Features Wanted - Public Debate Open

[Cole]

OK. I checked out my competition today a bit. Seems like roll20 and fantasy grounds are the two big time players online.

Now not to bash the comp, but wow, way to much stuff going on for a DM to run an effective game IMO, but I do see some features that are very nice and easily replicated. What I want people to chime in on is ...what features as a DM or as a player would you really want to see in a virtual tabletop?

Give me your top 5 please.

[New Hegdeh]

I have never used these programs online but these extremely boring yet also equally informative videos seem to use a program for this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnjA4D0Z4pM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJk8Eihb4mU

(Just got it, the videos use fantasy grounds)

and there is this

https://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/view ... =2&t=83956

I know its a rival source, sorry for that, but you asked and I had seen that googling.

[Cole]

Yup, as I mentioned in my post... that's Fantasy Grounds. Some nice ideas there, but it's super bloated with stuff nobody needs.

I think what they are doing is making a VTT for those who don't own any books, or game resources. I'm building a VTT for those who already have well established worlds, or want to run a simple module immediately, with very little or no setup at all. Just log in and play!

[New Hegdeh]

the guy in the video explains why he likes fantasy grounds, but you know your competition, and based on that, do you think you its workable to have the books and game resources uploadable if one has them? I think I have pdfs of every book worth having.

[TristenC]

For real time gaming on a site i think the greatest boons are shared map, shared voice and the ability to do die rolls on the fly. Frankly anything else in a site like that is extra to me and not likely to be used (aside from maybe 'whisper' posts to the DM).

Tragically, schedule is the enemy of all in live-online play; hence my newfound love of pbp

[Crimson-Kobold]

Now not to bash the comp, but wow, way to much stuff going on for a DM to run an effective game IMO

What do you mean by this?

what features as a DM or as a player would you really want to see in a virtual tabletop

The important part of a VTT platform is being a shared point of centralized information for both DM and players alike. Meaning that all the relevant game related material is readily available and shareable to the group.

Even for my IRL group, Roll20 serves as a database for the entire group that they can review when they wish (not that they do, COUGH COUGH THANATOS). Be it setting information, house rules, homebrew content, whatever. Furthermore, since Roll20 also serves as a distribution platform for publishers, you can have the entirely of the ruleset in the game, and fully searchable. Need the specifics for grappling? You can look it up in seconds.

And having all the player character sheets together is incredibly helpful for the DM. No worries about misplaced sheets, or files if they're using an app. Plus checking if players updated their characters isn't a bad thing (COUGH COUGH THANATOS)

As for the visual aspect of a VTT, even for my IRL group, having a map of the world that everyone can refer and interact with helps a lot, along with tracking where they are in the world (such as if you're doing a hexploration game)

And for the solely online games, having a grid map with player controlled tokens helps remove confusion about what is going on. You'd...be amazed at how easily confused some people can get, even with a grid. For those, I loath the idea of trying to do things minds eye, lol.

Those are the most critical features to a successful VTT, IMO. Shared dice rollers are dime a dozen, haw.

[New Hegdeh]

What's "pbp"?

[JadedDM]

Play by post. It's a game that's run on a forum, like this one, instead of in a chatroom or face-to-face.

[TristenC]

What's "pbp"?

Ummm.... This:
http://www.padnd.com/forums/index.php

what i would consider a substantial portion of the PADnD site...
the part i have spent 90+% of my time on here, lol

But yes, Jaded's answer is more apropos.

[Cole]

For real time gaming on a site i think the greatest boons are shared map, shared voice and the ability to do die rolls on the fly. Frankly anything else in a site like that is extra to me and not likely to be used (aside from maybe 'whisper' posts to the DM).

Tragically, schedule is the enemy of all in live-online play; hence my newfound love of pbp

Yeah I think pbp, AKA PBMB is the way most prefer to play online because of that very reason.

I have a big pipe dream that if I build a live gaming room good enough, people will play live. Some sort of scheduler will be needed probably. My goal at first was simple, build it so everyone can log in once a week with their DMs and play from anywhere. Yet I can see now that not to many want to play live. Either way, I'm building daily and I'm sure if it gets good enough, people will play live.

[TristenC]

I do love playing live with friends online, it's just...

[New Hegdeh]

Oh, I would gladly play live if I had a group and they were patient with someone so rusty that he is practically a noob... I retired from actual AD&D gaming when my group broke, I tried pbp with a person that had issues as DM and we never finished... I used the forums mostly for AD&D data.

[Crimson-Kobold]

Here's a feature that I totally take for granted and didn't think to mention from Roll20.

The ability to pop out the window. Here's the feature in question

For anyone using multiple monitors, this is a really handy feature to have. It occurred to me looking at your post about the DM screen, Cole.

[New Hegdeh]

I usually name my characters only after I know their race and, preferibly also their ability scores and class... although race and ability score should be enough, but to make a character here I need to start with the character name...

[Cole]

Here's a feature that I totally take for granted and didn't think to mention from Roll20.

The ability to pop out the window. Here's the feature in question

For anyone using multiple monitors, this is a really handy feature to have. It occurred to me looking at your post about the DM screen, Cole.

Not sure exactly what this is CK. But if means having a character sheet in a separate window it's already like that. As of beta 0.2 the character editor pops up in a unique browser window, while the actual visual sheet pops up in a snappy modal. You can't move the modal, but you can completely close it. The editor itself can be moved wherever you like..