With our current virtual reality revolution, video games and tabletop games are finally about to collide. Sure, there have been Dungeons & Dragons-inspired video games, Dungeons & Dragons video games, Warhammer 40k games and more, but this is like nothing that came before it.
Unlike previous video game versions, this partnership between Wizards of the Coast and AltspaceVR lets you congregate in a virtual space and play out a D&D campaign just like you would in person. That may not seem incredibly groundbreaking, but for anyone who’s noticed how much adult life can get in the way of more important things like gaming, it’ll surely make getting a campaign together a simpler process if it takes off.
As you can see in their demonstrational video, the VR environment has everything you’ll need to play a game from character sheets to maps and player pieces. All you have to do is head over to AltspaceVR’s D&D page and either join a campaign or start your own with a free account. You’ll get the best effect if you play using a VR headset, but since most people don’t own one yet, you’re also free to play with just your computer.
This may seem like a small step for what you could ultimately imagine from a “virtual reality D&D,” but it fits right in line with what VR makers—notably Facebook with their Oculus Rift purchase—imagine for the format. VR can foster uniquely social experiences like playing D&D with friends even when those friends can’t get together in the real world. And hey, who knows—maybe this is just the beginning. Some day, we could be sitting around a virtual table watching animated game pieces carry out our instructions like wizard chess.
… Please, The Future? Signed, everyone.
(via Tom’s Hardware)
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