Wooden Table vs Virtual Table

[OnlineDM]

The table is a bit cluttered as we have the DM laptop and the player/projector laptop. The player laptop has a wireless mouse, so we pass it around as needed. I will say the best and worst thing we did was add laser pointers. Great for pointing at the image on the wall and having a discussion. Worst when you've just finished your turn and have a 25 minute wait till you go again.

We do roll dice. Maptools is only used for the map. It is awesome to have someone put down a wall of fire, and then draw it right on the map.

Out of curiosity, why are you using a separate laptop for the player view? Is it just so the players can move their own tokens rather than having to tell the DM via laser pointer where they want to go?

I personally just open a second instance of MapTool on my DM laptop, connect to the DM's instance via the LAN server option, and drag that "player" instance over to the projector "monitor" in full-screen mode. Of course, my players use minis to represent their characters rather than MapTool tokens, so they can just physically move their own characters around rather than needing a mouse.

 

[Ajar]

I like both. My online groups use Google+ hangouts, so we all have the video chat window open during the game. With MapTool for sharing maps, combat is pretty similar to tabletop... we actually roll physical dice, too.

I also run and play in play by post games, and enjoy that as well. And then there's my tabletop WotBS game that just started up...

 

[Unwise]

Personally I never draw a map on paper, everything is on my laptop and projector. It is a little bit overkill, as I run a HD projector on a 120" screen.

I was going to muck around setting up a downwards projection, then found that my players far prefer having the table free for their character sheets, notes and drinks. Combat takes place on a screen on the adjoining wall.

I use Pymapper to make the maps and GameTable to run them. I have hundreds of digital tokens, including evrey monster from each MM. Using Tokentool, I can easily make a token for every PC using whatever image file they want.

As for moving the player icons, players just say "I move up to the right of the orc shaman" and I just move them myself. I originally had a set up with a tablet PC they could pass around to move themselves, but it was not worth the bother and they prefered me doing it.

Running games this way really invigorated the scene setting of maps. Being able to accurately see that you are fighting in a crumbling jungle ruin rather than just black lines on white paper is a real bonus. I have all the maps pre-prepared, so it takes no time between encounters to bring them up.

 

[AeroDm]

I think it depends on why you get together to play D&D (or any RPG). Some folks just like to participate in stories. I think for them, digital tabletops beat out skipping a game. Other folks like to spend time with friends. For them, the digital surface is pointless. Digital table tops aren't a bad medium, they are just a different medium. You'll need to think about what the core goal of your sessions are. If they can be met on a digital table, you'll most likely enjoy it. If they require personal interaction, it will be woefully inadequate.

 

[SensoryThought]

I like tabletop but there is the reality of having friends with families, also separated by long distances. The internet enables us to game when tabletop is impossible.

I've noticed that gaming is more focussed online as there are less side conversations and combat is very streamlined with Maptools. it is also super easy to sidebar (using ventrilo). Easy to DM with the DDI rules compendium right there.

But you don't get the fun of being with your friends. No nonverbals either. And it takes some getting used to taking turns to speak as it is harder to tell when someone wants to interject.

 

[Unwise]

I think that virtual tabletops are under-utilized, as people who are meeting together in person don't tend to consider using them. If you have a projector or a large screen of some sort, I highly recommend giving them a go, it really adds to the ease and enjoyment of my games.

 

[ACGalaga]

I'm still new to all this, but we've been using maps with grids as well as a dry-erase grid.

I've certainly been considering using a virtual table on a TV (since I've not the funding for a projector atm). I figure, the plus side would be that the table is clear for the players' stuff, such as books, character sheets, dice, etc. It may also allow the players an aid in referencing location and allow for more imagination (rather than just looking at their figures on a map).

However, the players do seem to enjoy having a unique miniature. Also, the dry-erase gird allows for improvisational map making. I've needed to do this a few times and really wouldn't know how to go about doing this on something like MapTools.

 

[Ryujin]

My projector is 800 by 600, and I've been very happy with it. I was worried at first, but it's been just fine. Now, the monsters are a little tough to make out at normal size, but what I generally do is click a button to blow the monster up to a very large size when I first introduce it, and then shrink it back down. Works like a charm.

Well, I can tell you that I've been very happy with my rig for the entire year and a half I've been using it. No holes in the ceiling, no permanent mounting, etc. And it was pretty cheap to build (about $70).

Thanks. I just ordered one that's capable of 1600x1200, so it should be plenty good for my purposes. Now it's just a matter of figuring out how to mount it. I might go with a photography background stand, to suspend it across the centre of the table.

 

[OnlineDM]

However, the players do seem to enjoy having a unique miniature. Also, the dry-erase gird allows for improvisational map making. I've needed to do this a few times and really wouldn't know how to go about doing this on something like MapTools.

Well, when I use MapTool with a projector for in-person games, my players still use physical minis of their choice. And when I run games online, the players send me images that they want for their characters and I make them into MapTool tokens using TokenTool. It's quite easy, fortunately!

As for improvisational map drawing, it's a piece of cake in MapTool. You can draw lines freely - and if you want just black lines on a white or tan background, that's completely an option. If you want to draw fancier lines (colors, textures), that's easy, too. And if you want to start dropping in trees and wells and carts and such, you can do that as well (though this will slow things down a bit). MapTool doesn't have to be complicated - you can use it very simply if you want to.

 

[OnlineDM]

Thanks. I just ordered one that's capable of 1600x1200, so it should be plenty good for my purposes. Now it's just a matter of figuring out how to mount it. I might go with a photography background stand, to suspend it across the centre of the table.

Yes, I'm sure you'll have plenty of resolution! As for the mounting question, go with whatever works for you. I will say that I discovered that it's important to make sure that my rig doesn't get in my players' way (or my way, but that's less of a concern). I'm not a photographer, but from looking at pictures of photography background stands online, it looks like that might get in people's way.

Keep in mind that you don't need the image to project straight down. I project at an angle (with the projector mounted on a stand next to my end of the table) and just adjust the projector's keystone to square everything up. It works great.

Some people worry about players' minis casting shadows, and it can be a little bit of an issue if a monster is "hiding" in a PC's shadow, but overall most players have found the shadows to be a cool effect and not at all distracting.

But in the end, go with whatever works for you!