Oh, Dice Apps, so many players and GMs dread you and yet you are becoming more and more mainstream. A few years back I wrote a blog talking about what my thoughts were concerning electronic Dice Apps. At the time I had said only if you could find a good free dice App would I recommend picking one up. My reasoning back then was as good as they were it was unlikely that you would ever be allowed to use them at the table. Dice apps once were looked at as a digital version of cheating, some still feel this way. But before we rush to judgment lets take a look at some of the facts surrounding this new technology that has taken the tabletop RPG world by storm.
Dice Apps Today
Honestly, if anything they have improved visually but they are essentially they are still codded very much the same. The math says both physics and number generated dice apps these days are as random of more so than physical dice. It has been my experience that more and more electronic dice are slowly being accepted by gamers and game masters at the table. But I do not feel that it has anything to do with the App programs themselves that have made them any more or less acceptable at the table.
So What has Changed?
I think the there are a number of factors that have made Dice Apps more acceptable at the time these days.
First
I think with more and more people playing RPG games on sites like Roll20.net, Fantasy Grounds, and watching games over platforms like Twitch, and even players gaming over Discord. Gamers are having to use electronic dice more and more often. This makes players at tables and game masters alike less apprehensive about the use of Dice Apps at the table.
Second
In my personal opinion, I would also think that Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars “Dice Soup” narrative setting. As well as the popular GENESYS system both having top-notch Apps available to download have played a role as well. They speed play up, are faster for many players especially for beginners. Lastly, in my opinion, they are intentionally priced at 1/3 the cost of the physical product. I only bring up this second point because in the years since I wrote my first blog. I have encountered whole tables of players playing FFG SW where only one or two players would be using dice.
Would I buy Dice Apps?
These days I have several dice apps that I have and use. I still love my physical dice. But often I find that digital dice especially when I am running game is faster for me. Why, well mostly because the game aids I use as a GM have built in dice rollers in my encounter trackers. But that is for another blog.
So do you love or hate Dice Apps? Do you allow at your table? I would love to hear your thoughts!
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