Bittersweet Candy Bowl Forums

So me and my friends have been looking for a good way to play DnD over the internet for a good long while now. We have had no luck. We've looked a bit, but everything we found is either really complicated and not worth it, or not inclusive enough to do what we want it to (if that makes sense). I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions or ideas. It would be much appreciated.

We play Pathfinder/3.5, as well as other systems that suit our fancy. What we would want is a program that has maps, characters, dice rolling mechanics (maybe), and is pretty simple to use. I dunno any specifics, any given thing might or might not be what we want.

Thanks in advance for ideas.

EDIT: Yea, this idea sucks.

Webcams and microphones will pretty much get you set. Hell, you can even set up a map digitally using a program running a feed of your monitor as a camera source and have the program running the video chat accept that as a feed. They don't even need a camera unless you don't trust them with dice rolls. Just download a nice 1"x1" grid map, some circular images that will fit in the 1" square to represent all of the people/creatures, and maybe some images for items if you are so inclined, all of which can be made in MSPaint for free with a little time. Hint though; make a 1" circle for a picture of a character to fit in, save it, and then use that as a template to fit any other images inside of so you aren't measuring the outside every single time.
Here. A program for running a camera from your monitor, an image, or a video file that I used without issue myself, and;
This. You'll need this if you want to run videos as a source for the first program.
And if this sounds half assed, it is because it's 4:32 AM here, so yea.

This post has been edited by Gameking218: 12 December 2010 - 05:58 AM

Hmmm lets see.. I know there was a program to show online a map to your friends (in a similar way as the Ventrilo, but with map). Also I rmember there was an online-dice program. If I found it, I will tell you.

If not, you can simply play through ventrillo.

Maptool. Gametable. IRC with dice-bots. Play by post forums. Innumerable other measures.

If you're looking for something active the first three are generally the way to go. The first two are varying efficiencies of active maps, pre-loaded by the DM in advance, with build in dice rollers, character pogs, etc. The IRC way is my most commonly played form, simply extrapolating distance and other things as necessary, though that's either hit-or-miss. Not really what you're looking for. The last one is more common on forums with a built-in dice roller, and tends to run a bit slower.

So yeah, either Maptool or Gametable. Pick whichever one you have an easier time configuring.

I got my start playing D&D without maps and minis, so I'm perfectly fine with playing in or running a game without one. But Cred's suggestions are right. Maptools and Gametable if you want a map, IRC and a Dice Bot if not.

Really, I'd probably run Maptools or Gametable with IRC if I absolutely needed maps, using IRC as the primary chat and dice-rolling function. That makes it easier for me to keep logs.

Gabriel Mobius, on 09 December 2010 - 03:05 PM, said:

Generally how it goes, yeah.

DnD does not make you cool, just thought I would clear that up.

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll probably try most of them out.

Man, I'll probably have to do everything for all of my friends' computers, as they all suck at it. Oh well

Whole slew of virtual tabletops here: Your Page Title

The only one I've had any success in using myself was a pirated version of Fantasy Grounds II. As far as maps go, you can set up a grid over any image so that players can place their tokens/miniatures on top, as well as use fog of war to keep the dungeon layout a secret. Character sheets did a bit of the math for themselves, which made things much easier for newer members of the group. Also came with the D&D 3.5 player and DM's handbooks in its little book format so it was easy to look up rules for whatever.

Strip DnD or Russian DnD.