I’m a big fan of Sly Flourish . Largely because I have a real passion for running TTRPGs for my friends, but I’m also incredibly lazy when it comes to doing so.
A recent article titled Use Agnostic Tools briefly makes a point that I think really solidifies the idea behind Overseer Studio and why I am so passionate about building it. To quote:
Tools, particularly online tools, can fail us. The more focused we are around a single stack of tools, the more dependent we are on them and the harder we fall when they fail us.
I want to dive into this thought a bit further.
One problem that I see virtual tabletops (VTTs) constantly get wrong is adding more graphics, more effects, more automation, more setup, MORE EVERYTHING. GMs and players are constantly asking for bigger and better features to “enhance” their sessions.
I suppose I get it, I built a VTT once upon a time too; but I also got it wrong. The problem is that GMs and players all have different needs and playstyles and trying to build a single piece of software that solves everyone’s problem is a fool’s errand.
You can’t solve everyone’s problem and also boast about how “easy” your software is to use. Those are fundamentally opposed ideas. Instead of focusing on play, the focus shifts to teaching your players how to connect, how to roll dice, how to move their characters, what they’re looking at on the screen. That friction steals away from the actual social experience of TTRPGs.
And that’s the heart of it; these games are about human connection. Not particle effects. (Though they do look nice!)
On the flip side, there are hundreds of small, excellent tools out there: online dice rollers, initiative trackers, soundboards, Discord servers, character sheet managers, and so much more. The best tools are the ones that you can pick and mix into your session with as little friction as possible. Maybe a VTT solves every problem you have and that’s great! But I find there is so much more value in choosing tools that add bits of flair and convenience into your sessions over shoehorning everything into a single tool.
Of course, a big benefit of a VTT is that you only need to manage one application (hopefully). When you choose several small tools you are now faced with the problem of managing multiple windows, which can also lead to friction in your sessions. The burden has just shifted from teaching your players software to keeping yourself organized.
This is where I think we need to turn the whole idea of a VTT on its head. Instead of asking, “how do we perfectly digitize the tabletop for everyone?”, we should be asking, “how do we make the GM’s experience the best it can possibly be?”, because at the end of the day, the GM is the one who preps, organizes, and runs the world. If the GM is overwhelmed, the table can grind to a halt. If the GM is empowered, the game thrives.
That’s why Overseer Studio isn’t yet another VTT; it’s a digital GM screen. In many ways, Overseer is a modular command center that gives you everything you need at your fingertips without trying to be everything to everyone. Overseer makes it possible to bring all the tools you already love and allows you to organize them into one convenient screen and arranged any way you like.
Overseer doesn’t try to replace the tabletop, or even the tools you already love. Instead, it’s about orchestrating them, reducing the clutter, and letting you focus on what matters: telling stories with your friends.