Tools, Resources, & Recommendations
for Online Social Tabletop Gaming
This page presents a summary of tools and approaches you can use to run tabletop social games online, or theoretically enhance the "wow factor" of your in-person game sessions, like tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs). This section is an ongoing work in progress, so please pardon the rough sections as we continue to add and update as time allows for our research and application volunteers.
You can watch some videos on these topics, including panel discussions, here: https://www.rpgresearch.com/social-distancing-and-role-playing-games
Professional Use of VTTs, Including Therapeutic TRPGs
We are huge advocates for using technologies to improve lives and user experiences. Our founding goes back to the late 1970s, including being online since 1979, including using technologies to enhance the RPG experience, and researching the effects of role-playing games since 1983.
VTTs are an excellent tool for enhancing the use of tabletop games for entertainment purposes (goal being to entertain an audience, rather than just the game participants).
However, unfortunately for recreational use, we have found after decades of best-efforts trying to make technologies enhance the TRPG experience and efficacy, the overwhelming data keeps pointing back to the Keep It Simple <Silly> (KISS) principle. The use of VTTs enhance entertainment of audiences, but reduces enjoyment for recreational participants, such as the actual players and GM in TRPGs for example.
We have found the most effective use of technologies for TRPG sessions in entertainment, education, recreation, and therapeutic programs, and the information below lays out where VTTs best fit into such programs.
HIPAA Compliance and Lack of Privacy or Security
VTTs can be VERY helpful for various populations with special needs (such as Deaf and Hard of hearing, Aphantasia, etc.).
Unfortunately current VTTs are completely lacking in this area, very weak (or non-existent) privacy or security designs.
Regarding HIPAA (USA Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) and similar privacy protection laws around the world, except for the technologies that allow you to run and host yourself, there are no HIPAA-compliant VTTs.
Even the ones that you can host yourself need to be audited and modified to remove telemetry, enhance privacy and security settings, add layers of encryptions, etc. We have found that most VTTs do indeed send some kind of telemetry information, and, except for the ancient SuiteGM, we have not (yet) found a single VTT that can be HIPAA compliant without significant technical knowledge to shoehorn it into some form of compliance.
As we raise awareness about this need for HIPAA-compliant VTTs, we hope that we can update this page with HIPAA-compliant VTTs in the future.
Enjoyment, Immersion, Flow, and/or Efficacy
Regarding enjoyment, immersion, flow, and/or efficacy (the impact of noted effects from participation in the activity), mileage will vary with specific clients, programs, and goals, but overall in general we found that as we have experimented with a long list of VTTs over the decades (including building some of our own back in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s), ultimately we find that, on the average, the technologies interfere more often than help.
Keep in mind we are strong advocates for using technologies to help improve lives whenever possible (see our Brain-Computer Interface Role-Playing Game Project, for example).
Ultimately we keep finding that that for recreational, educational, and therapeutic programs, going back to basics and keeping it as simple as possible leads to better and more consistent overall results, more enjoyable experiences, and more frequent immersion and flow state experiences.
One big exception is for entertainment programs, _then_ the VTTs are MUCH better for the enjoyment of the audience.This includes streaming and similar methods of delivery for audience enjoyment.
After more than 25 years of using various VTTs on and off, with hundreds of groups, we have found the simpler approach best for anyone participation in the normal recreational use of tabletop games, especially RPGs. This is even more notable for therapeutic programs efficacy.
Most Effective Approach for Online TRPGs
We have found the most effective and most enjoyable approach to delivering tabletop games, especially TRPGs, is just using multiple webcams with good lighting, bandwidth, video and audio, pointed at people's faces, and whtitboard/maps/battlemat and/or screen-shared maps/images through various video conferencing apps (we prefer Jitsi) (BEWARE OF ZOOM AND THEIR LONG LIST OF VIOLATIONS ON SECURITY AND PRIVACY).
We have run thousands of assessments over the decades, and we found that using the above approach delivers participant and OIS (Observed Immersion Scores) with scores between 1 to 4 points higher (better) than when using VTTs (on a variety of participant enjoyment scales of 0 (n/a) or 1 through 10 ), or around 0.5 to 1.75 points (on various 5 point scales).
While VTTs add great "wow factor", and initial excitement, they add significant technology troubleshooting hassles, and over time the added technology complexity, further disconnection from the human-connected social interaction, and the higher incidents of technical issues, appear over time to be more of an interference factor than an enhancement.
We are still always testing trying to find something better than this more basic approach, and will update this page as these resarch and evidence-in-practice findings develop.
More Information
VTTs can be very helpful in specific circumstances, especially for online tabletop RPG sessions when you can’t play in person.
They can also be effective for improving the enjoyment of those watching streams for entertaining audiences or with online entertainment stream.
However, research shows repeatedly that VTTs unfortunately significantly detract from the overall enjoyment and REDUCE the depth of immersion and chances of flow state which impact the enjoyment level of most players compared to the in-person analog experience.
There are many reasons ranging from technology and connection glitches, lack of engagement of the creative parts of the brain when viewing graphics, etc.
Use of any technologies, especially screens, should be considered judiciously, cautiously, sparingly, and wisely targeted if considering for use with in-person TRPG sessions.
Multiple studies by Hawkes-Robinson, including a 2+ year study with more than 120 participants (with the originally intended goal being to use technologies to enhance the TRPG experience), kept showing that the more technologies (with a few exceptions), especially “screens” used for in-person TRPG sessions, the more they lowered the overall enjoyment score of participants of all ages!
The observed immersion scores and participants number of reported of flow state experiences are dramatically impaired when screens and more complex technologies are added to social tabletop game sessions.
On a scale of 1-10 (10 being best), a screen, projector, mobile screen device, flat screen battle mat, etc, lowers participant reported enjoyment scores anywhere from 0.25 (if someone else using their phone/tablet/laptop just to look up rules sparingly) to 3 points (screens featuring constantly in the game even though intended to enhance the experience)!
Important to note that while “wow factor”, “professionalism”, and first impressions scores from participants were higher with in-person TRPG setups using screens/projectors/in-table-flatscreens/etc, the actual in-depth immersion, flow, and enjoyment scores over the single and multiple sessions were lessened considerably compared to those without the screens.
There are of course important considerations for online TRPGing, and also very importnaly accessibility issues, where screens are critically helpful.
We have found that the simplest approach that allows participants to activate their imaginations the most, always beats out what can be shown on screens (exceptions with Aphantasia, certain other neurodifferences, and disabilities of course).
Lots of other non-screen technologies on the other hand CAN show INCREASES in immersion and flow (such as frugal use of audio/ambient enhancements).
As stated, surprisingly, experiment after experiment, shows screens reduce immersion scores.
Some theories as to why, proposed by Hawkes-Robinson include:
1. Different parts of the brain are utilized and create different perceived immersive experiences between the parts of the brain that handle “imagination” versus the actual vision processing sites which seems to interfere with the critical imagination process.
2. Something else is in effect neurologically that reduces the experience of being actually “in the game”, and instead becomes more like “watching the game”.
3. Combination of these two, or something else entirely. Data and research outside of our own organization is sparse on this topic currently. Hopefully funding will some day support figuring this out through EEG and/or brain imaging to figure out the functional differences.
Note that xR technologies (VR, AR, etc.) have had much more mixed results, and may still have potential for enhancing experiences.
List of Tools & Resources for Online Tabletop Role-Playing Gaming
Join free social TRPG sessions online
RPG Research: https://www.rpgresearch.com/events
,,,
,,,
Other Providers (Fee-based)
Ranging from free to fee. If you are aware of something missing, please email info at rpgresearch dot com and we'll update this page accordingly.
...
....
RPG Parties
RPG Therapeutics LLC
This section lists the known free virtual tabletop products, sites, & projects that are still usable. Some may be less active than others, but all of these should be usable. If something listed here is no longer working, please let us know and we'll move it to the defunct list.
If you think we missed listing something, please let us know and we'll add it as soon as possible.
Adventurer's Codex
Summary: Online but more text-based organizer of TRPG data.
Cost: Open source
Platform: Self-hosted – Web
Site: https://adventurerscodex.com/
Source: https://github.com/adventurerscodex/adventurerscodex
Description: D&D 5e gaming system for characters, campaigns, and parties. focused on in-person play.
Components: https://adventurerscodex.com/attributions.html
Aurora Builder
Summary: a free tool that lets you create characters for your dungeons and dragons game using the bundled content, your own content, and content created by others.
License: Free (donation supported)
Cost: Free
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows
Site: https://aurorabuilder.com/
Source:
Status: Active 2020
Description:
Aurora Builder is a free tool that lets you create characters for your dungeons and dragons game using the bundled content.
Features:
Components:
Beyond Tabletop
Cost: Free
Platform: Web
Site: https://www.beyondtabletop.com/
Source: n/a
Status: Active
Description:
Beyond Tabletop is a set of tools for RPG players who want to enhance their in-person game sessions with cleanly designed, easy-to-use online character sheets and maps. Our web application is subscription-free and designed to be used on all devices. We currently offer two products - a battle map, which is designed to accommodate many RPG systems, and character sheets, which are built for the Pathfinder system (with more systems on the way!)
Features:
• D&D 5e
• Character sheets
• Simple Maps
Components:
Critical Compendium
License: Free
Cost: Free (optional donate)
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Windows, Steam
Site: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1087080/Critical_Compendium/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Critical Compendium is a content creation and management tool for D&amp;D 5th Edition. The complete 5.1 SRD is included with support for importing your existing XML compendiums.
FEATURES
- Guided character creation
- Complete character management - hp, attacks, inventory, spells, companions, and more
- Encounter creation with advanced monster and character statistics
- Run encounters with time and initiative tracking
- Export characters to form-fillable PDF character sheet
- Share characters and encounters by exporting to an archive and sending it to your friends
- Import XML compendiums and character and encounter archives
- Complete compendium management - create, edit, and copy anything
- Dice calculator with die hot keys
- Quickly reference rules (DM screen)
Features
Components:
DiceCloud
Summary: Realtime D&D 5e Character Tracker
License: Freemium / Opensource options
Cost: Free?
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://dicecloud.com/
Source: https://github.com/ThaumRystra/DiceCloud
Status: Active
Description:
Features
Components:
Mipui
Cost: Free (Opensource)
Platform: Web
Site: https://www.mipui.net/app/
Source: https://github.com/amishne/mipui
Status: Active
Description:
An online grid-based map editor for games, with real-time collaboration
https://alternativeto.net/software/mipui/
Components:
Firebase by Google
FireSaver.js by Eli Grey
Game icons by various artists, available on game-icons.net. Also see a detailed artist breakdown.
Material icons by Google
Shadowcasting Tutorial by Eric Lippert
Cross-hatching texture by Syrkres
node-sanitize-filename Node module by Sam Hocevar
SparkMD5 by Joseph Myers
PlanarAlly
Cost: Free
License: Opensource:
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, Web, Self-hosted
Site: https://www.planarally.io/
Source: https://github.com/Kruptein/PlanarAlly
Status: Active 2020
Description:
PlanarAlly is an opensource Virtual TableTop (VTT) web tool that aims to help you and your players discover the various fictive worlds out there. It's designed to be usable without any internet access to accomodate your dark dungeons and has a variety of features to enhance your immersion like lighting and vision limitation.
Features
Components:
Rolisteam
Summary: VTT for TRPG
License: Free (Opensource GPL2)
Cost: Free / donate
Cost Frequency: None
Platform: Web, Windows, Mac, Linux. Multilingual.
Site: https://rolisteam.org/
Source: https://invent.kde.org/kde/rolisteam
Status: Active
Description:
http://doc.rolisteam.org/overview.html
Rolisteam is a virtual tabletop software. It helps you to manage tabletop role playing games with remote friends/players. It provides many features to share maps, pictures and it also includes tool to communicate with your friends/players. The goal is to make Rolisteam-managed RPG games as good as RPG games around your table. To achieve it, we are working hard to provide you more and more features.
Features:
• Character Sheet
• Music player
• Drawing tool (to draw map on the fly).
• Vectorial Map
• Name Generator
• Unit Converter
• Character Sheet
• Rich text Editor.
• Dice rolling
• secret Dice rolling
• Share pictures
• Share maps
• Fog of war on maps
• Playable Character or Player identity (in chat)
• PC and NPC positioning on map.
• One to One/Many/All Chat communication
• Client/Server architecture.
• And many others…
Components:
RPG Map Editor II
Cost: Free
Platform: Online
Site: https://deepnight.net/tools/rpg-map/
Source: https://github.com/deepnight?tab=repositories
Status:
Description:
Features:
Full HTML5 support, no longer Flash-based
Windows version on Itch.io
Full-screen editor
Import maps generated by One Page Dungeon (from Watabou)
Support for special walls, such as caverns, diagonals, etc.
Ground textures
Ray-casted lighting & fog
Multiple skins and many customizable colors
Texts, numbered elements with automatic legend block generation, text bubbles…
Icons
Enemies
User friendly UI
Pay what you want, including free!
Components:
RPG Map II is completely free to use. All the content you create with it can be used any way you want, including in commercial products.
RPTools, MapTool, etc.
Summary: MapTool & TokenTool active, the others “stabilized” & inactive.
MapTool Summary: MapTool is an online, multiuser, networked, graphical, interactive, programmable virtual tabletop
License: Free (Maptool opensource)
Cost: Free? (verify)
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Java
Site: https://www.rptools.net/ - https://www.rptools.net/toolbox/
Source:
Status: Mixed active, Maptool last update March 19,2020.
Description:
MapTool: MapTool is an online, multiuser, networked, graphical, interactive, programmable virtual tabletop. Requires Java 6+. It can be used for face-to-face play, or Internet role-playing in real time even if your players are on the other side of the world. MapTool in particular works great with voice-chat services!
• MapTool - An online, multiuser, network based, graphical, interactive, programmable virtual tabletop.
• TokenTool - Create quick and simple consistently sized tokens for use with any digital battle mat.
• InitiativeTool - Keeps track of the flow of encounters. Requires Java 5+.
• CharacterTool - A configurable tool for managing the number-crunching of building and maintaining player characters.
• DiceTool - A general-purpose dice rolling application with programmable buttons and extensive customization.
The tools fall into two categories.
• Active tools are still under development and support.
• Stabilized tools are no longer under active development or support. Some of their functionality has been moved into one of the active tools.
These tools are not a role playing game by themselves, nor are they meant to replace everything at the RPG table. Rather, they are designed to be as flexible as we can make them, usable for a wide variety of gaming systems, from fantasy to sci-fi; from tabletop miniatures games to purely spoken-word games.
The tools aren't built from the ground up for any specific RPG, which is what allows for the great flexibility we have, but as a result, it can be difficult for us to indicate easily to individuals how best to make use of the tools for their specific purposes. Fortunately, the community forums are a thriving, active source of rapid responses to any questions you may have. We take pride in this as one of our greatest strengths and we encourage you to join us there. If the game you want to run is a commonly-found one, there's a good chance you can locate someone who's done most of the fine-tuning for you! At the risk of leaving some out, our users have developed frameworks for D&D3.x, D&D4e, Pathfinder, ShadowRun, nWOD, GURPS, and many others.
Features:
Components:
Standard Action
Cost: Free
Platform: Web
Site: https://standardaction.net/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Standard Action is a tabletop gaming application designed to be simple to use, but highly customizable. In game, Standard Action features an interactive game board, live chat, dice rolls, a turn tracker, and customizable game piece stat bars. Game masters can take advantage of dynamic lighting, custom map layering, and organization of their maps into separate chapters to bring their game world to life.
Features:
Components:
This section lists the known low-cost virtual tabletop products, sites, & projects that are still usable. Some may be less active than others, but all of these should be usable. If something listed here is no longer working, please let us know and we'll move it to the defunct list.
If you think we missed listing something, please let us know and we'll add it as soon as possible.
Low cost is generally any products that are no more than $50 one-time purchase or per year. Anything higher than that is listed in the "Premium RPG VTT" list.
Adventure Builder
License: Commercial
Cost: $5+
Cost Frequency: 1-time per major version?
Platform: Windows, Linux, Web
Site: https://johnnygossdev.itch.io/adventure-builder
Source:
Status: Beta
Description:
Features:
- Creature Browser
- Browse all of the 5e SRD creatures using helpful filters.
- Encounters
- Make as many encounters as you like
- Edit and save notes
- Keep a history of events
- Keep track of the initiative order
- Click on creature actions to automatically roll to hit and damage
- Roll dice using the roll command "roll 1d20 + 2"
- Custom notes for creatures
- Everything is saved so you can pick up and play next time
Components:
DM Helper
License: Free
Cost: Free (name your price, suggest $2.00 one time)
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows, Mac
Site: https://dm-helper.itch.io/dm-helper
Source:
Status:
Description:
The DM Helper will act as your in-game assistance, taking care of the administrative tasks and allowing you to focus on your players, the narrative and the fun!
Key Features
- Presentation of all tool content in a Player's Window. This can be shown to players on an external monitor or shared via streaming tools for either face-to-face or ongoing games
- Full battle support including a full battle map, initiative and hit point tracking, area effects, mass saving throws/damage
- Map visualization, in or out of battles, including fog of war, zooming and an in-map pointer for highlighting items
- A detailed bestiary, pre-filled with all open-source SRD monsters
- A campaign structure for build-up of adventures, encounters, maps, locations, party members and NPCs.
- A quick reference to descriptions of actions/bonus actions/reactions, environmental issues and conditions
- A reference including all SRD equipment tables
- A campaign clock for tracking time and date throughout adventures
- Animation of scrolling text over a background for easy cut-scene creation
Features
Components:
epicGM
Summary: Cross-platform Game Master tools to track campaign notes, compendiums and a battle map.
License: Freemium
Cost: $5+ “name your price”
Cost Frequency: 1-time perpetual license.
Platform: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS
Site: https://gavelsoft.itch.io/epicgm
Source:
Status:
Description:
epicGM is a cross-platform tool offering features to track campaign notes, compendiums and a battle map. It brings a complete suite of tools to help you run your games smoothly so you can focus on bringing the best game experience to your friends and players!
FEATURES
Campaign tool to link your notes to your map.
Creature compendium
Random Table/Encounter Builder
Battle map with tokens and Spell area effects
Cloud Support to sync across devices or to find pre-made adventures.
Fightclub XML support via dropnbox import for compendium, spells, items and creatures.
Features:
Components:
Foundry VTT
Summary: standalone application built for experiencing multiplayer tabletop RPGs using a feature-rich and modern self-hosted application where your players connect directly through the browser.
License: Commercial
Cost: $50 per GM (unlimited players allowed to connect, they do not need to purchase).
Cost Frequency: 1-time. No other costs.
Platform: Self-hosted,
Site: https://foundryvtt.com/
Source:
Status: Beta currently. Scheduled May 2020 release.
Description:
Features:
Components:
This section lists the known premium virtual tabletop products, sites, & projects that are still usable. Some may be less active than others, but all of these should be usable. If something listed here is no longer working, please let us know and we'll move it to the defunct list.
If you think we missed listing something, please let us know and we'll add it as soon as possible
This section lists products that cost more than $50 1-time cost, or per year. This also includes products that may seem inexpensive at first, but due to required DLCs to actually be able to play the desired games, add up quickly to more than $50.
Adventurekeep
License: Commercial
Cost: $0 / $5/mo
Cost Frequency: Monthly
Platform: Web
Site: https://adventurekeep.com
Source:
Status:
Description:
online toolkit for Dungeon Masters to create epic adventures with ease. Adventurekeep provides state-of-the-art tools for building and running 5e adventures.
Free Features:
• Free
• $0 forever
• Unlimited Adventures
• 10 Pages Total
• 5 Map Markers per Page
• 1 MB Max Image Size
• 100 MB Image Storage
Pro Features:
• Pro
• $5 per month
• ($60 per year)
• Unlimited Adventures
• Unlimited Pages
• Unlimited Map Markers
• 5 MB Max Image Size
• 5 GB Image Storage
Components:
Astral
Battlegrounds: RPG Edition
Summary: Battlegrounds: virtual tabletop software designed to enhance your pen-and-paper roleplaying games, whether your players are in the same room, or on the other side of the world.
License: Commercial
Cost: Premium. $14/player, $28/GM. (5 players + GM = $98) + huge increase through DLCs
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows
Site: http://battlegroundsgames.com/battlegrounds-rpg-edition/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Battlegrounds: RPG Edition (aka BRPG) is virtual tabletop software designed to enhance your pen-and-paper roleplaying games, whether your players are in the same room, or on the other side of the world.
BRPG is system-agnostic, meaning it can be used with any RPG system, whether it be Dungeons & Dragons, d20, GURPS, Rolemaster, FUDGE/FATE, Savage Worlds, Shadowrun, or a more obscure system. BRPG supports gameplay in any genre, both online and offline. It's the perfect solution for gaming groups where one or more members have moved away. BRPG is also ideally suited for use with a projector or HDTV in face-to-face game sessions. BRPG is designed to be easy to use; there is never any scripting or XML-editing involved.
BRPG can also be used to play boardgames, wargames, card games, and dice games.
A free Demo version is available for download. BRPG also boasts many artpacks and digital game conversions, both free and commercial.
Features:
Components:
D&D Beyond Tools
Summary: Source materials, character creation, and other tools.
License: Commercial
Cost: Hero: $3/mo / $15/6 months / $26/1 year. Master: $6/mo / $30/6 months / $55 / year.
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Web
Site: https://www.dndbeyond.com/subscribe
Source:
Status: Active
Description: https://www.dndbeyond.com/characters/builder#/
Hero Tier: Intended primarily for players, this tier removes ads, allows you to create an unlimited number of characters, add publicly-shared homebrew content to your collection to use within the toolset, and provides early access to new tools.
Master Tier: Intended primarily for Dungeon Masters and player groups, this tier grants all the benefits of the Hero tier, allows you to share all of your unlocked official content with other players within your campaigns so content does not have to be unlocked individually, and provides early access to new tools.
Features:
Components:
Fantasy Grounds
Very, very expensive!
GM Forge
Cost: $29.99+
License: Commercial
Platform: Steam (Windows)
Site: https://store.steampowered.com/app/842250/GM_Forge__Virtual_Tabletop/
Source:
Status:
Description:
GM Forge is a Standalone Virtual Tabletop with competitive features, making it a good affordable alternative. When you buy a copy of GM Forge, your friends join you through their web browser without purchasing a copy. It has all the competitive features in other virtual tabletops, as well as some impressive new innovative ideas built with the average GM in mind.
GM Forge is a sandbox for GMs, and has 6 sample systems available on the workshop with some automation setup for basic play, with the option of downloading additional user created content and mods through the steam workshop!
Active discord channel
Features:
• Dynamic Lighting
• Worldmaps / Map connecting
• Online/Offline/Local Network Support
• Combat Tracker
• Music and Youtube video integration
• Voice/Video chat
• Drag and Drop inventory/spellbook management
• Automation/Auto Calculations
• Custom Character Sheets
• Full System Builder
• Custom Dice
• Custom Compendiums
• Hand out building
• Presentation ready notes (Automating your Notes)
• Resource Pages that allow you to share your PDFs and Important images with your party
• Modding/Workshop Support
• And the list goes on...
Components:
Roll20
Costs add up quickly!
Why Social Games Matter
GenCon TV TableTakes Episode Segment (March 20th):
Video: Neurodiverse & Social Benefits in Gaming, & Importance of Maintaining Social Activities: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/572118823?filter=highlights&sort=time
NBC Article: A million people are pretending to be ants on Facebook — and it could be therapeutic: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/million-people-are-pretending-be-ants-facebook-it-could-be-n1204701
Different Ways/Levels of Socialization & Gaming: Avedon Interaction Patterns & RPGs: https://w3.rpgresearch.com/research/archives/public/rpg-research/rpg-model/avedon-interaction-patterns-rpg-hawke-robinson-summary-20140218d-rev20191201f.png/image_view_fullscreen
References: _____
Information About Anxiety, Loneliness, Fear, & Resilience
Text articles
...
Videos
Part 1: Social Isolation, Depression & Role-Playing Games Can Help - https://youtu.be/EzXWLJkEk-E
Part 2: Loneliness, Learned Helplessness, Resilience, Grit, & RPGs - https://youtu.be/_u_RTyLzfW4
Part 3: Fear, Terror, Adaptation & RPG Help - https://youtu.be/a6ITPl1bGKA
References: _____
Card & Board Games
Online options for social tabletop online card & board games
Ranging from free to fee. If you are aware of something missing, please email info at rpgresearch dot com and we'll update this page accordingly.
Tabletop Simulator
Summary: Some sketchiness about licensing and paying creators, since content uploaded by users (lacks royalty payments to creators?) through workshop.
License: Commercial
Cost: ~$20/player (4-pack=$60) (includes 15 base games, then DLC costs of many others around $5-10+/- each)
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Site: https://www.tabletopsimulator.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Create your own original games, import custom assets, automate games with scripting, set up complete RPG dungeons, manipulate the physics, create hinges & joints, and of course flip the table when you are losing the game. All with an easy to use system integrated with Steam Workshop. You can do anything you want in Tabletop Simulator - The possibilities are endless!
Tabletop Simulator has it all. The base game includes 15 classics like Chess, Poker, Jigsaw Puzzles, Dominoes, and Mahjong. Additionally, there are thousands of community created content on the Workshop. If you’re the tabletop gaming type, we include an RPG Kit which has tilesets & furniture, as well as animated figurines that you can set up and battle with your friends, with even more options in the Chest. There’s even an option for Game Masters so they can control the table!
Features:
Online sandbox with unlimited games to play how you want.
Multiplayer physics with objects that collide and interact just how you would expect.
Create your own mods easily with full Steam Workshop support and 3D model importing.
Take games to the next level with Lua scripting support.
Play just like you do in real life; pick up, rotate, shake, and throw any object.
Up to 10 people can play together on the same table.
Team system with voice and text chat.
Save & load individual objects and complete games.
Hotseat mode allowing you to play locally on the same computer.
Browse the internet, listen to music, and watch videos in multiplayer, in-game on a tablet.
Perfect for RPGs – build your very own roleplaying dungeons with our modular tileset, RPG Kit, Multiple States and Tablet (useful for character sheets).
Great admin tools to enable or disable player permissions and to eliminate griefing in public games.
360° panoramic backgrounds that change the lighting and atmosphere.
Components:
Included games: Backgammon, Cards, Chess, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Custom Board, Dice, Dominoes, Go, Jigsaw Puzzles, Mahjong, Pachisi, Piecepack, Poker, Reversi, RPG Kit, Sandbox, Solitaire, and Tablet.
Tabletop Playground
Summary: (direct competitor to Tabletop Simulator)
License: Commercial
Cost: Unknown (pending)
Cost Frequency: (unknown, assuming monthly)
Platform: Steam (Windows).
Site: https://tabletop-playground.com/
Source:
Status: Closed Beta. Public release scheduled Q2 2020
Description:
Experience digital tabletop gaming like never before with realistic physics and satisfying controls. Recreate and modify classic games or build your own and share them with the world. Utilize specialized tools to play niche and complex games with up to 8 players across PC and VR. Get ready for the definitive tabletop gaming experience, with Tabletop Playground.
Join the TP community on Discord to get the latest updates on development and get early access through our Creator's Program initiative with modio.
8 Player Multiplayer
Play solo or with up to 8 players simultaneously online, with cross platform play between PC storefronts planned. Save and resume games at anytime and discover a never-ending selection of games to be played with friends or strangers across the world.
Modern and Satisfying Controls
Featuring powerful physics and responsive, snappy controls, every move and action is as satisfying to do as it is in real life. Whether through a screen, or through virtual reality with and without motion controllers, experience more responsive and fluid gameplay than ever before.
Powerful In-Game Editor
Adjust the rules and enjoy tabletop favorites exactly how you want, or quickly forge your own ideas into original games. The easy to use and powerful in-game editor, coupled with JavaScript scripting to allow for complex rules and actions, means you’re only limited by your creativity.
Specialized Tools For Niche Games
Built from the ground up with greater functionality for war-gaming and niche games in mind. Utilize specialized tools to create formations, measure distances/angles, access movement/dice roll history and use custom measure units. Digital war-gaming will never be the same again!
Realistic Graphics and More Customization
Through the use of Unreal Engine 4, experience the ultimate immersive game sessions you can have playing tabletop games online. Personalize your game space with beautiful and cozy 3D locations and lose yourself in the detailed game pieces and realistic graphics.
Features:
Components:
Premium
Tabletopia
Summary: 800+ simulated board & card games on VTT.
License: Commercial
Cost: Players, Bronze (Free), Silver ($4.99), Gold ($9.99). Designers Basic (Free), Advanced ($9.99), Pro ($19.99)
Cost Frequency: Monthly.
Platform:
Site:
Source:
Status:
Description:
Find other players.
a multi-platform digital environment with instant access to hundreds of licensed board games… Welcome to Tabletopia!
Online arena for playing board games just like in real life. Play directly in modern desktop web browsers on Mac and Windows platforms, or download on Steam, App Store and Google Play.
Unique editor for building new board games from scratch and bringing paper games to the digital. No programming skills required!
Specialized tools for playtesting, demonstrating, promoting, and monetizing your games.
Features:
• ready game setups
• custom camera controls
• shuffling and dealing of cards
• tracking player turns and game phases
• interactive zones with predefined automatic actions, and much more!
Components:
Battlegrounds Gaming Engine (aka BGE)
Summary: virtual tabletop software for use with boardgames, wargames, card games, and dice games.
License: Commercial
Cost: $14-$38+ (additional fees per player slot)
Cost Frequency: 1-time per player slot, includes upgrades.
Platform: Windows, Mac
Site: http://battlegroundsgames.com/battlegrounds-gaming-engine/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Free demo.
is virtual tabletop software for use with boardgames, wargames, card games, and dice games. It is based on the BRPG codebase, but has been optimized for general gaming. RPG-related features have been removed, and new features and functions added instead. BGE is compatible with all the digital game conversions (and most artpacks) that were already available for BRPG. Future digital game conversions released by Battlegrounds Games will only be packaged for BGE, although they will generally still be usable in BRPG. In addition to allowing you to play existing digital game conversions, BGE is also a powerful toolkit that allows you to create your own digital game conversions, quickly and easily, with no programming, scripting, or XML editing whatsoever. Game designers will find that BGE provides an excellent means of prototyping and playtesting their game designs, and allows them to avoid the hassle of creating print-and-play playtest kits (and playtesters are avoided the hassle of crafting the PNP game, whose components may go through several iterations before they are finalized). Note that for user-created game conversions, you will probably need to own a copy of the game you wish to play. Also, unless you are extracting images from a PDF, you will probably need to have access to a flatbed scanner to scan in your games’ boards and counters.
• Demo (free, for evaluation purposes, or for playing games while connected to a Gamer Client with one or more free Player Slots available)
• Gamer Client with 1 free Player Slot: $14.00
• Gamer Client with 3 free Player Slots: $19.00
• Gamer Client with 7 free Player Slots: $29.00
• Gamer Client with 15 free Player Slots: $38.00
• Upgrade the number of free Player Slots on a Gamer Client: $2 + the difference in price (for example, to upgrade from 3 free Player Slots to 7 would cost $12)
Features:
Components:
Emergency Computer Resources
Temporary emergency resources for computers and Internet access.
Spokane Area
Computers are available for free checkout to Spokane Public Schools families through an application process. Information on that is here:
https://www.spokaneschools.org/LaptopCheckout
The checkout is mostly happening online (very ironically), but there is a
phone number families that can't get onto the webpage can use for support.
Seattle options
National options
Need Emergency Internet/Broadband?
National options
Nationally, these companies are providing free Internet:
- Xfinity and AT&T are offering low-cost, unlimited Internet for multiple
families and have opened all their existing Internet hotspots to free
public access (which requires no application or sign-up process):
https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19#undefined&all_Pricingandotherinfo
https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html (Scroll down to "Consumers" and
"Keeping Our Customers Connected"
- T-Mobile is offering reduced price mobile data plans and 10 GB/mo. extra
hotspot mobile data for the next 2 months:
https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/ongoing-updates-covid-19?icid=home|March15|ongoing
- Sprint is offering extra hotspot mobile data following the same pattern
as T-Mobile:
https://newsroom.sprint.com/covid-19-updates-sprint-responds.htm?INTCID=HPB:ALL:ALL:COVID19:NWS
If you have questions, suggestions, and updates, please let us know and we'll update this page accordingly.
Contact info at rpgresearch dot com or use the " Contact Us " button above.
Here is an extensive (though not exhaustive) list of resources and choices for people wanting to engage in video conferencing options.
Ranging from free to fee. If you are aware of something missing, please email info at rpgresearch dot com and we'll update this page accordingly.
Free Options
Low Cost Options
More Expensive Options
Video Conference Software Options
If you have questions, suggestions, and updates, please let us know and we'll update this page accordingly.
Contact info at rpgresearch dot com or use the "Contact Us" button above.
Here is an extensive (though not exhaustive) list of resources and choices for people wanting to engage in video conferencing options.
Ranging from free to fee. If you are aware of something missing, please email info at rpgresearch dot com and we'll update this page accordingly.
Free Options
Low Cost Options
More Expensive Options
This section lists the known possibly upcoming virtual tabletop products, sites, & projects that are still usable. Some may be less active than others, but all of these should be usable. If something listed here is no longer working, please let us know and we'll move it to the defunct list.
If you think we missed listing something, please let us know and we'll add it as soon as possible
This is a mixture of free, low-cost, and premium, in no particular order (just sorted alphabetically).
Shmeppy
Summary: wet erase mat. Online. Play any tabletop RPG remotely. As easy to use as your wet-erase mat: no cartographer degree required.
License: Commercial
Cost: Free to use during Earliest Access, but made clear will charge something in future.
Cost Frequency: Unknown
Platform: Web
Site: https://shmeppy.com/
Source:
Status: In development.
Description:
Subscription that costs between $0 and $5. Price may vary depending on commitment and so on.
Features:
Components:
Talespire
License: Commercial
Cost: projected $20-25 according to site.
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Windows, Pending on Steam.
Site: https://talespire.com/
Source:
Status: Pending
Description:
Kickstarter campaign was funded: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bouncyrock/talespire
online, digital, graphical way of playing classic P&P Role-playing games with your friends. As a DM, build your campaign in-game and invite your players for sessions. To your left you can watch one of our streams to see for yourself.
For more, drop by the Discord and check out the FAQ
TaleSpire is a beautiful way to play pen and paper RPGs online. It's a place where you and your friends build and tell stories together.
We are marrying the beauty and physicality you find in miniatures with the expanse of digital worlds. Our aim is to get rid of everything that gets between you and your stories. And all of this whilst letting people be together regardless of where they are in the world.
TaleSpire is not tied to a specific game or ruleset; if it's role-playing on a square grid we have your back.
TaleSpire has a lot within its walls; let's go on a stroll through the main features.
Building and play are one
TaleSpire is a place where building and play happen throughout the whole play session. Want to destroy a wall to reveal a secret passage? Do it! Want to rain down piles of gold from the heavens? Sure! At any moment the GM (or GMs) can jump into building mode and change anything without interrupting anything else.
You will be able to build anything from tiny one shots to sprawling campaigns. Each board can be up to 30km across and 10km tall. We will be looking to make them even bigger post-Early Access.
A campaign can have as many boards as you can build, and you can copy entire boards — which makes it easy to create alternate versions in various states of disarray if that is what your story calls for.
Build together
Building doesn't have to be a solo activity. Grant other people GM rights to your campaign and build your world together.
Gorgeous sculpted scenery and miniatures
TaleSpire gives you assets that look so good you'll want to claw them out of your monitor.
Control the atmosphere
A necromancer is performing a poignant resurrection that deserves something special! With a click you can dim the lights, bring in the music and captivate your players.
As the GM you can store lighting, weather and music into 'environment pillars'. These let you swiftly change the mood of a moment.
Features
Components:
GM Forge
Cost: $29.99+
License: Commercial
Platform: Steam (Windows)
Site: https://store.steampowered.com/app/842250/GM_Forge__Virtual_Tabletop/
Source:
Status:
Description:
GM Forge is a Standalone Virtual Tabletop with competitive features, making it a good affordable alternative. When you buy a copy of GM Forge, your friends join you through their web browser without purchasing a copy. It has all the competitive features in other virtual tabletops, as well as some impressive new innovative ideas built with the average GM in mind.
GM Forge is a sandbox for GMs, and has 6 sample systems available on the workshop with some automation setup for basic play, with the option of downloading additional user created content and mods through the steam workshop!
Active discord channel
Features:
• Dynamic Lighting
• Worldmaps / Map connecting
• Online/Offline/Local Network Support
• Combat Tracker
• Music and Youtube video integration
• Voice/Video chat
• Drag and Drop inventory/spellbook management
• Automation/Auto Calculations
• Custom Character Sheets
• Full System Builder
• Custom Dice
• Custom Compendiums
• Hand out building
• Presentation ready notes (Automating your Notes)
• Resource Pages that allow you to share your PDFs and Important images with your party
• Modding/Workshop Support
• And the list goes on...
Components:
Sometimes old projects come back to life. So even though the products and projects listed here are believed to be defunct, every year or so we find out that sometimes a few come back to life years later, so this is a handy list to periodically update.
Dungeon Sketch (stagnant)
Summary: Dungeon Sketch is a lo-fi tactical combat map for tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons.
License: Free (Opensource)
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://sites.google.com/site/dungeonsketchhelp/
Source: https://github.com/timbocek/DungeonSketch
Status: Inactive over 5 years.
Description:
Dungeon Sketch is a lo-fi tactical combat map for tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons. This is meant to replace the whiteboard or graph paper that sits in the middle of a gaming table.
The application provides a vector drawing utility, and a collection of images to use as tokens representing players, monsters, or anything else. There is nothing specific to a particular roleplaying system.
Features include:
* Three layers to draw on: a background, hidden notes for the game master (put your traps there!), and temporary annotations such as spell effects.
* Lots of intuitive draw tools to support any sort of map you want to draw.
* Fog of War: Set up a map ahead of time and reveal it to your players room-by-room.
* Import your own images to use as tokens in the game, or choose from a large library of provided tokens.
* Manage, tag, and filter tokens, so you can easily drop them in as you play.
* Save and load maps, so you can prepare your game ahead of time.
* Color themes ranging from classic whiteboard and graph paper to more thematic colored backdrops.
* Rectangular and Hex Grids.
Dungeon Sketch is Free, Open Source software.
Features:
Components:
Power Virtual Tabletop power vtt (defunct)
Summary: RPG VTT (defunct)
License: Fremium
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://www.poweredvtt.com/ (dead)
Source: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web.
Status: Inactive 2+ years.
Description:
https://www.reddit.com/domain/poweredvtt.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerVTT/
Features:
Components:
Questions/Updates?
If you have questions, suggestions, and updates, please let us know and we'll update this page accordingly.
Contact info at rpgresearch dot com or use the "Contact Us" button above.
Social Tabletop Gaming Online
by W.A. Hawkes-Robinson for RPG Research
Updated here: __________
Table of Contents
Resources available to help those without computers or broadband otherwise cut-off 3
Virtual Tabletop Options 4
RPG 4
Power Virtual Tabletop power vtt 5
Power Virtual TableTop 5
Adventurer's Codex 5
Mipui 6
RPG Map Editor II 6
Beyond Tabletop 7
Standard Action 7
GM Forge 8
PlanarAlly 8
Talespire 9
Adventure Builder 10
DM Helper 10
Adventurekeep 11
Critical Compendium 12
DiceCloud 12
Reroll 13
Battlegrounds: RPG Edition 13
Aurora Builder 14
Shmeppy 14
epicGM 15
Dungeon Sketch 15
RPTools, MapTool, etc. 16
Rolisteam 17
FoundryVTT 18
Board Game Arena 18
Vtable, the Virtual Table (previously Game Table) 19
Game Master by Lion's Den 20
Realm Works 20
Campaign Cartographer 21
Battle Map 2 22
Syrinscape 23
Fight Club 5th Edition 23
Fifth Edition Character Sheet 24
Sheet Yourself 24
d20 Calculator (Lion’s Den) 25
DiceShaker D&D 25
Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller 26
Obsidian Portal 26
OrcPub (Defunct?) 27
Dungeon Fog 28
Fractal Mapper, The Keep, Astrosynthesis, (Active?) - Skwyre – ScreenMonkey (Defunct? 2016) 28
3d VTT (Virtual Tabletop) 29
Infrno (Defunct) 30
ScenGrinder (Defunct) 31
Traipse (defunct) 32
TTopRPG (stagnant) 33
The Dicenomicon (Defunct) 34
Battle Map (Defunct) 35
Epic Table (Active) 36
Vassal 37
Dedicated Websites 38
Defunct / Stagnant 41
Avalomhilly 41
BYOND Tabletop Gaming (Defunct? Revived?) 41
Epical Online (Defunct) 42
GlitterComm (defunct) 42
RPG Tonight (defunct) 43
Scene Grinder (Defunct) 43
TabletopZen (defunct) 44
weRole.com (defunct) 44
V-FORT (Defunct) 45
ViewingDale (Defunct) 45
WebRPG 46
Tabletop Mapper (Defunct) 47
GhostOrb (Defunct) 47
Vellum (Defunct) 48
DNDMapper (Defunct) 49
Online RPG Battle Tool (Defunct) 49
BattlePawn (Defunct) 50
RolePlayingMaster (Defunct) 50
YumiChat (Defunct) 51
TRIS (defunct) 51
AjaxVTT (defunct) 52
Tabletop Mapper 53
RPGWorkbench 54
Virtual Battlemat 54
Online Pen & Paper World 55
Tri Axe Dungeons & Dragons Chat 55
D20Map 56
RPGui 56
RPGui 57
MerpMaker 58
SuiteGM 58
Battle Map v2.0 59
Diavida VTT 59
GRiP 60
tabledice 60
RPG Tonight 61
SyncRPG 61
SimpleBM (short for Battle Map) 62
Fantasy Grounds 64
Roll20 65
David: Astral Virtual Tabletop 66
Conferencing / Chat / Audio / Video 66
Jitsi 67
Discord 68
Skype 69
Google Hangouts (defunct) 70
Facebook 70
Shared Whiteboard 71
OpenBoard 71
Resources available to help those without computers or broadband otherwise cut-off 75
Access to computers 75
National options 75
General Socializing Options You Might Not Know 76
Virtual Tabletop Options 77
Board & Card Game Tools 78
Tabletop Simulator 78
Tabletop Playground (direct competitor to Tabletop Simulator) 79
Tabletopia 80
Battlegrounds Gaming Engine (aka BGE) 81
Astral 82
d20 Pro 82
HexML 83
iTabletop (fishy… quais-defunct but running?) 84
kLoOge.Werks 84
OpenRPG (Old) 85
Dundjinni 85
GM Friend (Active) 86
AutoREALM 86
TRPG Tools 91
References 94
Those most at-risk are also cut-off.
Resources available to help those without computers or broadband otherwise cut-off
Locally, computers are available for free checkout to Spokane Public
Schools families through an application process. Information on that is
here:
https://www.spokaneschools.org/LaptopCheckout
The checkout is mostly happening online (very ironically), but there is a
phone number families that can't get onto the webpage can use for support.
Nationally, these companies are providing free Internet:
- Xfinity and AT&T are offering low-cost, unlimited Internet for multiple
families and have opened all their existing Internet hotspots to free
public access (which requires no application or sign-up process):
https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19#undefined&all_Pricingandotherinfo
https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html (Scroll down to "Consumers" and
"Keeping Our Customers Connected"
- T-Mobile is offering reduced price mobile data plans and 10 GB/mo. extra
hotspot mobile data for the next 2 months:
https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/ongoing-updates-covid-19?icid=home|March15|ongoing
- Sprint is offering extra hotspot mobile data following the same pattern
as T-Mobile:
https://newsroom.sprint.com/covid-19-updates-sprint-responds.htm?INTCID=HPB:ALL:ALL:COVID19:NWS
Virtual Tabletop Options
RPG
3dVT
https://www.3dvtt.com/
Adventure Keep
Epic Table
http://www.epictable.com/faq/
DND Dice Roller
https://www.dnddiceroller.com/
FM Forge
Fable top
Epic Table
Eclipse Origins
Spring Engine
Power Virtual Tabletop power vtt
Summary: RPG VTT (defunct)
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://www.poweredvtt.com/ (dead)
Source:
Status: Inactive 2+ years.
Description:
https://www.reddit.com/domain/poweredvtt.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PowerVTT/
Features:
Components:
Power Virtual TableTop
Cost: Fremium.
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, Web.
Site: https://www.poweredvtt.com
Status: Discontinued
Adventurer's Codex
Cost: Open source
Platform: Self-hosted – Web
Site: https://adventurerscodex.com/
Source: https://github.com/adventurerscodex/adventurerscodex
Description: D&D 5e gaming system for characters, campaigns, and parties. focused on in-person play.
Components: https://adventurerscodex.com/attributions.html
Mipui
Cost: Free (Opensource)
Platform: Web
Site: https://www.mipui.net/app/
Source: https://github.com/amishne/mipui
Status: Active
Description:
An online grid-based map editor for games, with real-time collaboration
https://alternativeto.net/software/mipui/
Components:
Firebase by Google
FireSaver.js by Eli Grey
Game icons by various artists, available on game-icons.net. Also see a detailed artist breakdown.
Material icons by Google
Shadowcasting Tutorial by Eric Lippert
Cross-hatching texture by Syrkres
node-sanitize-filename Node module by Sam Hocevar
SparkMD5 by Joseph Myers
RPG Map Editor II
Cost:
Platform: Online
Site: https://deepnight.net/tools/rpg-map/
Source: https://github.com/deepnight?tab=repositories
Status:
Description:
Features:
Full HTML5 support, no longer Flash-based
Windows version on Itch.io
Full-screen editor
Import maps generated by One Page Dungeon (from Watabou)
Support for special walls, such as caverns, diagonals, etc.
Ground textures
Ray-casted lighting & fog
Multiple skins and many customizable colors
Texts, numbered elements with automatic legend block generation, text bubbles…
Icons
Enemies
User friendly UI
Pay what you want, including free!
Components:
RPG Map II is completely free to use. All the content you create with it can be used any way you want, including in commercial products.
Beyond Tabletop
Cost: Free
Platform: Web
Site: https://www.beyondtabletop.com/
Source: n/a
Status: Active
Description:
Beyond Tabletop is a set of tools for RPG players who want to enhance their in-person game sessions with cleanly designed, easy-to-use online character sheets and maps. Our web application is subscription-free and designed to be used on all devices. We currently offer two products - a battle map, which is designed to accommodate many RPG systems, and character sheets, which are built for the Pathfinder system (with more systems on the way!)
Features:
• D&D 5e
• Character sheets
• Simple Maps
Components:
Standard Action
Cost: Free
Platform: Web
Site: https://standardaction.net/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Standard Action is a tabletop gaming application designed to be simple to use, but highly customizable. In game, Standard Action features an interactive game board, live chat, dice rolls, a turn tracker, and customizable game piece stat bars. Game masters can take advantage of dynamic lighting, custom map layering, and organization of their maps into separate chapters to bring their game world to life.
Features:
Components:
GM Forge
Cost: $29.99+
License: Commercial
Platform: Steam (Windows)
Site: https://store.steampowered.com/app/842250/GM_Forge__Virtual_Tabletop/
Source:
Status:
Description:
GM Forge is a Standalone Virtual Tabletop with competitive features, making it a good affordable alternative. When you buy a copy of GM Forge, your friends join you through their web browser without purchasing a copy. It has all the competitive features in other virtual tabletops, as well as some impressive new innovative ideas built with the average GM in mind.
GM Forge is a sandbox for GMs, and has 6 sample systems available on the workshop with some automation setup for basic play, with the option of downloading additional user created content and mods through the steam workshop!
Active discord channel
Features:
• Dynamic Lighting
• Worldmaps / Map connecting
• Online/Offline/Local Network Support
• Combat Tracker
• Music and Youtube video integration
• Voice/Video chat
• Drag and Drop inventory/spellbook management
• Automation/Auto Calculations
• Custom Character Sheets
• Full System Builder
• Custom Dice
• Custom Compendiums
• Hand out building
• Presentation ready notes (Automating your Notes)
• Resource Pages that allow you to share your PDFs and Important images with your party
• Modding/Workshop Support
• And the list goes on...
Components:
PlanarAlly
Cost: Free
License: Opensource:
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, Web, Self-hosted
Site: https://www.planarally.io/
Source: https://github.com/Kruptein/PlanarAlly
Status:
Description:
PlanarAlly is an opensource Virtual TableTop (VTT) web tool that aims to help you and your players discover the various fictive worlds out there. It's designed to be usable without any internet access to accomodate your dark dungeons and has a variety of features to enhance your immersion like lighting and vision limitation.
Features
Components:
Talespire
License: Commercial
Cost:
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Windows, Pending on Steam.
Site: https://talespire.com/
Source:
Status: Pending
Description:
Kickstarter campaign was funded: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bouncyrock/talespire
online, digital, graphical way of playing classic P&P Role-playing games with your friends. As a DM, build your campaign in-game and invite your players for sessions. To your left you can watch one of our streams to see for yourself.
For more, drop by the Discord and check out the FAQ
TaleSpire is a beautiful way to play pen and paper RPGs online. It's a place where you and your friends build and tell stories together.
We are marrying the beauty and physicality you find in miniatures with the expanse of digital worlds. Our aim is to get rid of everything that gets between you and your stories. And all of this whilst letting people be together regardless of where they are in the world.
TaleSpire is not tied to a specific game or ruleset; if it's role-playing on a square grid we have your back.
TaleSpire has a lot within its walls; let's go on a stroll through the main features.
Building and play are one
TaleSpire is a place where building and play happen throughout the whole play session. Want to destroy a wall to reveal a secret passage? Do it! Want to rain down piles of gold from the heavens? Sure! At any moment the GM (or GMs) can jump into building mode and change anything without interrupting anything else.
You will be able to build anything from tiny one shots to sprawling campaigns. Each board can be up to 30km across and 10km tall. We will be looking to make them even bigger post-Early Access.
A campaign can have as many boards as you can build, and you can copy entire boards — which makes it easy to create alternate versions in various states of disarray if that is what your story calls for.
Build together
Building doesn't have to be a solo activity. Grant other people GM rights to your campaign and build your world together.
Gorgeous sculpted scenery and miniatures
TaleSpire gives you assets that look so good you'll want to claw them out of your monitor.
Control the atmosphere
A necromancer is performing a poignant resurrection that deserves something special! With a click you can dim the lights, bring in the music and captivate your players.
As the GM you can store lighting, weather and music into 'environment pillars'. These let you swiftly change the mood of a moment.
Features
Components:
Adventure Builder
License: Commercial
Cost: $5+
Cost Frequency: 1-time per major version?
Platform: Windows, Linux, Web
Site: https://johnnygossdev.itch.io/adventure-builder
Source:
Status: Beta
Description:
Features:
- Creature Browser
- Browse all of the 5e SRD creatures using helpful filters.
- Encounters
- Make as many encounters as you like
- Edit and save notes
- Keep a history of events
- Keep track of the initiative order
- Click on creature actions to automatically roll to hit and damage
- Roll dice using the roll command "roll 1d20 + 2"
- Custom notes for creatures
- Everything is saved so you can pick up and play next time
Components:
DM Helper
License: Free
Cost: Free
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows, Mac
Site: https://dm-helper.itch.io/dm-helper
Source:
Status:
Description:
The DM Helper will act as your in-game assistance, taking care of the administrative tasks and allowing you to focus on your players, the narrative and the fun!
Key Features
- Presentation of all tool content in a Player's Window. This can be shown to players on an external monitor or shared via streaming tools for either face-to-face or ongoing games
- Full battle support including a full battle map, initiative and hit point tracking, area effects, mass saving throws/damage
- Map visualization, in or out of battles, including fog of war, zooming and an in-map pointer for highlighting items
- A detailed bestiary, pre-filled with all open-source SRD monsters
- A campaign structure for build-up of adventures, encounters, maps, locations, party members and NPCs.
- A quick reference to descriptions of actions/bonus actions/reactions, environmental issues and conditions
- A reference including all SRD equipment tables
- A campaign clock for tracking time and date throughout adventures
- Animation of scrolling text over a background for easy cut-scene creation
Features
Components:
Adventurekeep
License: Commercial
Cost: $0 / $5/mo
Cost Frequency: Monthly
Platform: Web
Site: https://adventurekeep.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
online toolkit for Dungeon Masters to create epic adventures with ease. Adventurekeep provides state-of-the-art tools for building and running 5e adventures.
Free Features:
• Free
• $0 forever
• Unlimited Adventures
• 10 Pages Total
• 5 Map Markers per Page
• 1 MB Max Image Size
• 100 MB Image Storage
Pro Features:
• Pro
• $5 per month
• ($60 per year)
• Unlimited Adventures
• Unlimited Pages
• Unlimited Map Markers
• 5 MB Max Image Size
• 5 GB Image Storage
Components:
Critical Compendium
License: Free
Cost: Free (optional donate)
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Windows, Steam
Site: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1087080/Critical_Compendium/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Critical Compendium is a content creation and management tool for D&amp;D 5th Edition. The complete 5.1 SRD is included with support for importing your existing XML compendiums.
FEATURES
- Guided character creation
- Complete character management - hp, attacks, inventory, spells, companions, and more
- Encounter creation with advanced monster and character statistics
- Run encounters with time and initiative tracking
- Export characters to form-fillable PDF character sheet
- Share characters and encounters by exporting to an archive and sending it to your friends
- Import XML compendiums and character and encounter archives
- Complete compendium management - create, edit, and copy anything
- Dice calculator with die hot keys
- Quickly reference rules (DM screen)
Features
Components:
DiceCloud
Summary: Realtime D&D 5e Character Tracker
License: Freemium / Opensource options
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://dicecloud.com/
Source: https://github.com/ThaumRystra/DiceCloud
Status: Active
Description:
Features
Components:
Reroll
Summary: a digital character sheet app for 5e DnD that allows you to create and customise your characters in pixel art.
License: Commercial
Cost: $15+
Cost Frequency: 1-time (per platform?)
Platform: Android, iPhone
Site: https://reroll.co/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Reroll is a visual character sheet app for 5e DnD that allows you to create and customize your characters in hand-crafted pixel art.
Features:
Components:
Battlegrounds: RPG Edition
Summary: Battlegrounds: virtual tabletop software designed to enhance your pen-and-paper roleplaying games, whether your players are in the same room, or on the other side of the world.
License: Commercial
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows
Site: http://battlegroundsgames.com/battlegrounds-rpg-edition/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Battlegrounds: RPG Edition (aka BRPG) is virtual tabletop software designed to enhance your pen-and-paper roleplaying games, whether your players are in the same room, or on the other side of the world.
BRPG is system-agnostic, meaning it can be used with any RPG system, whether it be Dungeons & Dragons, d20, GURPS, Rolemaster, FUDGE/FATE, Savage Worlds, Shadowrun, or a more obscure system. BRPG supports gameplay in any genre, both online and offline. It's the perfect solution for gaming groups where one or more members have moved away. BRPG is also ideally suited for use with a projector or HDTV in face-to-face game sessions. BRPG is designed to be easy to use; there is never any scripting or XML-editing involved.
BRPG can also be used to play boardgames, wargames, card games, and dice games.
A free Demo version is available for download. BRPG also boasts many artpacks and digital game conversions, both free and commercial.
Features:
Components:
Aurora Builder
Summary: a free tool that lets you create characters for your dungeons and dragons game using the bundled content, your own content, and content created by others.
License: Free
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows
Site: https://aurorabuilder.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Aurora Builder is a free tool that lets you create characters for your dungeons and dragons game using the bundled content.
Features:
Components:
Shmeppy
Summary: wet erase mat. Online. Play any tabletop RPG remotely. As easy to use as your wet-erase mat: no cartographer degree required.
License: Commercial
Cost: Free to use during Earliest Access
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Web
Site: https://shmeppy.com/
Source:
Status: In development.
Description:
Subscription that costs between $0 and $5. Price may vary depending on commitment and so on.
Features:
Components:
epicGM
Summary: Cross-platform Game Master tools to track campaign notes, compendiums and a battle map.
License: Freemium
Cost: $5+ “name your price”
Cost Frequency: 1-time perpetual license.
Platform: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS
Site: https://gavelsoft.itch.io/epicgm
Source:
Status:
Description:
epicGM is a cross-platform tool offering features to track campaign notes, compendiums and a battle map. It brings a complete suite of tools to help you run your games smoothly so you can focus on bringing the best game experience to your friends and players!
FEATURES
Campaign tool to link your notes to your map.
Creature compendium
Random Table/Encounter Builder
Battle map with tokens and Spell area effects
Cloud Support to sync across devices or to find pre-made adventures.
Fightclub XML support via dropnbox import for compendium, spells, items and creatures.
Features:
Components:
Dungeon Sketch
Summary: Dungeon Sketch is a lo-fi tactical combat map for tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons.
License: Free (Opensource)
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://sites.google.com/site/dungeonsketchhelp/
Source: https://github.com/timbocek/DungeonSketch
Status: Inactive over 5 years.
Description:
Dungeon Sketch is a lo-fi tactical combat map for tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons. This is meant to replace the whiteboard or graph paper that sits in the middle of a gaming table.
The application provides a vector drawing utility, and a collection of images to use as tokens representing players, monsters, or anything else. There is nothing specific to a particular roleplaying system.
Features include:
* Three layers to draw on: a background, hidden notes for the game master (put your traps there!), and temporary annotations such as spell effects.
* Lots of intuitive draw tools to support any sort of map you want to draw.
* Fog of War: Set up a map ahead of time and reveal it to your players room-by-room.
* Import your own images to use as tokens in the game, or choose from a large library of provided tokens.
* Manage, tag, and filter tokens, so you can easily drop them in as you play.
* Save and load maps, so you can prepare your game ahead of time.
* Color themes ranging from classic whiteboard and graph paper to more thematic colored backdrops.
* Rectangular and Hex Grids.
Dungeon Sketch is Free, Open Source software.
Features:
Components:
RPTools, MapTool, etc.
Summary: MapTool & TokenTool active, the others “stabilized” & inactive.
MapTool Summary: MapTool is an online, multiuser, networked, graphical, interactive, programmable virtual tabletop
License: Free (Maptool opensource)
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Java
Site: https://www.rptools.net/ - https://www.rptools.net/toolbox/
Source:
Status: Mixed active, Maptool last update March 19,2020.
Description:
MapTool: MapTool is an online, multiuser, networked, graphical, interactive, programmable virtual tabletop. Requires Java 6+. It can be used for face-to-face play, or Internet role-playing in real time even if your players are on the other side of the world. MapTool in particular works great with voice-chat services!
• MapTool - An online, multiuser, network based, graphical, interactive, programmable virtual tabletop.
• TokenTool - Create quick and simple consistently sized tokens for use with any digital battle mat.
• InitiativeTool - Keeps track of the flow of encounters. Requires Java 5+.
• CharacterTool - A configurable tool for managing the number-crunching of building and maintaining player characters.
• DiceTool - A general-purpose dice rolling application with programmable buttons and extensive customization.
The tools fall into two categories.
• Active tools are still under development and support.
• Stabilized tools are no longer under active development or support. Some of their functionality has been moved into one of the active tools.
These tools are not a role playing game by themselves, nor are they meant to replace everything at the RPG table. Rather, they are designed to be as flexible as we can make them, usable for a wide variety of gaming systems, from fantasy to sci-fi; from tabletop miniatures games to purely spoken-word games.
The tools aren't built from the ground up for any specific RPG, which is what allows for the great flexibility we have, but as a result, it can be difficult for us to indicate easily to individuals how best to make use of the tools for their specific purposes. Fortunately, the community forums are a thriving, active source of rapid responses to any questions you may have. We take pride in this as one of our greatest strengths and we encourage you to join us there. If the game you want to run is a commonly-found one, there's a good chance you can locate someone who's done most of the fine-tuning for you! At the risk of leaving some out, our users have developed frameworks for D&D3.x, D&D4e, Pathfinder, ShadowRun, nWOD, GURPS, and many others.
Features:
Components:
Rolisteam
Summary: VTT for TRPG
License: Free (Opensource GPL2)
Cost: Free / donate
Cost Frequency: None
Platform: Web
Site: https://rolisteam.org/
Source: https://invent.kde.org/kde/rolisteam
Status: Active
Description:
http://doc.rolisteam.org/overview.html
Rolisteam is a virtual tabletop software. It helps you to manage tabletop role playing games with remote friends/players. It provides many features to share maps, pictures and it also includes tool to communicate with your friends/players. The goal is to make Rolisteam-managed RPG games as good as RPG games around your table. To achieve it, we are working hard to provide you more and more features.
Features:
• Character Sheet
• Music player
• Drawing tool (to draw map on the fly).
• Vectorial Map
• Name Generator
• Unit Converter
• Character Sheet
• Rich text Editor.
• Dice rolling
• secret Dice rolling
• Share pictures
• Share maps
• Fog of war on maps
• Playable Character or Player identity (in chat)
• PC and NPC positioning on map.
• One to One/Many/All Chat communication
• Client/Server architecture.
• And many others…
Components:
FoundryVTT
Summary: standalone application built for experiencing multiplayer tabletop RPGs using a feature-rich and modern self-hosted application where your players connect directly through the browser.
License:
Cost: $50 per GM (unlimited players allowed to connect, they do not need to purchase).
Cost Frequency: 1-time.
Platform: Self-hosted,
Site: https://foundryvtt.com/
Source:
Status: Beta currently. Scheduled May 2020 release.
Description:
Features:
Components:
Board Game Arena
Summary: play board games online with the whole world. It is a next generation game platform which makes online gaming simpler and more attractive:
License: Freemium Commercial
Cost: 4 Euros/month (2 Euros if paid annually). Many free games, but pay for premium.
Cost Frequency: Monthly/annual
Platform: Web
Site: https://en.boardgamearena.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
https://en.boardgamearena.com/premium
With Board Game Arena you can play board games online with the whole world. It is a next generation game platform which makes online gaming simpler and more attractive:
-- Nothing to install: play straight from your browser, from anywhere, at anytime.
-- Real time: your opponents are online, you play "live" (note: you can also choose to play "turn-based" games with opponents that are not online at the same time than you).
-- Simple: if you know the game, then you know how to play online.
-- Free (some functionality is limited to paid accounts).
Board Game Arena offers a growing selection of board and card games. We specialize in modern adults games ("European style games"). This game platform has been designed to host any kind of game. This flexibility allows us to offer a new game every month.
Board Game Arena Studio is a platform to build online board game adaptation using the Board Game Arena platform.
Features:
Components:
Vtable, the Virtual Table (previously Game Table)
Summary: Java-based shared whiteboard and chat client. It is designed primarily to provide an online tabletop interface.
License: Free?
Cost: Free?
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Java. Windows, Mac, Linux.
Site:
Source: https://sourceforge.net/projects/gametableproj/
Status: Inactive (>3 years)
Description:
VTable, or virtual table and formerly GameTable, is a Java-based shared whiteboard and chat client. It is designed primarily to provide an online tabletop interface. Draw directly, or place images, that all connected users can see and manipulate. It specializes in simplicity, virtually no learning curve, and ease of use. Shared image files auto-propagate to other uses, which allow them to use a local cache to view shared spaces.
Features:
• Shared whiteboard / tabletop useful for anything displayed on a table.
• Host a server or join as a client.
• See all updates made by other user simultaneously in real-time.
• Customizable macros.
• Status tags for pogs (tokens).
• Built-in text chat.
Components:
Game Master by Lion's Den
Summary:
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: iOS, Android.
Site: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/game-master-5th-edition/id908176026 - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lionsden.gamemaster5&hl=en_US
Source:
Status:
Description:
set up encounters, keep track of initiative by automatically rolling for the monster side and letting you input the player rolls, and keep track of the health of all players and creatures. It will even set up to-hit and damage rolls for the monster. The encounters can be saved to a campaign, and you can have multiple campaigns saved.
Game Master is available for the iPhone and iPad, and it supports 5th, 4th and 3.5 editions for Dungeons and Dragons as well as Pathfinder.
Features:
Components:
Realm Works
Summary:
License: Commercial
Cost: $60+ for GM, $5+ for Player.
Cost Frequency: 1-time base, plus every 6 months for server access, additional costs, through content market.
Platform: Windows
Site: https://www.wolflair.com/realmworks/
Source:
Status:
Description:
While Game Master does a great job of managing combat encounters, Realm Works is more about managing your campaign and your world as a whole. The software allows you to keep track of your NPCs, locations in the world, plot lines, etc. While it doesn't include any map making, you can import maps made in other software and place pins on important areas such as encounters and traps. It also helps facilitate the fog of war, so you can let your players explore through the map.
Realm Works is compatible with almost any RPG and is available on Windows. It comes in two varieties: the game master version and the player version.
The Realm Works Game Master Edition comes with 6 months of free server access and one copy of Player Edition. We also realize it takes time to build an epic campaign and offer a 60 day money back guarantee if Realm Works isn’t right for your world.
To use Player Edition, you must invite your player to join the game and have server access, as that is how GMs reveal content to their players. Server access is entirely optional but incredibly beneficial. You can learn more about it on our Server Access Page.
Features:
Components:
Campaign Cartographer
Summary:
License: Commercial
Cost: Varies, can be close to $1,000 for full bundle.
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://www.profantasy.com/products/cc3.asp
Source:
Status:
Description:
Campaign Cartographer by Pro Fantasy is for the serious game master that wants to map out an entire world and fill it in with castles, towers, dungeons, etc.
The basic pack gives you the ability to draw out the campaign world, and with some add-on packs, you can create dungeons, caves and other adventuring areas.
Features:
Components:
Battle Map 2
Summary:
License:
Cost: $9.99 + in-app purchases.
Cost Frequency:
Platform: iOS.
Site: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/battle-map-2/id384800918
Source:
Status:
Description:
Features:
Components:
Summary:
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site:
Source:
Status:
Description:
Features:
Components:
Syrinscape
Summary: Ambient sounds for RPGs.
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS
Site: https://store.syrinscape.com/download/
Source:
Status:
Description:
his software will produce sounds ranging from a fire-breathing dragon attacking a town to the simple background of a forest. The sounds are multi-layered, so you can control the screams of the peasants as the dragon swoops down or the grumble of an orc hiding behind the trees.
Features:
Components:
Fight Club 5th Edition
Summary:
License: Ads, In-app purchases.
Cost: Fremium with Ads, in-app purchases.
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: Appled: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fight-club-5th-edition/id901057473 – Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lionsden.fc5&hl=en_US
Source:
Status:
Description:
Developed by the same people as Game Master, the Fight Club series of apps keep track of all of your stats from hit points to armor class to strength to defenses. You can also do automatic dice rolls for combat, ability checks and saving throws. Best of all, it includes inventory management and a spell book to view known spells and manage memorized incantations.
Fight Club supports 5th, 4th and 3.5 editions for Dungeons and Dragons, as well as Pathfinder.
Features:
Components:
Fifth Edition Character Sheet
Summary:
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: iOS, Android.
Site: Apple - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fifth-edition-character-sheet/id967650851 – Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wgkammerer.testgui.basiccharactersheet.app&hl=en_US
Source:
Status:
Description:
The mere act of creating a character can easily take a half hour or more, but with the Fifth Edition Character Sheet, this task can take mere seconds. OK, perhaps a minute or two, but the rolling of the dice and the racial and class adjustments only take a few seconds. As you progress, the app will help keep track of your changing armor class, hit points, damage, skill proficiencies, spells and even let you take notes.
Features:
Components:
Sheet Yourself
Summary:
License:
Cost: Apple: $7.99, Android: $4.99, Amazon: $2.99
Cost Frequency:
Platform: iOS, Android, Kindle.
Site: https://sheetyourself.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
If you are looking to go beyond just D&D and Pathfinder, check out Sheet Yourself. This app has many of the same features as the other character sheet apps, but it works against a larger range of RPGs including Call of Cthulu, Magic: The Gathering, Vampire: The Masquerade, Dungeon World, and various d20 games.
Features:
Components:
d20 Calculator (Lion’s Den)
Summary:
License: Commercial
Cost: Freemium, In-app purchases
Cost Frequency:
Platform: iOS, Android.
Site: Apple https://apps.apple.com/us/app/d20-calculator/id817035968 – Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lionsden.calculator&hl=en_US
Source:
Status:
Description:
You might be surprised by the lack of really good 3D dice rollers on Apple's App Store, but you really don't need anything more than d20 Calculator. This app doesn't have the thrills of a 3D roller, but it does allow you to create a complex formula with multiple dice, including dice of different sizes. You can also add in various bonuses to the roll.
Features:
Components:
DiceShaker D&D
Summary:
License: Commercial.
Cost: $2.99
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Kindle
Site:
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Pallosalama-DiceShaker-D/dp/B004U74AE6
Status:
Description:
There are a few negatives to DiceShaker. First, you cannot roll multiple dice at the same time beyond rolling two ten-sided dice to get a 1-100 roll. You also cannot add in bonuses to the roll. And while many dice rollers are free, you'll pay (currently) $3 for this one.
But if you want a dice roller that actually feels like you are rolling dice, $3 isn't that much to pay. And DiceShaker feels like you are rolling the dice.
Features:
Components:
Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller
Summary: Free online dice roller for D&D.
License: ?
Cost: Free
Cost Frequency: None
Platform: Web
Site: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm
Source:
Status: Active
Description:
Who needs a fancy app when Wizards of the Coast provides one for us? There's nothing fancy here. Just a spreadsheet-style dice roller that lets you choose the number, sides, and modifiers. It will also track multiple rolls in the notes field. Best of all, it is free.
Features:
Components:
Obsidian Portal
Summary:
License:
Cost: Basic (free, limited) 15 day free trial, Ascendant $4.16/mo)
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://www.obsidianportal.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Obsidian Portal is a godsend for GMs, and it works beautifully with any game. This website lets you manage campaigns down to the finest detail. You can build entire websites for your RPG adventures with Obsidian Portal’s handy wiki tool, and the app’s character and campaign trackers make sure you never forget how much experience the party’s earned, or where you left off in the last session. It pretty much does it all – and for free, too. Obsidian Portal is web-based, so you can manage your campaigns from your PC or on the go on any smartphone or tablet.
Features:
Components:
OrcPub (Defunct?)
Summary:
License:
Cost: ?
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Web?
Site: https://orcpub2.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
OrcPub.com is a suite of tools for Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition focused on making tabletop gameplay and preparation quicker, simpler, smoother, and more accessible to more players and DMs. It currently has an awesome character builder; tools for adding homebrew content; a spell, rule, and monster references; and a basic combat tracker. You can add more features to it. You can also change the settings in it. Now you can add any number of features/traits to your homebrew dnd5e races, subraces, and background. It also has an improved desktop and tablet view, which you can enjoy.
Features:
Components:
Dungeon Fog
Summary:
License: Commercial
Cost: Free demo, $4.90/mo ($49.90/yr) Premium Subscription, $6.90/mo ($34.90/6-months). Commercial annual $99.90).
Cost Frequency: monthly, and others.
Platform:
Site: https://www.dungeonfog.com/
Source:
Status:
Description:
draw your RPG tabletop maps with just a few clicks – No more patching up map tiles! Create multi-level dungeons, terrains or entire worlds in an instant. Generate your GM-Notes automatically and export or print high-res images and notes, or send a Fog of War version for your players to your TV!
Features:
Components:
Fractal Mapper, The Keep, Astrosynthesis, (Active?) - Skwyre – ScreenMonkey (Defunct? 2016)
Summary:
License: Commercial
Cost: $35, $52, $75, and other prices for different components.
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS.
Site: https://www.nbos.com/ - https://www.nbos.com/products/skwyre
Source: https://www.nbos.com/products/skwyre/downloads
Status:
Description:
Features:
Real-time, shared battle maps. See the map change instantly as minis are dragged across the table top or as the GM draws on it.
Supports multiple campaigns
Multiple maps per campaign, easily switch between them
Upload your own maps, textures, and miniatures.
Integrated chat for online gaming, featuring markdown styling and dice rolling
Map annotations and text, for marking notes and on the fly map drawing. Annotations include lines, circles, arrows, measuring tool, and text.
Supports touch-based devices, great for tablets!
Fully hosted service, no firewall headaches
SSL encryption. Your connection to the Skwyre server is secure and private.
Available for Windows (64 bit), OSX (64 bit), Linux (64 bit), Android. (iOS following)
Looking to re-create that gaming table feel when playing traditional paper and dice RPGs online? Try ScreenMonkey Lite 1.8! ScreenMonkey is a program GM's can use to moderate their online campaigns. ScreenMonkey can be used to play any traditional paper and dice RPG.
Only the GM needs the program - players only need their web browser!
ScreenMonkey is a server program that GM's run on their computer. Specifically, ScreenMonkey is a highly specialized Web Server designed for online gamemoderation. The program features a map display area, several grids for information about characters and NPCs, an event log, and a chat panel. The players in the game (other than the GM) connect directly to the GM's computer with a web browser. A built in announcement system lets GM's announce games in various ways, and provide URL links to the GM's computer. This means the GM and players do not need to mess around manually entering TCP/IP addresses and ports.
GM's have access to the full functionality provided by the ScreenMonkey program. GM's can move and edit all miniatures on the map, set the background picture, set and recall encounters, and see all chat items sent by all players.
Players use a web browser interface. Players can add and remove characters, set character information, move their characters around the map, set and remove facing/looking arrows, and chat.
Components:
3d VTT (Virtual Tabletop)
Summary:
License:
Cost: Free (limited use), $4.99/mo subscription.
Cost Frequency: Monthly subscription
Platform: Web, iOS, Android.
Site: http://www.3dvtt.com/
Source:
Status: Dev inactive, but program still running?
Description:
Development appears abandoned/halted, last update 2016-12-06, last community contact 2017-04-20. Developer's reddit-account was alive 2019-02-20. Apps is seems to have some issues but works to some extent, judging by the two positive reviews from July 2019. The fact that Google+ (link defunct)** was discontinued likely also impacted negatively on accessibility.
A 3D virtual tabletop that actually looks like a real one.
3D just like gaming on a real table.
Stand your miniatures up to fight.
View the tabletop from the 3 different angles, including top-down and "over the shoulder".
Play on your web browser on PC, Mac or iPad.
3D terrain to get the full exploration experience.
Great for pen and paper tabletop rpg gaming like Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), Pathfinder, and other role playing games
Features:
Components:
Infrno (Defunct)
Summary: Infrno is social networking plus on-line tools, all in the table-top gaming space!
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Windows, Mac.
Site: http://infrno.net/ (defunct)
Source:
Status: Defunct.
Description:
Infrno is social networking plus on-line tools, all in the table-top gaming space!
Create your personal profile, your game and character profiles, and play with your friends over the internet using video chat, voice chat, and a shared game-table. Never be constrained in your gaming by geography or time again!
Infrno is $4.99 or $14.99 per month for the full experience. An ad-supported, limited 'free lunch' program is also available.
You can:
find games that work with your schedule, regardless of where they are in the world.
meet and get to know other gamers from all over.
have your character can live inside his or her own social networking profile.
connect and play over the internet, using on-line tools tailored specifically designed to facilitate a robust gaming experience.
Features:
Components:
ScenGrinder (Defunct)
Summary:
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20110904031141/http://www.scenegrinder.com:80/
Source:
Status:
Description:
SceneGrinder™ is a Virtual Table Top for hosting role playing games.
Your game is always available and always running… no need for special software or downloads. SceneGrinder™ works in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Chrome.
With real-time lights and dynamic point of view (walls that actually block what players can see) your scenarios are brought to a whole new level. Each game gets its own wiki and forum.
SceneGrinder™ is NOT targetted at a specific gaming system, such as Dungeons & Dragons® or d20®, but instead allows you to configure your campaign rules right online for any RPG or FRPG. You may also borrow and adapt rules from other members.
SceneGrinder™… "May your game never end."
Features:
Components:
Traipse (defunct)
Summary:
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: http://www.traipse-openrpg.com/top-stories/4-pious-paladin (defunct)
Source:
Status:
Description:
Cursory Review 2018: No community, Seems abandoned. Traipse Version "Pious Paladin" claims to in Beta on the their homepage, was Alpha in 2011. Estimated to been abandoned around 2012
Traipse is an OpenRPG distribution much like Fedora, Ubuntu, and openSUSE are distributions to the Linux kernel. Traipse is designed to be easy to use while offering superb functionality. Installation with Traipse is a breeze with Traipse Easy! Traipse uses OpenRPG because Traipse is OpenRPG, with a few minor tweaks to add a little where it is needed
Traipse is Open Source and here at Mad Mathematics Laboratories we encourage users to crack open the source and tinker around with it. With Traipse Easy all of the source code is created in a System folder that users can simply delete and then run setup if they break their install too far. Go ahead, break it open. It's fun!
Project Wiki last activity 2011
Download Traipse Pious Paladin
Archived old homepage from 2012
Youtube tutorial from 2010 Guy calls the software old all the way back in 2010…
Features:
Components:
TTopRPG (stagnant)
Summary:
License:
Cost:
Cost Frequency:
Platform:
Site: http://www.ttoprpg.com/TTopRPG/
Source:
Status:
Description:
Cursory Review 2018: Development ended 2013, last update 2016, no community, available for download
TTopRPG is a free virtual tabletop that can be used to play various RPG's online using a PC with XP or Vista (or a Mac running a Windows emulator - 2 button mouse HIGHLY recommended). I recently heard it also runs well on Windows 7.
I designed it around the minimal utilities I considered necessary to run an RPG game. It isn't yet in an officially released form, as I continue to tweak, rearrange and add new functions as I find them necessary. I primarily use it to run DnD 3.5 games. It can also run 4e games and supports most nWoD die rolls (although other aspects of the nWoD system are not supported). As of last estimation, it seems to have 50 or so users, some worldwide.
Here's what the running application looks like from the DM's side. This screenshot uses the map from Paizo's free GameMastery module D0 - Hollow's Last hope. The PC portraits are the iconics they featured in their first Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rise of the Runelords.
Requirements
The quick instructions: Download and run the two required updates below. Then, a little farther down, you'll find a zip file to extract into its own folder.
TTopRPG 2.0 runs using the .NET 3.5 framework and was developed using Visual C++ 2008 Express Edition. It's expected to run on Windows XP SP2 and Vista (no support for Windows 2000 at this time, even SP4). Currently, it uses GDI+ to render its images, but I'll be updating eventually to OpenGL or DirectX.
TTop1.gif
Don't have Service Pack 2 for Windows XP? Get it here.
It is apparently also possible to get this application working on Mac OS X 10.5.4 using the Parallels virtual Windows environment. I haven't seen this myself, but the user said it works well. So, bonus! However, one user reported that ctrl key and right hold functions don't work (such as ctrl selecting multiple icons and right pressing to erase sketches). So I highly recommend you get a 2-button mouse for your system if one is available (although I don't know if you can disable the system's capture of the ctrl key for second mouse button use).
Note: TTop also works with VMWare on a Mac. To host, you may need to set the network between the Mac OS and Windows OS to 'bridged' instead of using NAT.
Caution: I've had one report of an XP machine that still failed to run my app even after running the 2008 Redist and .NET 3.5 installs. I have also read reports of other machines having more severe problems attempting to install the packages. I assume these circumstances are rare, but I thought it only fair to warn you. As with anything, installing these are at your own risk. But they should be reasonably safe, since Microsoft provides them with the intent to update XP and Vista.
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The Dicenomicon (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.gandreas.com/iphone/dicenomicon/
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The Dicenomicon is often hailed as the best dice-rolling app out there, and for good reason, too. It’s packed with features that will totally change your game. That includes pretty, customizable 3D dice that you can roll by shaking your phone.
The coolest part, though, is just how flexible the app is. You can create your own dice formula to suit your personal gaming needs, and you can save your favorites for easy access. The app also features “exotic” dice shapes including d18, d48, and d60. If you don’t want to juggle a bunch of different apps, The Dicenomicon also lets you manage character sheets in app, and you can access PDFs directly if you need to double check one of the rules. Additionally, Dropbox access means you can transfer all of your notes between devices with ease.
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Battle Map (Defunct)
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Drawing maps on mobile can be tricky business, but Razeware’s Battle Map has got it down. This app for iOS (sorry, Android users) let’s you draft maps on a grid, filling in tiles with backgrounds and props to really set the scene for your players. Tokens serve as markers for players, NPCs, and monsters so you can easily track the action.
When your creation is complete, you can convert the map to PDF and print it out to share with your group. Or you can make use of the app’s super cool VGA mode, which lets you plug your iPad into an external display to share the map. Using Battle Map’s GM mode, you can then move tokens around the map live as the action unfolds. Alternatively, the newly added online mode lets all players view the map on their personal iPhone or iPad, letting them move their own character across the map. It’s a great option if your sessions mainly take place online via Skype or Google Chat.
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Epic Table (Active)
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Cost: $60
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Platform: Windows
Site: http://www.epictable.com/
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Features: http://www.epictable.com/features/
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Vassal
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Runs in a web browser.
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Fabletop (Active)
Summary: Very simplistic virtual tabletop with a built-in rules system. It's easy to use with any genre or setting.
License: ?
Cost: Free?
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Platform: Web
Site: http://fabletop.com/
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Status: Active
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Runs in a web browser.
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Features
• Everything you need to play is built in.
• Chat system with in-character speech bubbles
• Character sheets & animated dice
• Customizable battlemat & miniatures
• Easy GM tools for on-the-fly encounters
• Works in any web browser, no setup hassles
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Dedicated Websites
Backstabbr
Board18
Dominion.games
Pretend You're Xyzzy
Wavelength Daily
Yucata
https://www.yucata.de/en
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Runs in a web browser.
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Defunct / Stagnant
Avalomhilly
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Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20140819060335/http://www.avalomhilly.20m.com/
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BYOND Tabletop Gaming (Defunct? Revived?)
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Cost: Free?
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Site: http://shadowdarke.byondhome.com/tt/manual.html → https://secure.byond.com/
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Provides a secure chatroom, powerful dice features, and shared virtual sheets.
homepage still online in 2019, but front page haven't been updated since 2003.
Project seem to have discontinued or morphed over the years into a mor general MUD/RPG/game-sharing software that seems to have still have activity and users in 2019 at byond.com
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Epical Online (Defunct)
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Site: http://web.archive.org/web/20140212162731/http://www.epicalonline.com/
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online VTT for play ttrpgs in the browser
The Web Archive have a functioning snapshot of the homepage www.epicalonline.com from 2014.
According to the facebook page's last post in August 2015, "it's taking a lot longer to restore this project as we hit a dead end with it and a few Financial problems but do not worry this project will not end." This is the last online activity found of the Epical, as no working snapsots of homepage exists after 2014.
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GlitterComm (defunct)
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Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20141217034832/http://glittercomm.com/
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Windows only VTT software, 6.5mb
txt chat, dicerolling, maps, hp & initiative tracking
Home page had last post in 2009, Web Archive found last working snapshot of homepage from 2014
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RPG Tonight (defunct)
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Cost: https://web.archive.org/web/20130509133742/http://www.rpgtonight.com/
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die rollers, maps, fog of war, moveable miniatures, sound effects, text chat, voice chat, customizable character sheets, and online storage for your own images and sounds. Played in browser
last homepage snapshot from 2011: www.rpgtonight.com/
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Scene Grinder (Defunct)
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Site: http://web.archive.org/web/20110904031141/http://www.scenegrinder.com/
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browser-based VTT to play ttrpgs, seemed to have maps, dynamic lighting, chat & integrated dice roller. Supported Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Chrome.
Web Archives have last working snapshot of homepage from 2011. www.scenegrinder.com/
Youtube demonstration of Dynamic lighting (2010)
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TabletopZen (defunct)
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Site: http://web.archive.org/web/20160723103107/http://tabletopzen.com/
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online VTT project focusing on tabletop & boardgame aspects than for playing TTRPGs.
Project had a demo on Youtube in 2015 that seems fairly well made, but no activity beyond this have been found.
The Web Archive have a functioning snapshot of the homepage tabletopzen.com from 2016.
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weRole.com (defunct)
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Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20111015025213/http://www.werole.com/
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"Includes live audio and video chat", "no need for install"
The Web Archive have a functioning snapshot of the homepage from www.werole.com/ 2011.
had a free, $5 player subscription, and $10 DM subscription option pricing
Ran on Flash in the browser
twitter active last time in 2010.
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V-FORT (Defunct)
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Site: https://web.archive.org/web/20070823211408/http://v-fort.org/
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Windows-only. The site is no longer available.
working snapshot of http://v-fort.org/ from 2007
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ViewingDale (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.viewing.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/viewingdale.pl?category=main&sx=1280
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Windows-only. Great zoom feature. No longer sold.
http://www.viewing.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/viewingdale.pl?category=main&sx=1280
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WebRPG
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http://www.webrpg.com/gamesystem/
listed bunch of ttrpg related software, didnt have a dedicated VTT
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Tabletop Mapper (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.tabletopmapper.hpg.ig.com.br/ → https://www.ig.com.br/ (dead)
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Windows-only.
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GhostOrb (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.ghostorb.com/
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There was never an official announcement that this was cancelled, but the website homepage hadn’t been updated since December 2005, and now the site is gone entirely.
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Vellum (Defunct)
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Site: http://vellum.berlios.de/
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An abandoned project that looked promising.
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DNDMapper (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.eeconsulting.net/tmp/
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Theoretically in development, but no updates since December 2005
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Online RPG Battle Tool (Defunct)
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Site: http://home.comcast.net/~r.soult/
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Presumed to be an abandoned project. Probably Windows-only.
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BattlePawn (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.battlepawn.com/
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The site is no longer available.
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RolePlayingMaster (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.enworld.org/RolePlayingMaster/
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Windows-only.
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YumiChat (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.rabidcomics.com/yumichat/index.html
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Windows-only server, Windows and Mac clients.
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TRIS (defunct)
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Site: http://trisrpg.bronzeforge.com/index.htm
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Text-based only.
Note: This site seems to no longer be available
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AjaxVTT (defunct)
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Site: https://linux.softpedia.com/get/GAMES-ENTERTAINMENT/RPG/AjaxVTT-18260.shtml
Source: https://www.siege.org/projects/ajaxvtt/ (dead)
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Linux-only. Not for the technically-challenged.
AjaxVTT is a "Virtual Table Top" utility for multi-user, web-based battle mapping.
For quite some time I have wanted a way to play old-school, table-top, books-and-dice roll playing games online. I've looked at the packages out there (oh, mine is far from the only one) and found them all... lacking in a way. There's nothing I've come across that happens to do exactly what I want. So, like any developer with too much time on his hands, I decided to make my own.
AjaxVTT is not my first attempt at Internet gaming software. In fact, I've prototyped several VTT systems over the last four or so years, but never really finished any of them. I've also looked at several open source VTT packages and thought about contributing... but for various reasons never did or was never able to.
So what does AjaxVTT do? It's a graphical web-based battle map. No unnecessary bells and whistles, just simple solid functionality that's as close to the real 'table top' experience as possible. In addition to the "battle map," AjaxVTT features a chat system with voice, video, and macros (for things like rolling dice) and very little else.
I first got the idea to create this software when the whole concept of what's being called "Web 2.0" was just starting to develop, and ajax technology was only beginning to find its way into mainstream use. I decided, "hey, what if I took a web-app and integrated d-n-d (drag and drop, not the other definition) functionality with ajax functionality? What would I get?" Turns out, you do that, you get something pretty cool. AjaxVTT is actually the second program I've written to use this combination (the first was a sort of wiki that let you drag elements around the page, sorta like a web-based MS Power Point.)
Now, I know a lot of people who would cry out that a web page is hardly the place to build out a complex, interactive mutli-user application like this. In fact, I sorta agree with that - web technology is hacky, old, buggy, bloated, slow, and unreliable. The fact that it powers as much as it does, and has been built up as much as it has is really kinda impressive. But the bottom line is that, as much as PHP and Javascript are lousy choices to write functional thin client applications in... the end result does work. And it's hellaconvenient to tell an end-user "just go to this URL and you're done." No "pc or mac?" no "install this", no downloads (though, I do have to admit it only works in Mozilla-type browsers right now... open standards my butt).
AjaxVTT is still young and only partially complete. I've released the code under the GPL even though I'm not really sure what I really want to do with the project. Truth be told, I don't actually game that much anymore, and a big part of the effort was just to have done it. Not to do it because it could be done, but because I'm learning a lot as I go, and because there aren't a lot of ajax apps that do something similar to what I'm doing. And that's cool. It's enough to keep me motivated.
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Tabletop Mapper
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Site: http://www.tabletopmapper.hpg.ig.com.br
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Windows-only.
Note: This site is no longer available.
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RPGWorkbench
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Site: http://rpgworkbench.blogspot.com/2007/08/content.html
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Runs in a web browser.
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Virtual Battlemat
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Site: http://virtualbattlemat.com/
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Runs in a web browser.
Note: This site is no longer available.
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Online Pen & Paper World
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Site: http://www.opnpw.com/
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Windows-only.
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Tri Axe Dungeons & Dragons Chat
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Site: http://www.triaxe.co.uk/
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Windows-only.
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D20Map
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Site: http://bd20map.runboard.com/
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Windows-only.
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RPGui
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Site: http://www.togamario.com/
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Windows-only. The site is no longer available.
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RPGui
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Site: http://www.togamario.com/
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Windows-only. The site is no longer available.
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MerpMaker
Summary: Middle-earth Role-playing
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Site: http://www.merp.com
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Status: defunct but available
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SuiteGM
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Platform: Java
Site: http://www.suitegm.com
Source:
Status: Defunct but available.
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Battle Map v2.0
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Site: http://www.incend.net/treasure_trove/index.htm
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Flash-based, runs in your browser.
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Diavida VTT
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Site: http://diavida.com/
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Runs in a web browser.
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GRiP
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Site: http://www.rpgrealms.com/grip
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No longer developed.
Update: The site is no longer available.
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tabledice
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Site: http://tabledice.com/
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Runs in a web browser (Firefox or Chrome).
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RPG Tonight
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Site: http://www.rpgtonight.com
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Runs in your browser.
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SyncRPG
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Site: https://www.syncrpg.com/
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Based on a MapTool fork.
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SimpleBM (short for Battle Map)
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Site: http://sbm.elagplus.com/
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Browser-based.
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Runs in a web browser.
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Runs in a web browser.
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Fantasy Grounds
Classic (current) and Unity (future, early access)
Through website only available for Windows & Mac OSX not Linux. Have to install Wine / Play onLinux to make work in Linux. Need to buy through website not steam to make work?
Classic
Demo
FGC Standard ( $4/mo) or 1-time $39.
FGC Ultimate ($10/mo) or 1-time $150
NO Build Your Campaigns
YES Play in a game hosted by Ultimate
NO Play in a game hosted by Standard
NO Host Games for Standard and Ultimate
NO Host Games for Demo Players
NO 242 Tokens (Animals, Characters, Monsters)
NO 26 battlemaps for streets, caves, dungeons and tunnels
Rulesets
YES 2E, 3.5E, 4E, 5E, FATECore, PFRPG, PFRPG2, Numenera, SFRPG
NO Data Libraries
D&D 5e SRD , D&D 5e Basic Rules , D&D 3.5E SRD, FATECore, Pathfinder SRD Libraries
YES Demo with one player and one GM
Roll20
Base Free
Pay once per year “save 15%”.
Base (Free)
Plus ($50/yr ($4.16/mo))
PRO ($100/yr (8.33/mo))
100MB Upload storage
Compendium sharing (1 game / 5 players)
Look for group (2 listings)
Has loadscreen ads
No shared table features
No dynamic lighting
No custom character sheets
No API access
No dev server access
Disabled “All access character vault”
3 GB Upload Storage
No Loadscreen Ads
Shared Table Features
Dynamic Lighting
Custom Character Sheets
API Access
Dev Server Access
All Access Character Vault
Compendium Sharing
3 Games / 10 Players
Look for Group
Unlimited Listings
6 GB Upload Storage
No Loadscreen Ads
Shared Table Features
Dynamic Lighting
Custom Character Sheets
API Access
Dev Server Access
All Access Character Vault
Compendium Sharing
5 Game / 15 Players
Look for Group
Highlighted Listings
David: Astral Virtual Tabletop
Browser-based.
Free
Pro $8.25/mo (save $24/mo paid annually =
Instant access to character sheets from popular tabletop roleplaying systems
Create immersive experiences using basic weather & visual fx
Choose 10 of your most frequent actions and rolls to put on your character’s action bar for quick access.
1GB storage to upload your own tiles, tokens, and compendiums
Over 200+ tiles, tokens, & sounds included to get you started
Everything in free plus ...
Over 12,000+ tiles, tokens, & sounds included to build elaborate campaigns + brand new content every month!
Create immersive experiences using all weather & advanced visual fx
Choose 20 of your most frequent actions and rolls to put on your character’s action bar for quick access.
20GB storage to upload your own tiles, tokens, and compendiums
Conferencing / Chat / Audio / Video
Jitsi
Summary: Free Web RTC audio/video conferencing, chat, screen share, youtube share, recording,
License: Free / Opensource
Cost: Free (support options)
Cost Frequency: None
Platform: Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android
Site: https://jitsi.org/
Source:
Status: Active
Description:
Use easily and for free: https://jitsi.org/
Can also setup own server if technical and have the hardware & bandwidth.
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Discord
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Runs in a web browser.
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Skype
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Runs in a web browser.
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Google Hangouts (defunct)
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Runs in a web browser.
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Shared Whiteboard
OpenBoard
Summary:
License: Opensource
Cost: Free
Cost Frequency: None
Platform: Web, Windows, Mac, Linux.
Site: https://www.openboard.ch/index.en.html
Source: https://github.com/OpenBoard-org/OpenBoard
Status: Active
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Runs in a web browser.
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Runs in a web browser.
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Socializing Distantly and General Well Being
Many of those most at-risk are severely cut-off during lock-down.
Previously only computer access or Internet connection was through:
• Schools (closed)
• Libraries (closed)
• Community centers (closed)
Resources available to help those without computers or broadband otherwise cut-off
Temporary emergency resources for computers and Internet access.
Access to computers
Local example in Spokane
Computers are available for free checkout to Spokane Public Schools families through an application process. Information on that is here:
https://www.spokaneschools.org/LaptopCheckout
The checkout is mostly happening online (very ironically), but there is a
phone number families that can't get onto the webpage can use for support.
Seattle options?
National options
Nationally, these companies are providing free Internet:
- Xfinity and AT&T are offering low-cost, unlimited Internet for multiple
families and have opened all their existing Internet hotspots to free
public access (which requires no application or sign-up process):
https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19#undefined&all_Pricingandotherinfo
https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html (Scroll down to "Consumers" and
"Keeping Our Customers Connected"
- T-Mobile is offering reduced price mobile data plans and 10 GB/mo. extra
hotspot mobile data for the next 2 months:
https://www.metrobyt-mobile.com/ongoing-updates-covid-19?icid=home|March15|ongoing
- Sprint is offering extra hotspot mobile data following the same pattern
as T-Mobile:
https://newsroom.sprint.com/covid-19-updates-sprint-responds.htm?INTCID=HPB:ALL:ALL:COVID19:NWS
General Socializing Options You Might Not Know
Most know about things like Zoom, FB, Twitter, Discord, etc.
Other free & open options to look into such as:
G+/Hangouts *dying/dead
Jitsi
Classic IRC
Hexchat
MUD/MUSH/MOO
Virtual Tabletop Options
Decades of our Research Experiments Show Pros & cons to using software instead of just webcams & screen sharing
So keep these caveats in mind before jumping into the VTT world. The Keep It Simple principle very much applies.
Board & Card Game Tools
Tabletop Simulator
Summary: Some sketchiness about licensing and paying creators, since content uploaded by users (lacks royalty payments to creators?) through workshop.
License: Commercial
Cost: ~$20/player (4-pack=$60) (includes 15 base games, then DLC costs of many others around $5-10+/- each)
Cost Frequency: 1-time
Platform: Steam (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Site: https://www.tabletopsimulator.com/
Source:
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Description:
Create your own original games, import custom assets, automate games with scripting, set up complete RPG dungeons, manipulate the physics, create hinges & joints, and of course flip the table when you are losing the game. All with an easy to use system integrated with Steam Workshop. You can do anything you want in Tabletop Simulator - The possibilities are endless!
Tabletop Simulator has it all. The base game includes 15 classics like Chess, Poker, Jigsaw Puzzles, Dominoes, and Mahjong. Additionally, there are thousands of community created content on the Workshop. If you’re the tabletop gaming type, we include an RPG Kit which has tilesets & furniture, as well as animated figurines that you can set up and battle with your friends, with even more options in the Chest. There’s even an option for Game Masters so they can control the table!
Features:
Online sandbox with unlimited games to play how you want.
Multiplayer physics with objects that collide and interact just how you would expect.
Create your own mods easily with full Steam Workshop support and 3D model importing.
Take games to the next level with Lua scripting support.
Play just like you do in real life; pick up, rotate, shake, and throw any object.
Up to 10 people can play together on the same table.
Team system with voice and text chat.
Save & load individual objects and complete games.
Hotseat mode allowing you to play locally on the same computer.
Browse the internet, listen to music, and watch videos in multiplayer, in-game on a tablet.
Perfect for RPGs – build your very own roleplaying dungeons with our modular tileset, RPG Kit, Multiple States and Tablet (useful for character sheets).
Great admin tools to enable or disable player permissions and to eliminate griefing in public games.
360° panoramic backgrounds that change the lighting and atmosphere.
Components:
Included games: Backgammon, Cards, Chess, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Custom Board, Dice, Dominoes, Go, Jigsaw Puzzles, Mahjong, Pachisi, Piecepack, Poker, Reversi, RPG Kit, Sandbox, Solitaire, and Tablet.
Tabletop Playground (direct competitor to Tabletop Simulator)
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Platform: Steam (Windows).
Site: https://tabletop-playground.com/
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Status: Closed Beta. Public release scheduled Q2 2020
Description:
Experience digital tabletop gaming like never before with realistic physics and satisfying controls. Recreate and modify classic games or build your own and share them with the world. Utilize specialized tools to play niche and complex games with up to 8 players across PC and VR. Get ready for the definitive tabletop gaming experience, with Tabletop Playground.
Join the TP community on Discord to get the latest updates on development and get early access through our Creator's Program initiative with modio.
8 Player Multiplayer
Play solo or with up to 8 players simultaneously online, with cross platform play between PC storefronts planned. Save and resume games at anytime and discover a never-ending selection of games to be played with friends or strangers across the world.
Modern and Satisfying Controls
Featuring powerful physics and responsive, snappy controls, every move and action is as satisfying to do as it is in real life. Whether through a screen, or through virtual reality with and without motion controllers, experience more responsive and fluid gameplay than ever before.
Powerful In-Game Editor
Adjust the rules and enjoy tabletop favorites exactly how you want, or quickly forge your own ideas into original games. The easy to use and powerful in-game editor, coupled with JavaScript scripting to allow for complex rules and actions, means you’re only limited by your creativity.
Specialized Tools For Niche Games
Built from the ground up with greater functionality for war-gaming and niche games in mind. Utilize specialized tools to create formations, measure distances/angles, access movement/dice roll history and use custom measure units. Digital war-gaming will never be the same again!
Realistic Graphics and More Customization
Through the use of Unreal Engine 4, experience the ultimate immersive game sessions you can have playing tabletop games online. Personalize your game space with beautiful and cozy 3D locations and lose yourself in the detailed game pieces and realistic graphics.
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Tabletopia
Summary: 800+ simulated board & card games on VTT.
License: Commercial
Cost: Players, Bronze (Free), Silver ($4.99), Gold ($9.99). Designers Basic (Free), Advanced ($9.99), Pro ($19.99)
Cost Frequency: Monthly.
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Find other players.
a multi-platform digital environment with instant access to hundreds of licensed board games… Welcome to Tabletopia!
Online arena for playing board games just like in real life. Play directly in modern desktop web browsers on Mac and Windows platforms, or download on Steam, App Store and Google Play.
Unique editor for building new board games from scratch and bringing paper games to the digital. No programming skills required!
Specialized tools for playtesting, demonstrating, promoting, and monetizing your games.
Features:
• ready game setups
• custom camera controls
• shuffling and dealing of cards
• tracking player turns and game phases
• interactive zones with predefined automatic actions, and much more!
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Battlegrounds Gaming Engine (aka BGE)
Summary: virtual tabletop software for use with boardgames, wargames, card games, and dice games.
License:
Cost: $14-$38+ (additional fees per player slot)
Cost Frequency: 1-time per player slot, includes upgrades.
Platform: Windows, Mac
Site: http://battlegroundsgames.com/battlegrounds-gaming-engine/
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Status:
Description:
Free demo.
is virtual tabletop software for use with boardgames, wargames, card games, and dice games. It is based on the BRPG codebase, but has been optimized for general gaming. RPG-related features have been removed, and new features and functions added instead. BGE is compatible with all the digital game conversions (and most artpacks) that were already available for BRPG. Future digital game conversions released by Battlegrounds Games will only be packaged for BGE, although they will generally still be usable in BRPG. In addition to allowing you to play existing digital game conversions, BGE is also a powerful toolkit that allows you to create your own digital game conversions, quickly and easily, with no programming, scripting, or XML editing whatsoever. Game designers will find that BGE provides an excellent means of prototyping and playtesting their game designs, and allows them to avoid the hassle of creating print-and-play playtest kits (and playtesters are avoided the hassle of crafting the PNP game, whose components may go through several iterations before they are finalized). Note that for user-created game conversions, you will probably need to own a copy of the game you wish to play. Also, unless you are extracting images from a PDF, you will probably need to have access to a flatbed scanner to scan in your games’ boards and counters.
• Demo (free, for evaluation purposes, or for playing games while connected to a Gamer Client with one or more free Player Slots available)
• Gamer Client with 1 free Player Slot: $14.00
• Gamer Client with 3 free Player Slots: $19.00
• Gamer Client with 7 free Player Slots: $29.00
• Gamer Client with 15 free Player Slots: $38.00
• Upgrade the number of free Player Slots on a Gamer Client: $2 + the difference in price (for example, to upgrade from 3 free Player Slots to 7 would cost $12)
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Astral
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Site: https://www.astraltabletop.com/
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Astral Tabletop is the easiest way to create, host, and play tabletop roleplaying games online or in person. Astral started in 2017; a brand new experience launched in April 2019. It was originally launched under the name "Power VTT". It is free. Now you can easily create & run games without wasting much time in the setup. It offers everything a GM i.e. game master needs to facilitate fun and immersive sessions. You can manage chat and combat in one place, it allows you to easily build maps and characters from scratch or use any of our ready-to-play templates. You can also add immersion and visual effects with just a click.
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d20 Pro
Summary:
License: Commercial
Cost: 30 day trial. Player license: $10 GM license: $50
Cost Frequency: 1-time (per seat/player).
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux.
Site: https://d20pro.com/
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a multi-platform, multi-player Virtual Tabletop (VTT) that takes roleplaying games from around the table to gamers around the world. Experience all the elements of roleplaying with the powerful D20PRO rules engine — speed up combat, roll a natural 20 on integrated dice, play on gigantic gaming maps, and bring character sheets to life. D20PRO specializes in running D&D 5E, D&D 3.5, Pathfinder and Starfinder Roleplaying Game sessions, but easily handles any roleplaying game system!
Free Trial. Buy Once. No Subscription.
D20PRO has everything you need to level up your next RPG campaign, including native d20-system support and features like fog of war, dynamic light, automated combat and more. You can easily create your own campaign content, or download free and premium rulebooks, adventures, tokens, and maps from leading publishers from the D20PRO marketplace.
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HexML
Summary: Free easy access direct through link.
License: ?
Cost: Free?
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Web.
Site: http://hextml.playest.net/
Source:
Status: Active
Description:
https://www.patreon.com/playest
Tutorial: http://hextml.playest.net/tutorial5.html
Campaign notes: http://hextml.playest.net/tutorial5.html?sub=5
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iTabletop (fishy… quais-defunct but running?)
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Platform: Windows, Mac.
Site: http://itabletop.com/
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iTabletop is an online gaming environment which allows users to create and play games on the internet, and play with their internet gaming friends using video, audio, and/or text messaging for the players to communicate. This environment does not enforce any specific rules about the game, so you are not limited to playing by any standard rules.
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kLoOge.Werks
Summary:
License: Complicated. Commercial?
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Platform: Java. Windows. Mac. Linux.
Site: http://www.kloogeinc.com/
Source:
Status: Last updated 2008, but still working/active?
Description:
Seems dated, last version from 2011, can't be downloaded from their page, likely defunct
kLoOge.Werks brings all the best parts of tabletop role-playing to the computer, breaking geographical barriers by allowing you to play over the Internet or LAN. It keeps track of character stats, modifiers, dice, combat and even has a configurable game calendar with time, date and weather conditions.
Chat text, grids, sounds, visual effects and much more are at your fingertips. Since kLoOge.Werks is game system neutral you can play just about any game you like: 6, 10, 20 sided dice or any variety you can
imagine. Game system definitions are kept in text files you can download to make your game play exactly the way you want.
You can use any type of image to represent your characters and maps. Scan, download, draw or render your images, then bring them into kLoOge.Werks where you can set accurate scale so every attack and move can be controlled. You can also import character data from popular character generators.
Features: http://www.kloogeinc.com/features.html
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OpenRPG (Old)
Summary:
License: Free? Opensource?
Cost: Free?
Cost Frequency:
Platform: Web? (Python) Windows, Linux.
Site: http://www.rpgobjects.com/orpg
Source: https://sourceforge.net/projects/openrpg/
Status: Site last updated 2016.
Description:
Cursory Review 2018: No development since 2007, still available for download, developer moved on but kept it available as it relates to his other works(RPG material for various game systems)
OpenRPG is The essence of pen & paper roleplaying converted to a Desktop Application. It is not tied to a specific RPG system and expandable by the end users. Free and Opensource OpenRPG is always evolving to meet the needs of it's user base.
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Dundjinni
Summary: Mapping.
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Cost: $40
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Site: http://www.dundjinni.com/
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Produces beautiful maps (especially battlemaps). Recommended.
Note: This software cannot currently be purchased, due to the DJ Store being offline.
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GM Friend (Active)
Summary:
License: Free
Cost: Free
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Platform: Web
Site: http://rhysmakesthings.com/gm_friend
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Status: Active
Description:
Free. Runs in browser.
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AutoREALM
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Site: https://sourceforge.net/projects/autorealm/
Source: https://bitbucket.org/bmorel/autorealm/src
Status: Stagnant? (4+ years)
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World Anvil
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Cost: Free (limited), Journeyman ($40/yr), Master ($58/yr), Grandmaster ($105/yr)
Cost Frequency: Annual
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Site: https://www.worldanvil.com/
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RPG Map Maker (defunct)
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Platform: Mac only
Site: http://fmteau.perso.neuf.fr/rpgmapmaker/rpgmapmaker.htm (Defunct)
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MapCrafter (Defunct)
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Site: http://www.empowergames.com/
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DungeonForge
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MapMaker
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zMapper
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Benny’s Dungeon Map Maker (Defunct)
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TRPG Tools
WotC
VTT
FG
R20
Playing Board Games Online
Hardware
Software
Services
Accessibility
Considerations
Caveats
Privacy / Security
References
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cNlFbHk511xRCxziPmcncilEzPd3J7AyzrVhWzSZY28/edit
https://www.geeknative.com/68900/the-eight-rpg-publishers-that-dominate-virtual-rpg-tabletops/
https://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/42y2f0/roll20_vs_maptools_vs_fantasy_grounds/
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/filelibrary/VTTComparison.pdf
https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/50840/are-there-any-online-virtual-tabletops-with-2-5d-or-3d-views
http://rpgvirtualtabletop.wikidot.com/choosing-a-vt (2013).
https://www.dicebreaker.com/categories/board-game/how-to/how-to-play-board-games-online
Huge list of links: http://battlegroundsgames.com/links/
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