Results 1 to 9 of 9
-
2024-04-29, 03:40 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
I have not been able to actually played the game for years at this point as nobody wants to do it locally, I am rambling mostly from memory here. I really wish I could though. After applying some house rules to hitpoint scaling I think I still prefer the system to modern 5e.
I don't think a proper platform existed for the game when it was released (as a physical TTRPG) back in 2008. In hindsight, I feel that 4th edition almost required a virtual tabletop to function optimally.
When Playing as a paper TTRPG:
I remember tracking all the modifiers created by powers (and static effects) becoming tedious and as a DM I avoided using controller monsters in order to speed up the game somewhat. We had a dry erase grid I drew maps on, and we used assorted objects to represent various effect's but people would frequently forget what the source and duration of each thing was.
People have commented that it would have been better as a Video game. Sure, that would have resolved the information tracking issues (with tooltips displaying and tracking modifiers and cooldowns). However, computer coding is not a common skill, nor can it be done quick enough to accommodate the desire for player to have true agency and freedom of choice.
A virtual tabletop would have been a middle ground, but did one (with the ability to notate the various (+/-) exist back in 2008?Last edited by windgate; 2024-04-29 at 03:41 PM.
-
2024-04-29, 04:34 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
Well, WOTC had one under development, and indeed the PHB1 contains advertisements for it (with the groanworthy pun to add anohter PC to your game, as in a Personal Computer).
Unfortunately, the development was a one-man effort and because of personal issues, it was never completed.
To my knowledge, the only VTT that existed at the time was Fantasy Grounds. I have no idea if it supported 4E though.Guide to the Magus, the Pathfinder Gish class.
"I would really like to see a game made by Obryn, Kurald Galain, and Knaight from these forums. I'm not joking one bit. I would buy the hell out of that." -- ChubbyRain
Crystal Shard Studios - Freeware games designed by Kurald and others!
-
2024-04-29, 05:02 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2007
- Location
- UTC -6
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
There was also MapTool.
-
2024-04-30, 06:44 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
- Gender
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
Apologize for the tangent, but.. Why does everybody keep thinking 4e has cooldowns? They very specifically reduced any effect counted in rounds, switching between sustain-minor effects and save-ends, depending on which way they prefer it fail. Everything else is either at-will or per-encounter recharge. Am I missing some other source of WoW-style cooldown effects everyone sees?
-
2024-04-30, 07:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2007
- Location
- San Antonio, Texas
- Gender
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
Basically, that's what the "at-will", "encounter", and "daily" distinction is.
At-wills have a 1 round cooldown; you can use it again on the next round.
Encounter powers have a short rest cooldown.
Daily powers have a long rest cooldown.
It's not MMO-style "Three seconds", but "cooldowns" works as far as nomenclature goes.The Cranky Gamer
*It isn't realism, it's verisimilitude; the appearance of truth within the framework of the game.
*Picard management tip: Debate honestly. The goal is to arrive at the truth, not at your preconception.
*Mutant Dawn for Savage Worlds!
*The One Deck Engine: Gaming on a budget
Written by Me on DriveThru RPG
There are almost 400,000 threads on this site. If you need me to address a thread as a moderator, include a link.
-
2024-04-30, 07:03 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2016
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
Yes, I still use the Rumble "Fat" framework for 4e - much modified now. Looks like I found it in June 2011, but I know it was around for quite a while before that.
One of the nice things is that it had import tools that did a lot of the work of writing macros for PCs and monsters - I think I imported 5000+ creatures from the online compendium that way. And if they didn't quite work right, there were also tools for writing/editing your stat block and powers without actually having to know how to code - that is, it had a bunch of menus and check boxes that let you edit using 4e keywords and defined terms, as opposed to html.
-
2024-04-30, 07:08 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2016
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
Don't forget rechargeable powers for monsters, and powers like Healing Word that could be used multiple times in an encounter, but no more than once per round (true at-wills don't usually have a cooldown, you can use them twice in a round if the power is a a minor or you blow an action point).
-
2024-05-01, 11:56 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
-
2024-05-12, 03:52 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2013
- Location
- USA
- Gender
Re: Did decent VTT's actually exist when 4e was released?
When I played 4e we used an VTT called Virtual Daivve, have never heard of it outside our group so not sure how popular it was.
You surrender after you're dead. Lan Mandragoran