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Tabltop simulator is great! The environment is intuitive enough that even my tech-illiterate family don't mind using it (one cousin actually suggested everyone

Tabltop simulator is great! The environment is intuitive enough that even my tech-illiterate family don't mind using it (one cousin actually suggested everyone bring their laptops to an in-person game night), and it works well on a traditional PC. More VR like tabletop simulator please!

disease 5y ago
I'm honestly surprised that VR hasn't been a bigger impact on board games. Besides the obvious fact that you can more easily get people together, software is great at handling the non-gameplay related "administration" that takes time away from the fun. Things that come to mind: shuffling decks, misdeals, misunderstood rule-sets (I'm looking at you D&D 3.5). I guess the downside is also pretty big: no face-to-face communication - which itself can be a detriment to gameplay in games like Poker or PvPvE games like Dead of Winter. Also the tactile-ness of board games is such a nice escape from everything being digitized these days.
- brimble 5y ago
  It's limited by how many people have VR rigs in the first place, and by the other things people might do instead if they've already decided they're going to play a multiplayer game on a computer or console, that aren't virtual board games. I'd rather hop into Minecraft or whatever with some friends, if that's what I'm doing, than card or board game simulator. I'd guess that's a common sentiment. Further, I'd rather play some very plain poker game (like the old Windows card games) with voice chat on than try to do some VR thing. Most of the benefits, and doesn't monopolize your attention. But that part may just be me.
- sleepybrett 5y ago
  VR headsets are stuffy and uncomfortable, no-one wants to wear them for more than about an hour. Tabletop simulator in particular is problematic because of it's physics engine and the chaos that that always causes.
akavel 5y ago
That's interesting, because personally I seem to dislike Tabletop Simulator; I feel super slow and constrained by it, as if I was having my hands tied, and much prefer playing the same games live with friends (or solo!) and manipulating real physical objects. Additionally, I much prefer the fact that real board games give me one more reason to unglue myself from a computer screen. I'm really curious why mine and yours reception seem so different! Though I didn't have an opportunity to play it in VR using VR goggles - is this the aspect that is important here? Does your whole family play it with VR goggles?
- elliekelly 5y ago
  I think it really depends on the game you’re playing. Some are more scripted than others and games that require moving lots of pieces are really tedious even if there’s some automation.
- traverseda 5y ago
  Scripts taking away some of the more tedious parts, and no clean up, no setup. I mean we'd all still rather be in the same room sharing food and all that, but the advantages and the large game library really do help.

disease 5y ago

I'm honestly surprised that VR hasn't been a bigger impact on board games. Besides the obvious fact that you can more easily get people together, software is great at handling the non-gameplay related "administration" that takes time away from the fun. Things that come to mind: shuffling decks, misdeals, misunderstood rule-sets (I'm looking at you D&D 3.5). I guess the downside is also pretty big: no face-to-face communication - which itself can be a detriment to gameplay in games like Poker or PvPvE games like Dead of Winter. Also the tactile-ness of board games is such a nice escape from everything being digitized these days.

brimble 5y ago
It's limited by how many people have VR rigs in the first place, and by the other things people might do instead if they've already decided they're going to play a multiplayer game on a computer or console, that aren't virtual board games. I'd rather hop into Minecraft or whatever with some friends, if that's what I'm doing, than card or board game simulator. I'd guess that's a common sentiment. Further, I'd rather play some very plain poker game (like the old Windows card games) with voice chat on than try to do some VR thing. Most of the benefits, and doesn't monopolize your attention. But that part may just be me.
sleepybrett 5y ago
VR headsets are stuffy and uncomfortable, no-one wants to wear them for more than about an hour. Tabletop simulator in particular is problematic because of it's physics engine and the chaos that that always causes.

akavel 5y ago

That's interesting, because personally I seem to dislike Tabletop Simulator; I feel super slow and constrained by it, as if I was having my hands tied, and much prefer playing the same games live with friends (or solo!) and manipulating real physical objects. Additionally, I much prefer the fact that real board games give me one more reason to unglue myself from a computer screen. I'm really curious why mine and yours reception seem so different! Though I didn't have an opportunity to play it in VR using VR goggles - is this the aspect that is important here? Does your whole family play it with VR goggles?

elliekelly 5y ago
I think it really depends on the game you’re playing. Some are more scripted than others and games that require moving lots of pieces are really tedious even if there’s some automation.
traverseda 5y ago
Scripts taking away some of the more tedious parts, and no clean up, no setup. I mean we'd all still rather be in the same room sharing food and all that, but the advantages and the large game library really do help.