When did you start playing your first RPG, and what was it?
I started playing AD&D in 1980, in France, at the History Games Club of St Sever in Rouen, France. My very first AD&D
game was at a table of 15 players, most of them new to the game and RPG in general, with only one DM having the
English PHB, and none of us really fluent in English. I was given a level 15 Ranger to play. As the game had been
running for a few weeks, I joined the company in the underdark caves of Against the Drow module (that was sick!)… I got
hooked pretty quickly :)
What is you favourite RPG system or setting?
I did not convert to 2nd Edition, and went for Rolemaster instead, which is a system we played for quite a while with my
friends. Then, with real life obligation I stopped playing until 3.0 came out, when I got back a bit into DMing for my kids. I
am now looking forward to 4th Edition :)
What is your background in the RPG industry?
In France, I directly participated to the creation of a RPG gaming club at the University of Jussieu in 1984 (les Seigneurs
de l’Astrolabe). Then we launched a RPG fanzine for one year (Le Farfadet), before I had to leave to do my army time.
When I came back, real life caught up and I was off gaming for a few years. In 1994, I got back to gaming through Magic,
and started organizing Magic tournaments in France. I then became a Minitel rep on Magic rules in my spare time. Then I
got hired by the Wizards of the Coast French office in 1996. I was amongst the 9 staffers that started the office there.
Seven years later I got an opportunity to join Renton HQ in the US, took the opportunity, and worked for Organized Play
there for 6 years, where I got my green card. In February last year, when the Digital Gaming department started, I
applied for a Producer position, and started working on the client applications side of D&DI.
How do you think the D&D Game Table compares to other Virtual Tabletops?
I believe it will compare well. We certainly have an edge with the use of 3D and customized lighting, but we are also well
aware that some of the already existing applications have been there for quite a while, and may have more elaborate
functionalities than what we can provide for launch. Our goal is really to put out a sand box of tools that can be easily
used by any type of DM. Everybody has different DMing style, and we want functionalities that are as generic as
possible, and easy to use. For example, in the D&D Game Table, you can opt for a top down view and tokens if you want
to, or use any camera angle you prefer, showing the 3D miniatures or 3D tiles you or any other player in the current
session own. We also have made the choice to not enforce any rules: the D&D Game Table is a tool, not a game, and
will be like your normal gaming table, just online. It is still the DM that runs the game, not the application. As good
communication is so important in Role Play, we have integrated VOIP when you enter the session (VIVOX is our partner
in that area). We also have text chat and the ability to whisper text message to another player. Last we plan to have a
simple initiative tracker, as well as a pointer tool, dice rolling window and assets that the DM can show to its players, and
we will certainly expand functionalities with time...
What do you think is the most exciting aspect of the new D&D 4E release?
Gamewise, I really like the new rules. The choices and options are more balanced between the classes, and I believe this
make the tactical aspect of the game more interesting for all types of characters. I also love the new core world of D&D.
The concept of points of light, and the darkness surrounding them is appealing, and in a strange way, the D&D Game
Table offers on the tactical scale the same kind of approach, with players being able to carry their torch and light in the
dungeons, only showing up the things the light can reveal, and what the DM decides to show.
Of course, I can’t wait for the D&D Game Table to get up and running to reconnect with my old time gaming buddies (they
are still in France :) ).
Do you think other RPG companies will (or be able to) duplicate the D&D Insider concept?
The concept itself is not new. All the different pieces have already been done in various ways by different companies or
fans groups. The big novelty that D&D Insider brings is that the D&D Brand and R&D group first, then the whole
company, have totally embraced the digital aspect, instead of keeping it on the side, as it was done in previous editions.
Other companies can certainly do the same thing.
In the same way that I strongly believed in 1995 that Organized Play would be important to the TCG genre, and worked in
that field as it expanded, I believe community resources and digital tools will be a big part of the future of RPG. RPG
communities already organized themselves very well, and with Gleemax and D&D Insider, we are hard at work to make
this go even further. Regarding the DM Tools, if well done (especially interface wise), they will assist the DM for the
bookkeeping tasks, allow user generated content to help prepping up a game more easily, and provide DMs with more
information to run the game and bring the adventure to life with more details. The main issue for any company is to
integrate this technology correctly and, because it is technology, to be able to finance it. We are making the Game
Table, the Dungeon Builder and the Miniature Builder applications fairly generic and non 4th Edition specific, and if any
RPG company out there is interested on using our DM tools platform, we are certainly open to discussions about it.
Will 4E bring back gamers who may have drifted off to play other RPGs over the years?
There are two questions in one there: does 4th Edition as a rule system will bring back gamers to D&D and will D&D
Insider help in that too.
I can only speak for myself regarding the rules in general. 3.0 already brought me back to RPG, and from what I have
seen of it, I will play 4th Edition, and convert my players to it (ok, I know it can be taken as corporate talk, but this is what I
would have done regardless of me working at WOTC). I think 4th Edition, even without the D&D Insider, has a strong
enough design and flavor to bring back old players. I particularly liked how R&D has integrated familiar names like
Bahamut or Tiamat, the temple of Elemental Evil or Vecna in the core rules.
Regarding D&D Insider, it can alleviate some of the traditional burden of RPG: the preparation time a DM has to spend
for the players, as well as the need to regroup 4 to 6 different people in the same room at the same time. As more
gamers are growing older, the Game Table, because it is fairly generic, will provide an avenue to keep playing online,
even with family and job obligations. It may not be as good as sharing the pizzas around the same table, and rolling dice
on the same table, but it is a fair enough alternative for those that can’t share these moments anymore.
So in that sense, I hope the D&DI tools will help people come back to RPG in general, and that our 4th Edition and its
D&D Insider offerings will bring them to D&D specifically :)
Where would you say RPGs are going over the next few years?
Pen and Paper RPG industry started to wither away when the TCG genre broke out. D&D 3rd Edition proved that if it was
only temporary and not any dying interest for the genre. RPG, as a shared entertainment, will always be there, and I do
not believe the genre will die even to computer games. Computer games do not allow yet the range of possibilities that
raw imagination can. A good DM is before everything else a good story teller, a good scenarist and a good friend. A
good RPG game is about players interactions as well, and this social aspect is still strong.
Now that the computer games and consoles compete for the gamers’ time, though, Pen and Paper RPG in general are
disadvantaged because of the high barrier of entry, in term of time investment, as well as finding other players in the
same time slots. This is where our tools can help reduce that barrier of entry. They are not designed to limit the
imagination, and may entice gamers that stayed away from RPG to discover a more interactive way of playing, without
having to commit as much time. The point, though, is that it all depends on the Dungeon Masters community. They are,
have been and will always be the key to the future of RPG as a genre, and no computer software will ever replace a good
DM.
Following on from the above questions, RPG VT spoke to Didier again:
Some VTs can already attach light sources to PCs and objects and have “Fog of War” revealed by these light
sources - is this what you mean by custom lighting?
We have a mechanism that allow DM to select the light color, height, radius, flickering, intensity, as well as using point of
light (what we have demo'ed with torch carrying character) and directional light (for example for sunlight or moonlight).
This is the customization I am mentioning. The map is revealed as the points of lights are carried over, which happens
when a torch carrier game piece is moved on the map.
Another side of the "Fog of War" effect is that we can define areas, individual tiles or individual game pieces that can be
toggled by the DM to be visible or hidden whenever the DM wants. These functionalities combined give the DM full
control on what the players can see.
I am glad to see that others have embraced using light sources in their application. This seems like a natural use of the
digital gaming space for Role Playing games. I am not suggesting we are inventing anything here, and as I mentioned we
probably will not launch with as many functionalities as existing applications have, that have been out for years. The thing
is that we are strongly committed to support tools for Role Playing Games in the digital space, and what we will deliver at
launch is just a beginning. We will improve our functionalities thanks to the community feedback and our own
development plans.
How easy will it be to use Character sheets and Tables, for example, from different RPG systems?
The character sheet is specific to D&D 4th Edition. Regarding the D&D Game Table, it is fairly generic and it can be used
for any Role Playing game, though it is designed to work best with 4th Edition, of course.
Also, will the dice roller be able to handle different dice types, e.g. Fudge, Exploding, etc?
We will not have this for launch. This is something we have in our plans for the future though.
What language is the Game Table written in? Are you going to make it easy for 3rd parties to modify the
code, so that they can customise it to their liking?
The language used is mostly C# . We are open to discussions with any third parties interested, but we are not planning
to have the code be open source.
How easy will it be to use both 2D and 3D tokens and tiles made by the community?
Tokens can be customized with user generated pictures (and we have a tool to create tokens images in our miniature
builder application)
3D pieces like tiles or V-Miniatures are not open for customization at that stage. They will be digital objects that enhance
the online play experience. This said, there is a large potential for expansion after launch there, and anything may be
possible, but right now our focus is to launch these applications with our D&D focused digital objects.
Would models made from current 3D packages be compatible, e.g. Poser?
No, our 3D format is proprietary.
What are the “permissions” that a person may have (e.g. Player, GM)? Can there be more than one GM in a
session?
At launch there will be only one DM per session. Players can control more than one character though. The DM will have
the ability to set some restrictions: for example, when it comes to moving game pieces, the DM can have the setting set to
Free, in which case any player can move any game piece on the board, or Limited, in which case the players can only
move the game pieces they control - i.e. their character(s), or restricted in which case the DM has to approve every
single move a player is doing.
Is there any limit to the number of players playing in a session, especially if they’re all using VoIP?
Yes, there will be a limit in the number of players in one session (probably something like 10 to 15 players per game
session). We are still figuring out the exact number at that time.
Thanks Didier for taking time out from the D&D Experience show to talk to RPG Virtual Tabletop.
I started playing AD&D in 1980, in France, at the History Games Club of St Sever in Rouen, France. My very first AD&D
game was at a table of 15 players, most of them new to the game and RPG in general, with only one DM having the
English PHB, and none of us really fluent in English. I was given a level 15 Ranger to play. As the game had been
running for a few weeks, I joined the company in the underdark caves of Against the Drow module (that was sick!)… I got
hooked pretty quickly :)
What is you favourite RPG system or setting?
I did not convert to 2nd Edition, and went for Rolemaster instead, which is a system we played for quite a while with my
friends. Then, with real life obligation I stopped playing until 3.0 came out, when I got back a bit into DMing for my kids. I
am now looking forward to 4th Edition :)
What is your background in the RPG industry?
In France, I directly participated to the creation of a RPG gaming club at the University of Jussieu in 1984 (les Seigneurs
de l’Astrolabe). Then we launched a RPG fanzine for one year (Le Farfadet), before I had to leave to do my army time.
When I came back, real life caught up and I was off gaming for a few years. In 1994, I got back to gaming through Magic,
and started organizing Magic tournaments in France. I then became a Minitel rep on Magic rules in my spare time. Then I
got hired by the Wizards of the Coast French office in 1996. I was amongst the 9 staffers that started the office there.
Seven years later I got an opportunity to join Renton HQ in the US, took the opportunity, and worked for Organized Play
there for 6 years, where I got my green card. In February last year, when the Digital Gaming department started, I
applied for a Producer position, and started working on the client applications side of D&DI.
How do you think the D&D Game Table compares to other Virtual Tabletops?
I believe it will compare well. We certainly have an edge with the use of 3D and customized lighting, but we are also well
aware that some of the already existing applications have been there for quite a while, and may have more elaborate
functionalities than what we can provide for launch. Our goal is really to put out a sand box of tools that can be easily
used by any type of DM. Everybody has different DMing style, and we want functionalities that are as generic as
possible, and easy to use. For example, in the D&D Game Table, you can opt for a top down view and tokens if you want
to, or use any camera angle you prefer, showing the 3D miniatures or 3D tiles you or any other player in the current
session own. We also have made the choice to not enforce any rules: the D&D Game Table is a tool, not a game, and
will be like your normal gaming table, just online. It is still the DM that runs the game, not the application. As good
communication is so important in Role Play, we have integrated VOIP when you enter the session (VIVOX is our partner
in that area). We also have text chat and the ability to whisper text message to another player. Last we plan to have a
simple initiative tracker, as well as a pointer tool, dice rolling window and assets that the DM can show to its players, and
we will certainly expand functionalities with time...
What do you think is the most exciting aspect of the new D&D 4E release?
Gamewise, I really like the new rules. The choices and options are more balanced between the classes, and I believe this
make the tactical aspect of the game more interesting for all types of characters. I also love the new core world of D&D.
The concept of points of light, and the darkness surrounding them is appealing, and in a strange way, the D&D Game
Table offers on the tactical scale the same kind of approach, with players being able to carry their torch and light in the
dungeons, only showing up the things the light can reveal, and what the DM decides to show.
Of course, I can’t wait for the D&D Game Table to get up and running to reconnect with my old time gaming buddies (they
are still in France :) ).
Do you think other RPG companies will (or be able to) duplicate the D&D Insider concept?
The concept itself is not new. All the different pieces have already been done in various ways by different companies or
fans groups. The big novelty that D&D Insider brings is that the D&D Brand and R&D group first, then the whole
company, have totally embraced the digital aspect, instead of keeping it on the side, as it was done in previous editions.
Other companies can certainly do the same thing.
In the same way that I strongly believed in 1995 that Organized Play would be important to the TCG genre, and worked in
that field as it expanded, I believe community resources and digital tools will be a big part of the future of RPG. RPG
communities already organized themselves very well, and with Gleemax and D&D Insider, we are hard at work to make
this go even further. Regarding the DM Tools, if well done (especially interface wise), they will assist the DM for the
bookkeeping tasks, allow user generated content to help prepping up a game more easily, and provide DMs with more
information to run the game and bring the adventure to life with more details. The main issue for any company is to
integrate this technology correctly and, because it is technology, to be able to finance it. We are making the Game
Table, the Dungeon Builder and the Miniature Builder applications fairly generic and non 4th Edition specific, and if any
RPG company out there is interested on using our DM tools platform, we are certainly open to discussions about it.
Will 4E bring back gamers who may have drifted off to play other RPGs over the years?
There are two questions in one there: does 4th Edition as a rule system will bring back gamers to D&D and will D&D
Insider help in that too.
I can only speak for myself regarding the rules in general. 3.0 already brought me back to RPG, and from what I have
seen of it, I will play 4th Edition, and convert my players to it (ok, I know it can be taken as corporate talk, but this is what I
would have done regardless of me working at WOTC). I think 4th Edition, even without the D&D Insider, has a strong
enough design and flavor to bring back old players. I particularly liked how R&D has integrated familiar names like
Bahamut or Tiamat, the temple of Elemental Evil or Vecna in the core rules.
Regarding D&D Insider, it can alleviate some of the traditional burden of RPG: the preparation time a DM has to spend
for the players, as well as the need to regroup 4 to 6 different people in the same room at the same time. As more
gamers are growing older, the Game Table, because it is fairly generic, will provide an avenue to keep playing online,
even with family and job obligations. It may not be as good as sharing the pizzas around the same table, and rolling dice
on the same table, but it is a fair enough alternative for those that can’t share these moments anymore.
So in that sense, I hope the D&DI tools will help people come back to RPG in general, and that our 4th Edition and its
D&D Insider offerings will bring them to D&D specifically :)
Where would you say RPGs are going over the next few years?
Pen and Paper RPG industry started to wither away when the TCG genre broke out. D&D 3rd Edition proved that if it was
only temporary and not any dying interest for the genre. RPG, as a shared entertainment, will always be there, and I do
not believe the genre will die even to computer games. Computer games do not allow yet the range of possibilities that
raw imagination can. A good DM is before everything else a good story teller, a good scenarist and a good friend. A
good RPG game is about players interactions as well, and this social aspect is still strong.
Now that the computer games and consoles compete for the gamers’ time, though, Pen and Paper RPG in general are
disadvantaged because of the high barrier of entry, in term of time investment, as well as finding other players in the
same time slots. This is where our tools can help reduce that barrier of entry. They are not designed to limit the
imagination, and may entice gamers that stayed away from RPG to discover a more interactive way of playing, without
having to commit as much time. The point, though, is that it all depends on the Dungeon Masters community. They are,
have been and will always be the key to the future of RPG as a genre, and no computer software will ever replace a good
DM.
Following on from the above questions, RPG VT spoke to Didier again:
Some VTs can already attach light sources to PCs and objects and have “Fog of War” revealed by these light
sources - is this what you mean by custom lighting?
We have a mechanism that allow DM to select the light color, height, radius, flickering, intensity, as well as using point of
light (what we have demo'ed with torch carrying character) and directional light (for example for sunlight or moonlight).
This is the customization I am mentioning. The map is revealed as the points of lights are carried over, which happens
when a torch carrier game piece is moved on the map.
Another side of the "Fog of War" effect is that we can define areas, individual tiles or individual game pieces that can be
toggled by the DM to be visible or hidden whenever the DM wants. These functionalities combined give the DM full
control on what the players can see.
I am glad to see that others have embraced using light sources in their application. This seems like a natural use of the
digital gaming space for Role Playing games. I am not suggesting we are inventing anything here, and as I mentioned we
probably will not launch with as many functionalities as existing applications have, that have been out for years. The thing
is that we are strongly committed to support tools for Role Playing Games in the digital space, and what we will deliver at
launch is just a beginning. We will improve our functionalities thanks to the community feedback and our own
development plans.
How easy will it be to use Character sheets and Tables, for example, from different RPG systems?
The character sheet is specific to D&D 4th Edition. Regarding the D&D Game Table, it is fairly generic and it can be used
for any Role Playing game, though it is designed to work best with 4th Edition, of course.
Also, will the dice roller be able to handle different dice types, e.g. Fudge, Exploding, etc?
We will not have this for launch. This is something we have in our plans for the future though.
What language is the Game Table written in? Are you going to make it easy for 3rd parties to modify the
code, so that they can customise it to their liking?
The language used is mostly C# . We are open to discussions with any third parties interested, but we are not planning
to have the code be open source.
How easy will it be to use both 2D and 3D tokens and tiles made by the community?
Tokens can be customized with user generated pictures (and we have a tool to create tokens images in our miniature
builder application)
3D pieces like tiles or V-Miniatures are not open for customization at that stage. They will be digital objects that enhance
the online play experience. This said, there is a large potential for expansion after launch there, and anything may be
possible, but right now our focus is to launch these applications with our D&D focused digital objects.
Would models made from current 3D packages be compatible, e.g. Poser?
No, our 3D format is proprietary.
What are the “permissions” that a person may have (e.g. Player, GM)? Can there be more than one GM in a
session?
At launch there will be only one DM per session. Players can control more than one character though. The DM will have
the ability to set some restrictions: for example, when it comes to moving game pieces, the DM can have the setting set to
Free, in which case any player can move any game piece on the board, or Limited, in which case the players can only
move the game pieces they control - i.e. their character(s), or restricted in which case the DM has to approve every
single move a player is doing.
Is there any limit to the number of players playing in a session, especially if they’re all using VoIP?
Yes, there will be a limit in the number of players in one session (probably something like 10 to 15 players per game
session). We are still figuring out the exact number at that time.
Thanks Didier for taking time out from the D&D Experience show to talk to RPG Virtual Tabletop.
RPG VT Team 28/03/08
RPG Virtual Tabletop
|
| Interview with Didier Monin Here we interview Didier Monin, Wizards of the Coast producer for the D&D Insider project. |