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Message: <blockquote data-quote="snikle" data-source="post: 3695409" data-attributes="member: 46532">Having ran iCon last March, I got to sit in various demos of many of the VTTs, Fantasy Grounds and d20Pro seemed very nice for Windows base machines and d20 based games. For more game system agnostic set ups, ViewingDale and Maptool seemed to do well. I was impressed with all of them, and I am glad to see the RPG community in general finally standing up and checking out these instead of immediately blacklisting online gamers who use VTTs.I have since then moved all my gaming to <a href="http://rptools.net/" target="_blank">Maptool</a>. The reasons are very simple:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It is game system agnostic, so any game will work in it. I really feel that putting to much of the game into the VTT really takes away from the RPG feeling and makes it almost more of a video game. All you need is a map, tokens to place on the map, character sheets, a way to roll dice.....and you are good.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It is free, so getting new people to try it out is trivial. Despite the fact that there are millions of gamers out there, finding players can actually be difficult due to time zones and real life.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It runs on java, so it is OS independent, thus our Mac friends can play with us if they want (and dont believe the 'java is slow' crap). This allows you to have a larger audience of potential gamers to interact with.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The RPTools team that is developing Maptool (and other RPG tools) are kick ass, very responsive to suggestions, and updates come out nearly weekly (I dare any other vtt to make that claim).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Fog of War in Maptool adds an amazing level of atmosphere to role playing that I have never seen. When I see players peeking around corners wondering what was around the next bend, and can hear the tension in their voice, it is stunning. You want complete immersion into the game world? This is as close as I have seen in a role playing game, real or virtual. </li> </ul>On comments regarding a voice program, I have ran games with and without it and I must say I will always use one. It simply speeds up the game, and adds to that 'bonding' feeling that another poster mentioned. Voice allows you to have a more immersive and 'sitting around the table' atmosphere in the game.</blockquote>

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