Maptools

[The Glyphstone]

The game group I run is splitting up for winter break, but I'm planning on trying to use Maptools to keep the game running while everyone's away. I've downloaded all the Tools (Map, Character, Initiative, and Dice) as the GM, but which tools do the Players need to install to interact with my server?

(I've posted on the RPTools forum too, but a moderator has to approve the post and they don't appear to log on frequently).

[Mr.Moron]

They'll only need map tool, the same version as yours.

All they need to do is go to File->Connect to Server, and enter the info. It's really pretty simple.

Dice/Initiative/Token tool are all sort their own standalone things. Token tool is useful for making tokens to use with map tool.

However, I find most of the other offerings are rather redundant with functionality already built into maptool.

[Badgerish]

They'll only need map tool, the same version as yours.

All they need to do is go to File->Connect to Server, and enter the info. It's really pretty simple.

Dice/Initiative/Token tool are all sort their own standalone things. Token tool is useful for making tokens to use with map tool.

However, I find most of the other offerings are rather redundant with functionality already built into maptool.confirming all this.

Maptools has a basic setup that covers standard d20 rules, but if you want more support (especially for a different system) consider using a 'framework' which is pre-configured campaign file that include standardised settings and macros for that system.

[GeekGirl]

I would recommend putting the server up before you plan on playing and letting everyone test the connection. My group tried Maptools for a while, but it didn't quite work how we wanted it too. the first night we spend far more time then we should have trying to connect everyone.

[The Glyphstone]

I won't need a special framework to just run a basic 3.P game then, good.

[Reaper_Monkey]

It speeds things up massively if any stock images you're using the players have already however. As although they can download then on the fly, it saves a lot of hassle when you don't need to wait for players to load up several images before they can see what's going on.

[Gensh]

It speeds things up massively if any stock images you're using the players have already however. As although they can download then on the fly, it saves a lot of hassle when you don't need to wait for players to load up several images before they can see what's going on.

Speaking of this, if you want to use your own set of images, then it's best to use the instructions for setting up a server to load your imageset to a Dropbox account. That'll speed loadtime exponentially, especially if you're using highly detailed prerendered maps. You can also speed up gameplay by either downloading or building a set of macros for the players and a second set for you as a DM if it's needed. For example, you could set each character's statistics on its own token and then give the players a "Skill Roll" macro with a drop-down menu to automatically calculate the static modifier and add it to a roll. That way, you're cutting out a series of steps for each action and you don't waste any extra time when a player forgets s/his ranks in Spot or something.

[Almaseti]

One thing you as DM might want to be aware of in regard to maptools: it seems like it's easy for players to accidentally overwhelm the DM. For example, one of them PMs you saying they want to sense evil on that dude there, and that guy is asking if there are any windows in the room, and two of them both say they're going to pick up the plot coupon, and then this other one wants to cast a spell, and they all appear at the same time and all require a response. You may want to make some houserules to prevent players from getting ahead of you, or make sure to be really prepared in order to respond quickly.

I've never been a DM personally, that's just something I've noticed from games I have played in, which has been exclusively via maptools.

[Reynard]

I won't need a special framework to just run a basic 3.P game then, good.

Eh, you will, if only for the dice macros. The framework I used to use could do all kinds of things like automatically deal damage if an attack hit, and would auto-roll to confirm crits, and output it as attractive text rather than a string of numbers.

Not sure if it has updated to more recent versions, though.

Of course, you could write your own macros.

I would recommend putting the server up before you plan on playing and letting everyone test the connection. My group tried Maptools for a while, but it didn't quite work how we wanted it too. the first night we spend far more time then we should have trying to connect everyone.

Oh god, this. Most of the sessions of a campaign I played on maptools would take over an hour to start, and the first session of one I ran took an hour and a half to get all the technical problems ironed out.

[Akodo Makama]

As a maptool GM (face-to-face and coast-to-coast), I highly recommend using some type of voice chat system. That way everyone else knows when someone's talking to you. You can still use the chat interface for whispering (and sending info that needs to be understood precisely, like damage totals).

And again, all you need is maptool. It has integrated dice and initiative. For something that's not going to last very long, I wouldn't worry about character sheets, just let the players use the pieces of paper they already have. Getting all the stats set up can be a bit overwhelming the first time, so, you'll probably be better using paper yourself for tracking the monsters, etc. for the same reasons.

While using the powerful macro and state tracking speeds things up a lot, it takes quite a bit of setting up. The frameworks people are referring to have already done this work for you, so you don't have to know the details, but you do then have to learn how to use the framework. For a couple of weeks, I don't know if it's worth that much effort.

If, from the File menu, you select "Add Resource to Library", the bottom tab (looks like a sword in a gear) has a selection of downloadable sets of images for building maps (walls, doors, etc). I highly recommend Tsortan's sets. If your players also download these ahead of time, they won't have to get them during the game, saving time.

Do look through the user creations section of the RPtools website, specifically for tokens. Get the ones you need ahead of time.

The one extra tool you might want to use is the TokenTool. It is just a quick interface to take an image you already have, cut it to shape and put a nice border on it. So if you find the PERFECT red dragon picture, you can use it, it will still look like a proper token.

[VvVAez]

I too have experienced ridiculous connection issues with MapTools. I have found very few people who are able to configure their network to host MapTools in the first place. In addition, many players have issues even connecting with the server and I've seen problems with maintaining a connection over the 4+ hours it takes for a game.

Suffice to say, it can be a huge pain and is something you need to worry about well before the session starts. We've switched to using VPN software like Hamachi for MapTools, which solves many of the issues since we can play "locally". I am never, ever going back.

[GeekGirl]

As a maptool GM (face-to-face and coast-to-coast), I highly recommend using some type of voice chat system. That way everyone else knows when someone's talking to you. You can still use the chat interface for whispering (and sending info that needs to be understood precisely, like damage totals).

We used to use Ventrillo, but we stopped when we stopped paying for our server. We switched to Axon (https://axon.dolby.com/download_sign_up.php). It works closer to an IM client, you add friends to your "buddy list" and than just invite them to the room for voice chat. they handle all the server side stuff so configuring it is way easier than Vent or Teamspeak.

[The Glyphstone]

I've got access to a Mumble server, so that's not an issue.

[flumphy]

You can emulate TokenTool's functionality in five minutes using basically any graphics program that allows for layers (i.e., pretty much anything but MS Paint.) At a higher resolution, too!

[Akodo Makama]

You can emulate TokenTool's functionality in five minutes using basically any graphics program that allows for layers (i.e., pretty much anything but MS Paint.) At a higher resolution, too!

Slightly off topic, but in Maptool, higher resolution isn't better: it's often worse. More pixels per image = more time to transfer them to the clients, and more memory/processor power needed to load and render a map. Also, Maptool uses 'nearest neighbor' interpolation, meaning that a high resolution image (256x256 token, which the tool can make easily) displayed at a lower resolution (50x50) on the monitor will look blocky. So making tokens at anything more than the resolution they're intended to be displayed at (50-100 pixels) isn't good.

Plus, what takes five minutes in a full program takes 15 seconds in the tool (including load time and browsing for the image), assuming you know how to use both applications equally well.

[Madcrafter]

My group just recently tried using MapTools the other day, and it worked wonderfully. I was running Keep on the Shadowfell as a one shot just to test and see if it would work long term over the winter. We were using a hamachi server, and had no connection issues, so that might work for your group as well.

I would definitely recommend using some sort of voice chat, since we were playing across a table in the same room, and it still sometimes was overwhelming with only 3 players moving around and trying to look at different things. Putting notes in your maps could also help with this, allowing them to click for some of the information, though that would take some more prep time beforehand.

[flumphy]

Plus, what takes five minutes in a full program takes 15 seconds in the tool (including load time and browsing for the image), assuming you know how to use both applications equally well.

I meant five minutes to create the initial template with a border and mask you can just copy-paste into. After that it's equally quick. I kicked myself for the time I spent downloading and messing with TokenTool after I realized how pointless it was, so I was just trying to save someone else the trouble.