." - Mitch Hedberg
    Please keep your arms, legs, heads, tails, tentacles, pseudopods, wings, and/or other limb-like structures inside the ride at all times.
    Please submit all questions, inquests, and/or inquiries, in triplicate, to the Department of Redundancy Department, Division for the Management of Division Management Divisions.

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