D&D 5E Which Virtual Table Top are you using right now and what do you like best about it?

[chuckdee]

I use all of the big three, but Foundry is VASTLY better than the other two. Fantasy Grounds is constantly sidegrading and inventing new bugs while failing to get a proper user excperience. Roll20 works, but is just... there. Nothing interesting happening. Foundry, though, is constantly developing. There are always new rulesets and modules coming out, and creating scenes with it is a blast. Highly recommended.

How are you using Foundry? One of the hosting providers? Or did you set it up yourself? I ask this of anyone using Foundry. I found a docker image that I was thinking of spinning up on AWS, but I was wondering how people were using it.

 

[TheSword]

I use The Forge for hosting as a DM it costs a few dollars a month. Much cheaper than Roll20 paid version. The only downside is that I have found some players struggle to get in. Or can get in but can’t interact with anything. I never get these issues with Roll20.

The foundry has some beautiful effects - players opening doors, light to dark transitions, lockable doors etc but I’m not sure it’s enough to warrant a change from Roll 20.

 

[chuckdee]

This thread has sort of solidified something that I didn't know that I needed- my requirements are just that it manage the desktop well. Not the system integration. Just the interface with the map and the dice rolling are enough (and I don't really even require dice rolling). In most cases, I get bogged down in trying to manage the system in the interface- getting the stats and such set up, etc. Remove that, and it's smooth sailing.

 

[Oofta]

This thread has sort of solidified something that I didn't know that I needed- my requirements are just that it manage the desktop well. Not the system integration. Just the interface with the map and the dice rolling are enough (and I don't really even require dice rolling). In most cases, I get bogged down in trying to manage the system in the interface- getting the stats and such set up, etc. Remove that, and it's smooth sailing.

Yeah, personally I'd be happy with an app that did a decent job with maps, maybe has some simple line of sight and vision tools. If it integrates in with DndBeyond that's a bonus for me.

I don't need animation, I don't need to load monsters or PCs into the system, I'll use DndBeyond or just let people maintain their own character sheets like I do when playing in person. I don't need an online MMO even if that would be kind of cool. Voice and/or video I can get from dedicated apps.

Roll20 is adequate for my needs, but I'd love something simpler and easier to use. Oh well, if wishes were horses and all that.

 

[chuckdee]

Roll20 is adequate for my needs, but I'd love something simpler and easier to use. Oh well, if wishes were horses and all that.

The two mentioned in this thread were what solidified this for me- you might check out Mythic Table and Owlbear.Rodeo and see if they might work.

 

[Oofta]

The two mentioned in this thread were what solidified this for me- you might check out Mythic Table and Owlbear.Rodeo and see if they might work.

Yeah, I keep thinking I need to look again but then keep thinking "any day now we won't have to do remote any more" because hope springs eternal.

But good point, someone had a clarification on how to save maps in owlbear so I've been meaning to go back but laziness strikes again.

 

[Azzy]

Yeah, personally I'd be happy with an app that did a decent job with maps, maybe has some simple line of sight and vision tools. If it integrates in with DndBeyond that's a bonus for me.

Astral seems to do a decencent job with maps, has dynamic lighting and LOS/vision tools, and there's a browser extention that integrates D&D Beyond. It's also free (you can pay to get extra perks, but I haven't seen anything truly compelling to do so). It's what I'm probably going to use for my next campaign.

 

[Oofta]

Astral seems to do a decencent job with maps, has dynamic lighting and LOS/vision tools, and there's a browser extention that integrates D&D Beyond. It's also free (you can pay to get extra perks, but I haven't seen anything truly compelling to do so). It's what I'm probably going to use for my next campaign.

Some people like using DndBeyond rolling functionality, I use it sometimes use it with monsters.

I'll have to add astral to the list of things to try.

 

[chuckdee]

Some people like using DndBeyond rolling functionality, I use it sometimes use it with monsters.

I'll have to add astral to the list of things to try.

All I have to say on that front, is check out the TOS of Astral before you become invested. That's what turned me off the platform.

 

[Azzy]

All I have to say on that front, is check out the TOS of Astral before you become invested. That's what turned me off the platform.

What issue in this gaggle of butt-covering turned you off? It seems fairly standard.