Over the past 2-3 years RPG players have changed how they play with friends and family. Platforms such as Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds have become more popular as of late be it either because you have moved away from your local gaming group or because of safety reasons due to the pandemic. I personally have always enjoyed in person sessions much more than virtual. To me there is nothing more fun than moving minis around a tabletop map or your favorite dungeon terrain while your Gamemaster describes to you those surroundings and combat scenarios. This is where Mirrorscape ARcana saves the day for gamers like myself who now have to explore new outlets to get your TTRPG fix!
If you are curious how we rated the product below you can find more information here.
- Intuitive map building features (Strict Snap, Multiple levels, Zoom, Rotate, etc.)
- Clean and easy to use platform
- Complete AR immersion
- Allows for Mixed Reality
- Community Map Sharing
- Partnered with Dwarven Forge, Fat Dragon Games, Reaper Miniatures, Hero Forge and Norse Foundry
- Dice Functions are lacking. Although you can roll dice in the app it does not let you add modifiers to them.
- No PC mode yet*. (Product is still in Beta and they are going to implement PC mode on release)
- Microtransactions
Critical Hits
Mirrorscape has created an amazing product with their Arcana system. Let’s start with the controls and use of function of their platform. Arcana comes packed with intuitive features that help even the newest user feel at ease. From the “Strict Snap” feature to get your tiles to line up neatly, to the “Build Plain” slider which allows you to add multiple levels to your build. Multi-Select is another great feature allowing you to place multiple tiles at once then copy and paste them to make dungeon halls or roads faster to build.
ARcana has a simple to use interface with all of your terrain and creatures neatly tucked away into “Decks”, making everything easy to find. And if you know which item you already want to use, just search via the bar that is located directly above the closed “Deck”.
Upon completion of your build, you can enjoy it in multiple ways. AR mode allows you to scan in your physical tabletop and then set your creation on it so it appears like its sitting on your gaming table at home. 3D mode allows you to place it on a fixed virtual tabletop inside the application. And “Life Scale” allows you to walk around inside your creation using AR. (Be sure to use this feature in a safe and enclosed environment)
Saves
One of my favorite features of this product is that the app allows for you to build in such a way that if you already own physical terrain pieces or miniatures that you can easily use them in your builds for a Mixed Reality immersion! Maybe you own a few sets of Dwarven Forge but don’t want to buy more due to the fact that they take up a lot of storage space. Well guess what, ARcana has teamed up with both Dwarven Forge and Fat Dragon Games to bring you their lines of gaming terrain to incorporate into your builds. Now you can purchase what you want or need for that particular build and use an infinite amount of the same tile. This way you never run out of pieces for that mega dungeon or cityscape you have always wanted to set your players loose in.
Also, Mirrorscape has teamed up with Reaper Miniatures and Hero Forge to bring you an amazing line of heroes and monsters alike. At the time of writing this article Mirrorscape is in the process of adding Hero Forge integration for any 3D assets you may have created. This way you can upload your own custom mini’s directly to the app for use. And last but not least, Norse Foundry is digitally replicating the materials and textures of their dice to bring to the ARcana experience!
Fails
With so much good in the works for ARcana thankfully this section is short and sweet. ARcana currently is lacking in the area of dice functionality. The application allows for basic rolls of multiple dice at once. However it is very tricky to select multiple different types of dice to roll at one time. For example, if I need to roll 2 twenty sided dies, I can just double tap the 20 for a x2 multiplier and drag it onto the screen and it will roll no problem. But if I need to roll 2 or 3 separate types like a D20, D8 and D6 I would need to place a finger on each and drag them all at the same time to the table. Also ARcana currently does not allow for modifiers to be added to dice rolls.
Another feature that is missing and currently in the works is “PC Mode”. Currently the application is only available for both Android and iOS mobile users. With the ease of use for the mobile version of this application I can only imagine how much faster and easier it will be once the desktop version is completed and you have a mouse and shortcut keys available for use.
Critical Misses
Microtransactions, microtransactions, microtransactions… Unfortunately it is the times we live in where microtransactions are a mainstay for every application under the sun. Hopefully there will be some sort of subscription service which gives unlimited access to all building features on their platform. Unfortunately this will be a tricky dungeon to navigate with the number of partners they have.
Mirrorscape has stated that they are trying to keep all of the standard items between $2-$4 range. That being said, during the Kickstarter for ARcana a digital Spelljamer ship was priced at $20, a set of 6 Reaper miniatures was $18, the Dwarven Forge prop set (11 items) was also $18, the Fat Dragon Games outdoor set (13 items) was $18, and the Norse Foundry Space Dice were $10. For anyone that buys miniatures and terrain pieces the prices are fair considering everything comes digitally painted and ARcana is expected to have multiple paint schemes on some of their assets.
The Hero’s Journey
So now you might be saying to yourself why would I need this?? Mirrorscape’s ARcana VTT is perfect for people who do not have a lot of space or if you just don’t want to clutter up your place with more TTRPG items. It is also nice if have a full in person game running you will never need to worry about finding space at the game table. Also as the Gamemaster you can host the game and invite your players then sharing any of the assets you own with them. This way not every player needs to buy every item on the platform for everyone to play together. Or maybe you are travelling Gamemaster, now you don’t have to drag a ton of dungeon terrain with you to your next gaming session.
So head over and follow Mirrorscape at https://mirrorscape.com/. And be sure to follow us over on our socials for future updates when the ARcana system goes live!!