Greybird
Explorer
[FONT="]Hey, here's a slightly different VTT program question. I want to use one locally for an in-person game as both GM and client.
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[FONT="]I use a laptop when running games. I also use the large TV in my living room, which sits right next to the table. What I usually do is hook the laptop to the TV and run it as a cloned monitor (which means that both the TV and laptop show exactly the same thing.) I use it primarily for two things: to display images (of creatures/items/NPCs, etc), and to display maps with fog of war. I do the maps with Photoshop, putting the 'fog' for each room on a separate layer and just toggling the layers as they enter the rooms.
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[FONT="]The problem with this system is that everything on the laptop is visible to the players, preventing me from using it for notes, books, and other GMing goodies.
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[FONT="]I was thinking about using a virtual tabletop program (like Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds.) I'd be setting my laptop us as the GM, then setting up the TV (which has a separate computer attached) as a client, visible to all of my players. The idea would be to use the mapping elements of the software to display the maps and fog of war, plus displaying the images and such.
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[FONT="]I've never used a virtual table top. I play mostly Savage Worlds and 5th Edition D&D, although other systems pop up from time to time. The ability to add in custom maps would be vital. Note that all actual play (dice rolling, tactical combat, rules, character sheets) would still be handled at the table the old fashioned way, so rules support isn't completely vital. Which of the various options (Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, other) would work best for this, without costing a fortune?
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[FONT="]I use a laptop when running games. I also use the large TV in my living room, which sits right next to the table. What I usually do is hook the laptop to the TV and run it as a cloned monitor (which means that both the TV and laptop show exactly the same thing.) I use it primarily for two things: to display images (of creatures/items/NPCs, etc), and to display maps with fog of war. I do the maps with Photoshop, putting the 'fog' for each room on a separate layer and just toggling the layers as they enter the rooms.
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[FONT="]
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[FONT="]The problem with this system is that everything on the laptop is visible to the players, preventing me from using it for notes, books, and other GMing goodies.
[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]I was thinking about using a virtual tabletop program (like Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds.) I'd be setting my laptop us as the GM, then setting up the TV (which has a separate computer attached) as a client, visible to all of my players. The idea would be to use the mapping elements of the software to display the maps and fog of war, plus displaying the images and such.
[/FONT]
[FONT="]
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[FONT="]I've never used a virtual table top. I play mostly Savage Worlds and 5th Edition D&D, although other systems pop up from time to time. The ability to add in custom maps would be vital. Note that all actual play (dice rolling, tactical combat, rules, character sheets) would still be handled at the table the old fashioned way, so rules support isn't completely vital. Which of the various options (Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, other) would work best for this, without costing a fortune?
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