The perfect Conan gaming room...

[flatscan]

Here's the table I plan on implementing: http://www.penpaperpixel.org/tutorials/tabletopprojection/

Yeah...I'm sold on the projector. To hell with the electrical cost. Being able to reveal the map in that manner is totally worth it. I already use Photoshop for my maps so I'd probably have the fog of war be on separate layers by room. So when the PCs enter a room I'll just turn off the shroud layer for it and voila, all is revealed.

 

[warzen]

Why not use electronic whiteboard ?

W.

 

[seanbickford]

Also, don't be turned off by the cost of a projector... The type of projector that you would need for just this table should be really cheap. You don't need it for movies and stuff... too hard to move around anyway. Also, I've had several projectors and the bulb life has always been way longer than they advertise (though it does dim).

What is an electronic whiteboard?

 

[seanbickford]

Oh. So bad ass: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s5EvhHy7eQ

From 2:03 onward... I am SO doing this ASAP.

So we're talking about a downward projection with a Wii remote attached. This means that I don't even have to mess around with a laptop, I can just load up my image (scaled to 1" squares) and reveal the map with the infrared pen. More so, I could have spell effects displayed on the fly, scaled to order... the possibilities are endless... and without much time away from the game.

This is awesome.

 

[flatscan]

Why not use electronic whiteboard ?

W.

I'm not as familiar with electronic whiteboards as I am with DLP projectors but most I've seen require PCs. I'm a Mac guy so most wouldn't work for me. If you know of any Mac electronic whiteboards give me a shout.

 

[thelevitator]

If you use Maptool as your VTT, you won't have to have your players avert their eyes, as it has dynamic lighting and vision.

You just run 2 instances of MT on your laptop; one for GM view, which you keep on your laptop screen, and one for a player's view, which you send to your projector. When a player moves their miniature to the edge of a revealed area, you just move a digital token to the same spot as the player's miniature, and click to reveal vision. What's really great about MT is that each miniature can have both individual types of sight (like low-light and darkvision) and light (candle, torch, lantern, etc.).


In regards to creating 3D maps, someone over at the RPTools forums has already done that, and it looks killer! I'm looking for the thread, and will post it here as soon as I find it. I believe he just used styrofoam, but with the image projected onto a 3D surface, it looked really cool.

I've been using MapTools for several years now, and I've walked quite a few GM's through it and showed them how to use it. Anyone interested in taking a look at it, just PM me here and I'd be happy to set up a time to get online and show ya the ropes.

 

[seanbickford]

I should of posted a new item instead of editing old one. Read above.

 

[DimitriX]

Also, don't be turned off by the cost of a projector... The type of projector that you would need for just this table should be really cheap. You don't need it for movies and stuff... too hard to move around anyway. Also, I've had several projectors and the bulb life has always been way longer than they advertise (though it does dim).

What is an electronic whiteboard?

A friend of mine was looking to buy a projector and we found a good one for about $600 at Best Buy. I didn't look at ebay, but I bet you could find something cheaper there.

 

[DimitriX]

If you use Maptool as your VTT, you won't have to have your players avert their eyes, as it has dynamic lighting and vision.

You just run 2 instances of MT on your laptop; one for GM view, which you keep on your laptop screen, and one for a player's view, which you send to your projector. When a player moves their miniature to the edge of a revealed area, you just move a digital token to the same spot as the player's miniature, and click to reveal vision. What's really great about MT is that each miniature can have both individual types of sight (like low-light and darkvision) and light (candle, torch, lantern, etc.).


In regards to creating 3D maps, someone over at the RPTools forums has already done that, and it looks killer! I'm looking for the thread, and will post it here as soon as I find it. I believe he just used styrofoam, but with the image projected onto a 3D surface, it looked really cool.

I've been using MapTools for several years now, and I've walked quite a few GM's through it and showed them how to use it. Anyone interested in taking a look at it, just PM me here and I'd be happy to set up a time to get online and show ya the ropes.

That would be really cool. I've been thinking about running a Conan game using a VTT (because I can't find a game in Austin). I like the way MT looks but I haven't had the chance to really learn the system (and I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to learning new systems).

 

[flatscan]

If you use Maptool as your VTT, you won't have to have your players avert their eyes, as it has dynamic lighting and vision.

Is this a PC only program or is there a Mac version?

 

[warzen]

Why not use electronic whiteboard ?

W.

I'm not as familiar with electronic whiteboards as I am with DLP projectors but most I've seen require PCs. I'm a Mac guy so most wouldn't work for me. If you know of any Mac electronic whiteboards give me a shout.

Just type electronic whiteboard mac and search engine will give you some insights like those ones:
http://www.monomachines.com/Electronic-Whiteboards/Quartet-q8500-Ideashare-Electronic-Board.htm

http://www.electronicwhiteboardswarehouse.com/quartet/quartet_q8000.htm

W.

 

[DimitriX]

If you use Maptool as your VTT, you won't have to have your players avert their eyes, as it has dynamic lighting and vision.

Is this a PC only program or is there a Mac version?

I haven't had much luck finding a Mac VTT. One of the reasons why I haven't dumped my PC desktop is because there are too many things out there for PCs only.

 

[flatscan]

Just type electronic whiteboard mac and search engine will give you some insights like those ones:
http://www.monomachines.com/Electronic-Whiteboards/Quartet-q8500-Ideashare-Electronic-Board.htm

http://www.electronicwhiteboardswarehouse.com/quartet/quartet_q8000.htm

W.

Ugh, those prices are out of my budget. A DLP projector on eBay is about a quarter of the price.

 

[thelevitator]

If you use Maptool as your VTT, you won't have to have your players avert their eyes, as it has dynamic lighting and vision.

Is this a PC only program or is there a Mac version?

MT is a Java-based program so it works on PC and Mac. In fact, In my online group of 5 people, 3 of them were on Macs and 2 of us were on PC's.

 

[flatscan]

MT is a Java-based program so it works on PC and Mac. In fact, In my online group of 5 people, 3 of them were on Macs and 2 of us were on PC's.

Badass! And the price is right too.

 

[thelevitator]

That would be really cool. I've been thinking about running a Conan game using a VTT (because I can't find a game in Austin). I like the way MT looks but I haven't had the chance to really learn the system (and I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to learning new systems).

I've been running a couple of online groups for about 3 years now, and honestly, there isn't much difference between an online game and a tabletop game. In fact, my tabletop group played as an online group once I moved out here to Nevada, and one of the recurring comments is how it felt like our normal sessions, except that we weren't all in my living room.

In addition to using MapTools, we also use Skype for voice chat. Using MT and a VOIP programs together give you pretty much everything you need to game online.

In addition to maps, we use a lot of tools in MapToos. For example, it has a built-in dice roller (and even had FUDGE dice), and built-in text chat program, which we use for OOC chat.

Besides the lighting and vision, one of the biggest advancements they've made is by adding macro buttons to MT. What you can do now is create an actual character token that has all of your character stats. Then you can create buttons like "Attack with Axe" and you can create a macro that calculates everything automatically and makes the roll with a simple click of a button. Macros are very popular with crunchier games like D20 games and games like Rolemaster. MT is also great for handouts, like images of NPC's, or scrolls, or special items. The best part, in my opinion, of MT is that it is system agnostic. So, you can use it to play all of your different RPG's and customize it for each one.


Also, if you plan to download MapTools, I would strongly encourage you to also grab TokenTool. It's a great little program for creating custom character and creature tokens. It's super easy to use. You just drag and drop whatever image you want for the token, size it, position it within the token, and save. Then you can just drag them right into your map.


I'm more than happy to show people how I use MapTools, so you can find my on Skype. My handle is: thelevitator.

In addition to my assistance, there are video tutorials at the RPTools site.

For anyone who doesn't have the link: http://www.rptools.net

 

[flatscan]

That would be really cool. I've been thinking about running a Conan game using a VTT (because I can't find a game in Austin). I like the way MT looks but I haven't had the chance to really learn the system (and I'm a bit of a n00b when it comes to learning new systems).

Hey, I'm aware of a Conan group that just started up last month and are playing through Trial of Blood. I haven't seen him on the forums much lately but you ought to PM Giavonn and see if he's got room for you. Alternatively, PM me and I can give you his email addy.

 

[thelevitator]

Badass! And the price is right too.

It's really pretty amazing, because a lot of people prefer MapTools, which is free, over other VTT's that cost upwards of $30-40. I have purchased several VTT's and I've got a couple of good ones. But free or paid, MapTools seems to have the most features, and is the most customizable of everything I've tried, and I've tried more than a half-dozen different programs.

I will say thought, that because it can do so much, there is a bit of a learning curve. But I can usually teach a GM enough to run a game in about 30 minutes. The program is very easy to use as a player. I've taught new players coming into my games how to use MapTools in just a few minutes.

While I sometimes miss the "old school" feel of big huge maps and mini's, a VTT can just do so much more. I really like the fact that I can reveal accurate FOW and really show the players what the PC's can see. I also love to see my players freak out when I suddenly make a monster token appear on the map! :twisted:

I do really like the combination of "old school" and projector technology, by using a top-down projector image and actual miniatures. Unfortunately for me, my DLP projector was also my television, so I didn't want to keep changing the mounting back and forth. Now that I have a plasma TV as my main television, I may just fix my projector and try the top-down method, to get the best of both worlds! 8)

 

[flatscan]

I do really like the combination of "old school" and projector technology, by using a top-down projector image and actual miniatures. Unfortunately for me, my DLP projector was also my television, so I didn't want to keep changing the mounting back and forth. Now that I have a plasma TV as my main television, I may just fix my projector and try the top-down method, to get the best of both worlds! 8)

Yeah, I would probably let the players use their minis on the projected map and all my tokens would be digital. That way I don't have to move their pieces and I can move mine without having to get up from the GM seat. Yeah, I'm lazy, what.

 

[seanbickford]

Yeah, miniatures are a must. Digital token just seem too... digital. the idea of using MapTool (which I've never seen before) with a projector an figurines sounds ideal.

I just ordered a replacement bulb for my projector. Very excited.