Multi-User Sketch Programs

Mister_Arkham

Mister_Arkham

Hi all...didn't see this addressed in the digging that I've done through the forums thus far, so I figure I'll just put up the call for help.

I'm looking for a good multi-user sketch program to use in the campaign I'm assembling. My players are scattered all over the Eastern Seaboard right now, and we still very much like the idea of doing live sessions so I've been trying to find programs that would facilitate such a thing. So far, I've got the account here, and we've got a voice-chat program, and a text-chat program, but what I'm really missing--what is going to be really vital--is a program to which I can upload dungeon/encounter maps that will not only let my players see it as I update it, but allow them to manipulate it in real-time (ie: creating a new layer above the map to allow them to create and move a token representing their character for purposes of combat placement and marching order).

I do recall a program like this existing several years ago, which a friend and I used with our wacom-tablets, but it has since left my hard-drive and I can't remember a name for it, much less find it on the web. Anything that any one of you may be able to suggest would be of great help, and I thank you for your consideration and reading.

-Arkham

gnunn

I believe RPTools "MapTool":http://www.rptools.net/index.php?page=tools has a lot of the online functionality you may be looking for... and it's free! I use it quite a bit for drawing battle maps, but have never tried out it's virtual tabletop functionality.

Mister_Arkham

Hey, that looks great! Downloading now, I'll try and get one of my players online to give it a try later. Thanks a lot!

autumnschild

Mister_Arkham,

Keep us updated in this post on how the MapTool/virtual tabletop functionality works out. If you like it, and enough people clamor for it, we'll see about integrating such a functionality for campaigns!

onsilius

I recently tried out ScreenMonkey (lite) http://www.nbos.com/download/download-screenmonkey.htm with my group, and we love it. There is chat for secret messaging, a dice roller, and you can upload your own maps, hide all of them, and reveal them piece by piece. Players can control their icons on the map, you can control the players plus monsters, and facing can even be controlled. Plus only the DM has to run the program. Everyone else just connects to his IP through their browser. This plus Skype is all you need for a near-tabletop experience.