Fantasy Grounds

[Xer0]

I can answer that one, Adam. I'll be buying the Full, just in case I start running a game via FG instead of just playing it.

 

[Matchstick]

It's worked very well for us. We do use voice chat, but tend to be in character in typed chat and use the voice chat for OOC things.

Intially this kind of thing is all about patience, as Steel Wind mentions. It doesn't take long to get to a point where you don't think about the interface and just play, and that's where you want to be.

I recommend working out some technical things in advance of the first game. If you're using voice make sure that everyone can connect and communicate. Have each player connect to a test session of Fantasy Grounds on your server. Essentially, even if it means setting up a session where you do nothing but these things, I think it's better to treat connectivity and technical issues seperately, rather than as you try and work through that first RP session.

 

[Metus]

I'll have to chime in with the rest of the group and say how amazing Fantasy Grounds is. I remember when we first started using it, and in a minute or two I was able to pull up a map of the Eldeen Reaches, with tokens to represent where they were and where they were going - the players were blown away.

Fantasy Grounds has been very good to me and my group, and I do highly recommend it. Now if only they would make a similar one for Shadowrun!

 

[ronin]

I'd recommend giving this site a look before making your purchase.

http://www.battlegroundsgames.com/index.html

 

[JoeBlank]

Dittos to everyone who has related a positive experience. We have stuck with chat, rather than voice.

I've used WebRPG and OpenRPG, and found FG to be far superior.

The link to Battlegrounds looks interesting. Can someone (ronin?) tell us how it differs from FG?

 

[Wil]

I'd recommend giving this site a look before making your purchase.

http://www.battlegroundsgames.com/index.html

While Battlegrounds looks great, FG has a leg up on it:

"It doesn't have any game-system-specific artificial intelligence to implement your game's rules, and it doesn't come with character, spell and monster stats for your specific RPG system."

Fantasy Grounds appears to be highly customizable. I'm current developing a Tribe 8 character sheet that, once I'm done, will allow for me to run T8 using Fantasy Grounds. I'll then work on a rules set for personal use and, with permission, may make it available to others. While there's nothing stopping me from running T8 with BG, FG will make the experience a lot easier. To be frank, I simply don't have room at my desk at home to have books open and roll dice. I have no feasible capability of sticking a table near my desk either. paging through PDFs, even with search capability, is an option along with a die roller but virtual tabletop software that lets me run the game in its entirety from within the program gets my vote over software that still requires me to flip through books.