I can draw a map live in Roll20 VTT. It won't be pretty, but no worse than MSPaint.

Edit: Honestly though I can probably Google a nice map off Reddit just as quick.

Quote from: S'mon on April 01, 2024, 06:28:45 PM
I can draw a map live in Roll20 VTT. It won't be pretty, but no worse than MSPaint.

Edit: Honestly though I can probably Google a nice map off Reddit just as quick.

Greetings!

S'mon, my friend! You run an outstanding VTT game campaign! Yes, of course, such is not as good as Face-to-face, but, when members are separated by continents and vast oceans like we are--I confess, playing in your game campaign was impressive, and such fun! Relaxed, casual, happy, and fun! I look forward to the next game!

I'm still not going to embrace WOTC's "ONED&D" or whatever VTT newspeak monstrosity they try and push onto the hobby though. But, we are of like mind on that though, for certain. VTT with you and the gang though? Yeah, call me.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: SHARK on April 01, 2024, 06:54:57 PM
I'm still not going to embrace WOTC's "ONED&D" or whatever VTT newspeak monstrosity they try and push onto the hobby though. But, we are of like mind on that though, for certain. VTT with you and the gang though? Yeah, call me.

Any interest in playing Cyberpunk Red? One group are running guns to anti-government Resistance in Texas, while a second hunt Antifa cop killers in Night City. 

Quote from: Jaeger on April 01, 2024, 06:02:03 PM

Quote from: Chris24601 on April 01, 2024, 04:41:41 PM
My preferred VTT map would involve a camera rig above a piece of paper I can write/draw on with an actual pen and the players see and drop their "minis" down onto if positioning becomes important.
...

The original OwlBear Rodeo VTT was like that - You could choose Grey, beige green grid backgrounds, then draw on it like in ms paint with the tools right there. You also could drop tokens easy.

It was the closest I've seen to a drop it down and go VTT.

Most others I have seen tend to have more steps...

Yeah, I'm talking about a real pen and real paper. I can draw 20x faster with a pen than a mouse. I know there are tablets digital artists use, but I prefer to see the image under my pen rather than having to look at a screen as I draw.

Basically, my ideal would be the ability to drop VTT elements on top of a livestream (of a piece of paper.

Quote from: Silverblade on March 24, 2024, 07:07:41 PM

Quote from: aganauton on March 24, 2024, 10:46:52 AM
But, the possibilities of a VTT, they make a guy think.

Like most new technologies, VTT creates new possibilities but there is always a corresponding cost.  It may be hard to envision right now for some but I expect AI to advance so much that the need for GMs and even other players will become optional (solo RPGs have already proven that).  Technology is accelerating our isolation and because it is so convenient and easy, it's hard to resist.

For me VTT takes away the "soul" of the game.  I can't replace or replicate the face to face interaction.

Sorry, a bit late to conversion, but work and my new g/f (she's white, classic and 4400 lbs) kind of got in the way.

I have to dis-agree with you here, with a caveat.  The 'soul' of the game is the GM, players and the interactions between the people.

Now the caveat.   I get that for some people, it's not necessarily the game.  It's the 'getting together with friends' that is the draw.  The game may change but friends, that can't be quantified.  To put it another way:  I watch hockey.  I love watching hockey.  I can only watch the games on TV because I live in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere.  It's better when a bunch of my friends get together to watch hockey.  We drink, laugh, yell at the the TV.  We have a really good time.

But that doesn't compare to going to an actual hockey game.  I would treat myself once a year.  Get really good seats (ice level, in an end zone).  Now that was watching hockey.  So I can understand when a person say's VTT's don't quite cut it.

But a VTT is only the medium through which the game is being played.  And as others have said, a VTT game is better than no game.

I personally use RPTools.  Yeah it's a bit of a bear, but I've been mucking around with the system for a while, so I got it's number.  The best part, it's open source, it's continually improving and I can run my own server.  So any of those cancel fucks can go pound sand.

Quote from: aganauton on April 03, 2024, 03:48:48 PM

Now the caveat.   I get that for some people, it's not necessarily the game.  It's the 'getting together with friends' that is the draw.  The game may change but friends, that can't be quantified.  To put it another way:  I watch hockey.  I love watching hockey.  I can only watch the games on TV because I live in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere.  It's better when a bunch of my friends get together to watch hockey.  We drink, laugh, yell at the the TV.  We have a really good time.

But that doesn't compare to going to an actual hockey

But a VTT is only the medium through which the game is being played.  And as others have said, a VTT game is better than no game.

I understand your position and it's a reasonable position. I am probably fairly unique and see a slippery slope.

Is there a reason why you and a bunch of your friends couldn't FaceTime each other while watching hockey?  That to me would be the closest comparison to VTT. You can drink, eat, cheer but not next to each other.

I think the reason people don't do that (I don't know maybe there are people who watch sports together virtually) is because it still feels strange to do so. But tabletop has changed. VTT is widely accepted and now more and more are comfortable with it. So much, some prefer it. The convenience is tempting and attractive.

We are getting used to being isolated. We are used to just staring at screens.

Quote from: Silverblade on April 04, 2024, 02:35:32 PM

Quote from: aganauton on April 03, 2024, 03:48:48 PM

Now the caveat.   I get that for some people, it's not necessarily the game.  It's the 'getting together with friends' that is the draw.  The game may change but friends, that can't be quantified.  To put it another way:  I watch hockey.  I love watching hockey.  I can only watch the games on TV because I live in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere.  It's better when a bunch of my friends get together to watch hockey.  We drink, laugh, yell at the the TV.  We have a really good time.

But that doesn't compare to going to an actual hockey

But a VTT is only the medium through which the game is being played.  And as others have said, a VTT game is better than no game.

I understand your position and it's a reasonable position. I am probably fairly unique and see a slippery slope.

Is there a reason why you and a bunch of your friends couldn't FaceTime each other while watching hockey?  That to me would be the closest comparison to VTT. You can drink, eat, cheer but not next to each other.

I think the reason people don't do that (I don't know maybe there are people who watch sports together virtually) is because it still feels strange to do so. But tabletop has changed. VTT is widely accepted and now more and more are comfortable with it. So much, some prefer it. The convenience is tempting and attractive.

We are getting used to being isolated. We are used to just staring at screens.

I don't know if VTT is better than having no game at all. It probably is but I do think it is damaging how the game will be played in the future once all the grognards like myself are gone.