SKYPE, Ventrillo, or Teamspeak: which best with online tabletop games?

[Emirikol]

SKYPE, Ventrillo, or Teamspeak: which best with online tabletop games?

We're setting up our RPTOols-Maptool virtual online tabletop games (similar to openRPG or Kloogewerks) and am wondering what your experiences have been with voice software.

Please help me decide where to put my energies.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[evildmguy]

I have a few things to offer.

I am gaming with four at the table and two remote at the same place. We started trying to use yahoo and the cameras we had, and their webcam service, wasn't very good. Further, when using them, we found that audio was a LOT more improtant than video. It may be weird to have this voice say things but it's more important for communication.

We went out and got some better webcams and decided to try Skype. WOW! What a difference! We now have very good audio, even if the video kicks out, which is rare. Further, the video has very little lag. We were very impressed.

So, hopefully I helped a bit with what I have learned.

How is your virtual online table? I am tempted to get one.

edg

 

[John Crichton]

Been using Skype with gametable for a few months. Works great.

 

[XCorvis]

Ventrillo requires a server somewhere, if I'm not mistaken. Skype just requires everyone have a free account. I'm not sure about Teamspeak.

Since skype is so easy and other have good experiences, I'd just try it first and only start looking for other options if it fails to meet your expectations.

 

[azhrei_fje]

Skype seems to really eat CPU, though. Otherwise, it does pretty well, although I haven't tried to monitor bandwidth that it uses. The next time I play online I'll run the monitoring sotware on my router and tell it to track the Skype traffic. Then I'll post back here with the results.

I haven't used TeamSpeak, but I'd like to since the CPU load is supposed to be much lower.

 

[Emirikol]

How is your virtual online table? I am tempted to get one.
edg

Download RPTools-Maptool. It works great and it's pretty quick to learn. If you have any difficulty with port forwarding, there are instructions.

After you download it, dont' forget to read the manual. It's short and get's you started right away.

I tell everyone to just start by sliding tokens around and getting used to movement. The DM needs to learn how to do three things:
1. upload character/monster pictures into the .maptools token folder (I just google pictures and stick them in there..I don't bother putting "circles" around the tokens with the token tool).
2. upload maps into the maps folder clicking "new map" onto the screen
3. leave the fog of war off until you get the hang of things (all maps start dark that way until you turn it off). Once you've gotten used to setting up your game, you can mess with fog of war or vision-blocking topology tools.

I've got a projector and could probably image it onto our regular table, but I'm more of a kinesthetic type of person..so I prefer real mini's and shrubbery if I'm playing face to face. I'm going to save the Rptools-maptool virtual online tabletop for side quests.

..but judging by how you guys are commenting, I'll probably try to learn SKYPE first for voice. The chat function is like any other (with a dice bot), but talking is always faster (except for boxed text perhaps).

jh

 

[Emirikol]

Headsets..please Advise Me...

Could someone advise me on headsets please? Got preferences/brands/features?

Is a USB or regular plug better?

Jay

 

[DMFTodd]

We're using Ventrilo. Works OK but doesn't handle multiple people talking at once - we've had to learn to talk one at a time. Skyp or Teamspeak handle that better? Ventrilo does require server software, but you can run that on your workstation. Normally, my Ventrilo server sits on another computer but I've run it and kloogewerks together a couple times with no trouble.

As for headsets, I recently got a Steelsound 4H off of Woot for $20 I think. Works very well. The mic is retractable - tucks into the earcup when not using which is kind of nice. They're full cup, over the ear phones so they block out the wife and kids pretty well. I had a pair of Steelsound 3H's but found the earcup a little small and they pinched my ears. Also had a set of Logitech phones with the plastic around the ear clip - not comfortable and positioning the mic was not near as good as the Steelsounds.

A USB port is handy so that you can easily plug/unplug one. The Steelsound has the non-USB ports which means you have to crawl under your desk and get the thing plugged into the computer. If it's going to be plugged in all the time (mine is), then no problem.

 

[Emirikol]

Sweet info Todd...as you can see, I couldn't hold out any longer on this virtual tabletop thing...

Thanks,

Jay

 

[evildmguy]

We have been using Skype and have had no problems with multiple voices. If anything, it's the old problem of having too many speak at the same time! Also, it seems to do better video, in that there is almost no lag. So, it's a definite good thing.

Emirikol: Thanks for the heads up about RPTools. I won't be able to start using it right away, as I want to learn it better and get some more icons and maps ready. However, I thought it was a great tool, easy to set up with my network and look forward to when I can use it.

Thanks!

edg