Which virtual tabletop do you use?

knifie_sp00nie

First Post
Since WotC isn't going to have their game table software anytime soon and the need for a virtual setup has come up for me, I've started looking at the different virtual tabletops out there. Several look nice and offer trials or are freeware, but a short tryout is different than extended use.

The plan is to use the software for playing 4e online. Later on I may use it on a big TV in normal games instead of a traditional battlemat. Paying for good software isn't a problem and neither is free.

What platform do you use and why?
 

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I don't know if it's the one for you, really, but I use OpenRPG. It's free, easy to learn (the basics anyway, you'd have to ask around the forum or the OpenRPG Dev II server to learn all the other options and uses, plus there are utilities and such you can find on the web since OpenRPG is open content for other developers), it has a map and an easy way to store and transfer character sheets/other data in the .xml file "nodes", and it has a decent number of gamers that've been using it for many years and gets new gamers all the time. You can save your chat-buffer as a session log for later review (or to send to folks who missed a session, since the chat-log is an .htm or .html file), and I think the current version of OpenRPG might automatically do that, but I'm not sure where it does so (I just know that it auto-saves some kind of log nowadays).

Now, while the map has an adjustable/optional grid and can display images you have stored elsewhere online (usually on PhotoBucket or a personal webpage or something of the sort), and can display images of miniatures that can be moved around the map, it does have some minor issues. I'm not sure if the fog of war is working reliably in the current version (I think it is, or at least I've seen it used in one game I played in), and the map can slow things down if you or others on the server don't have reasonably fast computers, but it hasn't caused me too many problems when DMing (and mine are generally because my own computer is old and slow). Also, I think miniatures have to be .jpg images, though one or two other types might work (.gif images either stall the program for a few minutes, or otherwise cause trouble, and won't display). Minis have to be images that are also stored online somewhere. You can draw on the map as well.

On OpenRPG, you can visit any of the servers online at the moment or run your own temporary server on your computer, easily enough (that's what I used to do, though lately I just host my games on the Dev II server). In each server, there's a lobby and people can create separate rooms for their games (the lobby isn't generally for gaming, just chatting). The rooms can be made private or open, with private ones using a password for entry.

Minor note: the only serious problem with OpenRPG is that, once in a while, something your computer does just might freeze up OpenRPG or corrupt its current Gametree file, forcing you to stop the program and possibly reset the computer (at least in my cases, because again, my machine is old and runs a cruddy version of Windows). This happens only rarely (in my 7 or 8 years using the program, I could count the number of times on one hand and still have fingers left, but it's been so rare that I can't even remember exactly how few times it's happened). I've only seen or heard a few other people having this problem.

This is easily compensated for by just saving a separate copy of your Gametree under a different filename, or better, saving your individual nodes separately from the Gametree. Whenever you finish a session and changed some nodes during that time, just save the changed nodes or the spare gametree file before closing out. The program automatically saves your gametree when closing out, but on the rare occasions where the gametree file gets corrupted in the process, or when the program freezes up from some background-program of your OS interfering once in a while (as it does on my machine, anyway), this auto-save won't help as a result of the corruption or freezing.

Other minor problem: Once in a blue moon, the OpenRPG website will be down for maintenance, and OpenRPG will not be able to start up properly during that time. This has only interfered with my games twice now.
 

I use kloogewerks. Not the prettiest, not the easiest, not free and occasionally wonky on stability. Seems to have a better set of tools though than the other ones out there: Zoomable map, easy to create tokens, full character sheet to support all dice rolling, quick and easy rolling and applying of damage, automated spells rolling penetration/saves, applying of effects to modify die rolls on the fly (hit, damage, saves, skills, you name it).
 

I use Maptools which can be found Here

I have been using this program for several years now first with my 3.5 game and now with my 4e game. It provides a great deal of functionality out of the box plus it has a great user community that have created many useful tokens specifically for 4e.

I use Maptools for my maps, init tracking, managing in game time, state tracking on the tokens (very useful for 4e with all the conditions and marks.), I have even started to use it for Campaign Management.

The developers are constantly updating the software with new versions coming out ever few weeks. Best of all its Free.

I can't recommend it enough.
 

Click on the link in my sig if you're interested in a virtual tabletop program that has a full-screen map and a hidden-until-you-need-it interface that's ideal for use with a projector or HDTV. Works great with D&D 4E or pretty much any other roleplaying system.

Or click here for a complete list of all the virtual tabletop software already available or "coming soon", so you can do your own "comparison shopping".
 

Hi, Dev of ViewingDale here - if you have any Q's for that then drop me a line.

I think each have their pros and cons depending on what is the most important feature for you. If playing as a battle mat then big map ability is a must. Some people like the PC doing all the rolling and calculations and others don't. Each one is written by a very small group or one single person so they produce the system that they want.
 

[...] Each one is written by a very small group or one single person so they produce the system that they want.
Of course, it's best if the code is open source (if not free) since when the developer gets put in an insane asylum (;)) someone else can step into their shoes to keep the application up to date.

Those of us here that have used DM Genie are probably familiar by now with how Mad Scientist Studios seems to have abandoned the project. (Of course, a wife, a baby, and a PhD thesis can tend to get in the way. :))
 


I use Maptools which can be found Here

I have been using this program for several years now first with my 3.5 game and now with my 4e game. It provides a great deal of functionality out of the box plus it has a great user community that have created many useful tokens specifically for 4e.

I use Maptools for my maps, init tracking, managing in game time, state tracking on the tokens (very useful for 4e with all the conditions and marks.), I have even started to use it for Campaign Management.

The developers are constantly updating the software with new versions coming out ever few weeks. Best of all its Free.

I can't recommend it enough.
I swear by maptools. Every few months I go back to some of the commercial and non-commecial programs (including all of the other ones mentioned here0 to see if they have caught up and I still haven't seen anything that comes up to the features. Easy to use, click and drag capability, allowing you to drag pngs, jpgs and bmps right on to the map. Several layers to create background and interactive objects where you can hide handouts that can be clicked on and easily reveal the gems. Vision and walls allow pcs to reveal the map depending on their sight . There's also a nice 1 gig download floating around the internet that has hundreds of tokens, creatures and spell effects for the program. It operates in full screen and there are many user generated add-ons to make it system specific (4e, pathfinder, 3.5).

It's opensource which is quite nice. There's a good donation program you can contribute too to put points into future features you want to see. The one feature I'd love to see soon for it is an import feature for statblocks, which none of the other programs have yet to my knowledge either.
 

<threadjack>
The one feature I'd love to see soon for it is an import feature for statblocks, which none of the other programs have yet to my knowledge either.
Oooo, good idea. You should start a thread about that over at the RPTools forum. :)

Of course, any type of import would have to be tailored for the campaign framework you wanted to use. That might be pretty tough. I'll be thinking about this, though... :)
</threadjack>
 

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