Mad Brew Labs

The ePawn Virtual Game Board

E3^[1] usually doesn’t have much to offer the traditional roleplaying and board game world. However, at this year’s E3 a 23” virtual game board was introduced. Behold the ePawn:

ePawn at E3

Gamespot reports that the large touchscreen device will retail for approximately $400.^[2] Gamespot also declares that the unit is a touchscreen, though I haven’t see anything directly from ePawn that says it responds to touch (but it would make sense).

What ePawn does claim is that it can track 100 objects simultaneously that have been configured (possibly using fiducials^[3]) to work with ePawn. In fact, it can track orientation and altitude (how high above the screen) of an object.^[4]

ePawn D&D

Another interesting specification is the ePawn does not come with an embedded CPU or memory. It works in tandem with a smartphone, tablet, or computer. So game designers can work with platforms they already know (their SDK supports Windows, Android, and iOS).

ePawn D&D Zoom

While I’m not exactly thrilled when the acronym DRM is said in the context of positive features, the ePawn provides a seamless DRM in the tracking technology. Which means game providers can limit their game to only work with their objects (which, of course, would be sold at a premium).

The Virtual Mat

There’s another virtual tabletop tool in development, and it’s called the Virtual Mat.^[5] What separates Virtual Mat from something like MapTool^[6] is that it presents the game space in 3D. It accomplishes this by re-using the models and animation from Neverwinter Nights.^[7] This means you’ll need to own NWN to use its resources. That being said, the NWN mod community^[8] has provided a ton of free resource that could be used.

Virtual Mat is written in Java (using the jMonkeyEngine^[9]), so it makes the software fairly cross-platform. However, like most virtual table tops, Virtual Mat has no plans to implement actual rules, but it is trying to hook a lot of the animations and models present in NWN along with common virtual tabletop elements like fog-of-view.

Listening to: Crowbar – Sever the Wicked Hand – Echo An Eternity

References

[1] The Electronic Entertainment Expo is an annual trade show for the video game industry

[2] Gamespot’s E3 2011 Gaming Hardware & Accessories report

[3] A fiducial is a mark that can be recognized by imaging technology

[4] ePawn’s official website

[5] Virtual Mat’s home page

[6] RPTools’ MapTool Virtual Table Top

[7] Bioware’s Neverwinter Nights

[8] Downloads can be found on Bioware^[7] and IGN’s NWN Vault

[9] Virtual Mat thread on jMonkeyEngine

Interactive Game Table

Yesterday I posted an article for this month’s RPG blog carnival, The Future of Roleplaying, and I mentioned that I had more to say on the integration of technology and roleplaying games.  I think there has been some great ideas emerge in the last five or six years about taking advantage of technology to improve gameplay at the table (real or virtual).

Some of these ideas have produced fantastic software while other ideas have failed miserably.  I am going to talk about how some technologies could (or should) be implemented to extend the resources for roleplaying games as well as some tactics game publishers could use to help combat piracy (or at least turn the tables).

Maximizing PDF Potential 

The PDF is a venerable technology whose execution hasn’t changed much over the years.  However, Adobe has been sneaking in support for some really cool media types since about Adobe Acrobat 7 (currently at version 9).

Acrobat now handles Flash content natively, which is awesome.  Besides Flash, you can also embed audio and 3D into PDFs.  Acrobat markets this fusion of technologies as PDF Portfolios.  Imagine reading the core book for a new system and being able to watch a video of actual gameplay, or having an animation play that visualizes miniature tactics.  Better yet, make it interactive and allow readers to test the tactics by moving virtual game pieces on a battlemat.

The potential of the PDF has yet to be fully harnessed.  I think this is because the PDF is merely considered as the digital mirror of its analog counterpart, the printed book.  Thinking within the confines of print limits the possibilities that can be achieved with a PDF.  Of course, adding an animated panel of each race would significantly increase product costs, but it would be revolutionary.

 Deploying Digital Tools

I think Wizards critically fumbled DDI, right from the very concept.  Imagine a platform that would allow a gamer to use your suite of tools offline, without a browser, and dynamically update when connected to the internet.  That technology is already available with Adobe AIR.

Formerly call Adobe Apollo, AIR allows developers to create rich internet applications that run outside of a browser and on multiple platforms.  Similar things can be accomplished using other enterprise level development platforms like Microsoft .NET or Java.

Of course, this method doesn’t really jive with the whole subscription model, which I am not overly fond of anyways.  However, it could work with an ala carte sales model, where you purchase the components (or upgrades) separately.

Integrating Technology at the Table

Shane Deseranno, a Microsoft software developer currently working with the Zune, has built an amazing interactive gaming table.  The table utilizes a Wiimote, IR pens, a projector, and a mirror to create a game table that allows players to physically interact with RP Tools’ MapTool.

This is probably the epitome of my vision of the integration of technology and roleplaying games.  The Wiimote can be configured to run a PC using Bluetooth and has the ability to track four separate IR points.  This allows the players to move the virtual game pieces on the virtual table top which is projected onto the surface of the table (from below).  This table is awesome and Shane has been kind enough to show you how he built it (there is also video of the table in action):

• Building the analog table
• Converting to a digital table
• Projector set-up
• Table dimensions

Pirates or Privateers? 

Recently, Wizards of the Coast yanked all their PDFs from the market and pointed their fingers at piracy as the cause for their impetuous actions.  I think most people with cognitive skills can agree that while piracy is wrong, it doesn’t have the impact on sales that company executives seem to believe it has.  Ninety percent of those downloading the contraband would have never bought the product in the first place.

Using a technology like air, publishers have the capability to stream secured content from servers, which require the user to be logged in.  Content would be determined by the user’s subscriptions and purchases and would be volatile and encrypted.  This could be a huge determent for piracy.

I have also been thinking about methods to turn pirates into an asset, thus taking a privateer designation.  If a company can truly track the amount of illegal downloads of their product, as Wizards of the Coast has claimed, then perhaps you could use that as a marketing bullet point.

I think it would be interesting to provide advertisement space within the confines of the PDF.  You could use the piracy circulation numbers when pitching ad space to potential advertisers.  “Our e-books are downloaded by two hundred thousand users” could be a powerful sales fact.  Sure, the ads could be stripped by energetic pirates, but if you turn the ads into a feature by utilizing Flash (interactive video/games) then it might even increase PDF sales (and illegal downloads).

Then who cares if it was illegally downloaded, you just made more off of advertising than you would ever have done if every single pirated copy had been purchased (assuming you price reasonably).  Hell, you could just give the damned things away for free, which would make everybody happy!

However, there is no fool proof protection against piracy.  The best actions a publisher can take are encouraging and satisfying legitimate customers by providing the material they want in the formats they desire.  Turn potential pirate into loyal patrons by creating the best damned product you can.

What technologies are you waiting for?  Can you think of any effective methods of turning pirates into assets?  If you have answers to these questions or general comments about what I have mentioned, be sure to post your comment.

Other Technology Focused Articles:

• Future Potential of Technology
• Augmented Reality “Boardgame”
• Rise of the Digital Game Table

Listening to: Mastodon – Crack the Skye – Divinations

gamingD&Dd20rpgroleplayingdungeons and dragonstechnology

Before my days as a programmer, or as a ground pounder for that matter (which seems like a different lifetime), I was an aspiring sequential artist and illustrator.  I used to draw all the time, but the days of emulating my heroes of the four color world has passed.  Now I find some skills I used to take for granted have slipped and it takes me a while to get back into the groove, and even once I’m there, it seems like my vision far outpaces my execution.

Mad Brew’s Avatar

Mad Brew (c) Michael Brewer

But alas, enough lamenting my poor abilities.  I have been kicking around some rough ideas for a new avatar for the site, something to brighten up my banner.  I finally decided on one of my roughs, so I scanned it in and began inking it up and I wanted to show what I have.  I tried to keep the lines simple and clean (like the the site) but still bring some edge and grit in attitude.

I plan on doing some simple color, but with some cool lighting effects emanating from the item ol’ Mad Brew is grasping (a philosopher’s d20?).  I haven’t decided if I will “pog” the avatar’s head to be my gravatar or if I will go with a more stylized (and cleaner) version of my current flask design.

Game Table Update

I am also making progress on the design of my dream gaming table.  I’ve went through about five preliminary sketches, before settling on this one.  I was at work when I doodled this one up, and only had pens (and dry erase markers) at my disposal.  So the drawing may not be too clear.

Table Sketch (C) Michael Brewer

The idea is that there are two levels within the table itself, the bottom being comprised of wood and is the actual bottom of the table.  This level would probably be inscribed with a grid of 1″ squares.  About 6 inches above the bottom level would be a ledge where two lexan panels would sit, providing the second layer.  I envision having several interchangeable panels with different grids (1″ hex, 1″ square, 1.5″ square) transfixed under the playing surface.  This lexan surface would be 1-2 inches from the top of the table.  The third layer would actually be an insert that would sit flush with the top of the sides of the table.

The idea would be to have some bad-ass image carved into the center using something like the CompuCarve.  Otherwise this would just be an ordinary table surface to play card and boardgames on.  I don’t forsee the need for a bunch of drawers (like on the Sultan), just large workspaces and book storage.  I have decided to do a 3D animation of the table using Maya 2008 (before I actually CAD it up), and here are some screenshots of the WIP.

Table WIP 1

Table WIP 2

Digital Tools

So I have a few crude tools that I had created for personal use, but I was thinking about re-designing them from the ground up and putting a slick interface on them (I just got Microsoft’s Expression Studio) and providing them to the community for free.  But I find myself wondering if there is really a need for another digital tool.  I don’t think I’d be doing anything new, but it gives me an excuse to fine tune my programming skills with something that interests me.  These of course would be for D&D (3.5 or 4e, or both depending on what I think I will be playing more of).  However, I have thought about doing Storytelling System versions.

Here are some things I was thinking about creating:

• Creature Crucible: Updatable creature catalog, monster creator, encounter builder, xp calculator
• Campaign Chronicler: Helps with the task of world building, adventure creation, and documentation
• Character Forge: Character generator & play log
• Game Nexus VTT: A virtual table top with dice and chat functions

This is really just a pipe dream, as I might get knee deep in one of these and hit the proverbial wall and give up, but I would like to at least attempt one or two.  I have [very] rough versions of the Creature Crucible and Campaign Chronicler already, that I use just for myself, but are limited and buggy.

What would be nice is to develop each one with the other in mind, as a suite of tools.  Create an XML schema that each one shares so information can be passed freely between the programs.  For example, you can import encounters or creatures created with the Creature Crucible into Game Nexus to run an online adventure, then export the game log to the Campaign Chronicler for inclusion into the campaign’s game notes.  Eh, we’ll see how motivated I am after I finish the few projects I already have started.

Listening to: Powerman 5000 – Tonight the Stars Revolt -When Worlds Collide

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