Frequently Asked Questions

updated 11/16/2023

Zoom Info

  • Q. How do I get the Zoom link for my run?
    • A. Zoom links are posted with your ticket. Log into your account at td.events and check the ticket for the Zoom link.  The links are posted at least 4 hours before your scheduled run time.
  • Q. Do I need to have a Zoom account to play Virtual True Dungeon?
    • A. We have found that it is BEST if you have a Zoom account (a free one is fine) as having an account enables video features that make the VTD experience much more enjoyable.  We HIGHLY SUGGEST that you sign into a program installed on your computer or an app installed on your mobile device instead of using the web client.
  • Q. It says this on zoom.us/pricing for the free version: "40 mins limit on group meetings" Isn't that a problem with a 2 hour VTD adventure?
    • A. Fortunately, no. Only the person setting up the meeting (TD) needs to have the paid version. When this happens, all the folks playing on the free version don't have a time limit.
  • Q. How do I use Zoom to play Virtual True Dungeon?
    • A. When you log into Zoom, your view will vary depending on your device. Some see icons on the bottom, some on the top, etc. The host of the meeting has the ability to mute all sound from participants and/or stop your video if needed.
  • Q. Are there tips to help enhance the Virtual True Dungeon Zoom experience?
    • A. Once you're in the Training Room, click on one of the icons for the participants. Most users see three dots.  Click (or hover, depending on device) and you should have an option to "Hide non-video participants". Hiding non-video participants may give you less "clutter" on your view of the adventure and make it easier to see the DM screen easier. make sure you pin the DM.
  • Q. What audio settings should use for Virtual True Dungeon?
    • A. In very general terms, muting yourself is advisable. If you need to communicate with the DM, remember to un-mute yourself. You can also use chat to communicate with your. Chat is particularly good way to manage healing. It is best to NOT use text chat to communicate with the DM as they probably can't see it.

Virtual TD Info

  • Q. What is Virtual True Dungeon?
    • A. Virtual True Dungeon (VTD) is a way for TD players to experience the thrill and camaraderie of playing an in-person adventure from the comfort and safety of their home.
  • Q. Will this be the way TD is played from now on?
    • A. Even though life is, for the most part, returning to "normal", our players have told us they still want to be able to play VTD. We're happy to provide that experience for them. That said, both we and our players still love playing in-person events. It's too soon to know how things will work out down the line, but for the time being, it's likely we'll provide both virtual and in-person gaming opportunities.
  • Q. How is VTD different from regular in-person TD?
    • A. Instead of you and your party physically moving through each room of our adventure, your party controls a "golem" who moves through the adventure as your party's proxy.  You can attack and cast magic through the golem, but the binding magic is a two-way street  You will take damage if the golem takes damage.
  • Q. Is VTD just a bunch of video clips strung together?
    • A. No. Your golem is physically IN the adventure and responds to your commands. There are some prerecorded elements within the adventure, but all of your decisions are carried out for you in real time by your party's golem.
  • Q. Does each player get their own golem proxy?
    • A. A single golem carries out the commands for your whole party. We recommend designating a speaker for your party so the golem doesn’t get conflicting commands. If things get too confusing, the DM may assign a new player to be the caller for the golem, and your party can decide what the caller tells the golem to do.
  • Q. What do I need to play VTD? Do I need VR glasses or a high-powered computer?
    • A. VTD is not that kind of virtual experience. To play VTD you’ll need:
      • Computer or mobile device (a computer with a monitor generally gives players the best experience)
      • Microphone (a headset is VERY HIGHLY recommended to avoid feedback, echoing, and audio looping)
      • Broadband internet connection
      • A character created on a free app, available for IOS and Android, OR on the tdcharactercreator.com website
  • The following are not necessarily required, but are highly recommended:
    • Web-cam (under some circumstances, a web-cam is required, more on that later)
    • Headset (if at all possible, use a headset!)

App and Website Info

  • Q. How is combat handled?
    • A. The IOS/Android apps or tdcharactercreator.com handle it all for you. They factor in all your attack and damage bonuses and display your saving throws and hits--including crits! The DM rolls a d20 to determine whether or not the monster hit your character. Spells are also cast through these programs.
  • Q. Is there a mechanism to select, and work out in advance which classes are going to be played? Many tokens are class specific and it would be great to have that worked out in advance.
    • A. Yes. You can select your character class as soon as you purchase your ticket. Once you have your class claimed, you can use the app to equip your character.
  • Q. Can I prepare my character ahead of time?
    • A. Yes! In fact, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you have your character equipped before you check in for your event. Do this in one of the character management programs referenced above.
  • Q. Are there pre-made characters in the character management programs?
    • A. Yes.  Each class has a character pre-loaded that players can use for their character. Each class comes equipped with a nice collection of virtual tokens. These tokens can also be swapped out for or augmented by real tokens you own.
  • Q. Do I have to use one of the character management programs?
    • A. Yes. It is required that your character be set up in one of the character management programs. This is not optional.
  • Q. Can I equip my character with real tokens I own? Or do I have to equip my character using only the virtual tokens that come on the pre-made characters?
    • A. You may use tokens you already own, virtual tokens from the pre-made character, or any combination of the two. However, you must equip all the tokens you want your character to be able to use--virtual and/or real--in one of the character management programs. If you use your own tokens, you may be required to show them to your coach during the coaching phase and/or in Epilogue, so please have them neatly laid out and ready.
    • Note: If you choose to use your own tokens, you must have a web cam for the token verification process. Once your character is created, be sure to learn how to use the app efficiently. This saves time during combats when an extra round of damage can be important.
  • Q. Are there videos explaining how to use the character creation programs?
  • Q. Can I play VTD if I don’t have tokens of my own?
    • A. Yes. The app has pre-generated characters already equipped with useful items.
  • Q. Will the app correctly adjust damage if I roll a Critical Hit?
    • A. Yes. See below for specific notes.
      • 1. Extended crit ranges are built in for weapons
      • 2. Extended crit ranges are built in for the monk neck items. So weapons without extended crit ranges can crit on 19 or 20 if the monk is wearing Necklace of the Spirit Drake or Benrow’s Elder Drake Necklace.
      • 3. Extended crit ranges are built in for 5th level druids
      • 4. Extended crit ranges are also built in for the rogue necklaces, which crit on sneak attacks.
      • 6. For dwarf fighters, when a 20 is rolled, the crit damage is automatically 3x rather than 2x.  For crits other than 20, the crit damage is the normal 2x.
  • Q.  How do tokens with special effects on certain natural rolls work?
    • A. The programs handle pretty much everything. For corner-cases, you might occasionally need to roll a virtual d20 for the DM, but they'll let you know when/if that's needed

Ticket Purchase Info

  • Q. I just found out about Virtual True Dungeon. Will I be lost if I try to play now?
    • A. Not at all!  While there is a general over-arching story arc, each adventure starts with a video introduction that sets up the fun.
  • Q. How do I buy tickets?
    • A. Please click on THIS LINK to read some helpful information.
  • Q. What time zone are the ticket times in?
    • A. Central Time Zone. For international players, that's UTC-06:00. Starting on the second Sunday in March and ending the first Sunday in November, Central Daylight Time is UTC-05:00.
  • Q. How did you come up with this ticket price?
    • A. We took our lowest ticket price and then added in USPS Priority mailing. Please remember that you don't have to buy a $100 badge or a $200 per night hotel room to play a VTD event.
  • Q. Do I have to do one transaction for EACH adventure?
    • A. Yes. One transaction is needed for each adventure, even for A and B versions of the same adventure.
  • Q. How will we get our post-game goodies?
    • A. All random treasure pulls (including tokens earned by greedy rogues), completion tokens, survivor badges (if applicable), and other items get mailed to you after the event. If you have problems with your shipment, please email lori@truedungeon.com so that she can look into it for you.
  • Q. I bought all ten tickets for my group, but I don't want you to send me all the swag. Can you send each person's swag to them after the event?
    • A. Yes, we are happy to accommodate that request. If you want to do this, you must have all the players make accounts--and then you must transfer their ticket to their account. We send the swag to each account's mailing address.
  • Q. Do I get some extra swag because I am leaving all the tickets I bought in my account--instead of transferring them to the other players? This means all the swag gets sent to my address, and that will save TD some mailing costs.
    • A. Yes. Starting with V-20, we include an extra random Trade 1 token for each extra ticket's swag sent to a single address. For example, if you bought 1 ticket for yourself and 4 tickets for your friends, and you do not transfer any of those 4 tickets to anyone else's account. When we ship all the swag for those 5 tickets to your address, we include 5 of the normal Treasure Token 10-packs that come with the 5 tickets, but we also include 4 random Trade 1 tokens --one for each additional swag bag sent to that address.  Note:  There is a 1 in 100 chance that one of these random Trade 1 tokens will be an Ultra Rare token instead.
    • For V19, your player pack will be either 2023 or 2024 tokens.  The extra bonus for shipping multiple orders to one address will be a random Minotaur Hide or Dwarven Steel.
  • Q. If we are having swag/treasure for more than a single ticket in a run mailed to us, will it be divided up for each of those tickets, or will it be combined such that you can't sort out which tokens a player earned?
    • A. We pack all swag together, so you will have to divide the swag up.
  • Q. Can we use sub-classes from Rod of 7 Parts or Skull of Cavadar in VTD?
    • A. Yes. Just be prepared to show your token on camera.

Miscellaneous

  • Q. Are there skill tests for casters?
    • A. Yes! During the training phase of your adventure, you’ll be given access to a special skill test for your character. Casters all get a memory test.
  • Q. Is there a rogue skill test?
    • A. Not any more. If there is a rogue in the party, just let the DM know your are searching and if that room has a rogue hint, the DM can show it.
  • Q. Can I use Treasure Enhancers?
    • A. Yes. You must show them to the Epilogue Coach via webcam to use.
  • Q. Is the XP the same as at an in-person event, with Hardcore/Nightmare/Epic getting increased XP?
    • A. Everything is the same with regard to how XP, treasure and Participation tokens work. Each differently-named adventure you plays earns XP. If you were to play five differently-named virtual adventures, you'd be able to add five amounts of XP to your account. Variations on the same adventure do not offer additional XP. E.g., if you played VTD 2a and VTD 2b, you'd only get XP once. However, if you played VTD 2a on Normal difficulty and VTD 2b on Nightmare difficulty, you'd get the Nightmare-level XP (once).
  • Q. Can I arrive to my event early?
    • A. We highly recommend logging into Zoom to make sure your video and audio equipment is working. but unlike in-person TD, you won't be able to get into your coaching room before your ticketed start time. The Innkeepers work very hard to open the meeting as soon as possible, so if you get the message that your meeting will open soon, please hold tight and wait for the Innkeeper to get you in there.
  • Q. Can I lend tokens to my teammates?
    • A. Yes. If you are going on the adventure with them, you may lend tokens to other players. Show the tokens to your coach at the beginning via your required webcam. You may not lend tokens to someone if you're not on that adventure with them.
  • Q. Can we use real consumables or just the provided virtual ones?
    • A. Either are fine. if you use a real consumable token, because you cannot turn them in to the DM, you can either dispose of the token(s) or you can place the token(s) in a special envelope labeled “Jeff made me give this to you”. You have to bring the envelop to your next live TD event and give it to a new player.
  • Q. Do monk & ranger classes roll twice if dual-wielding?
    • A. Yes. The programs register two attack rolls for monks and rangers when making a melee attack.
  • Q. Do we have to factor in bardsong or other buffs ourselves when figuring out the to-hit and damage to report to the DM?
    • A: If bardsong is being performed, there is a place to enter that fact into your character program of choice. It automatically calculates the bonus for you. Buffs are handled similarly.
  • Q. Does someone in the party need a d20 handy to roll for initiative?
    • A. No. You roll Initiative through the character programs
  • Q. Will the DM need to ask us for our AC, free movement, etc. when we are attacked, or will there be a limited party card created during coaching with some of that info?
    • A: The DM asks for pertinent information at the start.
  • Q. Does the no note-taking rule still apply? Can we google puzzles?
    • A. The no note-taking rule still applies. That said, if you feel the need to cheat to win, that's on you. There's really nothing we can do to stop you.
  • Q. Is "ghosting" allowed in VTD events?
    • A. At this time we allow normal ghosting, but we reserve the right to change this policy for future adventures depending on demand of tickets. See the "Groups with Less Than 10 Players" section (it's part of "Event Rules and Policies") of the Player's Handbook for exact ghosting rules.
  • Q. How is the 5th level rogue's Flank power by handled in VTD?
    • A. Once per combat, instead of attacking during a combat round, rogues may declare they are Flanking. The rogue then names one of the other characters, and that person gets to make three attack rolls--taking the best of the three as their one roll result. The naming of the character must be done before that character has taken an action that round. The recipient of the Flank bonus needs to add it as a bonus in their character management program.
  • Q. Is Epic difficulty available?
    • A. Yes. As is the case for in-person TD, to play on any difficulty other than Normal requires a unanimous party vote.