How many VTT users here?

[Doc_Klueless]

The learning curve for Roll20 is fairly shallow...

It can be, but it's fairly easy to swamp yourself with API script stuff.

Roll20 is kinda like GURPS. Start with the baseline basic base stuff and then add things on slowly until you reach your level of saturation.

(My level of Roll20 experience: I ran several games on Roll20 for about 4 years.)

I thought Roll20 was excellent. But FOR ME, I found the level of automation and the work flow of Fantasy Grounds to be more to my liking. And we could never get the integrated Voice to work anywhere near consistently.

 

[cmad1977]

It's very possible I'm not all that clever with computers.

I had to watch a few ‘how to’ vids.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Lately I've been looking at Roll20, but it seems very prep-intensive if you are using maps you hadn't bought from Roll20.

It can be. But if you're just going the basic route, it's super easy to drag and drop a map, plop on a grid, and cover it all with fog of war that you can gradually expose as the players move along.

When you get to the fancy stuff like dynamic lighting, it can become fairly high prep AND also leaves the free arena (~$5 a month). If you go even fancier with custom character sheets and API scripts to start with heavier automation, you're looking at closer to $10/month.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

I had to watch a few ‘how to’ vids.

Yeah, it's not hard, but it can be tricky. Before I quit Roll20, I had all kinds of things going like a halo that moved from token to token on their turn, character sheets that automated just about everything each class could do, light sources that turned on and off, etc.

And I sometimes have to pause when using my iphone. Youtube is a fantastic aid for all those sorts of things.

 

[Jd Smith1]

It can be. But if you're just going the basic route, it's super easy to drag and drop a map, plop on a grid, and cover it all with fog of war that you can gradually expose as the players move along.

When you get to the fancy stuff like dynamic lighting, it can become fairly high prep AND also leaves the free arena (~$5 a month). If you go even fancier with custom character sheets and API scripts to start with heavier automation, you're looking at closer to $10/month.

I don't do dynamic lighting (too much work) or fog of war. I just set all NPC/Monster pogs to GM view only, and manually make them appear. I use 'night' mode' (where enemy pogs only are visible to players if they are within range of a light source), but in 5e with light cantrips it really is pointless.

You guys have nspired me; I'll hit YouTube and give it another try after the game tonight.

 

[Shiroiken]

AP?

Adventure Path... basically full length campaigns.

 

[cmad1977]

I use Roll20, and it's fairly prep intensive, because I'm particular about how I like things. Another DM in our group just bought an AP, and found it to be super easy.

I bought Curse of Strahd on Roll20 and it’s been great having a lot of the map stuff done already. I still wind up having to make my own maps for certain things. But that’s just D&D. The heroes are nt always on the ‘correct’ map when things pop off.

 

[Eric V]

We use MapTool and love it. We have frameworks for 4e, 5e, and 13th Age. Everything automated.

 

[HippyCraig]

Check out d20pro.com

 

[Jd Smith1]

We use MapTool and love it. We have frameworks for 4e, 5e, and 13th Age. Everything automated.

What do you mean 'automated'?