Free Online Client

[BardicDuelist]

Does anyone know of a good online client to use for RPGs? I'd really like one that allows live interface, some type of mapping, and is non-system specific (both for computers and game systems).

Of course I'm probably dreaming and hoping, but I figured I'd ask.

[shadow_archmagi]

Does anyone know of a good online client to use for RPGs? I'd really like one that allows live interface, some type of mapping, and is non-system specific (both for computers and game systems).

Of course I'm probably dreaming and hoping, but I figured I'd ask.

What? You mean like openRPG? (link will be edited in shortly, let me google it)

http://www.openrpg.com/

[Irreverent Fool]

A very simple online client is called GameTable it is free to download and use and, assuming you know how to manage port-forwarding for your router and how to find out your IP address, is pretty simple to use.

It is basically a chatroom with a grid-map and dice-rolling functionality. You can draw on it using built-in tools for walls and some basic features you'd need in buildings/dungeons. Miniatures are handled by round markers with pictures on them. I believe you can make your own 'miniatures' but need to send them to other players. It doesn't have all the campaign-tracking features of OpenRPG, though.

I've used it in the past by itself and with a VOIP program for some D&D sessions and it works just fine. Have your players post their characters on some online host such as thetangledweb.net and you've got all the tools to run a session over the 'net.

[AlterForm]

Shameless plug for the RPTools suite, specifically MapTool.

Regarding the things you asked for, MapTool includes:
-Integrated chat interface, including html-parsing and in-line dieroller
-Can import images for mapping, can import images for use as tokens, can import images for use a map themselves, and has a well-developed (if not particularly robust) set of drawing tools to use
-Completely system agnostic, in two senses. In one, it'll run on any machine that can use the Java Runtime Evironment; in another, it doesn't cater to any specific RPG system
-More awesome crap past what I listed. Bit of a learning curve, though; fortunately, there are some screencast tutorials you can watch.

[tsuuga]

RPtools is very nice, especially for d20. You can add auras, light effects, spell areas, and it even counts off move distances for you.

OpenRPG is pretty nice, too. My only beef with it is that there's no nWOD dieroller.

[heruca]

Does anyone know of a good online client to use for RPGs? I'd really like one that allows live interface, some type of mapping, and is non-system specific (both for computers and game systems).

Of course I'm probably dreaming and hoping, but I figured I'd ask.

If you're not dead-set on the program being free, check out Battlegrounds: RPG Edition. It's completely system-agnostic, yet it supports all common dice mechanics (and even card decks, for systems like Deadlands and Savage Worlds).

On the site, you'll also find links to every other RPG-oriented virtual tabletop program available (some free, some commercial), as well as a link to a feature comparison chart that covers most of the popular VTs.