The social VR platform Altspace VR has partnered with Wizards of the Coast to release an Official Dungeons & Dragons app. The app was announced yesterday with a focus on keeping the traditional, social aspect of the game alive in VR.
The game allows players to play the game within the Altspace VR platform as if they were sitting around a table in real life. You can access the game via Altspace VR’s app tab, which immediately enters you into a medieval tavern where players can gather around and play the game. The game features familiar game board, dice, controls, figurines and a set of web browsers that you can use to set up player sheets, build games, read the manuals, access online resources etc.
The game was built entirely on the Altspace SDK and Altspace VR users can access the game using an Oculus DK2, Samsung Gear VR or via the desktop app.
Although I hadn’t played D&D since middle school, I took a minute to jump in, take some screenshots and take a look around using the Oculus and I immediately felt familiar with the setup and controls. Admittedly, the advanced game has some aspects that I am not familiar with (I was more of a basic player) but the web browsers offer plenty of access to rules and info which will help any player, basic or advanced to get back into the swing of things.
For more information on how to play D&D in Altspace, you can check out the tutorial on their blog or you can discuss the app via the forum on Altspace VR’s subreddit. This video below also helps to explain the process.
Nostalgic Significance
Anyone who has read the book Ready Player One will immediately understand the nostalgic significance of this partnership, due to the book’s reference to familiar Dungeons & Dragons modules from the 1980’s as well as the main characters who have to play aspects of the game within VR.
I think D&D and VR nerds will agree that this partnership is a significant moment in VR history and sign that we really are entering in to a new era of VR tech.
Sean Earley is the Executive Editor of AR/VR Magazine & co-founder of RobotSpaceship Podcast Network. He is the Director of New Biz Development and Publishing at KEMWEB, a musician, producer & consultant. He loves guitars, VR and coffee.
