Does anybody use VTTs in person?

[Thomas Shey]

I used Maptool in my X-Com GURPS game, for the same reason. I'm not generally a map-and-minis person, but I wanted gridded combat and I also wanted big outdoor maps that couldn't feasibly fit on the the table, so Maptool was the answer.

We already gamed with personal devices for handling electronic characters sheets (excel/gsheets), so each person used their own device to access. It worked well.


In the highly unlikely event that your players care that deeply about this, get better players. Realistically, I presume they appreciate the effort you're putting in and they're turning up because you run a fun game, not because of your graphic design skills or the way you set up lighting and fog-of-war. Don't waste your time and energy worrying about this stuff.

Given mine put up with the maps I produced for my XCOM game using Savage Worlds (attempting to duplicate the ones from the CG as best I could) done using Fractal Mapper, I don't think most people are that fussy in general. Not that I don't like using nice maps (which my ridiculous collection of battle maps and tiles shows).

 

[bsss]

I did the thing you're not asking about, and projected MapTool from a ceiling projector onto my big table. Otherwise, no --- my in-person players do have laptops with their sheets, but I'm too TotM (and too busy) to bother with maps most of the time, so there's no momentum to organize on Foundry. I have a 13th Age game that is all online with Foundry and organized inside there, maybe if by some bizarre stroke of luck we were able to play in person, we'd use it for consistency's sake.

IMO, professional looking maps are the hardest part of VTTs, I've been trying my best to just let go of them. I might use Foundry more if I did.

 

[Liongo]

The last live game I played used Maps VTT, and it worked exceptionally well. Because every player had a laptop or tablet, the session felt incredibly smooth and maintained a consistent pace throughout the combat encounters. This was a significant improvement over a live game I participated in last year, where the DM relied on a dry erase battle map. In that game, the momentum would halt immediately after rolling initiative because the DM required a break to set up the map for combat.

 

[Thomas Shey]

The last live game I played used Maps VTT, and it worked exceptionally well. Because every player had a laptop or tablet, the session felt incredibly smooth and maintained a consistent pace throughout the combat encounters. This was a significant improvement over a live game I participated in last year, where the DM relied on a dry erase battle map. In that game, the momentum would halt immediately after rolling initiative because the DM required a break to set up the map for combat.

An often unstated benefit of VTTs is, at least in games where most encounters are planned, you can have all the maps and tokens set up in advance and at most move the PC tokens over. This doesn't save overall time much necessarily, but it can absolutely save in-play time.

 

[GuardianLurker]

Yes. The entirety of my 5e campaign was run this way. And my 3e campaign before that was mostly on Fantasy Grounds. When I started, I ran it as a GM automation tool, then as a projected tabletop, then ultimately everyone migrated over. My current PF2e game is remote, but that's because 2 of my players are remote as well. I actually prefer the hybrid approach.

 

[Special Unicorn]

No, When we're in person, the only thing we've used a PC for is to play a premade list of background music. And some people have used their phone to view their character sheet.

 

[SteveC]

I have been running a Nimble game in person at a friend's house. He has setup a gaming table with a TV in the center that we have hooked up to a laptop. I plan on using Foundry to project a map onto it, and have the players move the minis around. I'll have to see how this all works out. Excited about all of it.

 

[bergec]

We play online most of the time. It is just easier logistically (most of us have kids), but once a month or so we play in person. When we do, folks use Roll20 and D&D Beyond on their laptops just like we usually do. Everyone's used to it, I've invested a lot in map assets and most of my notes are in World Anvil. Works fine. Meeting in person is all about hugs, charcuterie, and chit-chat before and after the game. It's also special, since for the parents it is a nice break from the kids.

 

[billd91]

I am not part of this game but I do know people who use Roll20 while playing in person. The GM made a gaming table out of a flat screen TV and projects the Roll20 map to it as a visual board. I know they’ve played a lot of Pathfinder with that setup.

 

[billd91]

I have been running a Nimble game in person at a friend's house. He has setup a gaming table with a TV in the center that we have hooked up to a laptop. I plan on using Foundry to project a map onto it, and have the players move the minis around. I'll have to see how this all works out. Excited about all of it.

!!
I don’t suppose we’re talking about the same person in our posts, are we?