virtual table top gaming
- Thread starter Tragin
- Start date
I'm working on a Traveller T20 character sheet at the moment.
The interface of Fantasy Grounds is nicer to use than GRiP, the other eTabletop software I've got. There's a comforting feel to "picking" up the dice and rolling them. The tabletop metaphor is definitely the case for Fantasy Grounds. You have your character sheet beside the chat window. Players can open notes, which can be shared. GMs can open maps, NPC and monster descriptions. Both can open a rules reference.
There's not as much functionality as GRiP though. GRiP has more automation and more dice macros available. However, Fantasy Grounds 2 is in beta testing and more functionality is promised in this release. There's a free upgrade path for existing Fantasy Grounds users.
Fantasy Grounds is primarily a d20 Fantasy tool, and supports this out of the box. The default ruleset can be modified through changing the XML files that the tool uses.
Character sheets are PNG graphics, controlled through XML. There is no character sheet designer, unlike GRiP, but it's not too bad to modify. It helps if you are familiar with the way HTML or XML works. There is very little documentation for the technical side of things. The user manual is pretty good though, and it's available on the Fantasy Grounds website download area - where there is also a demo version.
I can recommend a look at the software, especially for T20 ( even more so after a T20 character sheet is available - hopefully I can get Hunter's approval for the sheet, if not a full T20 OGL ruleset ). T20 will fit fairly well with the d20 base, not so much tailoring required.
The interface of Fantasy Grounds is nicer to use than GRiP, the other eTabletop software I've got. There's a comforting feel to "picking" up the dice and rolling them. The tabletop metaphor is definitely the case for Fantasy Grounds. You have your character sheet beside the chat window. Players can open notes, which can be shared. GMs can open maps, NPC and monster descriptions. Both can open a rules reference.
There's not as much functionality as GRiP though. GRiP has more automation and more dice macros available. However, Fantasy Grounds 2 is in beta testing and more functionality is promised in this release. There's a free upgrade path for existing Fantasy Grounds users.
Fantasy Grounds is primarily a d20 Fantasy tool, and supports this out of the box. The default ruleset can be modified through changing the XML files that the tool uses.
Character sheets are PNG graphics, controlled through XML. There is no character sheet designer, unlike GRiP, but it's not too bad to modify. It helps if you are familiar with the way HTML or XML works. There is very little documentation for the technical side of things. The user manual is pretty good though, and it's available on the Fantasy Grounds website download area - where there is also a demo version.
I can recommend a look at the software, especially for T20 ( even more so after a T20 character sheet is available - hopefully I can get Hunter's approval for the sheet, if not a full T20 OGL ruleset ). T20 will fit fairly well with the d20 base, not so much tailoring required.
With no sign a of GRiP 4 on the way - in my opinion, this tool has promise ... if it can get the functionality in to the tool, and sort out the licensing. The tailoring of the tool is fairly easy to do, the Star Wars d6 ruleset I've done has only taken a week or so to pull together even in my busy schedule. However, being a database developer I'm familiar with XML. Documentation on the XML structure, and an XSD would help, but the community is very helpful and willing to share the tips and tricks of modifying Fantasy Grounds.
My own conclusions on the two products of this type that I own ...
- GRiP has more functionality (dice macros & automation of skill rolls)
- Fantasy Grounds is prettier
- Fantasy Grounds is easier to work with
- GRiP has a better licensing arrangement for attracting new players (iPC being free as opposed to $19.95 for FG lite)
GRiP and FG Full are about the same price (GRiP $40 and FG Full $34.95)
My own conclusions on the two products of this type that I own ...
- GRiP has more functionality (dice macros & automation of skill rolls)
- Fantasy Grounds is prettier
- Fantasy Grounds is easier to work with
- GRiP has a better licensing arrangement for attracting new players (iPC being free as opposed to $19.95 for FG lite)
GRiP and FG Full are about the same price (GRiP $40 and FG Full $34.95)
Hi. I saw the thread and had to dive it. It looks like you're concentrating on Fantasy Grounds, which I hadn't ever heard of. I wanted to mention the virtual tabletop gaming I've been working on.
I've been working on a project to allow us to play T20 Traveller within Second Life. We're not designing it like an MMORPG. We're going for a more traditional tabletop RPG feel, with a GM running a group of players on an adventure. We've got aliens, classic Traveller space ships, and all sorts of accessories.
We've reached the point where we're playtesting our system, and are starting to show people. I'd like to discuss this more, if people are interested. Since the topic here is virtual tabletop gaming, I thought it might be a good place to bring it up, but I don't mind making another thread if that's what y'all would prefer. I wasn't sure if this would be considered hijacking or On Topic. Thanks.
I've been working on a project to allow us to play T20 Traveller within Second Life. We're not designing it like an MMORPG. We're going for a more traditional tabletop RPG feel, with a GM running a group of players on an adventure. We've got aliens, classic Traveller space ships, and all sorts of accessories.
We've reached the point where we're playtesting our system, and are starting to show people. I'd like to discuss this more, if people are interested. Since the topic here is virtual tabletop gaming, I thought it might be a good place to bring it up, but I don't mind making another thread if that's what y'all would prefer. I wasn't sure if this would be considered hijacking or On Topic. Thanks.
BetterThanLife
SOC-14 1K
Having played using FantasyGrounds, GRiP and kLoOgeWerks, and GMed using GRiP and kLoOgeWerks. I definitely prefer the map and graphics of KW, though FG is in Second place. I prefer the automation of GRiP and KW (FG has little to none.). I prefer the ease of setting up a character sheet in GRiP. I prefer the fact that only the GM needs licenses in GRiP and kLoOgewerks. (Though the license for a game is a bit more expensive with KW than GRiP, the Players can buy licenses and keep the cost down for the GM.)
In Fantasy Grounds the dice are a neat toy, initially, but it definitely gets old. After 2 weeks I was typing the roll dice command. (After 4 weeks I figured out how to hot key it.
)
Much depends on game style as well. I love the range feature of the Klooge Map. I love that any graphic can be made an icon. I really hate the hot keys in Klooge. (There are too many and they are confusing.)
In Fantasy Grounds the dice are a neat toy, initially, but it definitely gets old. After 2 weeks I was typing the roll dice command. (After 4 weeks I figured out how to hot key it.
Much depends on game style as well. I love the range feature of the Klooge Map. I love that any graphic can be made an icon. I really hate the hot keys in Klooge. (There are too many and they are confusing.)
I sure am!
Let me give just a quick idea of it. Basically, we are trying to recreate tabletop Traveller within the Second Life milieu. But instead of sitting around a virtual table, we'll be treating our avatars as extensions of our characters, instead of using lead or pewter or paper miniatures.
We chose the T20 system instead of any of the other versions of Traveller because we thought we would have greater options about expanding the system. With the work done already, it should be an easy matter to expand it to run, for example, Call of Cthulhu or one of the other D20 systems. Once this has been sucessfully implemented, I think it will serve as a proof of concept, and others will do up game systems of their own choosing.
The flow of the game should be like the tabletop. Characters will interact with each other realtime, as the referee provides input on the situation. I've been doing a lot of building, so there will be actual settings where this will take place. You meet your patron in a starport bar? I build a starport bar for you to actually move around in.
When a tactical situation develops, it will go turn based. The game system will keep track of initiative rolls, and will count down the 20 segments of the melee turn, with characters getting to act on their own turn. A lot of the roleplay in Second Life uses the "twitch system", that is, it acts like a first person shooter. Unfortunately, when the servers get busy and there is a lot of lag, you can end up freezing in place n the middle of combat, which is a bad thing. Also, I'm getting too old, and the joints don't work so well, so I don't really care to play first person shooters as much as I used to.
As for the cost, we're trying to keep that minimal. Second Life has a basic account which costs nothing. Once in the game, we're trying to gather together or create everything that starting characters will need. Oh, sure, it's rather basic, but it will do. If a player wants to upgrade equipment (which will primarily be an appearance thing, since the equipment will be as defined by the Traveller rules), it will be out there.
This is a really, really, really quick overview. If you have questions about specific aspects, please ask away. Also, we've had enough success with playtesting that we're starting to promote it more (hence my bringing it up here). Just today, we decided I should start a web page on the system. So I'll be working on that, putting up a FAQ with more detailed information, and lots of screen shots of what we've come up with so far. If the weather is as bad as they're predicting for this weekend, I think I might be staying in a lot, and getting much of this done!
So, I think that will do for now. I don't want to go on too long (but I probably have already!)
Okay, I have set up a webpage for this project. I've got the start of a FAQ, and a gallery of pictures to show what it looks like. Feel free to send any questions you have my way, and I'll answer them to the best of my ability. And maybe even add them to the FAQ, too.
http://www.starbeast.net/Carl/traveller_t20.htm
http://www.starbeast.net/Carl/traveller_t20.htm
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