Old Man Wants to Play Online

[Cordwainer Fish]

In one of the games I'm in, most people are on camera (and the rest seem to be on or off depending on how their network is feeling that day); in the other about half the people never are. I like the congenial feeling of full video but I would never dream of asking someone to go on camera if they weren't.

 

[Jd Smith1]

I am an ancient TTRPG gamer (I started with the Holmes Basic Set LOL) and I would really love to play again. Alas, all of my friends have gone their separate ways long ago and I have no one to game with any longer. I have attempted to find local players, but none have worked out. That being the case, I thought I would put my toe in the water of gaming online. I am not a technology illiterate but I am not exactly up to date on the latest and greatest either.

So here are a few questions that I hope you good people could help me answer:

• I know I need a VTT, but I am not interested in D&D Beyond. I have nothing against 5E but it is just not the game for me. What other VTT is the most popular.
• I also know I will need some kind of webcam for video. I do not want to use the one on my laptop because it just is not very good. What kind of webcam or camera can I get (for a reasonable price) that would have good resolution, depth of field, etc.?
• I know I need audio. Should I use headphones or not? I am not a fan of them but what other options do I have for a reasonable price?
• What application is most popular for video chat? I would like to have at least four players on the screen at one time. I have a 27" monitor is that big enough.

I appreciate any help with this. It would make an old man's day!

The Ancient Gamer

I use Roll20; my players only need the free account to use.

Discord (also free) handles the audio and a lot of between-game interactions, both IC and out of character.

We don't use video.

I'm an old gamer, too (started in 1979). We're playing Aces & Eights rules (d100 system) in a slightly alt-history 1889, 13 sessions in. Two-thirds of my group is well over thirty. Drop me a message if you would like to sit in or run an NPC, get your feet wet in the online experience.

 

[Bohandas]

I know I need a VTT, but I am not interested in D&D Beyond. I have nothing against 5E but it is just not the game for me. What other VTT is the most popular.

Maybe Tabletop Simulator

 

[aramis erak]

The best known also happen to be the older 3: Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, and Maptools.
Maptools is Free and Open Source, and generally no one's first choice, but its got plenty of nifty.
Fantasy Grounds and Roll20 both cater to current D&D first, and both have a lot of support for other games, and for older D&D editions.

Owlbear Rodeo is the one I've seen the most references to outside the "big 3" above...
The Forge is another I've used; fewer references than Owlbear Rodeo, but more support from publishers I favor.
Tabletop Simulator is next - it's really intended for boardgames, but many use it for RPGs.

I seem to be the only person advocating for GTove at all... it's also free and open source. But it relies upon google accounts.

There are half a dozen others that are about the level of GTove - a small but dedicated userbase, but limited reach. I'm only mentioning GTove here because I use it.

There is one specific for Storium, but it's pretty much only for Storium based play. (Storium is a particular storygame engine; I only know of it because I got a virtual deck in a KS a few years back.)

edit note: I had forgotten to list the Forge.

 

[Jd Smith1]

The best known also happen to be the older 3: Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, and Maptools.
Maptools is Free and Open Source, and generally no one's first choice, but its got plenty of nifty.
Fantasy Grounds and Roll20 both cater to current D&D first, and both have a lot of support for other games, and for older D&D editions.

Owlbear Rodeo is the one I've seen the most references to outside the "big 3" above...
Tabletop Simulator is next - it's really intended for boardgames, but many use it for RPGs.

I seem to be the only person advocating for GTove at all... it's also free and open source. But it relies upon google accounts.

There are half a dozen others that are about the level of GTove - a small but dedicated userbase, but limited reach. I'm only mentioning GTove here because I use it.

There is one specific for Storium, but it's pretty much only for Storium based play. (Storium is a particular storygame engine; I only know of it because I got a virtual deck in a KS a few years back.)

I used MapTools for years. Its good, and free, but the learning curve is much steeper than Roll20, and the support is less.