Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

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knottyprof2
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Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by knottyprof2 »

While I have played in a few virtual tabletop games over the last couple of years, I prefer playing in person but I am musing of late about using a portable monitor at the table to display maps to players just to make it a little easier and spending less time with player mapping. Plus I do make a few maps of my own and it would be easier to show players rather than trying to describe it and fuss over how they have drawn it. So...
Looking for any recommendations (other than actual VTTs unless they are pretty easy to implement using imported maps) to do some sort of fog of war on a map image I am using.
I have thought about using an image editing app with layers, but the plan is to use the portable monitor as a second screen (not mirrored) so I would have to see it to know what layers to turn on and off. Another thought I had today was PowerPoint with just different slides with different displayed areas of the map and then run the PowerPoint presentation off the portable monitor while controlling which slide is displayed on the primary monitor. Probably going to play around with this idea over the weekend.
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feveredmonk
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by feveredmonk »

knottyprof2 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 3:51 pm Looking for any recommendations (other than actual VTTs unless they are pretty easy to implement using imported maps) to do some sort of fog of war on a map image I am using.
I've been using Owlbear Rodeo for about a year and it's free and simple to use. Even in my face-to-face games we play with Owlbear, displayed on a TV, to make the map and combat encounters quicker. The current version is free, but they are in beta with a pay version.
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dymondy2k
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by dymondy2k »

I do the same.. I was running an in-person game with my family and I just ran a long HDMI to our flat screen and then used Owlbear Rodeo to project the map up on the screen. Its got great tools to hide the hidden parts and its so easy to use!
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deadPan c
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by deadPan c »

Owlbear Rodeo is great, as is Roll20. I don't have much experience with the former, but Roll20 is good for layers and such. There's a learning curve for Roll20 but once you get the hang of it, it's easy to import maps and tokens.

My only issue with Roll20 is that it can be rather finicky at times.
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dymondy2k
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by dymondy2k »

I've used both and Owlbear is definitely more intuitive because its not trying to do as much as Roll20 is.
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Metroknight
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by Metroknight »

I'm currently tinkering with learning Foundry, slowly, to use on my tv in my in person game. Maps is all I need to display so everything else is not worried over.
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Neigdoig
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by Neigdoig »

If you've wanted a FOSS solution, I'd check either the old MapTool, or use something like Mythic Table (I have yet to use Mythic, and set it up properly on Linux).
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dymondy2k
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Re: Maps/Mapping digitally with In Person gaming

Post by dymondy2k »

Neigdoig wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:28 pm If you've wanted a FOSS solution, I'd check either the old MapTool, or use something like Mythic Table (I have yet to use Mythic, and set it up properly on Linux).
When i first did this 10 years ago I used Maptool. When I came back I forgot how to use it LOL. But by then I had Owlbear and never looked back.
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