Getting old sucks. Reaching my 30's, I find that my closest friends get further and further away from me. We all love Pathfinder/Dnd, and want to play together online, but I have no idea where to start!
I'm going to be DMing the game, and I've decided to use raidcall for voice chat, but I need to know more about VTTs.
How exactly do these work? If I create a map, can all my friends access it at the same time? Can they move their characters on my map and it show for everyone connected? Can I limit each individual player to access only certain things on the map?
Are the programs simple to use?
How exactly the online experience is, differs on the program you are using. I have 1 suggestion that has a lot support and video tutorials.
To be fair I have never used it myself. But I have done a fair bit of research into the VTTs. The one above is so far my favorite for depth and simplicity.
Your link doesn't seem to be working.
Also, does maptool allow for things like I'm asking about?
Also, does maptool allow for things like I'm asking about?
How exactly do these work? If I create a map, can all my friends access it at the same time? Can they move their characters on my map and it show for everyone connected? Can I limit each individual player to access only certain things on the map?
Are the programs simple to use?
your answers to the one above regarding Maptool.
1) Creating a map is really just creating a jpg file with the layout. and you have your PC act like a server. So as long as port forwards and firewall settings are proper yes your friends can connect.
2) Yup you can create the tokens and decide who has what power to move what creatures. And everyone will see every movement in real time.
3) yup you can setup permission power to see or interact with doodads you may or may not create on the map.
and the most important question:
4) is it easy to use? Absolutely f@!!ing not. I am pretty good with PC and code, and in order to get the most out of this I had to learn a lot of code and also learn to use photoshop. And the even bigger issue I had, the players had to learn to use the tools and that can be tough depending on your team.
I use roll20.net it doesn't require any one to install anything, vpn or any such nonsense.
Make a campaign and use a jpg image for a map, or draw it in roll20 itself. Grab some tokens online somewhere or make your own and your good to go in minutes.
You can asign control of each token however you like, specific player(s), or akl players. And you have a special gm layer where you can hide tokens you don't want the others to see.
Roll20, Roll20, Roll20.
In a year, I went from playing 1 game to GMing 3, because I saw how easy it makes GMing work. Some of the fancier aspects (dynamic lighting, I'm looking at you) are still a bit buggy (or problematically resource-intensive), but the basics are effective and addicting.
It is pretty slick on the players' side, too. Depth if you want it (macros, character sheets), with all the basics covered (clear line of sight and ranges, journal, dice roller) if that's your thing.
Definitely agree on Roll20. It's the simplest, easiest to use VTT I've encountered that has all the features I need. They're not even paying me to say that.
My helpful additional advice is don't feel because something is possible that you have to do it. You CAN make entire character sheets on it, for instance, and you can make macros to do every roll for you, but I tack on so many bonuses and penalties to my rolls I find it easier to just put together the roll anew every time rather than making a macro and having to say or type "also there's a +2 because I'm charging, and an extra +1 because it's undead, and another +1 because the wizard hasted the party, and a -2 because I'm sickened".
Another roll20 fanboy. If it werent for it, I could have never gotten into TRPGs in the first place.
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My group has played using Roll20, and also Maptool. We find Roll20 to be easy to start up, with no issues. However, Maptool is vastly superior once you figure out your port forwarding and connect. The zoom issues and handling layers is very tough in Roll20 by comparison. Our games in Maptool have always been much smoother.
Having played with both Maptool and Roll20, I'd say that Roll20 is easy to set up quickly, while Maptool has better features and more potential for invested players/GMs.