Table of Contents
Hey TTRPG lovers ⚔️💜! I’m Maslow, the co-founder of “Harpy” 👋
I just watched the recent D&D VTT announcement and I wanted to react to it and see how Harpy would stand up in comparison. So buckle up, grab your favorite dice 🎲, and let’s jump right into it!
D&D Virtual Tabletop – First look – Youtube video
🎩 Features
D&D Beyond integration
Let’s start with the connection to D&D Beyond. As you can guess, the new D&D VTT will support D&D Beyond since… well, they are the same company. However, Harpy can also be connected to D&D Beyond thanks to the Beyond20 extension (and soon the DDDice extension). This means you can roll your dice directly from D&D Beyond and see the results in Harpy. And it’s super easy to set up! So whether you prefer to use their VTT or Harpy, you’ll still be able to play with your D&D Beyond character sheets. So, choose what works best for you
Preview of a D&D Beyond Attack and Spell cast in Harpy
2D (top-down) or 3D view
Now, one thing that sets Harpy apart from other virtual tabletops is the option to play in either top-down (2D) mode or 3D mode. Whether you prefer a more traditional top-down view like Roll20 or a more immersive 3D experience, Harpy has got you covered. It’s all about flexibility and catering to the preferences of both players and GMs alike.
Codex
Harpy isn’t just a virtual tabletop. It’s also a powerful Codex, which is like an Encyclopedia for your world and campaign, making it easy to keep track of important details and lore.
Use the Codex to keep track of your Lore: characters, places, groups, items, notes, etc
Play by post
Harpy also includes a powerful Play by post platform that allows you to play asynchronously between your games, so you don’t have to worry about scheduling conflicts or time zones. These are features that we’re very proud of and that we believe set Harpy apart from other VTTs.
Left: Roleplay chat – Right: Out of context chat
Flat, Paper & HeroForge tokens
Another great feature of Harpy is the versatility of its tokens. With our platform, you can choose between flat tokens, paper tokens, and even tokens from HeroForge, the popular 3D miniature creation tool. That means you can bring your custom 3D digital minis to the virtual tabletop with ease. No more waiting for your physical minis to arrive or having to settle for generic ones. With Harpy, you have the freedom to create and play with the minis that best represent your characters and creatures.
Import your HeroForge 3D Digital minis in Harpy
Create unlimited Flat and Paper tokens with your images in Harpy
Although they don’t seem to support either of those 3 tokens types, they DO seem to have amazing looking tokens on the video announcement. Who knows how much customizable those will be, and how expensive. But for now we have to admit, they look great
D&D tokens DO look great
Color-themed tracker & HP bars
Now, let’s talk about some of the features that D&D VTT seems to be including that we’re still working on. They have an initiative tracker, HP bars and user assigned colors that are used on the minis, cursor, and tracker. We’re working hard to bring these features to Harpy as well, and we hope to have them available for our users soon. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had them up and running before the D&D VTT playtests even start 😏 So stay tune 👀
Each player has their own color. It’s visible on the initiative tracker, their cursor and their minis base.
👒 Visuals
While D&D VTT boasts amazing graphics and animations, we at Harpy believe that the beauty of TTRPGs lies not only in the visuals, but in the limitless potential of the human imagination. Sure, stunning graphics can add to the experience, but they can also limit it by confining what players can envision in their minds. Plus, the prep time required for creating such detailed maps and assets can be significant. On the other hand, Harpy offers a more streamlined experience, with low-poly 3D assets and flat (static or animated) maps that are easy to use and require minimal preparation. We also believe that our approach can help stimulate the imagination and encourage creativity. Finally, while D&D VTT has spell animations, we think that those animations will never be as amazing as we can picture them in our minds. So, while graphics can enhance the experience, we believe that they should not be the only focus of a TTRPG. What do you think?
👑 Overall
Community-driven
Now, let’s talk about what sets Harpy apart from the competition in terms of overall experience. First of all, we’re proud to be community-driven. We have a voting system that lets our users decide which features we work on next, and we’re constantly designing and refining our product live on Twitch. That means you can have a real say in what Harpy looks like and how it works, and you can participate in shaping the product to better suit your needs. We believe that the TTRPG community is all about collaboration and creativity, and we’re doing everything we can to make sure that Harpy reflects those values.
No installation required
We also want to make it as easy as possible for you and your players to get started with Harpy. Our platform is web-based, which means no installation is required – simply send your players a URL and they can join your game directly. And there’s no paywall to worry about, so everyone can get in on the action right away.
Game agnostic
Harpy is game agnostic, meaning you can use it to play any tabletop RPG, not just D&D. Whether you’re a fan of Pathfinder, Shadowrun, Call of Cthulhu, or any other TTRPG, Harpy’s Codex, VTT, and dice shortcuts are built to support your game. So if you’re looking for a virtual tabletop that isn’t locked to just one game system, Harpy might be the platform for you.
Language support
While D&D VTT is likely to be available in English only, Harpy is currently available in 6 languages – English, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, and Russian. And we’re planning to add more languages in the future, so that players all over the world can enjoy the same great experience. Huge thanks for the members of the Community for those translations.
Device support
And when it comes to device support, Harpy has got you covered. With our web-based platform, you can play on any device with an internet connection, whether it’s a computer, tablet, or even your phone. D&D VTT, on the other hand, may require a powerful computer to run smoothly with their high-end graphics, limiting accessibility for some players. With Harpy, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to play and connect with others, regardless of the device they’re using.
Cost
We don’t know about the cost of D&D VTT, but we do know that D&D Beyond can be quite expensive, especially if you want access to all the books. With Harpy, however, we believe that everyone should have access to a great virtual tabletop experience. That’s why Harpy is free for anyone to use. Of course, if you love Harpy and want to support our development, we offer two subscription tiers. The Premium tier at just $5.99 a month, and the Pro tier at $10.99 a month, both with extra features and benefits.
Availability
As for availability, Harpy is already up and running at harpy.gg, so you can start using it right away. Meanwhile, the first playtest for D&D VTT has been announced for late 2023, but let’s face it, we all know how those things can get delayed. And hey, while we may be a smaller team, we believe that even the smallest party can defeat the mightiest of foes. So if you’re a true TTRPG fan, come join us on Harpy and let’s create something amazing together.
Conclusion
And there you have it, folks! A comprehensive breakdown of the new D&D VTT and Harpy. As a TTRPG enthusiast and a virtual tabletop creator, I can say with confidence that Harpy offers a unique and engaging experience that sets it apart from other VTTs.
From our robust Play by Post system to the versatility of our tokens, Harpy is a platform built with creativity and collaboration in mind. We’ve worked hard to make it easy to use, accessible across devices, and available in multiple languages, so that anyone can jump right in and start playing their favorite tabletop RPG.
And the best part? Harpy is free to use! Of course, if you’re looking for extra features and benefits, we offer two affordable subscription tiers – Premium and Pro – that give you even more options to customize your experience.
So what are you waiting for? Come join us on Harpy and let’s create something amazing together! Whether you’re a seasoned player or just starting out, Harpy is the perfect platform to explore your imagination and share your adventures with others. Thank you for reading, and I can’t wait to see you on Harpy!