Online grid map with icons?

[Frosty]

One of my players moved away temporarily and it's hard for him to game with us during battles because we have to describe everything to him via the headset about the relative positions of everyone. Are there any online map editors that I cna use to show where everyone's positions are?

[seedjar]

Several - try Google or the forum search. I haven't got much use out of any of them, though... none of them make any sense to me.
~Joe

[Gaiwecoor]

There are several of them out there. The two I'm most familiar with are:

• MapTool [link]
• OpenRPG [link]

MapTool, my personal preference, is Java-based, so it should be able to run on most systems. OpenRPG is Python based, so it'll run on most systems once they get Python set up.

There are plenty of others out there, I'm just not familiar with them.

Good luck!

[heruca]

Frosty, there are many such programs. I suggest you take a look at Battlegrounds (which I develop, BTW). The link is in my sig.

[Frosty]

Cool. Do I have to provide my own graphics, or are there already preset tiles that I can move and put into a map easily? All I'm looking is an easy-to-use tool to create maps and place icons on that I can share with others over the net.

[heruca]

Absolutely. There's loads of maps and token art available for free download. Links to the largest art sources are available higher up on the page that I linked to earlier.

Direct link

[UserClone]

Or you could go the easiest and free-est route, MapMagical Encounter Editor.

[ZebulonCrispi]

I'm actually in the market for something along these lines myself. I've looked at quite a few, and I might end up going with OpenRPG, but nothing I've seen really quite nails what I'm looking for:

-Easy to use. One of my players is not particularly computer-literate, and I want to avoid strain on that end if I can.
-Doesn't force me to use ten pictures of generic fantasy characters. I can work with something that asks you to import your own graphics, but ideal would be the ability to just place abstract markers on an abstract grid that is shared by multiple people.
-The drawing-on-the-map thing that some of these have is damn nice, for things like areas of effect and whatnot.
-Chat.

That's it! That's all I need. I don't need or particularly want elaborate background art for the maps, fog of war, dynamic lightning, multiple terrain layers, topology, or programmable character sheets. Just a board, some markers, and a chat window. Optionally, not even the chat window.

Like I said, OpenRPG seems to be the closest to what I need, but if anyone knows something better, I'd love to hear about it.

[malagigi]

I haven't looked at the other ones myself, but one that I've been very happy with is gametable, a free Java based whiteboard with hexes or squares. It has the functionality to allow you to you to draw on the map, make your own underlays, and make your own 'pogs' (which represent characters) and upload them to the game. It doesn't support VoIP, so you'll have to use a seperate program for that, but it does have a chat window, with PM option, and dice roller.

Just another free option when you're shopping around.

[valadil]

I'm working on one of these apps too. It's still in development though so it doesn't do ya much good. The difference between this one and the others I've seen is that it'll run in your browser instead of in a downloaded application. Also it'll support linux users.

[heruca]

Valadil, when it's done, please PM me with a link, so that I can add it to my master list of virtual tabletops. Good luck with it!

[valadil]

Valadil, when it's done, please PM me with a link, so that I can add it to my master list of virtual tabletops. Good luck with it!

TY, will do. I haven't a clue when that will be though. The problem with this project is that I'm focusing on doing it right rather than getting it done. The other problem is that I've only found time to work on it while at work and work is gonna be getting real busy real soon.

[Frosty]

Or you could go the easiest and free-est route, MapMagical Encounter Editor.

I used to use that site, until they pulled the app. I can't access it anymore, not for the past 2 weeks at the very least. I mean, something like that was exactly what I needed.