Help me find a piece of software for RPGs

[Greybird]

I've got a big gaming table, and it is set up right in front of my 42" TV. The TV has a computer running into it that I use for watching videos from time to time. The TV is horribly neglected when it comes to gaming. Other than occasionally displaying an image ("It looks like this!"), it doesn't do much of anything.

I'd love to be able to use it to display area maps for the party, and would love it even more if I could uncover areas one at a time as needed without jumping through a bunch of steps. I wouldn't complain if I could use it for designing maps as well, although this is secondary.

I do not care about: mechanics or system (this will be used with good old fashioned dice and paper), character sheets, tracking stats, moving 'miniatures' around on the map, online functionality, etc. I don't care of that stuff is there, but it won't be used. I just need something that lets me interact with a map I design/scan in a meaningful way while at the table.

There is a plethora of online software out there, so much of it that it really hampers the ability to search for something less popular, but related (I it isn't practical to learn and test a dozen different programs to find one that will work.)


So, what is this piece of software I'm looking for?

 

[Bawylie]

Roll20.net

 

[GMMichael]

Windows to set up two desktops - one for you and one for your TV.

http://www.getpaint.net/

Paint.net to present your map. Another layer for objects. The top layer for fog of war.

 

[Greybird]

I looked at Roll20 (great system, by the way.) The problem is that I'm doing this on one PC. I sit at my table, behind my screen, with a wireless mouse and keyboard to control the TV computer. That means that the players will be looking at the GM account on Roll20, and the fog of war system requires being able to see the underlying map. Setting it up with two PCs would be doable, but getting the second one situated conveniently at my table would require a bunch of new wiring and a setup nightmare (I don't have a laptop.)

I'd thought about using layers in Photoshop, having a pre-labled layer for each room or area, but I was hoping that there was something that was a little less of a hassle (and less cluttered) out there designed specifically for RPGs.

 

[Greybird]

Thanks for all of the input so far, by the way. I'm just trying to narrow down the options. It may end up being that Photoshop is my best bet.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I almost want to say Fantasy Grounds, you just run it as a DM (no player Modules) and just display it on the screen.

http://www.fantasygrounds.com/

 

[MoutonRustique]

Maptools -and it has SO MUCH support for doing x, y or z.

I'd wager that for pretty much anything you could want, someone has made macros to make it easier - I'd go and have a look over there and ask a few random questions in their forums.