I suspect many of you have played Roll20 or other online programs that help simulate the gaming table. I think they do really well, and I honestly think it's sort of the future of gaming in the context of expanding the numbers of gamers.
For example, my gaming group and myself are in our 40s and all have families. Often we don't have time to get together for 8+ hours, but can get together for 2-3 if there's no commute time.
I just saw this new kickstarter for tabletop connect (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/840448191/tabletop-connect-3d-virtual-tabletop), and honestly I'm getting pretty excited about it because it does a lot of things that the others don't. I am in no way affiliated with it, but wanted to share because I think for gamers like me who are on a limited time budget, something like this would be great.
Quote from: Sacrosanct;685209I suspect many of you have played Roll20 or other online programs that help simulate the gaming table. I think they do really well, and I honestly think it's sort of the future of gaming in the context of expanding the numbers of gamers.
For example, my gaming group and myself are in our 40s and all have families. Often we don't have time to get together for 8+ hours, but can get together for 2-3 if there's no commute time.
I just saw this new kickstarter for tabletop connect (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/840448191/tabletop-connect-3d-virtual-tabletop), and honestly I'm getting pretty excited about it because it does a lot of things that the others don't. I am in no way affiliated with it, but wanted to share because I think for gamers like me who are on a limited time budget, something like this would be great.
will take a look. I do a lot of this.
Wow, that does look interesting! I haven't tried a VTT yet, but I know people who use them regularly and enjoy them.
Can anybody suggest a really good system for current over-the-net gaming? A good friend runs a game of 2nd Ed. D&D pen and paper back home in Canada, and I've been joining in over Skype. It works, but... It kind of sucks. I'd love to hear of some alternatives?
Quote from: Géza Echs;685229Can anybody suggest a really good system for current over-the-net gaming? A good friend runs a game of 2nd Ed. D&D pen and paper back home in Canada, and I've been joining in over Skype. It works, but... It kind of sucks. I'd love to hear of some alternatives?
Roll20 seems to be the most popular alternative, and it is pretty good, though I can't figure out why the Flash parts don't work for me :(.
roll20
Google+
Infrno
are the big three I know.
Thanks, guys. I'll have a look when I have a chance and pitch some suggestions to my DM if I like any of them!
We play tons of games online on Google + (there's at least one OSR game on any given a day) and most people don't use anything but vidchat and maybe Twiddla for maps.
People trust each other to roll dice and the die-rolling apps often slow things down, ironically enough.
This looks interesting. Thanks for sharing.
We use Roll20 + Skype when we have to play online.
Skype works fine, too, but on Google + multiperson chat is free (don't know if it still requires a subscription on Skype--it did last I checked)
Quote from: Zak S;685257Skype works fine, too, but on Google + multiperson chat is free (don't know if it still requires a subscription on Skype--it did last I checked)
I've never spent a single cent on Skype and we've made mutiperson chats to game in the past. Maybe in Argentina is free?
Quote from: Maese Mateo;685258I've never spent a single cent on Skype and we've made mutiperson chats to game in the past. Maybe in Argentina is free?
In the past it required that one person have a paid plan.
I don't know if that's true anymore.
EDIT: Yep. http://www.skype.com/en/premium/ someone has to be paying.
Quote from: Piestrio;685260In the past it required that one person have a paid plan.
I don't know if that's true anymore.
EDIT: Yep. http://www.skype.com/en/premium/ someone has to be paying.
You don't need to pay for a multi-person voice call (without video) on Skype. You will need to get Premium if you want voice AND
video calls with more than two people.
Personally, I use twiddla.com with Skype voice calls for my online tabletop gaming. I might upgrade to Premium in the near future, however.
Quote from: Benoist;685261You will need to get Premium if you want voice AND video calls with more than two people.
We used voice alone, so that explains why we didn't have to pay.
We've used Skype, ooVoo and we now use Google+ Hangouts.
The Google+ works best for us, in part because it is free. We use a map posted to a shared Google Drive document. Nothing fancy, but it works for us.
We've considered whether to try a VTT like roll20, but we haven't made the conversion yet. What we're doing has been working well enough that we haven't made it a priority to learn a new system.
Quote from: Sacrosanct;685209I suspect many of you have played Roll20 or other online programs that help simulate the gaming table. I think they do really well, and I honestly think it's sort of the future of gaming in the context of expanding the numbers of gamers.
For example, my gaming group and myself are in our 40s and all have families. Often we don't have time to get together for 8+ hours, but can get together for 2-3 if there's no commute time.
I just saw this new kickstarter for tabletop connect (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/840448191/tabletop-connect-3d-virtual-tabletop), and honestly I'm getting pretty excited about it because it does a lot of things that the others don't. I am in no way affiliated with it, but wanted to share because I think for gamers like me who are on a limited time budget, something like this would be great.
I wish them success but It is 3D and that going to be a big problem. Most VTTs work as a whiteboard displaying a image (BMP, JPG, PNG, etc) even gamers with little in the way of computer skills are able to scan in images and get to display.
The rub is not that a decent 3D toolkit is harder to use. It is that is never going to be as flexible as a whiteboard. Now that could be overcome with a store/market like Roll20. Where artists can offer 3D tilesets but even then it only goes so far.
Now for this particular project looks like they are incorporating the use of 2D images as part of the package so they might succeed if that portion is as easy to use as Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds their main competitors.
Virtual Tabletops are going to be a very important part of the future of roleplaying game. But 3D will be a minor part of that.
Quote from: Géza Echs;685229Can anybody suggest a really good system for current over-the-net gaming? A good friend runs a game of 2nd Ed. D&D pen and paper back home in Canada, and I've been joining in over Skype. It works, but... It kind of sucks. I'd love to hear of some alternatives?
For the novice I recommend Roll20 and then later look at Fantasy Grounds if one of the RPGs use is supported by FG.
Quote from: Maese Mateo;685251This looks interesting. Thanks for sharing.
We use Roll20 + Skype when we have to play online.
We use the same.
If WOTC were smart, they'd simply buy Roll20. The whole company. And keep their three guys on as ongoing paid full-time programmers.
Most of my friends are on Skype, and a few of 'em have Skype premium subscriptions. I doubt nothing short of bribery could get 'em to try Google+ Hangouts, as inertia is a very powerful force. Thus, Roll20 and Skype for me.
Oh look. No Linux version. Joy....
(Not that I would use something that 'intensive' graphically)
Roll20 is fine,especially in face to face games where you are sharing a map.