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I've had success running a couple of PFS sessions using Roll20, including using maps copied and pasted from the scenarios.
What error messages are you getting when you try to open this map? Also, what versions of MapTool and Java are you running?
If the version of MapTool in which the map was last saved is newer than the one in which you are trying to open it, you'll probably meet with failure. Also, I and another GM I know can tell you personally that MapTool and Java 7 do not play well together. If the auto-update feature has upgraded you to Java 7, you might seriously want to consider rolling back to Java 6 for purposes of getting MapTool to run smoothly.
I would guess that you are trying to open a saved game that was made with a later "build" than the version you're trying to use.
Good luck, I love MapTool, but like Paz above, I use Roll20 to save me the technical setup hassle.
And you don't really save MAPS, you save CAMPAIGNS. That's done from the File menu. The campaign can contain multiple maps. You use the globe button in the upper right to move from map to map.
I didn't say you COULDN'T save maps, I said it's something you don't normally do. If this is a new user, and he's really trying to save a map, then he's probably not getting how Maptools works.
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What I'd suggest is updating to the latest version of MapTool.
Just 5 days ago (Apr 5, 2013), a new version that IS compatible with Java 7 was released: 1.3b89. After installing it, all of the line-of-sight/fog-of-war errors had been getting disappeared. There's a good chance that might fix the issue for you as well.
b63 was the last truly reliable build in my personal experience (on MacOS).
Try turning off "individual" fog when you launch the campaign. Also, turn off anything you're not using.
But seriously, Roll20 is worth looking into.
But seriously, Roll20 is worth looking into.
Roll20's dynamic lighting will cost you $5/month.
If you're still using MapTool 1.3 b87, you need to be running Java 6.
You can get Java 6 for Windows & Linux via Oracle at:
http://java.com/en/download/manual_v6.jsp
If you're on a Mac, here's the instructions from Apple on how to re-enable Java 6:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5559
Good luck!
Roll 20 looks great for running a live game over the Internet, but its most appealing features don't seem very compelling for a PbP. Connectivity features are of no value when the goal is to capture and preserve snapshots of what the battlefield looks like at a particular point in time.
EL: How well does Roll20 work in terms of taking floorplan and token made in Photoshop, populating it with 'furniture' and GM-controlled N/PC tokens, and then exporting full-screen snapshots for PbP? From the videos, it seems like there's all sorts of webcams and other clutter that cuts down on the only thing I care about: the actual map.
Also, given that it seems to require Flash, is there any way to get it running on a tablet that you've heard of from other users?
Haladir: I was just about to do that myself when, the guys at RPTools released a Java 7 compatible version (1.3.b89) this past Friday. :)
Laithoron, I don't use the webcams, and you can just close them in the preferences. Should work fine for PBP. The screenshot may even be unnecessary, you could just give them the link to the campaign.
Don't get me wrong, I loved MapTool deeply, but I think my days of downloading clients and changing network settings are over.
Tangling with server and network settings isn't really a deal-breaker for me. My work entails aiding fellow IT professionals with such matters so I'm not necessarily put-off by messing with NAT, firewalls, or DNS. (The only reason I don't host PbPs on my own site is simply because there's more traffic here.)
The reasons why screenshots are necessary isn't a technical consideration so much as a storytelling one. It's so that those reading thru the campaign at a later date can see how fights played out in a visual manner. The way my wiki is setup, each battle stores a record of all updates to the map, and with each update I post during the course of the battle, I post links to both the battle map itself (which then displays the current revision) as well as a permanent link that will always link back to that specific update.
That said, I suppose I could do something like simply linking them to a VTT directly and then also keep the historical archive on the wiki, but then not only am I updating 2 sites instead of 1, I also risk literally not having everyone on the same page.
At any rate, if it's possible to disable a lot of the screen-clutter thru preferences then I suppose it can't hurt to evaluate Roll20 on its merits as strictly a map-usage tool. Thanks for the feedback on it, EL. :)
I've been experimenting with Roll20 for the better part of an hour now and there are some features like BG music, page management, and token searches that are pretty cool. I also like the right-click support for many frequently-used functions (the grid alignment tool is a nice touch). I will say that it IS very easy-to-use.
On the downside, the import process reduced the visual quality of my 2700x1600 test map pretty severely. Being as this the test map is the same map I'm actually using in-game right now, that's something of a cause for concern. Another thing is that I can't stand fling-based panning except on web pages on my cell phone. When I stop moving my mouse, the map-panning needs to stop, it shouldn't slide around as if on ice — particularly when I have not even released the mouse button. :-\
Overall, I can see the appeal of the program and I might recommend it to some other GMs I know for whom ease-of-use trumps other considerations. For me though, it doesn't look like it will be a good fit at this time.
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Maptool has been a disaster VTT most times I've played with it due to the Java 6 issue. Amazing news that it's gotten an update so that it works with Java 7, I'll be keen to give that another go.
Still haven't gotten a chance to play in a decent timeslot in a Roll20 game.
Combat Assistant is what I use for the simplicity. It's had some issues semi-recently with connections, but the latest versions have fixed that as long as the GM isn't using the (last-resort) "web server" option for when they're behind a firewall.