Online D&D Map Tools?

[Dakaran]

Hello! I'm trying to find some good online map tools for running D&D games. Right now I've just been using a Google Docs Spreadsheet. I was wondering if anyone could make some suggestions for some good online mapping tools/apps that would allow me to include personalized tokens for PCs and monsters. Thanks so much! (Oh, I'd prefer free online tools, but if there's some online map tool that's freakin' amazing but costs a little, let me know as well.)

[Roguenewb]

MapTools is pretty good. Making maps is a bit of a pain, but you can upload printed maps and just move tokens around on them. I'm going it in PbP and while the payoff isn't truly astounding, the payoff per work is *huge*.

As for running in realtime online campaigns, Maptools can do that too, but it's pretty complex and hard to use.

[Sipex]

Since we're already on the subject.

I'm currently in the midst of teaching myself how to use maptool. So far my expertise only includes setting up the bare bones for a map (ie: Uploading the image and re-aligning the grid).

I need this for an active game (ie: players sign into the maptool server to play in real time) so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a set of tutorials which will teach me everything which I'll need to know?

[Badgerish]

more support for maptools here (www.rptools.net)

see the forums for "frameworks" which are campaign files that emulate different games (e.g. D&D 4ed, M&M, WFRP 3rd, etc)

It's free, online, PC and Mac compatible, has 4 drawing/object layers. you can draw with textures or import images as maps. Import tokens to emulate characters/miniatures or off-screen elements (e.g. NPC speeches, room descriptions). Basic dice roller and advanced support for macros that track variables and states, some which auto-update other values (if you have tempHP and take damage, it will automatically damage your tempHP then your real HP)

I need this for an active game (ie: players sign into the maptool server to play in real time) so I was wondering if anyone could recommend a set of tutorials which will teach me everything which I'll need to know?

There are a bunch of video tutorials on the rptools website, I found them very useful. Mastery will only come from practice though.

edit: Maptools video tutorials: http://www.rptoolstutorials.net/

[1337 b4k4]

Maptools has a whole lot of features and cool bells and whistles, but I eventually gave up on using it because for me, the workflow was too much in comparison to the benefits I was getting from the features (i.e. I really liked vision blocking / FOW, but when you draw a line or object as a "wall" you can specify to the system to include VB/FOW on that line, you have to go back over everything you drew with the VB/FOW tools.

If you just need a really basic white board type app, I highly recommend GameTableOSU / VTable (http://sourceforge.net/projects/gametableproj/)

Incidentally, the rptools token generator is pretty good.

[Silva Stormrage]

I personally love http://roll20.net its incredibly effective and I haven't had a problem with it yet.

[SamBurke]

I personally love http://roll20.net its incredibly effective and I haven't had a problem with it yet.

Gotta go all out with this.

ROLL. 20. ROCKS.

It is amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing. Free. Sturdy. Got a lot of cool possibilities. And they are some great folks doing the dev work. So there's my 2 cents, most vehemently.

[kyoryu]

MapTools is pretty good. Making maps is a bit of a pain, but you can upload printed maps and just move tokens around on them. I'm going it in PbP and while the payoff isn't truly astounding, the payoff per work is *huge*.

As for running in realtime online campaigns, Maptools can do that too, but it's pretty complex and hard to use.

Maptools can be hard to use, but it's not *that* bad if you just use it as a virtual map, and don't go for any macro support or anything like that.

[Rallicus]

I personally love http://roll20.net its incredibly effective and I haven't had a problem with it yet.

My initial reaction to Roll20 was that it wasn't very impressive. I felt that Maptool did everything Roll20 could do, but better.

However, now that I've started running a game in Roll20, my opinion has changed dramatically.


Positives of Roll20:

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• Journals and Notes. I can't get enough of these, and I honestly think they're Roll20's best feature.

• Image searching. Makes DMing so much easier when you don't have to go into tokentools and make a token.

• Align to grid. Throw down a predrawn map, align to grid, voila.

• Simple interface when it comes to tokens. Also "GM Notes" which give the GM easy access to information.

• Music, video and microphone are good to have if you want them.

Negatives of Roll20:

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• Incredibly simplistic macros.

• Downright AWFUL fog of war mechanics.

• 100MB image limit (not a huge deal, considering searched images don't count towards your space total).

• Glitchy microphone and video features. I just use Skype instead.

Positives of Maptool:

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• Comprehensive macros. If I didn't have these in the Cyberpunk2020 game I'm in, I think I'd tear my hair out from having to constantly look at my character sheet.

• Great fog of war system. Light sources are based off tokens AND the GM revealing areas, and light isn't limited to squares and rectangles.

• Unlimited space, or seemingly unlimited space. No 100MB image limit.

Negatives of Maptool:

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• Very time consuming.

• Steep learning curve.

• You have to import all images yourself, besides a few select tiles/tokens. They don't even have a wooden floor tile by default!

I could probably go on, but that's all I have the energy to bring up right now.

In conclusion, my vote goes to:

Roll20 if you're GMing. Things are a whole lot easier for the GM in Roll20, and I'd say mapmaking takes roughly 1/4 the time it would in Maptool.

Maptool if you're a player. Because of macros.

[1337 b4k4]

Maptools can be hard to use, but it's not *that* bad if you just use it as a virtual map, and don't go for any macro support or anything like that.

The problem is, if you're just going to use it as a virtual map, and don't use any of the more advanced features, Maptool's value proposition goes way down. There are so many other tools that do basic shared drawing and maping so much simpler.

[Akodo Makama]

I found MapTool's macros easy to get working, but I program device drivers in assembly for a living, so I might not be the most average user.

The time to make an adventure gets progressively smaller as you use it more.

Maptool has extensive libraries of images you and your players can download ahead of game time, putting less stress on your internet connection when you actually play. They include a number of 'tiles' you can put together to make highly varied dungeons, castles, etc. , which make maps easier to put together. They also include a number of basic tokens to use.

Initially, you spend a lot of time making each token for each monster. But, if you save them as you go, the second time you need a "BasicGoblinArcher" you just drag and drop him into the map (or drag and drop a dozen into the map). If you only use the pretty pictures, it's not too bad, the more you use tokens to keep track of (HP, Stats, conditions, abilities, auto-rolling attacks, auto-applying damage and conditions, auto-expiring conditions, etc.) the more work it is.

The map prep time stays pretty static, only getting marginally faster as your skills improve. Mostly you just lears which tiles to use for the effect you're looking for.

Adding 'Fog of War' triples your time. the work flow is "First make the map, then add fog of war, then check fog with a token, then reset the fog, then fix any fog errors, repeat as needed, reset and wait for the players". But having each player only able to see the monsters their token can, not always knowing what the other players are talking about, seeing only part of a multi-tiered ambush: it's great fun and increases the immersion immensely.

MapTool's biggest flaw is it's networking support. It either works first try with no trouble, or it's a pain in the keister, requiring many hours of "Did this work? How about this? Ok, now try this...". Communicating exactly what the problem is, and whet the solution is, is difficult via message boards. Fortunately, once it's up and running for the DM, it continues to work.

[Dakaran]

Does anyone know what the best image size (pixel width x height) for loading into Roll20 and MapTool? I want to make some images to use, but I don't want them to stretch or shrink and look all grainy and crappy.

[Badgerish]

Depends on the detail level of source picture.
I use TokenTool (from RPTools) and usually use the 120x120 or 256x256 options.

[Silva Stormrage]

My initial reaction to Roll20 was that it wasn't very impressive. I felt that Maptool did everything Roll20 could do, but better.

However, now that I've started running a game in Roll20, my opinion has changed dramatically.


Positives of Roll20:

Spoiler

Show

• Journals and Notes. I can't get enough of these, and I honestly think they're Roll20's best feature.

• Image searching. Makes DMing so much easier when you don't have to go into tokentools and make a token.

• Align to grid. Throw down a predrawn map, align to grid, voila.

• Simple interface when it comes to tokens. Also "GM Notes" which give the GM easy access to information.

• Music, video and microphone are good to have if you want them.

Negatives of Roll20:

Spoiler

Show

• Incredibly simplistic macros.

• Downright AWFUL fog of war mechanics.

• 100MB image limit (not a huge deal, considering searched images don't count towards your space total).

• Glitchy microphone and video features. I just use Skype instead.

Positives of Maptool:

Spoiler

Show

• Comprehensive macros. If I didn't have these in the Cyberpunk2020 game I'm in, I think I'd tear my hair out from having to constantly look at my character sheet.

• Great fog of war system. Light sources are based off tokens AND the GM revealing areas, and light isn't limited to squares and rectangles.

• Unlimited space, or seemingly unlimited space. No 100MB image limit.

Negatives of Maptool:

Spoiler

Show

• Very time consuming.

• Steep learning curve.

• You have to import all images yourself, besides a few select tiles/tokens. They don't even have a wooden floor tile by default!

I could probably go on, but that's all I have the energy to bring up right now.

In conclusion, my vote goes to:

Roll20 if you're GMing. Things are a whole lot easier for the GM in Roll20, and I'd say mapmaking takes roughly 1/4 the time it would in Maptool.

Maptool if you're a player. Because of macros.

Ya I think this is pretty fair. I use skype when I use roll20 as well. Though why do you hate the fog of war mechanic that much? I don't consider it THAT bad. I would prefer it had something that concealed tokens but not the map but other than that its fine IMO.

[TheThan]

Maptools + skype or some other live audio (and/or video) conferencing program is fantastic. It’s not quite like having a live, in person session, but it’s still pretty solid.