The Gaming Table is something that would be used with the Pen and Paper game, something that should not infringe on the license of the video gaming nature. I still think they lost the 3d engine and have to start from scratch.
Still, even with starting from scratch from two years ago, they should have something by now.
Meaning they are working on one thing at a time... mostly. Soooo.... the CV and GT (or whatever other initials you want to use) may be tinkered with by a few here and there, but are on "the back burner."
Yeah....
"We have decided to concentrate most of our resources on singular persutes on the DDi..." or something to this effect.
Meaning they are working on one thing at a time... mostly. Soooo.... the CV and GT (or whatever other initials you want to use) may be tinkered with by a few here and there, but are on "the back burner."
Yeah....
Then what's on the front burner? Are the updates to the compendium taking that much development time?
> something that should not infringe on the license of the video gaming nature.
We might take that view but the lawyers for both companies have apparently taken a different one, and the terms of the license may well mean they're right.
The Gaming Table would allow players to use it in aid of the RPG, and to run a game online with players on the computers, but would not have any actual gaming AI or set story for a single player or group of players to go through, that would be done by the DM.
Wizards should know this, but I understand if Hasbro doesn't.
Then what's on the front burner? Are the updates to the compendium taking that much development time?
The Adventure Tols are suppose to be the current in development item, although we haven't seen any major updates in a while.
Then the lawyers are confusing the difference between "Video game" and "RPG Gaming Aids."
The Gaming Table would allow players to use it in aid of the RPG, and to run a game online with players on the computers, but would not have any actual gaming AI or set story for a single player or group of players to go through, that would be done by the DM.
Wizards should know this, but I understand if Hasbro doesn't.
Your argument assumes that they exclusively used the term video game in the licensing contract(even then it is a rather weak argument). If they used the term computer game or online game at any point in the contract then the game table easily would fall into one of those categories. Even if they didn't, whoever makes the legal decision would probably not be a gamer and likely not to grasp the issue in the same way a gamer would.
My pessimistic guess is that you will see 5th edition before you see a Virtual Gaming table.
Then the lawyers are confusing the difference between "Video game" and "RPG Gaming Aids."
I'm not sure I'd agree. More importantly we don't know what the contract says. It could be worded poorly and potentially include some items you would consider an "RPG Gaming Aid."
Additionally we don't know if that is what is holding up a release. I doubt it frankly. Software development is hard and I think WotC has underestimated the effort required.
Really straightforward, but Lawyers can make it so the CB will need to be yanked.
The
erMy pessimistic guess is that you will see 5th edition before you see a Virtual Gaming table.
Nothing pessimistic about it; it's a virtual certainty at this point (no pun intended).
Really, though: To not have a product almost three years since the announcement isn't a priority issue; it's a "We don't know how to do this" issue. Why haven't they come out and said that? Who knows. But I'd guess it's because they intend to have it ready before they say anything next time, and the most logical "next time" is with the next edition (IMO), which may well end up being some kind of electronic hybrid anyway. Keeping up with the 4E updates without the CB is already extremely difficult.
To those people on this forum who are upset about this, I'm sorry, but its time to get over it. If you paid for DDI because you thought these tools existed, then you lack basic reading comprehension skills. If you paid for it because you thought these tools were going to come out, why didn't you just wait until they actually had what you wanted?
I would agree that we won't see the virtual tabletop in this edition, mainly because not that many people really want it. There are several free tools out there that already fulfill the function of an online game table
Yeah and they all suck. Now to be fair there was no reason to assume that WotC's offering wouldn't suck too...
Maptools is pretty good, my group has been running D&D on it before 4th edition was announced. Even if WoTC got their act together and got it out, I probably would not force my group to get DDI to get something that may be slightly better.