[somewhat OT] my maps and VTTs

JimP · January 2012

I've been looking around the internet for over a month at various virtual tabletops that lets a referee setup a game and run it so players don't have to drive for a day or two. ( which some of my players would have to do to game.)

I enjoy using CC3 due to the good docs and the help I receive here.

But VTTs seem to have some rather bad, or missing, documentation. I don't follow video tutorials all that easily either.

I'm not going to ask my players to buy software and I'm not buying anything with bad docs.

So, does anyone know of, or use, a vtt with good to excellent documentation ?

Thanks !

alp · January 2012

I use maptools. It is free and pretty good. Depending on the game you run there are several fan created frameworks to use.

Download it at www.rptools.net

Tutorials are on http://www.rptools.net/index.php?page=tutorials

The first section is video tutorial and I would suggest watching the first two under maptool overview to see if it is what you require and could use.

The second section is a full wiki documentation that is well supported and will take you from the basics to writing your own code etc.

The forums are also useful and helpful.

Tokentools as a related program on the same site enabling you to created your own tokens.

Both are JAVA based so will run on any machine.

Cheers

Alp

JimP · January 2012

I've been to maptools and screenmonkey. Maptools folks are helpful, and there are good docs. I couldn't find any docs for Screenmonkey lite. Not even in the install folders. I see people mentioning how they use both, but a lack of docs never sold me into buying anything.

I've also been by http://rpgvirtualtabletop.wikidot.com/ to see the comparisons.

Mostly looking for opinions, documentation, and anything new rpgvirtualtabletop folks might have missed.

I'm kinda leary of Java though.

alp · January 2012

it has worked well for us ... the best bit about it is it can grow with your needs and experience like CC3. We use it in conjunction with skype, and just use the chat box for rolling and showing core game data.

Fantasy Grounds 2 looks very good as well but it is commercial so would require an investment. I like maptools because it gave you the opportunity to really use the program to its full potential and grow within it.

Maptools is a bit like CC3 in that it can be a very useful and quick tabletop or a huge complex and intricate system - as much or as little as you require.

Even if only for one session, try it out. See if your PC's like the concept and tools - and more importantly you as the GM. As and If you require you can start adding more and more functionality into your campaign.

Cheers,

Alp

Monsen · January 2012

I find maptools quite nice... Allthough my use is probably a bit different from yours... I run a GM client on my laptop, and a player client on a secondary computer connected to a projector, which I use to project the battle maps on a screen (I also project other images, like world map, pictures of locations, NPC's and so on, but I use another program for that). This is a great way of running sessions, since it keeps my view and the player's view completely separate.

While maptools have it's own built-in map editor for battle maps, it also works great for importing maps exported from CC3.

JimP · January 2012

I've found more docs for maptools than others, including the commercial ones. Sadly, some of the commercial vtts have atrocious documentation.

I tried making some quick face icons, and used the png output of CA with the token tool. I'll have to tweak the height and width a bit, but otherwise looks good.

And since maptools takes CC3 maps, feel free to grab maps from my Crestar site. Over one thousand eight hundred map pngs there.

Leonal · January 2012

I use Fantasy Grounds 2 exclusively as my groups enjoy it's interface and feel. Bundles make it cheaper, or if you have varying amounts of players then the Ultimate license may be a good option.
Depending on which rpg ruleset you use the documentation can vary, but the forums are very helpful.

For more map centric games and if you like semi-automatic fog of war, then MapTools is very good, but for me it lacks the character sheet and dice that FG provides.

alp · January 2012

Character sheets, etc can be added into maptools with the addition of a framework. Here is an example for Dragon Ages http://forums.rptools.net/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=12651 (the character sheet is shown near the bottom of the first page).

I know that I could not write such a full framework myself, but it is possible.

The best thing is it is free and you can see if the whole VTT thing will work for you before using a commercial program - I really do like the look of FG2.

Alp

JimP · January 2012

My players and I like to roll our own dice. And they can email me their character sheets as I want them all the same. I'll make them in OpenOffice.

As for programming... well, I do have a degree in programming. So maybe after I retire in a few years I'll create frameworks.

If any of you have a tutorial or doc you would like me to host, and me read, just whisper me.

Mateus090985 · January 2012

I am also searching for a good VTT. I tryed MapTools but could not get my players connected (and also none of then suced in tryig to host). So I give up. Tomorow I will tyr to make connection using Fantasy Grounds 2 Demo and see if I have more luck with it as it seens way easier to do the configurations of port necessary to connect.

Mateus

crazybear · January 2012

I've always wanted to try D20 Pro, have you looked at that VTT? It looks pretty good to me.

Mateus090985 · January 2012

Posted By: crazybearI've always wanted to try D20 Pro, have you looked at that VTT? It looks pretty good to me.

I play GURPS, so D20 Pro really does not fit me

I am really tempted to buy Fantasy Grounds 2, but first I am trying to solve to $%#& port fowarding issue. I hate how you have to do this kind of thing... I cant even configure my modem!

JimP · January 2012

I use zone alarm to block incoming and outgoing port usage, so I'm not sure if I even need to use port forwarding.

Trenloe · February 2012

Posted By: LeonalI use Fantasy Grounds 2 exclusively as my groups enjoy it's interface and feel. Bundles make it cheaper, or if you have varying amounts of players then the Ultimate license may be a good option.
Depending on which rpg ruleset you use the documentation can vary, but the forums are very helpful.

For more map centric games and if you like semi-automatic fog of war, then MapTools is very good, but for me it lacks the character sheet and dice that FG provides.

+1 for Fantasy Grounds. As Leonal says, the documentation does vary from ruleset to ruleset, but the forums are very, very helpful. Community members have created videos for D&D 4e and 3.5e (inc Pathfinder) and Savage Worlds (that I know of off the top of my head).

JimP · February 2012

While forums, especially this one, can be helpful, I prefer documentation.

Trenloe · February 2012

Posted By: JimPMy players and I like to roll our own dice. And they can email me their character sheets as I want them all the same. I'll make them in OpenOffice.

As for programming... well, I do have a degree in programming. So maybe after I retire in a few years I'll create frameworks.

What roleplaying game/s are you looking to play in a VTT? That may make a decision a bit easier if you're not looking at the mainstream games.

Also, if you're rolling your own dice and keeping character sheets seperate, then you're really not going to be using too much of a VTT's functionality and some of the automated tools included in them.

When I first started using Fantasy Grounds I felt the same - I wanted to reproduce the tabletop gaming experience as much as possible and went with Fantasy Grounds because it included "paper-like" character sheets, rolling dice and a number of rulesets I was interested in. I didn't intend to use much of the automated functionality. Now that I've been using it a while and I'm familiar with the system I use a lot of the automated functionality - it allows me as a GM to run complex encounters easily (as the system tracks all sorts of things for me) and so I can concentrate on running the game, creating atmosphere and storytelling.

But, if you don't want to use the automatic tracking etc. you don't have to. You can still use story entries, handout and multiple map sharing, image masking (manual GM controlled fog-of-war), map tokens/pointers, different forms of player chats (spoken, emote, OOC, etc.) or run it in conjunction with some voice solution (Skype, Vent, Mumble, TeamSpeak, etc.).

Greebo · February 2012

Posted By: TrenloeWhat roleplaying game/s are you looking to play in a VTT? That may make a decision a bit easier if you're not looking at the mainstream games.

For playing Shadowrun4 and our homebrew fantasy world, we are currently using MapTools and Skype. Although we only have mastered the basic features.

JimP · February 2012

My players and I prefer first edition AD&D from 1980. What other folks play is up to them.

I've created a few character class add-ons... you can see them on my Crestar site.

I've tried a few faces from Character Artist to make face view tokens for MapTools, and they work just fine.

Paid programs aren't an option for us.

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[somewhat OT] my maps and VTTs

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