Is there such a thing? A program, easy to use, that is ideally not tied to any single system, that lets you use a hex or square grid for you to track position and movement in RPG combats?
RPGPundit
Try Maptools. It has everything, and the video tutorials are great.
For my online games I use a program that is basically a white board with a few customized features called, "Dungeon Helper (http://dh.abomb.info/index.php)". The board space or "table" is large enough to accommodate most of my mapping needs, unlike some of the more popular virtual tabletops. I use an older version of DH since each update was not compatible with older, saved files and the older version had all the features that I wanted/needed, so I can't vouch for the reliability of the later versions which introduced new features (and new bugs). On the downside DH is not Mac-friendly and only has square grids, but on the upside it is simple to set up and use, is more stable than Netmeeting, and it's free.
Yes,
We use VASSAL on Tuesday nights. It has chat, dice maps and figures.
Fun, easy. Runs on Java so it works on any platform.
Server based so it is less fussy about firewalls.
Quote from: Imperator;308373Try Maptools. It has everything, and the video tutorials are great.
Ditto this. The fact that it is not only game system neutral but also Java based makes it OS neutral as well.
Hmm, ok, I'll give the Dungeon Helper a try...
RPGPundit
Huh. I didn't realize this thing was just a client. Plus it installed this Microsoft .Net thing on my computer, that was a total bitch.
So, in short, I'm still looking for alternatives.
RPGPundit
It's sorta like Java, only Microsoft.
One person (not necessarily the GM) must run the server and everyone in the group connects to it with the client. This means that everyone in your group needs to know the IP of the server. Unless there is an issue with privacy/trust among those you game with, this should not be problem.
Pundit,
This is going to be the part you are going to really hate. If you use ANY desktop Virtual Tabletop software you going to have to open a port if you are going to be a GM. This is because as a GM the software needs to act as a server you have to allow communications both ways.
It needs to be this way otherwise the problems with viruses, bots, and hacked computers would be far worse than it is now.
The only bright spot is that usually this is fairly straightfoward to setup. I (and others on this forums) can help if we know the type of router you are using to connect to the internet with. Then we can give you exact directions on how to setup it up.
There is a caveat and that is that your ISP either
a) disabled the required features on your router
b) block access at their office
Both are these are done because some ISP really want to charge you as a business user if you start opening up ports. Because the popularity of various multiplayer games market acts against this however it is still hit or miss among the various ISPs.
Here is a comprehensive list of links involving VTTs http://www.battlegroundsgames.com/links.html
One of the reason many were excited about the Wizard's VTT offering is that by having centralized servers and the means to support them they can avoid most of the setup headaches that plague the current generation of VTTs.
Finally none of this pertains to being a PLAYER. Only the GM has to deal with this hassle.
Estar,
With one exception that I know of: VASSAL. Games are hosted on their server, so you don't need to open a port.
Ok, except that I think I explained what I'm looking for very poorly. I'm NOT looking for an "online" tabletop that I can connect to other people with.
What I'm looking for is a visual-aid tabletop so that I can turn around my computer screen and show it to my gaming group with me in the living room, and say "This is how people are standing, this thing here is the tavern, those are barrels, and the 5 orks are here"; and then go on adjusting it when people or things move or change.
In other words, I don't like real battlemats, and having to get out dozens of minis, and waste time setting up the battlemat. Instead, I want to use a computer screen to show it instead. I want a computer program that could facilitate that. Does such a thing exist?
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;308820Ok, except that I think I explained what I'm looking for very poorly. I'm NOT looking for an "online" tabletop that I can connect to other people with.
What I'm looking for is a visual-aid tabletop so that I can turn around my computer screen and show it to my gaming group with me in the living room, and say "This is how people are standing, this thing here is the tavern, those are barrels, and the 5 orks are here"; and then go on adjusting it when people or things move or change.
In other words, I don't like real battlemats, and having to get out dozens of minis, and waste time setting up the battlemat. Instead, I want to use a computer screen to show it instead. I want a computer program that could facilitate that. Does such a thing exist?
RPGPundit
Again, Maptools. I plug my laptop to my 40" TV and do exactly that.
do you have a link?
Of course, my bad. Here it is:
http://www.rptools.net/
Be sure of checking the video tutorials.
To use Dungeon Helper for what you describe, simply run the server and client on the machine you are using to display your "battle map" and upload the image you want to use. I have provided some samples of DH's features below. DH is adequate for my purposes and it is very simple to use, YMMV. As you can see, I use an older version of DH; there are 4 newer versions that I have only given a cursory look at. I use a map making program (CC2/paintshop) to place grids so grid inclusion is not a feature I require of my VT. To give you an idea of the "tabletop's" size, using a resolution of 1280x1024, a 533x596 image takes up ~40% of the mapping area.
(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h283/mrrkyl/Misc/DHsample1a.png)
Notes:
To illustrate various features, the grid has been activated, npc markers (colored circles) added, and sections with varying degrees of opacity included (outlined in aqua).
Markers A-c = N/PC's (the colors can mean whatever you want, for example: red = male blue = female yellow = changeling); aqua marker = notations (%=opacity, 533x596=image dimensions)
Left Image: grayed out areas (kitchen/private) & interior grid are part of the map. The 2 "white-out" areas at 20% and 100% opacity were drawn in with DH tools. All markers (colored circles) are another DH feature and their opacity, labels, and "pointers" can be adjusted, as required.
Right Image: a different image was used to illustrate the DH masking feature (useful for "fog of war") for the kitchen and storage area; the background color (default = color in upper left corner) has been made transparent, an option given at the time of upload.
No Grid:
(http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h283/mrrkyl/Misc/DHsample1.png)
Quote from: RPGPundit;308820Ok, except that I think I explained what I'm looking for very poorly. I'm NOT looking for an "online" tabletop that I can connect to other people with.
What I'm looking for is a visual-aid tabletop so that I can turn around my computer screen and show it to my gaming group with me in the living room, and say "This is how people are standing, this thing here is the tavern, those are barrels, and the 5 orks are here"; and then go on adjusting it when people or things move or change.
In other words, I don't like real battlemats, and having to get out dozens of minis, and waste time setting up the battlemat. Instead, I want to use a computer screen to show it instead. I want a computer program that could facilitate that. Does such a thing exist?
RPGPundit
You sure you want to introduce a PC I think that would be disruptive and slow. A big sheet of paper A2 sized the couters from Warrior knights (or pennies or bits of papper) and a marker pen is the way we have managed this for the last 20 years or so. When we add laptops , dodads etc just removes the immediacy.
I quite liked the idea of using the telly though (of course buying a special telly and mounting it horizontally in the centre of the gaming table is obviously the way forward, in fact make it touch sensitive and ... :)
Quote from: RPGPundit;308820In other words, I don't like real battlemats, and having to get out dozens of minis, and waste time setting up the battlemat. Instead, I want to use a computer screen to show it instead. I want a computer program that could facilitate that. Does such a thing exist?
Well you don't have to screw around with ports :D You will still probably want to use one of the VT like MapTools just have the client and server running at the same time. You just have the client "connect" to the server by using your computer's ip address.
To find it using windows xp just click on your start button, goto accessories, and click on command prompt. When the window pops up type ipconfig and it will tell you your ip address like 10.0.0.1 or 192.168.1.1
The reason for this is that you can't edit fog of war on the client and you can't hide stuff on the gm server.
Do you have two video ports on your graphics card? If so you can use two monitor which is the ideal situation for this type of use.
Ok, maptools did not seem to be what I wanted either.
Maybe what I want doesn't exist.
What I want is a simple grid-map, or hex-map, all blank. I can then add simple objects to it (not having to have any computer-drawing skills), and tokens to represent the PCs and NPCs. I can then easily MOVE those tokens from one place to another to show how characters are moving in the game.
I'm guessing that this is far too simple to exist, without having to have something far more complicated that requires a fucking computer-nerd-PhD to operate.
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;309069Ok, maptools did not seem to be what I wanted either.
Maybe what I want doesn't exist.
What I want is a simple grid-map, or hex-map, all blank. I can then add simple objects to it (not having to have any computer-drawing skills), and tokens to represent the PCs and NPCs. I can then easily MOVE those tokens from one place to another to show how characters are moving in the game.
I'm guessing that this is far too simple to exist, without having to have something far more complicated that requires a fucking computer-nerd-PhD to operate.
RPGPundit
Have you tried using CC2 or CC3? you can lock down the map on one layer, and have symbols for each PC on another, show or hide the grid, snap to the grid...
Other such maping programs should be able to do it, as well.
Quote from: RPGPundit;309069Ok, maptools did not seem to be what I wanted either.
Maybe what I want doesn't exist.
What I want is a simple grid-map, or hex-map, all blank. I can then add simple objects to it (not having to have any computer-drawing skills), and tokens to represent the PCs and NPCs. I can then easily MOVE those tokens from one place to another to show how characters are moving in the game.
I'm guessing that this is far too simple to exist, without having to have something far more complicated that requires a fucking computer-nerd-PhD to operate.
RPGPundit
Gametable (http://gametable.galactanet.com/) is what you are looking for then. It is a simple program similar to MapTool, VASSAL, etc. However, since your not connecting or hosting, then it's just a battlemap that you can draw on and place tokens. Check it out.
Hmm. thanks! This looks by far the best thing I've seen so far in terms of ease of use!
You wouldn't happen to have any extra underlays or pogs would you? Particularly for things like terrain and such, but anything would be good.
RPGpundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;309087Hmm. thanks! This looks by far the best thing I've seen so far in terms of ease of use!
You wouldn't happen to have any extra underlays or pogs would you? Particularly for things like terrain and such, but anything would be good.
RPGpundit
Sent you a PM.
Screenmonkey (http://www.nbos.com/products/screenmonkey/screenmonkey-screenshots.htm) is rather simple to use but a bit more cluttered. (It can be resized somewhat.)
=
Drohem's map system is pretty good but it still has its issues. If a single dude occupies 1 hex, and a "tavern" imprint occupies all of 6 hexes, that's a really really small tavern, with tiny tables and chairs. In other words, the figures aren't proportional to the backgrounds.
RPGPundit
I played around with underlay sizes, and I figured out this formula for sizing pogs and underlays for Gametable....
These sizes are for a full square:
1 square = 64 x 64
2 x 2 squares = 128 x 128
3 x 3 squares = 192 x 192
4 x 4 squares = 256 x 256
5 x 5 squares = 320 x 320
6 x 6 squares = 384 x 384
So, as you can see, just multiply 64 times the number of squares to get the right size for the object.
If you're using Paint, this is how you can size the picture correctly:
Click the Image tab
Click the Attributes tab
Fill the Width and Height boxes with a multiple of 64 to get the right square size.
Hope this helps.
But can something not be more than 6x6?
RPGPundit
Quote from: RPGPundit;309632But can something not be more than 6x6?
RPGPundit
Sure, I just stopped doing the math there. Just keep in multiples of 64.