What software (D&D/TTRPG-related) do you wish existed?

[IronWolf]

Coincidentally, NewbieDM was talking about Gametable (OSU-gt) over at his blog yesterday, and we were discussing my thoughts about what MapTool lacked in the comments section. Ismael_DM pointed out that he had used the object layer in MapTool to do what I had loved about Gametable. It takes an extra step or two to do this in MapTool, but it's totally worth it.

I have used some of the maptools means of creating maps. I've fairly easily been able to create a cliffside scene I needed and multi-chambered underground sewer thing. They seemed to work well and came out looking pretty reasonable.

Here are a couple of links to tutorials around using layers, images and the draw tool in maptools that can be useful:

Layers
Images
Drawing Tools

ANYTHING for the Mac. More specifically, a character generator for use on a Mac.

PC Gen works on the Mac and supports "d20 based Game Systems including D&D (3E, 3.5E, 4E), d20 Modern, Pathfinder, d20 Modern".

 

[malraux]

PC Gen works on the Mac and supports "d20 based Game Systems including D&D (3E, 3.5E, 4E), d20 Modern, Pathfinder, d20 Modern".

I don't know about it's current state, but my experience with PCGen was that it runs on the mac, but I'd never describe it as working.

 

[Matchstick]

Having just started in on using a VTT (Fantasy Grounds 2) here are the things that I thought of.

- Support for a wide variety of systems. FG2 has a good number of rulesets, but the more options the better. This is by far the most important piece to me. We like to try out all sorts of systems. A VTT that locks us into playing one system is not something that will work for us.

- A character generator in addition to a gaming table. Could be separate with the ability to import, or built in.

- Cross platform. FG2 can be run in WINE I think, so I'm pretty sure I could do it on the Mac if I wanted to, but not positive.

- As much automation as possible, including tracking temporary effects as easily as possible.

Our group has been buzzing about FG2 all week. We're playing with the Savage Worlds ruleset, which is well done, and with pregenerated characters. The experience we've had thus far has been exceptionally positive, even according to the people with the tendancy to complain about everything (we all know one). Eventually we'll do non pregens, and it would be nice to be able to do that and pull them into FG, thus the chargen suggestion. Everyone is clamoring to GM now that the VTT ice has been broken thus the multiple rulesets suggestion.

 

[Matchstick]

I should add that we haven't had any tech issues. The only time any of us have had FG2 connection issues was when dealing with a dial up connection, and even that wasn't all the time. That was when one of the guys ran FG2 for a different group. This group is in NC, AZ, WI, and KY, so we're pretty scattered, and we've had no trouble at all thus far.

We've also had a Teamspeak server and used that successfully for years with very few issues.