SmiteWorks Acquires Tabletop Connect

[carlKeymaster]

I am pleased to announce that Tabletop Connect has been acquired by SmiteWorks USA, LLC, the developer of the industry leading Fantasy Grounds virtual tabletop. As part of this acquisition I will be joining the SmiteWorks team to accelerate the port of Fantasy Grounds to the Unity platform.

Doug Davison, President and Co-Owner of SmiteWorks added, “We have a distinct vision of what virtual tabletops can and should look like over the coming years and how Smiteworks can accomplish those things with Fantasy Grounds. For that reason, we began porting the core engine for Fantasy Grounds to Unity so that we could streamline and enhance the experience for players and GM’s alike and distribute it more easily across all platforms. We’ve been following the progress of Tabletop Connect since it launched on Kickstarter and we’ve been very impressed with what Carl has been able to produce as a one-man operation. He shares the same vision we do on many areas and brings a unique level of talent, passion and creativity that is very hard to find. After some great one-on-one discussions, we believe that together we can do more than we could working separately. Work has been progressing on the Unity rebuild for the last year and I am genuinely excited about how the addition of Carl to the team will allow us to speed up the completion of this project and provide additional enhancements to the resulting product.”

During the development of Tabletop Connect your feedback and support have been invaluable. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the next generation of virtual tabletops and to deliver the experience that you deserve.

As a backer of Tabletop Connect, you should soon receive the details of the realignment to Fantasy Grounds and your options during this transition.

Sincerely, thanks again for all of your support and I look forward to you joining me on this exciting new adventure!

[PhoxounetParticipant]

Hi Carl,

I don’t want to be mad at you about this; i truly am happy for your opportunity. However, there are several things that I wanted to say.

First, (i don’t know for other people that supported you) I was really enthusiast about Tabletop Connect 3D because of its features : easy to handle, sheets easy to design and to build, 3D dices, macroing and so. I did not want to use FG2 because of these reasons. You need to edit XML files to create your own ruleset, or to modify sheets, no D100 dice (although you can activate it) and many other things (like no french localization for the rulesets, nor the app. You can translate it by editing XML files. No, thanks.). I spent several months to search for the perfect VTT that suits me : it was not FG2. it was TableTop Connect 3D.

Secondary, I think (i could be wrong anyway) that you active supporters (bugs chasing, discussions, features, etc.) deserve more information about what is coming. As you will actively work on FG2 regarding the Unity Engine, I guess that Tabletop Connect 3D is simply abandonned. Any word about it ? Plus, you said that we’ll have more info about our options “soon”. What “soon” means ? Hours ? Days ? Weeks ?

Well. You’ll get it : i’m really disappointed. I just hope we are going to have few answsers quickly.

Regards,
YH

• This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by  Phoxounet. Reason: 801

[le_prisonerParticipant]

First of all my apologies for my bad english … I’m French.

I fully agree with PHOXOUNET. I left home FG2 for the heaviness of their tools. Nothing simple can be done simply. Moreover, FG2 does absolutely not ready for narrative role-playing. TableTop Connect is perfect for this: a job for the characters sheets with beautiful macros but alot simpler than FG2 !!!

Can we know how long we will be able to use TableTop Connect?? In the state, it already allows me to play!

Best regards

Priso

[carlKeymaster]

To help clarify, this is Doug Davison’s (President and Co-Owner of SmiteWorks) response regarding the transition:

“Backers of Tabletop Connect will get the option to transfer those over to an equivalent license of Fantasy Grounds. We still hope to release the same art assets, so they can hold for those to be delivered in Fantasy Grounds or they can request a partial or full refund which will be covered by SmiteWorks. If you backed Tabletop Connect and you transfer those licenses, then you will get access to FG now and also be invited to participate in the beta version of Fantasy Grounds on Unity. For those people who didn’t back TC but want to participate in the beta version of Fantasy Grounds, there will be a Kickstarter launched for this later, but still before we open up beta access.

It may take us a little bit of time to work out all the details and get everything coordinated, but want to take good care of anyone who backed the original Kickstarter.”

I can tell you that the same features that you like about Tabletop Connect are the same features that SmiteWorks likes, as well.

The current version of Tabletop Connect will continue to work. It is possible that it will continue to work until the release of Fantasy Grounds on Unity. The end date has yet to be determined.

If you do decide to leave the community, I hope you’ll come back when the new product is ready.

[PhoxounetParticipant]

Thanks for your answer. Let me make it clear : i’m not disappointed by you. It’s an amazing opportunity, both for you and FG. I’m disappointed about TabletopConnect. It is a really powerfull, still easy to use VTT for those who want a simple, efficient VTT. I don’t want to leave the community. I’m just afraid about not being able to do things with FG2 like I did with TableTop Connect. However, i guess that using the Unity Engine will probably makes things easier. Should we understand that XML editing won’t be necessary anymore to edit documents like sheets, tables, etc ?

[KazanderParticipant]

My own feelings are not so different from Phoxounet.

Fantasy Grounds has been around a long time, and I’ve been using VTT’s for a long time. I keep track of trends with VTT’s, keep a look out for new ones, and give as many as I can a try to see if they suit my needs. I’ve never made FG my VTT of choice, even though I have a license. It never gave me what I was looking for.

I don’t go quite so far as to say I’m *really* disappointed; I’m holding off on that until more information is forthcoming. I do feel a sense of trepidation however. And I can’t help but feel a bit betrayed by the fact that I chose to support TTC, and now it looks like that’s going to morph into FG, and TTC will never be delivered. I didn’t make that choice for myself. Also, since you’re the one being swallowed up here; you’re much less likely (IMO) to influence the future direction of FG (incorporating features that would have been TTC), than FG is likely to get what they want out of you. It seems likely the end product is going to be something I am less interested in.

I don’t play Pathfinder or D&D, and thus a lot what FG has to offer is irrelevant to me.

[PhoxounetParticipant]

@Kazander : I feel exactly the same. I mainly am an Anima : Beyond Fantasy game master and player of a french rpg : cardinal’s blades (cards system). Anima is a D100 system like Rolemaster. This is why FG2, massively D20 oriented, is not what i wanted to use.

[carlKeymaster]

There has been a lot discussion between Doug and me about how Tabletop Connect features will be integrated into Fantasy Grounds. We’re all in agreement about the features that are important and those features are in alignment with what you find important.

I understand your trepidation. For those users that opt for a refund during the transition, I’m confident that you will be returning when you see the next version of Fantasy Grounds.

I’ve always been flattered and amazed by the support of the Tabletop Connect community and impressed with what you have done. Phoxounet’s character sheets were beyond what I expected. The Fantasy Grounds team is small and I will have a voice in the development of the new version. I will use that voice to echo what I’ve heard from the Tabletop Connect community.

[LongrathParticipant]

I have much the same position as the above users.

In my dream world, TC wold be evolved by FG, not the other way around. I also own FG licenses and was forced to poke around for a VT that was what I was looking for.

The simplicity of customizing the sheets and macros is one of TC’s greatest assets.

The map editor interface is another of it’s strongest assets.

Imagine sitting down to play a PnP RPG at a table fleshed out with diorama quality models of places and having the ability to swap those out on the tabletop without having to live in an actual model shop. Think about putting some VR on top of that.

I hope that answers are forthcoming about access to FGU and asset sets, as they compare to what we’ve already pre-ordered.

Do I want another FG license? Not really, but I’ll take it. I’ll take it on the hopes that FGU can become what I thought I saw coming in TC. I’ll take it because a bigger team of people helping realize the goal makes it more likely.

If, in the end, we end up with a virtual tabletop that we can control like an endless physical library of minis and tabletop dioramas, and have it all programmed with FG’s rulesets, and have FG’s level of community activity, it will be best for all of us.

• This reply was modified 10 months, 2 weeks ago by  Longrath.

[le_prisonerParticipant]

Hi,
Like my predecessors, I have a GM license FG2 and my player a player’s license. I am a new Backer Pre-order and not kickstarter. I’m doing the sheet for Cthulhu V7 and after for Maléfice (French JDR) V3 and I would play on TableTop as long as possible. For a beta version, it is relatively stable and it’s very good. I think that for you it is a great chance to join the FG team. Now I hope it’s going to be a great chance for us and that you will greatly influence them.
Personally, I am not happy to return to FG2 but I believe in you and I would go back for YOU!
So, I hope that my pre-order status will allow me to access to the beta version of YOUR FG Unity, which will I am sure, in the image of your hard work on TableTop!
Best regards and good luck !!!

• This reply was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by  le_prisoner.

[cat-charlieParticipant]

Hi Carl

It sounds like I am echoing the general consensus in this thread currently.

I am happy that you are being picked up and recognised for the awesome work that you have done for the TTC VTT and I hope that everything improves from here, but I’m sad that TTC will no longer be something that will be available as a VTT option. I have used FG for a while and honestly I really don’t like it in it’s current version, I hope that you will be able to give it some of the TTC magic that it really lacks.

I’m glad that SmiteWorks will be footing the bill for any people that want a refund, you deserve all the money that people have paid towards the development of TTC but FG is a different implementation of a VTT that isn’t what most people paid for.

Looks like I’ll be back to maptools until another VTT continues what TTC started.

Out of interest (and I presume this will be a no) will the Source code be available for TTC anywhere?

[carlKeymaster]

Thanks for all your support so far.

Your presumption is accurate, the source code will not be available.

[CrowsSalvationParticipant]

I registered to the site so I could put money into the game. Me and my group are always looking for a good VTT program and I found this one. I was amazed by the videos and it sold me hands down. Now I come on here and read its been bought out by the one VTT I really don’t like. I really do not want to offend anyone here, but honestly..I really don’t like the FG. It seems way overpriced compared to what this was and I’m always hearing how FG is very limited with resources and other things.

I guess I have no other choice but to go back to using roll20. Its an all right VTT but this one smashed it to pieces.

[carlKeymaster]

I think you’ll be pleased with the next version of Fantasy Grounds. I hope you’ll keep an eye on the development.

[CrowsSalvationParticipant]

If the price range is good and has the same editing power as this then I’m good to go. Just don’t want to put the burden of money on my crew. I run a game of 6+ people and paying per copy is a bit much on us all.

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