Wondering is a program like this exists

[Oversquid]

So I'm a dungeonmaster, and I DM a 3.5 game online via a chatroom. At a far far later date in my game, I would like to insert a situation where the need for armies clashing each other comes up, with one army being led by the PCs.

What I'm looking for is a program that can be run for a mac that can do the following, if there is such a program:

• The layout is Axis & Allies style, meaning that you see the entire map with all the armies on it.
• I can easily make an enormous map myself, along with the units, and customize both the landscape and the units as I see fit.
• Optional: Have a chatroom feature in the program.
• Can connect to others via the internet, and have them play a direct role in moving the pieces on the map.

So in other words, its an Axis & Allies game that I can customize the board and its pieces myself, and again, it has to be Mac compatable.


I don't need such a program right away, heck, it might take me a few years to even really need to think about it, but the point is, I want to be prepared, and if possible, maybe some of the good people on here that knows how to make programs on the internet might be able to give me a hand, and if you're willing, I'll be happy to pay you for your work.


Thanks guys!

 

[ComradeGnull]

You might check out Roll20: Web-based online virtual tabletop for all roleplaying games (RPGs) - you can either create the map using their (somewhat simple) tools, import it after creating it in something like Campaign Cartographer (which is quite complex and full featured).

Find or create some artwork to represent armies or elements of the army as tokens on the map. The game makes it easy to search the web or existing libraries for this type of thing.

Chatroom, video chat, and browser-based connection to the map is already baked in.

The software is in open beta right now, so you can sign up for free.

 

[Aeolius]

You might need a browser other than Safari, though. I was going to create a campaign and came across: "We're sorry, but there's currently a bug in Safari that prevents Roll20 from working."

 

[GhostBear]

Browser-based is nice and easy for everyone, and if you just want a big map with pieces than that is a good way to go. However, you might want to look into MapTool at RPTools - Home - all their tools are written in Java, so as long as you have Java installed they should run.

It's great for dungeon / city / castle stuff too, since it can automatically apply line of sight.

There's some other nifty things up there as well; I use TokenTool fairly regularly to stick a nice border around various token images to make them look a bit nicer.

 

[Aeolius]

From what my players have expressed, MapTool can be a bit intimidating for those expecting a simple seamless interface. For the past 5 years I have run my game via IRC. Some of my players still use Mibbit, instead of an IRC client app.

 

[ComradeGnull]

From what my players have expressed, MapTool can be a bit intimidating for those expecting a simple seamless interface. For the past 5 years I have run my game via IRC. Some of my players still use Mibbit, instead of an IRC client app.

Is MapTool the one that requires one of the users to run as a server and the other connect as clients? On the pro side it has a nice iPad client (roll20 doesn't support that right now, but alleges it is coming) but on the con side you can easily lose time trying to debug port forwarding/firewall issues if you've got people trying to connect in from outside your LAN.

 

[GhostBear]

Yup, MapTool is client-server software.

If people are having problems with firewalls / NAT / etc., they may want to give Hamachi a try. I've been using it for years with my guys, and it is free for basic usage. It sets up a private VPN for yourself and your friends and is very easy to use. There is an occasional piece of software that won't work for some reason (generally old stuff), but 95% of it will.

https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/

There's versions for Windows, Mac, and Linux (if you dig around for it).

There is also Tunngle: http://www.tunngle.net/

It is similar to Hamachi but designed specifically for gaming. You start it up, join a "room", and you're conencted to a VPN with everyone else in the room. Recent versions allow you to create your own rooms now, instead of being stuck with the pre-set ones. It has a lot of extra stuff on top of it but it is another option, and sometimes if something won't work over Hamachi then Tunngle will fix the issue.

There is no Mac version of Tunngle though - it is Windows only software.

 

[Mishihari Lord]

There's an online multiplayer flash game that might fit your needs. Check out warlight.net

 

[dragonis111]

Just use roll20.net should be out of beta by the time you need it, and works great, I have been in the beta, once they have the link people can connect super easy and the group video chat works pretty amazing for a free program, also map editing and giving players control of tokens/units is super easy as well.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Older thread on Vitrual Table Tops...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/288346-virtual-tabletop-software.html