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Thread: Roll20

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    MikelaC1's Avatar

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    Default Roll20

    I am in the process of possibly setting up my first online game and I am looking at using Roll20 to do so. Because of my situation, I will be located in a different city than my players, likely 4-5 of them will be in one city and the 6th in a third city.
    My first question, is Roll20 "live" in that they will be able to move their tokens (they would have Roll20 open there), I would be able to move the NPCs and we would be able to communicate actions and results by voice, using TEAM as we do now. I assume that if this is so, the 6th outlier would be able to move as well.
    My second question is maps. I do not have the patience or skill to make maps but in browsing the site, I came across pre-drawn dungeon packs (one that really drew my eye for value was "Side Quest Dungeons). How exactly do they work? If I pay my fee, do they get loaded onto my account somewhere and then I just move them into the main display, which they would then be able to see at their location. And if that is indeed the way it works, how does someone stop them from zooming in and out and taking a good look at the whole dungeon, including any obvious secret doors. When I load in the new map, does the system choose icons to for all the players to move?
    Another question, one of my players has strong artistic talents, he plans to do sketches of every players character, is it possible for the images he creates to be somehow added to my accounts and have them to represent the characters instead of the system choices.
    Any help you could give would be appreciated, either here or via PM, or if you have a wall of text advice, my email is [email protected]
    #GoreMutualarejerks

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    ElfRangerGuy

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    Default Re: Roll20

    1) Yes, you can move tokens about on the map. Players can move tokens that are assigned to them (you will have to do this manually).

    2) There should be a way to load maps into your game, possibly through your library or whatever it is called. You can also upload any images you want into the game, including maps. Each map exists on it's own page within your game environment, which you will have to set up yourself. Absolutely do this in advance.

    3) There is built-in system for limiting line of sight on maps. This again requires you to manually set up which areas or objects/walls/etc block sight. It's not hard to do, just takes a little time. There is also a fog of war and lighting system that you can use to limit how far the players can see. This takes a bit of experimentation to set up at first.

    4) When you switch maps, you'll have to place the character tokens on them if you want them to exist. You can do this ahead of time, and put them wherever you want. The easiest way to do this is to have tokens linked to character sheets, then it's as simple as drag and drop.

    5) Your artistic player should send you their art if you want to upload it into the game files.

    I'll just say that there's a lot to learn about how to use the Roll20 environment, so don't expect everything to flow and function easily until you figure things out.
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    WolfInSheepsClothing

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    Default Re: Roll20

    In addition to the answer above, I will add that drawing a nice map takes a few hours as you painstakingly set the floor pieces. But drawing a crude map - just the walls on a white field, and monster miniatures where needed - only takes a few minutes.

    As for secret doors, roll20 has three levels on a map. Map layer, in background, can be used to represent anything static. I-forgot-how-they-call-it layer, where you put miniatures. And dm layer. Stuff in the dm layer is only visible to you, so you can put there all the secrets. When the players find them, just right-click and change layer

    I can definitely recommend roll20, my group used it during the lockdowns and it worked very well.
    Also, it's free, so you may as well try it first and then decide.
    Last edited by King of Nowhere; 2023-04-14 at 01:12 AM.

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    Orc in the Playground
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    Default Re: Roll20

    I seem to recall that dynamic fog of war and dynamic lighting are premium features, but there were some changes to those a few months ago. Free accounts also have only 100 MB storage space, which can quickly become a limiting factor if you want to run large and/or transparent tokens as well as file-based maps for all encounters. My tokens are all 120px jpegs (at least for small and medium creatures) of 10-30 KB, and after almost 50 sessions I am still bumping against the ceiling. I recommend offloading at least some spoiler-free content (PC tokens come to mind, but there are other options as well) to the players' accounts.

    For the latter, you have the player drop that image on a random map, you copy the newly created token to a hidden map that you treat like a raw egg, and then you can copypaste it from there to any new maps you are creating for upcoming sessions. Alternatively, you can give edit permissions on a blank handout to a player who then uploads an image and adds it, after which you withdraw edit permissions and do whatever else you need to do with it (through extra characters, this technically also works for tokens).

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    Default Re: Roll20

    Quote Originally Posted by King of Nowhere View Post
    As for secret doors, roll20 has three levels on a map. Map layer, in background, can be used to represent anything static. I-forgot-how-they-call-it layer, where you put miniatures. And dm layer. Stuff in the dm layer is only visible to you, so you can put there all the secrets. When the players find them, just right-click and change layer
    This is key.
    Map Layer gives you a chance to edit or create a map that then remains in place.
    Token Layer is where your players and you move tokens and items during play.
    GM Layer is where you put stuff that you can see, but the players can't see, until it is time for you to reveal them. I usually pre position all of my monsters there and then move them to a new layer when they are put into play.

    I am not sure what level of dynamic lighting is available to the free version, I'll get back to you on that.

    Roll20 has help/support forums. Some great people there, very helpful! I'd highly recommend them for questions you have.

    As an aside: map packs are a handy feature, but if you want to have a lot of content you need to probably get one of the subscription levels.
    Spoiler: I got a subscription since I share a world with my brother...
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    (I did the pro level because I can afford to (IIRC 99 dollars per year) and I like having the extra storage, however it's not necessary to do that in order to run a game).


    I'd suggest not doing that until you and your players are comfortable with the system.
    I can definitely recommend roll20. My group used it during the lockdowns and it worked very well.
    Also, it's free, so you may as well try it first and then decide.
    I also recommend it highly. We have been using it since 2014 and our players were in:

    Washington State (DM)
    California (Paladin)
    Chicago (Wizard)
    Upper Peninsula Michigan (Rogue)
    New York City (Bard)
    Virginia (Barbarian)
    Texas (Cleric (me))

    I am still playing with all of them, and we have added a player in Maryland and Florida to the group. (Not everyone can make it all of the time).

    I also recommend running a free adventure from roll20 called "The Master's Vault" which helps the DM and Players get used to roll20. It's a fairly short first level adventure that is plenty of fun. I think that it is available for free in the roll20 store.

    Best of luck.
    Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2023-04-14 at 07:51 AM.
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    Default Re: Roll20

    Thanks for this help. I am still having some issues and I cant seem to find a "help" email for these these problems.
    1) Im sort of working on making character sheets, but there doesnt seem to be a way to import from Mythweavers for instance. Im still not sure if I will be using Roll20, so I told them to use MW instead. I can get away with just making a sheet to tie to the markers but it would be better if I could just onload the data
    2) I have made a couple of sheets and moved markers onto the maps and they are HUGE.. One marker will fill a normal sized room. There doesnt appear to be anything to change the size of the map or the marker
    3) I am trying to use one of the free maps off the Roll20 site but its way too small, and doesnt fill the whole screen. Plus you cant work with it, it doesnt take any notes at all and will not erase so I now have two or three of these maps that are both on the screen. Delete or Edit buttons do nothing.
    #GoreMutualarejerks

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    Default Re: Roll20

    Quote Originally Posted by MikelaC1 View Post
    Thanks for this help. I am still having some issues and I cant seem to find a "help" email for these these problems.
    1) Im sort of working on making character sheets, but there doesnt seem to be a way to import from Mythweavers for instance. Im still not sure if I will be using Roll20, so I told them to use MW instead. I can get away with just making a sheet to tie to the markers but it would be better if I could just onload the data
    2) I have made a couple of sheets and moved markers onto the maps and they are HUGE.. One marker will fill a normal sized room. There doesnt appear to be anything to change the size of the map or the marker
    3) I am trying to use one of the free maps off the Roll20 site but its way too small, and doesnt fill the whole screen. Plus you cant work with it, it doesnt take any notes at all and will not erase so I now have two or three of these maps that are both on the screen. Delete or Edit buttons do nothing.
    The Help Center is accessed by hovering over the big Community tab at the top of any out-of-game page on Roll20. There are multiple options there, including a community maintained wiki as well. The Help Center started out as a copy of the community wiki, but has over time gotten pretty good for covering things, though sometimes the wiki displays examples better in my opinion (images display larger there for one thing).

    1. I can't really comment much here, since I haven't imported characters into Roll20 from elsewhere. Importing is a pretty complex endeavor that usually requires a mod/api script (which would require a pro subscription to use) or a browser extension. I think different systems have used one or the other of those methods, but they need constant updating since either one can break when there is a change with either site at the 2 ends of that data conversion.

    2. All images can be altered. If you have an image selected, there should be handles at the corners and the middle of each side with which you can expand/contract the image. If you right click the image, the menu will include options to delete, invert, and many others including setting the dimensions manually by number of pixels or grid units.

    3. If you look at the toolbar along the left side of the vtt, the text tool is one of the options available in the drawing section. You can put text on any layer, so you can leave text on the GM layer to remind you of things that the players shouldn't know. Anyone can put text on the token layer (the only layer players can interact with), and if you want something to be visible but out of the way, you can select a bit of text, right click on it, and send it to the map layer.

    Since you didn't hit up the Help Center, you might want to start here for the basics of Roll20: https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us/art...0-Crash-Course

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    Default Re: Roll20

    Quote Originally Posted by MikelaC1 View Post
    Thanks for this help. I am still having some issues and I cant seem to find a "help" email for these these problems.
    1) Im sort of working on making character sheets, but there doesnt seem to be a way to import from Mythweavers for instance. Im still not sure if I will be using Roll20, so I told them to use MW instead. I can get away with just making a sheet to tie to the markers but it would be better if I could just onload the data
    Are you creating your own character sheets from scratch? Or are you using existing character sheets that are already in Roll20? There are a lot of character sheets in Roll20 and you just need to select which one to use when you're setting up your game. (Maybe you already know this)

    I also am unaware of a way to import character sheet data other than manually entering it by hand.
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    Default Re: Roll20

    Quote Originally Posted by MikelaC1 View Post
    Thanks for this help. I am still having some issues and I cant seem to find a "help" email for these these problems.
    help in roll20 forums.
    https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us

    1) Im sort of working on making character sheets, but there doesnt seem to be a way to import from Mythweavers for instance.
    Suggest you use the standard char sheet that is provided for D&D 5e games.

    https://help.roll20.net/hc/en-us/art...D-5E-by-Roll20

    No, import from mythweavers won't work, nor can one export to mythweavers.

    I'm still not sure if I will be using Roll20, so I told them to use MW instead.
    roll20's sheets interact with the game engine. They are better in that respect.
    But it takes a little getting used to in order to get the weapon attacks to work correctly.
    Drag and drop from the Compendium to the char sheet: that's the best way.

    I can get away with just making a sheet to tie to the markers but it would be better if I could just onload the data
    You can associate a token with a char sheet.
    2) I have made a couple of sheets and moved markers onto the maps and they are HUGE.. One marker will fill a normal sized room. There doesnt appear to be anything to change the size of the map or the marker
    To change the size of the token, do this:
    1. Left click on the token, and then pick a corner of the token to drag.
    2. Push down and hold the Alt key
    3. Drag, pull, or push that corner and it will get bigger or smaller.
    4. Let go of left click.
    5. Let Go of Alt.

    The size will remain the same as you set it.


    3) I am trying to use one of the free maps off the Roll20 site but its way too small, and doesnt fill the whole screen. Plus you cant work with it, it doesnt take any notes at all and will not erase so I now have two or three of these maps that are both on the screen. Delete or Edit buttons do nothing.
    How I put notes on a map.
    1. Go to the GM layer.
    2. Hit Ctrl+G
    3. There's a text box, now type some notes into it.
    You can see it, the players cannot.

    PS:L There are also plenty of you tube videos on roll20 basics if you search for them.
    Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2023-04-21 at 02:50 PM.
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    Default Re: Roll20

    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Torath View Post
    I also am unaware of a way to import character sheet data other than manually entering it by hand.
    There is a Firefox add-on called Beyond 20 that allows data from DnD beyond to be used in Roll 20. There might be similar add ons for other sites as well.
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    Default Re: Roll20

    Ive managed to change the token sizes, so thanks a lot in that regard. Unfortunately, I play 3.5e and not 5 so the premade sheets wont work for me, as well, my players are going to want to make their own sheets, with my character generation rules, so theres that. I also plan to let my players roll instead of the roller, thats part of the fun of the game...at least as far as I think.
    Im also going to buy some of those pre-drawn dungeons, hoping that someone actually drawing for roll20 formatted for them as well.
    #GoreMutualarejerks

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    Default Re: Roll20

    Quote Originally Posted by MikelaC1 View Post
    Unfortunately, I play 3.5e and not 5 so the premade sheets wont work for me, as well, my players are going to want to make their own sheets, with my character generation rules, so theres that. I also plan to let my players roll instead of the roller, thats part of the fun of the game...at least as far as I think.
    There is a 3.5 character sheet. Actually, there are 3, though I don't know the differences between them. Simply type in 3.5 in the field when you create your game or edit game settings to change the character sheet, and they will come right up. If you have questions about using the "D&D 3.5E" sheet, there is an active thread on it, since it has been undergoing some upgrades recently: https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/10...ade/?pagenum=9

    If that sheet is not to your liking, there are also sheets labeled as "D&D 3.5E Adventure Pack" and "D&D 3.5E The Black Company".

    Edit: Or else I misunderstood what you were saying and you were just meaning importing existing sheets wasn't available...
    Last edited by Kraynic; 2023-04-22 at 07:58 PM.

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    Default Re: Roll20

    As someone who's been using roll20 for a long time, the best piece of advice I can give you is "use it as sparingly as possible." Don't touch macros or integrated character sheets, don't worry about finding good-looking maps and tokens, don't stress about line-of-sight or initiative tracking or even hit point bars on tokens. Keep using all the same notes and organizations that you're used to using in live games and pretend that roll20 is nothing but a video chat service with a shared whiteboard.

    Because while there are a lot of cool bells and whistles, and they can be really useful at times, they're not obligatory. Use what you understand and ignore the rest; you'll save a lot of headaches that way. All the fancy stuff can be picked up bit-by-bit as you go along.
    Last edited by Grod_The_Giant; 2023-04-23 at 12:32 PM.
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