Looking for a simple reliable free online tabletop

[Thajocoth]

I've been having some trouble with OpenRPG. It consistently has trouble showing images larger than, say, 50x50 pixels. I use 25x25 for my grid. It also has trouble if I try to put more than a couple words of text on the map, either directly, or in a mini's name.

So I tried maptools, but it looks too complex. It wants to do everything for me. I don't want it to do everything.

Here's what I want:
A simple map I can draw on that will accept images without a problem and will allow me to have a visible 25x25 pixel per square grid.
A chat window that can also roll dice.
The ability for this program to allow a few other people to connect to my game.
The ability to put some sort of a mark on a mini. (To show when, say, a fighter has marked a mini.)

I don't need any other features at all, and none of these should require prior setup per session or pop-up boxes with a bunch of settings mid-game. Prior setup after initial install is fine, just not, like, every time I enter the app. (Our sessions are short enough. They don't need to be bogged down with the mechanics of the app we're using.)

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For now, I'm just using OpenRPG with a set of small single-color circles for minis and hoping those load. (They don't always.) I have a saved map with the grid set to 25x25 pixels which I load beforehand. For marks we set the mini's direction, which puts a misshapen black splotch on the mini. For other effects, we edit the mini's name, adding {B} for bloodied, for example. It's simple to use... But the image loader is crap.

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Does what I want to use exist?

[shadzar]

Does what I want to use exist?

If it does, I haven't found it yet.

The closet I ever found was NWN and making the maps on it and walk through it with players as the invisible DM, but its horrible radial interface and lack of many things annoyed me to no end.

Simple VTTs are hard to find because most people want to add everything into it, to leave it so open you have to program everything into it. :smallfurious:

I think someone was working on a web-based chat thing for websites as a virtual table top that let images be swapped and changed by DMs using Java or something, but cannot find it anymore. :smallfrown:

[AstralFire]

Use maptools. You're perfectly free to ignore the complex features, it's what I do.

[Vortling]

Use maptools. You're perfectly free to ignore the complex features, it's what I do.

Seconded. You can also drop by the maptools forums for help http://forums.rptools.net/ or you could swing by GitP chat as several of us there us it on a regular basis and can answer questions about it.

[Thajocoth]

Use maptools. You're perfectly free to ignore the complex features, it's what I do.

Even doing simple things, at least from what I can tell, Maptools requires lots of pop-up boxes and the like. The first several times I tried to click & drag a mini to move it, other things would be effected instead, like grid offset. Things like that are more encumbering and slow everybody down as I'll have to explain it to the players 6 times. (And I don't really like it's dice roller as much. I can type [1d6+1d6+1d6+1d6+5] when I have a brutal weapon, so it's not a real problem that'd effect my decision, but it doesn't help.)

Since I'm valuing speed/efficiency/ease of use over looks, it seems I'm sticking with OpenRPG for now... It would just be nice to have the best of both.

[AstralFire]

Even doing simple things, at least from what I can tell, Maptools requires lots of pop-up boxes and the like. The first several times I tried to click & drag a mini to move it, other things would be effected instead, like grid offset.

What? What shouldn't be happening. You'll get a little dialogue asking you to name it and decide whether it's an NPC or PC, but that's it. o.o

[Thajocoth]

What? What shouldn't be happening. You'll get a little dialogue asking you to name it and decide whether it's an NPC or PC, but that's it. o.o

Dragging it onto the field was no problem, except the box you mentioned (would there be a way to shut that box off?) Dragging the mini to a new position on the map was.

[AstralFire]

You right-click it to move, I think? And left click brings up the menu? I forget.

[koldstare]

OpenRPG would be another option it doesn't have the complicated features of maptools, and you can simply download any image file to use as a map, draw your own in whatever program or just load a grid and draw one on the fly.

P.S. I prefer maptools OpenRPG is just easier to use

[AstralFire]

Er, read the OP. OpenRPG is giving him trouble. It's pretty bad, IMO.

[Gralamin]

Dragging it onto the field was no problem, except the box you mentioned (would there be a way to shut that box off?) Dragging the mini to a new position on the map was.

You Have Adjust Grid Selected. Close that before moving a pog.

[Thajocoth]

OpenRPG would be another option it doesn't have the complicated features of maptools, and you can simply download any image file to use as a map, draw your own in whatever program or just load a grid and draw one on the fly.

P.S. I prefer maptools OpenRPG is just easier to use

Except that you can't load any image you want. Most images just result in a "Fetching" image that lasts forever. I'm using 1.7.1 because 1.7.3 & 1.7.5 were both too screwey with minis, including random disconnects for having too many.


You Have Adjust Grid Selected. Close that before moving a pog.

I figured that out eventually. Adjust Grid became selected because I was trying to figure out how to turn the grid on. (I found it odd that it'd default to off.)

Though, my initial reaction when I opened it and saw my screen filled with side-boxes and such a tiny chat box was "woah!", so I may have been carrying the bad 1st impression into my fiddling with it. (Resolution: 1360x768. That's why I use 25x25 pixels per square.)

[Animefunkmaster]

Maptools Video Tuts (http://rptoolstutorials.net/index.htm). I spent approximately 30 minutes of my time getting through the intro to map tools vids and now setting up simple maps (I make in photoshop and import) with simple premade tokens, is a breeze.

[koldstare]

Except that you can't load any image you want. Most images just result in a "Fetching" image that lasts forever. I'm using 1.7.1 because 1.7.3 & 1.7.5 were both too screwey with minis, including random disconnects for having too many.


I'm sorry to hear that, I have never had that problem. Though I just got the 1.7.1 and never updated it. On the update page I just clicked start instead of anything else

[Thajocoth]

I'm sorry to hear that, I have never had that problem. Though I just got the 1.7.1 and never updated it. On the update page I just clicked start instead of anything else

So, using 1.7.1, you can load this image without any problems? If so, could this be effected by OS, maybe? I have XP Pro.

http://www.gamecheetz.com/Dome%20Map%203.png

[AstralFire]

Using 1.7.1 and have no issue with that in Vista 64; however, it did kick off an AFK player.