I’ve just finished another update to the app that keeps you logged in between sessions. It makes 3D Virtual Tabletop a lot more convenient to use. Hopefully you now only have to log in once, and it will keep you connected to your account whenever you open the app back up. If you close the app or turn your device off, the next time you open it, it will log you back in and look for the last game you were playing and reconnect you if it is still going. I’ve also added some status indicators to let you know when it’s syncing your maps and miniatures, and also when it’s downloading images from another player in a multiplayer game, so you know that the blank miniature or map you’re looking at won’t be blank for long.
The app on Google Play was updated yesterday, and I’ve submitted it to the Apple App Store, so it will be available to iPad and iPhone users within a week.
Now that I’ve got some of the convenience features out of the way, I can move on to more exciting things like showing the grid and the highly anticipated fog of war!
Smoothing out the Kinks with Automatic Multiplayer Reconnection
As I was testing the new iOS app in preparation for releasing the new version with automatic multiplayer reconnection, I found a few circumstances in which it didn’t properly restore the connection. I’ve spent the last few days fixing those, and yesterday updated the Android version on Google Play and submitted the update to the Apple App Store. For those of you on Apple’s iOS, it should be available in about 5 days.
Automatic Multiplayer Reconnection
When coming back to your game in 3D Virtual Tabletop after running another app, it will now automatically reconnect to your multiplayer session, if other people are still there. This means you can now look up some rules on the ‘net or refer to a PDF on your device, and a few minutes later when you swap back to the app, you can pick up where you left off with everyone else. This makes it much more convenient for multiplayer games, it no longer matters if you temporarily lose your connection of if it times out.
I know you’ll enjoy this, because when I’ve been testing it out, whenever I had to go back to using an earlier version that didn’t have automatic multiplayer reconnection, it was a bit frustrating, to say the least. It can take 5 seconds or so to reconnect, and there is an animating spinner on the top left of the screen to let you know that the reconnection is in progress.
I’ve just updated 3D Virtual Tabletop on Google Play, which should be available to everyone on a few hours. Later today I’ll be submitting the update for the Apple App Store, it only took 5 days last time for it to be approved, hopefully it’s that quick again this time.
At this stage it works best when the app has just been sleeping in the background. I still have some work to do for resuming after the app has been shut down completely, such as logging you back in automatically. If do you log in manually though, it will then rejoin the game automatically. So that’s the next thing I’m working on, better behaviour when resuming, such as logging in automatically, to make running the game a smoother experience.
On Google Play: http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.taponfire.threedvirtualtabletop
In the Apple App Store: http://appstore.com/3dvirtualtabletop
Top Down View in 3D Virtual Tabletop
Many people have asked me how to get to the top down view in 3D Virtual Tabletop, here is the answer:
Changing Maps in 3D Virtual Tabletop
How to Add Miniatures to the Map on 3D Virtual Tabletop
3D Virtual Tabletop at Gen Con 2014!
There’s something very special in Booth #3039 at Gen Con this year – us! Come along and tell us all your hopes and dreams for 3D Virtual Tabletop, we’re keen to hear how you use it and what you need from the app to get the most out of it at your table.
You’ll also be able to see the app in action on a big screen. 2013 RPG Superstar Steve Helt is using it to run adventures from Rise of the Drow: Prologue, and it’ll be displayed on a 32-inch HDTV for all to see. It’s been set up by AAW Games who are sharing the booth with us this year.
Booth #3039 is in the top right corner of the exhibitor’s map, so should be easy to find.
Dwarven Forge’s Caverns
Now for something completely different.
When you can all get together around a real tabletop, the best terrain I’ve seen is the 3D tiles from Dwarven Forge. I’m not associated with them at all, just a fan, but I missed out on their first Kickstarter so I wanted to let you know you can participate in their second Kickstarter, caverns, for another day or two. I’ve coveted Dwarven Forge’s tiles from afar for years and happily backed their Kickstarter so that I can finally get my hands on some. The artist behind it all, Stefan Pokorny comes from a classical painting and sculpting background and it’s great to see someone of his talent bring their skill to bear on this hobby that we all love.
You can find their Kickstarter at: http://kck.st/1ftWrem
3D Virtual Tabletop in Web Browser now Live
Backers of the Kickstarter who pledged at a level which included Immediate Access can now use 3D Virtual Tabletop in a web browser on Windows and Mac. This is an early verison, I’m currently working on it to bring it up to the same level of functionality as the iPad, iPhone and Android versions. If you’re keen to see this for yourself but don’t qualify, you can use the late pledge page to gain Immediate Access with an existing pledge or even back it for the first time.
3D Virtual Tabletop Kickstarter Progress
You can find the progress report about delivering the Kickstarter rewards in the latest Kickstarer update: Weekly Progress Update 2
Delivering on the 3D Virtual Tabletop Kickstarter
Thanks for your support during the 3D Virtual Tabletop Kickstarter, pushing it to be funded to 1,100% of our initial goal. The real highlight for me was talking to people in the last 24 hours, getting to know the community. Not only did players and GMs rally around, but publishers and artists also got involved, so many thanks to Adventure-A-Week, Alyssa Faden, Battle! Studio, Darkraven Games, Dramascape, Frog God Games, The Game Mechanics, Kaitlynn Peavler, Kobold Press, Legendary Games, Lord Zsezse Works, Mayhem in Paper, Modiphius Entertainment, and Wayne Reynolds.
Now it’s time to let you know how you’ll be getting the goods from the Kickstarter. I’ll be using Backer Kit to manage the add-ons. They recommend waiting 2 weeks before getting info from backers to ensure that all payments have gone through. I’m still getting a few payments trickling through so in about a week I’ll be starting things up with Backer Kit. You’ll be able to choose the add-ons that you pledged for and also purchase any additional ones that you want. If you’re having any trouble with Amazon payments for this Kickstarter you can pay directly with PayPal to brendon@taponfire.com. Use the same email for PayPal as you do with Kickstarter and I’ll be able to match it up with what you pledged.
If you missed out on the Kickstarter completely you can make a late pledge for a limited time to get in on the action. Visit the Late Pledge Page and you can still get the great deals and exclusive offers via PayPal. I’ve been in the position before where I only found out about an awesome Kickstarter after it had ended, or went back to pledge only to find out that it had already finished, so I know what its like to want to give something and not be able to. People have already taken advantage of this opportunity so I’ll keep it going for a while longer.
The delivery date on each Kickstarter reward is for the initial $5,000 version. Immediate access will be available in October, early access in November, and the public release in December. New releases will be made rapidly after that as each stretch goal is finished. Immediate access backers will be able to experience them as they are implemented, and early access backers will get them 4 weeks before the general public. The subscription that you get with a reward begins with the public release in December.
The immediate access version will first be available on iPad & iPhone, then Android, then Web Browser. Since the Kickstarter campaign was run in the middle of a software development cycle, the immediate access version will be updated frequently after it is initially made available so that it begins to work properly.
My focus now and in the months to come is on turning 3D Virtual Tabletop into the amazing app that we all know it can be. The enthusiasm I’ve had from gamers is heartwarming, you’re obviously as keen to see this happen as I am. Thanks for your support on the journey.
Achtung! Cthulhu Spreads Shadow Over 3D Virtual Tabletop
The tentacle-filled wartime roleplaying setting of Achtung! Cthulhu is coming to 3D Virtual Tabletop. Fresh off a massively successful 2,000% funded Kickstarter, the creators of Achtung! Cthulhu, Modiphius Entertainment, have graciously offered a selection of their terrifying creatures and dramatic maps to committed backers upon reaching the next stretch goal. Even if you don’t want to lead a team of heroic investigators behind enemy lines, you can still use the creatures in a game of any genre where you need horrific monsters, and you’ll have 3 more mysterious locations to explore, a Nazi underground outpost, a Nazi base and an Elder Thing Outpost!
All backers need to do to get the Achtung! Cthulhu content on their virtual tabletop is to pledge at the Battalion Plus level or higher and help spread the word to make this project hit the $22,000 mark. The Battalion Plus reward will additionally grant backers all assets from other content stretch goals that are unlocked before the project ends. Modiphius Entertainment will also be providing a wider range of Achtung! Cthulhu maps and minis in the in-app marketplace.
Creatures from Deck of Legends come to 3D Virtual Tabletop
As we get closer to 300% funding of the 3D Virtual Tabletop Kickstarter, it has gained momentum and some new artwork for backers. This new art comes from the Deck of Legends Kickstarter which is also on now. The Deck has all the cards in a normal 52 card deck, plus 2 jokers, but they are richly illustrated with a range of characters, locations, monsters and items, depending on their face value. This turns the Deck into a wonderful tool that can expand your game, with its use limited only by your imagination.
The good news is that the characters and monsters from the Deck, a total of 24 creatures in all, are going to be available as stand-up miniatures inside 3D Virtual Tabletop, if you back it at least at the $9 Swordmaster level. You also benefit from backing the Deck of Legends because as their stretch goals are hit, any additional artwork produced will also be available in 3D Virtual Tabletop.
Have Your Say in the Stretch Goal Survey
If you were on the fence about supporting the 3D Virtual Tabletop Kickstarter, now is the time to back it so you can make your dreams come true. Once you’re a backer you’ll be able to vote on which stretch goals you’d like to see happen soonest. Whether it’s a Windows version or dice rolling that you’d like to use in your game, you have the power to influence the priority.
You can help the stretch goals that you want get funded by spreading the word:
Kickstarter Now Live!
You can back the project right now, to get network multiplayer into 3D Virtual Tabletop.
Share a link to the campaign to spread the word to unlock the awesome stretch goals: