What options do PbP GMs like to use for maps, as well as for posting them for players? I'm thinking about trying to GM one, and maps are something that I think would be important to have a plan for.
Thank you in advance for any answers.
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Some people use Roll20 or Tableplop (although everyone I've seeing using the latter has been running games on Discord), but if you're looking to keep it fairly simple you can use Google Drawings or Google Slides to make a shareable and editable map. Drop the link in the campaign header and in your GM profile header so your players can easily access it. Here's an EXAMPLE.
Painlord's guide HERE gives decent coverage of the Google option and mentions Roll20, although since it's something like nine years old it predates Tableplop.
I do google slides - simple and effective. Not fancy, but I don't need it to be.
if you're looking to keep it fairly simple you can use Google Drawings or Google Slides
I'll advocate for Google Slides over Google Drawings if any players access the maps on their phone. Google Drawings is difficult to maneuver on a phone's web browser, while Google Slides has a mobile app that makes using maps on that platform much easier.
Some people use Roll20 or Tableplop (although everyone I've seeing using the latter has been running games on Discord)
Tableplop looks more like a full fledged VTT then a mapping system?
I'm here to vouch for Slides too. If you can, make sure to lock the slide map on the bottom layer so people don't delete it or move it around.
Thanks. I'll have to look into Google Slides. I've never used them, but I'm good at picking things up.
if you're looking to keep it fairly simple you can use Google Drawings or Google SlidesI'll advocate for Google Slides over Google Drawings if any players access the maps on their phone. Google Drawings is difficult to maneuver on a phone's web browser, while Google Slides has a mobile app that makes using maps on that platform much easier.
Just to complicate others' recommendations: as a GM, I prefer Google Drawings. In Slides I keep moving to the wrong slide by accident, and I just find slight differences the interface, such that Drawings makes it easier to create, move, and alter maps. In addition to uploading pre-drawn maps and pasting them into the interface, I have even used the table feature in drawings to make a square map grid that I then use very basic color fills to create a very simple, not pretty, but useful battle map. (This may be doable in slides as well, mind, but I still find Drawings less fiddly for the purpose of battle maps.)
Google Slides is more accessible for mobile; not gonna argue with that. The other benefit to Slides is if you want multiple "handouts" available to PCs they can all be in the same presentation. (But me, I'd use slides for handouts and drawings still for the map).
In either case the benefit of Google is no one needs an account to access the document as long as you've set the sharing settings to anyone with link.
Thanks. I'll have to look into Google Slides. I've never used them, but I'm good at picking things up.
If you've used Microsoft PowerPoint, you basically know how to use Google Slides.
Google Drawings is difficult to maneuver on a phone's web browser, while Google Slides has a mobile app that makes using maps on that platform much easier.
Whoah. I think slides is a nightmare on mobile. You can sort of get it to work… but it's really tricky to move around tokens, and most GMs don't lock the background layer so if you tap the wrong thing all kinds of wonky stuff happens. My groups just post in the OOC or group Slack / Discord asking someone to move a token.
I would love it if someone made a simple mobile-friendly map-only tabletop for PbP. Something focused in scope and well-made for touch devices.
It would be super relevant for both Discord and forum games and I'd gladly pay for it.
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Google Drawings is difficult to maneuver on a phone's web browser, while Google Slides has a mobile app that makes using maps on that platform much easier.Whoah. I think slides is a nightmare on mobile. You can sort of get it to work… but it's really tricky to move around tokens, and most GMs don't lock the background layer so if you tap the wrong thing all kinds of wonky stuff happens. My groups just post in the OOC or group Slack / Discord asking someone to move a token.
I would love it if someone made a simple mobile-friendly map-only tabletop for PbP. Something focused in scope and well-made for touch devices.
It would be super relevant for both Discord and forum games and I'd gladly pay for it.
Note that was not my recommendation but a poster above who I was repeating. Because you can use the mobile Slides app. (Not the browser version, which is icky on a phone.)
The challenge is finding something people can look at without having to make an account.