Using TV for map while keeping game as low tech as possible???


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


I've been looking through these forums for a solution to my situation, but haven't found anything quite like where I'm at. My group and I meet in person to play over the kitchen table and decided (since we're all old) to make it a no-tech game. After about a year of play though, I was finding the GM paper keeping to be slowing things down too much, so I added a laptop with combat manager and pdfs just to keep from having to switch between any of 5 different books (and normally being in 2 or 3 at any given time). What I've started considering is allowing one additional tech bit in to make map life easier for everyone. That is, sitting a TV face up on the table and displaying the map on it (probably using maptools), then letting everyone else just move their tokens on top of the TV. Has anyone tried this? I'm wondering how well it works and if the TV gets really messed up in the process. I've also considered using something like 3D virtual tabletop and letting the players move their digital pawns around it, in which case I could just stand the TV normal as a reference. Ultimately, since we like the old school approach and actually sit together to play, I'm don't want to replace the dice or paper or communication or anything else, just trying to ease the map/fog part of the equation.

Anyone have thoughts suggestions about this?

Thanks


Hi Craig,

I've been something similar with my games. We meet in person, but I use roll20.net to display maps. At first, it was me on the laptop running the GM side of things, and another computer displaying for the players with one player sitting at the computer to move player markers. I picked up a subscription to roll20, and now everyone can play using their tablets.

Roll20 supports digital tokens, so if nothing else you won't need to put your TV on its back; it will be easier for people to see what's going on as well. It also has digital dice that I prefer to use, but there's nothing stopping you from using the physical ones you already have.

If you do pick up a subscription to it, you receive tablet support for Apple and Android devices (no Nooks, though), as well as a dynamic lighting feature that I've had a lot of fun with.

EDIT: One thing I really like about roll20 is the drag and drop functionality of it. Any image you want to use can simply be dropped onto the table. Google Images makes for quick image references, or if you have an artist in your group you can pop those in too.


I swear there's a map app for tablets that may work better...

But I second the roll20.net. It's legit.


Been looking into roll 20 a bit, and it looks pretty good.

There is one thing I'm wondering about regarding rolling though. As GM, I've been known to, umm, shall we say, misread the results of some of my rolls. Is there a method within roll20, if using the computer rolling, to easily alter the roll result?

Thanks

Grand Lodge

If you're doing it in person you can easily still roll actual dice, and keep up a GM screen if you really feel you must fudge rolls.


I understand that, and will likely do so, but I've also been curious about the online use as well, which would require electronic rolls. Was wondering if they are fudgeable to the GM?


Get a beamer/projector already!

Liberty's Edge

I have used a Projector. These kind of Set-up are great if you have a Dedicated Game room and Table..Not so great if you use them for other things...Breaking it down and setting back up is time Consuming...
Keep saying I want to build a D&D Table for a friend's place..Since we always play there..

I use Windows Picture Viewer to Display the Maps created in Campaign Cartographer, Dungeon Designer, and City Designer...and Also Artwork from Where ever I snag them...(Projector)

I would like a Program designed for Digital Table Top which was a Stand alone..not requiring Dm(GM)/Player Licences..and Two systems to run for the Different Views...I tried a Program called EpicTable which was suppose to be able to project a Players view from the DM View but I could not get it to work on Windows 8...

As for a Tv...Most people cover the TV Screen with a separate piece of lexan or glass to protect the screen and to be able to Write on..


Craig1234 wrote:

Been looking into roll 20 a bit, and it looks pretty good.

There is one thing I'm wondering about regarding rolling though. As GM, I've been known to, umm, shall we say, misread the results of some of my rolls. Is there a method within roll20, if using the computer rolling, to easily alter the roll result?

Thanks

If a roll needs to be done in secret on roll20, you can use /gmroll or /gr <d20+whatever>, the results of which only the GM can see. Players can use this functionality as well to send you rolls in secret. Not sure if the player who sends the roll gets to see it, though.


You could use this program, Pymapper. It's a dungeon map tool, it was made for dungeon tiles but you should be able to use any bmp or jpegs.

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