Tabletop Connect – 3D Virtual Tabletop (Carl Pinder)

Tabletop Connect – 3D Virtual Tabletop. Carl Pinder preist über Kickstarter seinen virtuellen 3D-Spieltisch (PC, Mac) für Rollenspieler an.

Die Anwendung bietet „Miniaturen“, Terrain, Handouts und Character Sheets für gemeinsame Online-Rollenspiel. Die umfangreiche Mapping Software bietet überdies weitere Funktionen wie u. a. Webcam & voice chat, dice roller, real-time lighting and shadows, line-of-sight, automatic mapping und fog-of-war, sofern alle geplanten Features umgesetzt werden.

Bis zum 22. September 2013 bittet der Software-Entwickler um $22,500. Im September 2014 soll die elektronische Spielhilfe fertig sein.

„Tabletop Connect is a first of its kind virtual tabletop.

 

Tabletop Connect is a system-neutral 3D virtual tabletop that lets you connect with your friends to play role-playing games just like you’re around a real table.

 

Here’s a look at setting up and running a session:

 

You play in a true 3D environment—with miniatures, terrain tiles, physics simulated dice, character sheets, and handouts—you can almost feel the dice in your hands.

 

Unlike the currently available virtual tabletops, Tabletop Connect puts you right at the gaming table. Use “real” 3D miniatures on maps built using terrain pieces, just like you would if you were gaming face-to-face. Even the character sheets and handouts have a real-world look; organize them on the tabletop however you’d like.

 

Tabletop Connect solves the common gaming problem of, “what can my character see?” With real-time lighting and shadows, combined with line-of-sight, you’ll know for certain if you can see that goblin or not.

 

With automatic mapping, the underlying map is permanently revealed for any areas the players have seen. You can forget about manually setting a fog-of-war.

 

You won’t be counting squares anymore. The movement cost for players is displayed right on the map. You can even customize the distances into color-coded walk, charge, and run.

 

You won’t find faster mapping software. The click-and-drag interface lets you quickly layout your map. Click. Drag. You’ve made a room. Click. Drag. You’ve added a hallway.

 

Character sheets can be created from any source that can generate a JPEG or PNG graphics file. You’ll be filling in your strength or to-hit numbers just like would on any real character sheet.

 

You can make custom „cardstock“ minis from any image.

 

With 3D dice and real physics simulations, you’ll have the satisfaction of rolling handfuls of dice for the big attack. Seeing the dice hit the table is so much more gratifying than seeing “10D6 = 32” in a text window.

 

No DRM. You can install Tabletop Connect on as many computers as you need. Keep a copy on your desktop computer and install another on your laptop for when you’re on the road. The only restriction? You won’t be able to use the same license more than once during the same session.

 

Mac and PC versions. You’ll have access to both Mac and PC versions.

 

You can try it out, right now. When you make your pledge, you’ll have immediate access to the alpha version and you’ll continue to get bi-weekly updates throughout development.

 

And those are just the features that exist now. There’s more to come:

 

Webcam and voice chat – Integrated support for webcams and voice. No more relying on Skype.

 

Support for hexes – Not everyone plays on grid.

 

Big miniatures – You’ll want to have giants, dragons, huge aliens, or radioactive monsters

Animated objects – Doors, gates, and traps. Watch them activate right on the map.

 

Height – Add depth to your maps, indoors and out.

 

Curved and angled walls – Take your maps off the grid.

 

Ranges and Area-of-effect – See just what you can hit and who gets effected.

 

Improved object support – Drop in props and decorations where and how you’d like them.

 

Status indicators – See your remaining hit points and other stats right on the map.

 

Multi-page character sheets – Whether it’s double-sided or multiple pages, give your players some room for their characters

 

Troupe play – Let your players control more than one character at a time.

 

Journals – Take notes and keep track of your campaign.

 

Dice and character macros – Let the program handle the effect of the roll and reduce the complexity of rolling up characters

 

Save sessions – Save the session so you can pick up right where you left off.

 

Improved UI – Better integrated UI with improved usability.

 

Many terrain types are planned:

 

Dungeon Crawler – Everything you’ll need to build and stock your dungeons: stone walls and floors, heavy wooden doors, gates, pit traps, stairs, columns, statues, fountains, and so on.

 

The Local Tavern – All the bits for a fantasy village: interior and exterior walls, doors, tables, barrels, kegs, and other furnishings.

 

The Great Cavern – Stalactites and stalagmites, rough floors, rocky walls, columns, arches, and an underground river.

 

Metropolis – A modern city setting with building facades, roads, sidewalks, newsstands, phone booths, parking meters, fire escapes.

 

Hi-Tech Industrial – Go inside the ultra-modern mega-corporation. All the furnishings you’ll need for that secret espionage mission, or an assault on the super-villains headquarters.

 

Dirty, Spacer Bar – Everything for the town or star port on the edge of space. It’s “The Local Tavern” in a galaxy far away.

 

Starship Deck Plans – Build the bridge, engineering decks, cargo holds, sick bay, and living quarters aboard your starship.

 

Into the Wild – Outdoor pieces for forests and fields: trees and plants, rocky outcroppings, fallen logs, rope bridge, river and streams.

 

Swamp Thing – Outdoor pieces for stagnant water, banks, cattails, mangroves, and walkways along with the special Witches’ Hut.

 

Desert Storm – Sand dunes, bunkers, palm trees, an Oasis, and a Bedouin camp.

 

You’ll have your say. Throughout development, you can provide feedback and make feature requests. No one knows better than you what you need to truly enhance your gaming experience.

 

Social Media Incentive. Share this project on Facebook, Google+, or Twitter with the hashtag #tabletopconnect and you’ll get a extra miniature. (Limit 1 miniature for each social networking platform.) “

– Tabletop Connect – 3D Virtual Tabletop produkt description

Das liest sich alles sehr interessant, doch auch die Konkurrenz schläft nicht. Ich mag mich täuschen, aber mittelfristig setzen sich Tablets (z. B. 3D Virtual Tabletop) durch. Möglicherweise muss man zwischen „echtem“ Tisch-Rollenspiel und Online-Gruppen unterscheiden, dennoch empfinde ich die Fingersteuerung auf Tablets häufig intuitiver.

Ehrlich gesagt, habe ich keinen richtigen Überblick, wie groß der Online-(Tisch-)Rollenspielmarkt wirklich ist. Ich denke nichtsdestoweniger, in diese Richtung wird es für viele Fans gehen …