Mad Brew Labs

Fantasy Grounds VTT

I think we may be seeing a virtual table-top integrated with Pathfinder in the near future. While at GenCon, I spied some of SmiteWorks’ people speaking with various Paizo luminaries as well as Lisa Stevens herself intensely demoing something at the SmiteWorks booth Saturday. For those unfamiliar with SmiteWorks, they are the producers of the Fantasy Grounds VTT.

iCrit

During the Future of Paizo seminar at this year’s PaizoCon, Eric Mona and Lisa Stevens touched on integrating Pathfinder in technology. They of course mentioned the iFumble and iCrit (I abhor the iPrefix) iPhone apps that basically digitize their Critical Hit & Fumble card decks. They also mentioned their deal with HeroLab for character generation (my own VentureCaptain.com offers a free, unofficial character generator).

During the seminar, Lisa actually says:

We know there’s a lot of virtual tabletops out there, and this is something that, you know, we even have people in our office that are purposely doing games on virtual tabletops to learn what that’s like and what kind of limitations are there. What things they’d like to see and stuff like that.

There will be sometime in the future, there’ll be a way, or maybe multiple ways, to play Pathfinder games on a virtual tabletop in an official sort of way… We’ve been exploring, and talking to people… There’s a lot of questions. We’re actively exploring those questions, and when I mean actively… it’s a very high priority thing for the company to be looking at this question.

The Purple Golem Meets SmiteWorks?

It’s all speculation on my part, and d20Pro has a long standing relationship with Paizo, so maybe we’ll see more than one VTT integrate Pathfinder in a more official capacity.

Listening to: Gama Bomb – Tales from the Grave in Space – Slam Anthem

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

Apple's iPad

When Apple unveiled their new multi-touch tablet device ^[1], the [horribly named] iPad, I watched as half of the internet sung praises of Apple to the heavens while the other half spoke of disappointment. In the tabletop roleplaying community, I saw a trend of tech-minded gamers ^{[2] [3]} hail the tablet as the messiah of digital roleplaying.

My personal opinion is, much like the internet, divided between praise and disappointment. However, I strongly disagree that the iPad will be the savior that shepherds tabletop roleplaying into the digital Promised Land. This article assumes there is such a place, but does not serve as an argument concerning any debate over whether there is, or is not, a digital paradise for tabletop roleplaying games.

Evolutionary, Not Revolutionary

Tablets are not new, and a good friend of mine has used his touch screen Lenovo ThinkPad tablet ^[4] as a digital library for gaming for last five years or more. It’s not as slim as an iPad, but it’s not unwieldy either. The iPad looks fantastic as a document reader, but I fear I wouldn’t be able to read any of my existing e-books on it nor could I transfer anything bought through their iBooks ^[5] app on any of my other devices.

Defective by Design Org

The iPad does offer a multi-touch display, but that is not new either. Regular (single) touch screens have been available on tablet notebooks for years and multi-touch became available on tablet netbooks ^[6] last year (primarily with the release of Windows 7 which supports multi-touch ^[7]). I do think that Natural User Interfaces are a revolution in computing, but the fact that the iPad uses it is not.

The iPad does offer an accelerometer, which is great for when you switch between landscape or portrait orientation and for video gaming. The base model (sans 3G and with only 16 GB of storage) did surprise me with its price of only $500. But it’s lack of support for Flash, incapacity to multitask, inability to install apps outside their app store, and Apple’s penchant for DRM ^[8] all prevent me from hopping aboard the iPad fanboy train (the lack of a camera or GPS doesn’t affect me though).

Besides, I think the Always Innovating TouchBook ^[9] does a good job of providing all the features of the iPad I like (sans multi-touch) while still being able to have control over my content/software for a $100 less ($200 less if you don’t want the attachable keyboard) and it’s been on the market since last fall.

iPad, the False Prophet?

If Apple’s tablet is not really anything new, can it still show the path to the digital nirvana of tabletop roleplaying? It’s possible, but the iPad would have some very big obstacles to overcome. First, this assumes there is a financially viable market of gamers that are looking, whether they realize it or not, for the Digital Promised Land of Roleplaying. Second, this market needs to be willing to purchase an iPad for this game or they need to have already purchased an iPad for other reasons (read: market penetration).

Third, there would have to be a company that would develop the platform and publish a game that targets this market. But just targeting the iPad wielding digital roleplaying pilgrims would not be enough. The game would have to be fucking awesome. So awesome, people are blinded by its divine light when they play it. What is more, this divine game would still have to be a roleplaying game (preferably one that meets my definition ^[10]), because that is the only way it could urge the rest of the tabletop roleplaying industry to embrace such a platform… which would truly make Apple’s tablet a messiah.

I do not see all the previously mentioned components becoming a reality; therefore, I do not believe the iPad is the Messiah of the Digital Promised Land of Roleplaying. At best, it is another herald that whispers in the ears of technophile gamers and Macphiles. Publishers looking at utilizing tablet devices to enhance or facilitate tabletop roleplaying would be best served at developing device agnostic platforms that can support any web browser.

Regardless of its impact on tabletop roleplaying, it’s sleek form factor and price point is an important harbinger for things to come in the world of web and document devices.

References

[1] Apple unveiled the multi-touch iPad tablet device Wednesday, January 27^th, 2010.

[2] The Apple iPad: It Will Change the Way We Play. The Core Mechanic. 2010-01-27.

[3] Is iPad a Game-Changer. ICv2. 2010-01-28.

[4] The Lenovo ThinkPad multi-touch tablet.

[5] Apple’s iBooks, a storefront/app that provides e-pub format books for purchase.

[6] The ASUS T91MT is a tablet netbook with an 8.9” multi-touch display for $484.

[7] MultiTouch Capabilities in Windows 7. MSDN Magazine. 2009-08-01.

[8] A Look at Apple’s Love for DRM. Ars Technica. 2010-01-04.

[9] The Always Innovating TouchBook is a touch screen tablet with an accelerometer.

[10] RPP 101: Defining Roleplaying Games. Mad Brew Labs. 2009-01-15.

Listening to: Machine Head – The More Things Change… – Take My Scars

What if you could roleplay at a table that actually contained all the game logic? It recognized your mini when you placed on the surface and presented an array of options available to your character and resolved the challenges based upon GM and Player input? In addition, you were not constrained to play within the rules (game logic), but could play “freestyle” any time you wish by simply switching of the rules?

Well, the technology is available today, but it’s real pricey (app. $12,000 USD). However, in about 10 years, I expect the price for such technologies will have dropped into the upper range of affordable and such tables might become something more than an uncommon sight.

If you have been following the Labs for any amount of time, then you are probably aware of my love of technology when it is used to enhance or facilitate the playing of roleplaying games. Recently, The Core Mechanic and Mad Brew Labs bounced some ideas about utilizing Social Media as a platform for playing RPGs.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Prior to the discussion of Social Media RPGs, I wrote several articles about the Future Technology of roleplaying. These articles focused on current technologies the hobby had yet to use fully^[5], emerging technologies that RPGs could utilize^[6], a look at augmented reality for RPGs[7], and finally a piece about the rise of the digital game table^[8], which included a preview of Dungeons & Dragons being playing on the Microsoft Surface.^[9]

The SurfaceScapes^[10] team at Carnegie Mellon University^[11] has designed the interface and logic for playing D&D on the MS Surface. The MS Surface site has done several interviews with the team, and if you’re interested in the technology, I recommend you read them.^{[12] [13] [14]}

Otherwise, I present three videos that demonstrate the capabilities of the table:

References

[1] Roleplaying Games, Social Media Games, and the Shared Fence. The Core Mechanic. 2010-01-12.

[2] Bridging the Gap: RPGs and Social Media. Mad Brew Labs. 2010-01-14.

[3] Social Media RPG Platform. Mad Brew Labs. 2010-01-15.

[4] Social Media Role Playing Minigames. The Core Mechanic. 2010-01-15.

[5] Untapped Potential of Technology. Mad Brew Labs. 2009-05-06.

[6] Future Potential of Technology. Mad Brew Labs. 2009-08-06.

[7] Augmented Reality “Boardgame”. Mad Brew Labs. 2009-08-07.

[8] Rise of the Digital Game Table. Mad Brew Labs. 2009-10-19.

[9] The Microsoft Surface is a multi-touch table computer.

[10] SurfaceScapes is a student project for Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center.

[11] Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, PA.

[12] Dungeons & Dragons Done Right on MS Surface. MS Surface Blog. 2009-10-19.

[13] SurfaceScapes Follow-up: Bringing D&D to MS Surface. MS Surface Blog. 2009-12-08.

[14] New Gameplay Video with D&D on Surface. MS Surface Blog. 2009-12-16.

Listening to: Monster Magnet – Dopes to Infinity – Negasonic Teenage Warhead

Social Networked RPGs

What would the architecture of a social media enhanced roleplaying game look like? This article attempts to answer that question as well as provide some ideas on how to implement comparable controls across many dissimilar social networks. This is a continuation of the discussion initiated by Jonathan Jacobs with a post at The Core Mechanic^[1] and my response^[2] from yesterday. If you haven’t read the first two articles, I encourage you to read them before continuing.

• RPGs, SMGs, and the Shared Fence
• Bridging the Gap: RPGs and Social Media

In Bridging the Gap, I explored the possibilities of how to embed a roleplaying game into social networks while still maintaining the elements which define roleplaying games. Today, I wanted to look at the technical hurdles of actually implementing such a game.

Core Technology

There would need to be a central hub where users would create accounts (and register the social networking accounts of their choice). This would ideally be a website (with a mobile version) that would offer the most powerful and comprehensive tools available for the game: character generators, virtual table top, chat, audio/video conferencing, campaign wiki, searchable databases of resources (rules, monsters, character options), etc. It would be the DDI^[3] that should have been.

Network Penetration

One of the goals of a social media roleplaying game (SMRPG) would be to hook into as many social networks as possible. This has two large advantages: presence and accessibility.

Wide network penetration would establish a highly visible presence that can help draw users in. Game data presented across networks would obviously be branded (think about an “updated from SMRPG 5 minutes ago” tag), so anyone playing the game would be advertising it for free. Even though the platform would have at least some monetization, the goal is not about money, it is about building a user base (the money comes a natural by-product).

The accessibility means that players can retrieve information in the fashion which most suits their current online behavior. It means they don’t need to create yet another account or buy into the latest cell phone fad or purchase expensive data packages. Chances are they will already have something that works with the platform.

There are also a number of social media networks that would not necessarily enable player participation but rather could be used as tools to enhance the game itself. Examples include embedding custom movies you have uploaded to YouTube for introduction or cut scenes (like a custom Star Wars Crawl^[4]), taking advantage of Pandora^[5] or Last.FM^[6] for mood music, or using Flickr^[7] to host maps. These social media networks can be instrumental in offloading both functionality as well as storage space, making the platform cheaper to host.

Functionality Limitations

Of course, the more networks the platform hooks into, the problems with maintaining equivalent functionality across those networks. The Application Programming Interfaces (API) will not support the same functions and some networks will be more powerful than others.

It would definitely be a challenge to be able to replicate all the controls that are available on the Facebook^[8] SMRPG widget in Twitter^[9]. For one, there are a few dozen clients that people use to interact with Twitter and asking them to use a new client might not be easy.

Yet, Twitter might be able to be used as a primitive command line interface for an SMRPG. I can imagine utilizing keyword hash tags to accomplish actions that are recognized by the game engine. Of course, Twitter could also just be used as a text dump that the game uses to publish concise descriptions of current game activity. Obviously, the platform would need to understand each network’s strength (comprehensive communication is not one of Twitter’s strong suits).

Platform Components

The diagram to the right illustrates very simplified, top level view of a possible SMRPG platform. Each block is really a distinct architecture that would likely be comprised of several smaller modules. The foundation of the platform would be a massive database which would store all the characters, current progress, adventures, activity logs, images, rules, and whatever else necessary to run and record games.

The next layer up from the database is the business logic, which in this case is the game engine which validates of all the data coming in and out of the database against the rules and saved user preferences. The logic makes sure Suzie’s action resolves before Larry’s because she has the better initiative (or waits for GM approval before continuing).

The layer above the game engine is dual interpreters; one that handles incoming traffic and one that handles outgoing traffic. These interpreters ensure that the data received from the client interface is formatted in into something the database will understand and vice versa.

Everything up to and including the interpreters would most likely be built within the database itself using a combination of stored procedures, triggers, and data transformations all reacting to inbound and outbound data. The next layers would most likely be services or daemons that wait to relay information to the appropriate destination(s).

The client interface communicates with the social networks asynchronously, sending and receiving information as needed. The interface would likely be comprised of processes that interface with network APIs. Finally, the very top layer is the social media networks themselves which may or may not need additional front end user interfaces (most like things like Facebook widgets).

Conclusion

My possible SMRPG platform is essentially a product of quick and minimal brainstorming and I thought of additional detail and design improvements as I was writing the article. A project of this scope really would entail a lot of work and starting capital to really apply the support needed to launch such a platform. Thus, I wouldn’t expect to see anything like this realized from with the traditional roleplaying game industry.

The Core Mechanic continues the discussion of social media and roleplaying games in Social Media Role Playing Minigames.

References

[1] Roleplaying Games, Social Media Games, and the Shared Fence. The Core Mechanic. 2010-01-12.

[2] Bridging the Gap: RPGs and Social Media. Mad Brew Labs. 2010-01-14

[3] Dungeons & Dragons Insider, an online suite of tools available for subscription.

[4] Ten Minute Star Wars Crawl. Mad Brew Labs. 2008-09-21.

[5] Pandora, automated music recommendation and Internet radio service.

[6] Last.FM, an internet radio and music video site.

[7] Flickr, an image and video hosting site.

[8] Facebook, a social networking site.

[9] Twitter, a micro-blogging service.

Listening to: Tyler Bates – 300 OST – The Hot Gates

Social Networked RPGs

The Core Mechanic proposed^[1] that an opportunity exists for RPGs to utilize the technology that popular social media games (SMGs), such as Farmville or Mafia Wars^[2], employ today and by extension make RPGs more accessible. The objective is the ability to roleplay around the clock without needing to wait for game night.

While I think Jonathan and I have some different ideas about what constitutes a roleplaying game^[3], and how well one can be managed through social media, I do agree that there is a ton of opportunity that begs to be exploited. Also, I’m tired of seeing what your gangster vampire grew on the farm to feed his endangered species pet whenever I check my news feed on Facebook.

My only concern is providing the accessibility, the interactivity, and social media penetration without the roleplaying game reduced to a mere SMG or massively multiplayer online game (MMOG). The human element needs to be preserved; it is probably the most important aspect of roleplaying games.

Assuming the integrity of what is a roleplaying game is maintained, there are still many issues to overcome. For the remainder of this article, it is given that the following exists:

• The platform is built around a single game system
• Human Game Masters supervise games
• Many rules are automated, but may be selectively overridden by a GM
• Game Masters may list their games publicly
• Player characters have some sort of advancement
• Players may interface with the game through many clients (browser, Facebook, iPhone, etc.)

The Accessibility Hurdle

Probably the biggest issue facing an infrastructure that allows the level of accessibility that social media games provide is maintaining a consistent experience for players (including Game Masters). Jonathan had mentioned in the comments that “The game is always moving forward, and there’s never any point in which a player can’t “poke” the game and participate.” ^[1]

This is where the entire platform breaks down when I try to visualize it in my head. The idea, as I understand it, is that a player should be able to engage with the game at will and without any expectations of commitment. What about when a game is half-way through an important combat or a serious interaction with a prominent non-player character (NPC)?

Accessibility raises a few questions about what behaviors are acceptable or encouraged:

• Do you want players to enter or leave important scenes at will?
• Can players use the same character across many games and enjoy all the benefits?
• Are players free to perform actions without waiting for approval or consequences?
• Are players allowed access to any and all options?
• Is everyone at once both a player and a Game Master?

Of course, it all depends on how far accessibility is taken. If the goal is truly to provide players the ability to game at their convenience, without taking others’ stakes in the game into consideration, I think the game then crosses the line into SMG territory.

However, if the goal is to merely provide multiple lines of communication and methods of accessing the game, then I am on board. Then the next question is, “Would placing a ShareThis^[4] feature on MapTools^[5] accomplish most of our goals?”

Mini Games Option

One approach to lightly embed a roleplaying game into social media is to implement mini games that do not require moderation by Game Masters, but could be amended by them and add value to the actual game. These mini games might include tasks normally glossed over in most games such as researching inside a great library which could yield access to rituals in game. The majority of crafts could be given this treatment as well stronghold building.

Virtual LARP Option

Another method that possibly maximizes player accessibility while minimizing interruptions during critical play is treating the platform like a Live Action RolePlaying (LARP) game in the spirit of White Wolf’s Mind’s Eye Theatre (MET)^[6] series of games run by the Camarilla^[7].

Using the LARP option would most likely utilize two modes of play, structured and unstructured. The structured mode is the traditional roleplaying with a Game Master moderating the session. The unstructured mode would essentially be one or more players engaging in self-moderated roleplay. An option might even be available that allows players engaging in unstructured play to request a GM to moderate when necessary.

Only by participating in the structured mode can players receive new objects (treasure) and progress through official storylines. However, players may always trade objects they already acquired when participating in either structured or unstructured modes.

Like the Camarilla, the platform would be a shared world where you can travel from game to game (mostly) freely. Limiting GMs to only official modules (or stories, adventures, etc.) would allow a modicum of control over balance and power creep (which will no doubt be a constant struggle to maintain). Placing restrictions on when players can enter structured mode play and wait periods to join after bailing from structured mode play could also help maintain consistent experience.

The LARP option actually begins to sound like a very advanced MUSH^[8] and there are probably a few things that such a platform could heavily borrow from such established technologies.

Conclusion

I’m not sure my vision of possible implementations concurs with Jonathan’s vision, but I think we can surely agree that there are opportunities for roleplaying games to take advantage of social technologies. Tomorrow I plan on taking a look at how one might develop an infrastructure that actually interfaced with popular social networks.

Articles that continue the discussion:

• Social Media RPG Platform — Mad Brew Labs
• Social Media Role Playing Minigames — The Core Mechanic

I should also note that using footnotes is a great idea and I actually tried to make a habit of using them a year ago with my Roleplaying Philosophy series^[3] but failed to maintain the discipline to use them.

References

[1] Roleplaying Games, Social Media Games, and the Shared Fence. The Core Mechanic. 2010-01-12.

[2] Social media games for Facebook created by Zynga Games.

[3] “A roleplaying game is a dynamic form of play, structured by rules with human moderation, where players assume and develop virtual roles of sentience and overcome opposition by freely improvising character actions in order to achieve a possibly infinite number of goals.”
RPP-101: Defining Roleplaying Games. Mad Brew Labs. 2009-01-15.

“The only requirement is that you play a game where you assume the role of a PC/avatar. The medium doesn’t matter – it’s the role that matters.” ^[2]

[4] ShareThis is a plug-in that allows you to post content across several social networks.

[5] A virtual table top (VTT) created by RPTools.

[6] Mind’s Eye Theatre is the LARP imprint of rules for White Wolf’s Word of Darkness setting.

[7] The Camarilla is the official World of Darkness fan club that also doubles as White Wolf’s organized play arm.

[8] A Multi-User Shared Hallucination, or MUSH, belongs to a family of text-based social games also called MUDs and MOOs that date back to 1975.

Listening to: Opeth – Ghost Reveries – Atonement

I have talked about emerging and established technologies and how they could be harnessed to enhance table top roleplaying games before. The digital gaming table is one of my favorite concepts and there appears to be a trend of resourceful individuals and groups developing more examples of these tables.

Previously, I wrote about Shane Deseranno’s interactive game table that worked with Wii technology. Recently, I have seen a few more digital game tables appear on the radar that are using multi-touch technologies. Multi-touch allows users to interface with a program via pressure sensitive screens that can be manipulated with your fingers.

DragonEye: DIY Multi-touch Table

The first example I want to highlight is a DIY multi-touch created by repurposing a PS3 Eye Camera and using Rear Diffused Illumination projection and reacTIVision software built by SpynalTom.

The best part of this build is that SpynalTom is part of a larger DIY community called NUI Group (Natural User Interface), “an open source interactive media community researching and creating machine sensing techniques to benefit artistic, commercial and educational applications.” They have a very informative and active forum where you can follow project builds like SpynalTom’s.

SurfaceScapes Proof of Concept

SurfaceScapes is a team out of the Entertainment Technology Center of Carnegie Mellon University. They have developed a decent proof of concept (prototype) of software/user interface for Dungeons & Dragons on the Microsoft Surface table.

This probably the most polished software I have seen designed to be with a roleplaying game on a digital gaming table. Obviously, the UI needs some tweaking, but I really like what I see. I think it would be even better if you had the option of using traditional dice which could be programmed to be recognized as fiducials (and therefore tracked by the software).

Tomorrow: Touchable Holographs

I am obviously talking about nextgen equipment that has yet to go mainstream with the multi-touch tables. But what is the next logical progression? Touchable Holographic or Augmented Reality displays.

I have also touched upon Augmented Reality (a different, yet similar technology than holograms), but before, where virtual realities are layered atop the real world… now imagine if you could touch it. I’ll leave you to wonder at the possibilities with this video that highlights while I ponder the ways to integrate Google Wave with these things…

Other Technology Focused Articles:

• Untapped Potential of Technology
• Future Potential of Technology
• Augmented Reality “Boardgame”

Listening to: Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls, & the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool - What!?

Right after I posted my Future Potential of Technology post yesterday, I saw a couple of posts from Justin at CartoonSmart.com (an excellent site for Flash animation/programming) come through my feed reader concerning my primary topic of AR. Justin found this amazing video on YouTube by Georgia Tech and SCAD Atlanta. It uses a flat map “board” and the game is interfaced with Nvidia’s Tegra powered device. So if any of you were wondering what I was talking about yesterday, here is a fine example of an Augmented Reality game.

Other Technology Focused Articles:

• Untapped Potential of Technology
• Future Potential of Technology
• Rise of the Digital Game Table

Listening to: Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppeling IV (Zoso) – Black Dog

The seed for this post was created when something clicked together in my head while posting a comment on Stargazer’s World in response to Michael’s article; The Hobby is far from being dead! I was basically writing in a stream-of-consciousness style, when the thought of having a virtual tabletop created with Augmented Reality [AR] popped into my head.

I also see this post as a follow up to my very popular article, Untapped Potential of Technology. Where the untapped potential focused on technologies that were already mainstream and readily available yet under used; this article focuses on technologies just over the horizon.

Augmented Reality HUD

Augmented Reality

I am certainly not the first tabletop gamer to think about using AR in conjunction with traditional gaming, as the AR part of the game being run by my alma mater, IUPUI (as reported here), was inspired by a graduate student’s desire to see 3D animations of the creatures on the table when playing Magic: the Gathering.

That’s cool, but what exactly is AR?Augmented Reality is the blending of actual and virtual reality. It is often achieved by projecting computer generated data over the real world visually. This practice is usually made possible by employing an optical aid such as VR goggles. Motion tracking, fiducial markers, and object recognition are major research areas used in Augmented Reality.

AR has very important applications in the medical and military fields and I’m sure everyone could imagine the marketing/commercial uses of the technology as well (virtual advertisements/billboards). It is already used today (yellow down markers in football, heads up displays for pilots, museum tours).

Augmented Tabletop

Star Wars Dejarik Holochess

Now let’s apply the concept to the world of tabletop gaming. Envision being able to play games like Warhammer 40k or Warmachine without having to invest a fortune in miniatures and time in painting (I would still paint minis, but that’s not the point). Think about being able to see your minis animate and do battle, ala Star Wars Dejarik Holochess. Perhaps you could easily download expansions or new pieces for your favorite board game.

Hell, you might even be able to virtually appear like your character while playing that bad-ass drow assassin. Oh and what if you never had to remember or physically look up the rules again? The simplest solution would have the rule display in front of everyone playing on a virtual index card, perhaps called by voice recognition.

“Game, define grapple.”

The more complex version would give players a virtual rolodex of options based upon their character, terrain, and other elements, allowing them to execute a selection on their turn, which in turn drives the augmented miniatures. Yeah, can you dig having the goggles automatically highlight the area of effect for spells and powers?

Of course, this really begins to blur the line between a video game and the tabletop game, but we all know this is the path we are already on as each type of game continues to feed off each other. However, you still have the capability of going full manual when rules engine doesn’t provide an option.

Remote AR Tabletop

With the inclusion of Augmented Reality, the term virtual tabletop would become obsolete. Being able to game with people not at the table would be called remote tabletop gaming. The gameplay experience would be nearly identical, except you can no longer physically punch buddies in the arm (unless everyone has tactile feedback bodysuits, see below).

The AR application would project streaming video of fellow players’ faces near the tabletop and everyone would see the game table updated in real time. Everyone would have their own fiducial markers that would be integrated into the virtual tabletop.

AR Headset

Equipment & Peripherals

The standard equipment needed to engage an AR tabletop game would be fiducial markers (objects the AR application can easily recognize and interact with), goggles or headset, and computer to run the app. I could also see devices similar to the WiiMote being utilized to simulate the tossing of dice or other game accessories.

Think even bigger and you come up with tactile feedback devices. These would be gloves and bodysuits that stiffen and transmit sensations when they interact with the AR environment. Add some olfactory (scent) reproduction technology and you can all five senses (taste could be derived from scent).

Fiducial Marker

Full Digital Integration

Access a soundtrack from your music library, play pre-packaged cut scenes in between adventures or after climactic battles, automatically create blog posts or podcasts from gaming sessions, stream live video of gameplay… the possibilities are endless.

All this could be done from interacting with the AR environment. You could have fiducial markers that represent your mp3 collection, the record button on the mic or video capture device, or the play button for a cut scene. Seamless integration with digital media, hell yeah, I get excited just thinking about it.

Complications

The first major hurdle to make this type of technology accessible is the buy-in cost. In the beginning, a set of decent VR goggles or headsets are going to be extremely expensive. But do you remember how expensive a CD player was when they first came out? Maybe not, but in 1982 when Sony released the CDP-101, it cost $900. Now you can get a portable CD player for less than $15.

The other issue that will no doubt vex corporate security assholes and users alike will be piracy and all the baggage that comes with it. I can see proprietary goggles/headsets that prevent applications from competing publishers from working on them, no compatibility, and DRM laden downloads. You know, the same bedlam that is going on today.

Early adoption is of course out of the question. No one in the tabletop industry is willing to gamble on new technology; even when the probability of said technology to become as mainstream as mobile devices are today is a sure thing. Be fearless.

Resistance

I can hear the very loud voices of the dissenters and non-believers now:

“That’s not roleplaying!”

“It’s too much like virtual World of Warcraft.”

“AR will be the death of the industry/hobby/game!”

“This is heresy of the worst kind, burn in hell heretic!”

In my opinion, Augmented Reality would not change the fundamentals that make a tabletop roleplaying game what it is. It would just enhance it. As for me, I can see myself enjoying traditional tabletop gaming sans electronics just as much as an AR tabletop game. But the AR games would [eventually] be cheap, immediate, and more accessible. In the long run, it could also reduce operating and distribution costs for publishers as well as attracting new players.

This is the type of innovation we need to be looking for (and actively developing) that could revitalize and even grow the industry/hobby. Just think about the possibilities for Live Action RolePlay!

Other Technology Focused Articles:

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

Listening to: Lacuna Coil – In a Reverie – Cold

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

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