TOPIC: VTD going to switch to 1d20

BeLinda Mathie wrote: A dice model would be easier for a player to replicate if something were to go wrong with the app/website they are using to play VTD. Not sure how often that happens, but perhaps worth consideration.

If something happens with the app or website I am sitting out combat because I couldn't tell you what my hit bonuses are to begin with....lol.

jedibcg Banjo 237 Lover wrote:

BeLinda Mathie wrote: A dice model would be easier for a player to replicate if something were to go wrong with the app/website they are using to play VTD. Not sure how often that happens, but perhaps worth consideration.

If something happens with the app or website I am sitting out combat because I couldn't tell you what my hit bonuses are to begin with....lol.

So, taking a precautionary screenshot/pic of my stats before hitting Virtual TD makes me paranoid?

BeLinda Mathie wrote:

jedibcg Banjo 237 Lover wrote:

BeLinda Mathie wrote: A dice model would be easier for a player to replicate if something were to go wrong with the app/website they are using to play VTD. Not sure how often that happens, but perhaps worth consideration.

If something happens with the app or website I am sitting out combat because I couldn't tell you what my hit bonuses are to begin with....lol.

So, taking a precautionary screenshot/pic of my stats before hitting Virtual TD makes me paranoid?

You're prepare-anoid

I guess technically it would take both the app and the website to fail since I have builds on both. The rest of my group doesn't. The rest of my group also may or may not have dice if they had to physical roll (someone would some would not).

I have a couple comments, but I will start with the slider board ideas. Not a viable idea for VTD. For those who are curious, try Cogwind's Revenge or Cogwind 3D on IOS. I implemented slider boards in both apps. IOS provides a physics engine that takes care of most of the detail for moving sprites around on the screen. That engine doesn't exist on Android, and I'm guessing is not available to Acherin for web apps either. A group of Apple engineers took a year to develop that engine. Besides, try running Cogwind 3D on a phone. Sliding on a phone is really tough, because of the limited space. Even if we could get that to work, it still requires creating the slider board graphics and mapping the locations so you can determine the hit numbers. From experience, it is vey time consuming.

In short this is not a viable option.

Running a d20 instead of d10+10 is not difficult. I already have the base code in place.

If the preference of mapping a d100 into a weighted 1-20, would not be difficult to code, but would make it really difficult for anyone not running the web client or one of the apps.

Right, we'd either need to publish a d100 chart for people to use two d10s (or an RNG), or make the d100 such that it's a balanced choice to the d20, i.e. its pros and cons balance out to 5% any number.

Interestingly this change his based off a perceived large amount of crits. I'd actually theorize that none of this really matters as long as people provide their own hit / dmg numbers. Just like new D&D players somehow always end up with overpowered stats, people can and will fugde a roll or two to get a number they like. The best long term solution would be to invest in an interactive app that records damage and health, some type of sliding in the app itself would be ideal.

Singsalot wrote: Right, we'd either need to publish a d100 chart for people to use two d10s (or an RNG)

I'm in favor of this chart existing, so that it's at least possible (albeit annoying) to roll by hand, and also possible to experimentally verify that the software gives reasonable results.

or make the d100 such that it's a balanced choice to the d20, i.e. its pros and cons balance out to 5% any number.

In practice, if the chart is strictly better than a d20 then it's easy to have "or you can just roll d20" as a fallback in case of technical difficulties. It beats not being able to play.

It's less of a no-brainer and more of a tradeoff if we decide that the chart should only have e.g. a 4% rate of rolling natural 20, but that might still be OK (to let people make the choice based on how much their build values 20s vs overall to-hit chances).

It gets downright horrendously messy if we were to have a unique chart for each monster -- which is one of several reasons I'm not in favor of doing that even though theoretically it could be done.

If virtual TD becomes a permanent thing (NOT a due to the pandemic, but to allow non convention goers to enjoy the game) perhaps a small board that TD could sell to players for sliding purposes. Maybe something along the lines of a pachinko board. Some sort of protective disc for the weapon token(s) of course would be needed.

I will try to work up a prototype, likely with Legoes to start. Someone more mechanically inclined would likely do something much better. The trick is size. There will have to be allowances for different creatures, perhaps an insert we can print out and slide in?

A number of slots marked with numbers. Lots of work in my future.

Obviously, if VTD does not remain a thing, my thinking is all academic.

Dave Autzen wrote: If virtual TD becomes a permanent thing (NOT a due to the pandemic, but to allow non convention goers to enjoy the game) perhaps a small board that TD could sell to players for sliding purposes. Maybe something along the lines of a pachinko board. Some sort of protective disc for the weapon token(s) of course would be needed.

I will try to work up a prototype, likely with Legoes to start. Someone more mechanically inclined would likely do something much better. The trick is size. There will have to be allowances for different creatures, perhaps an insert we can print out and slide in?

A number of slots marked with numbers. Lots of work in my future.

Obviously, if VTD does not remain a thing, my thinking is all academic.

I like the thinking outside the box, but I personally would have no interesting in purchasing something else for VTD. There may be others that do. If an additional purchase(s) would be required to play VTD, it would definitely end my groups virtual adventures.

Thanks for all the feedback! Discussions are underway with the smart people who do the software stuff. Hang tight for a day or so. Thanks again.