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22:15, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Posted by GreenTongue
GreenTongue
member, 838 posts
Game Archaeologist
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 16:22
  • msg #1

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Is there a functionality available to have a persistent map that the players can log into and update like they do now with text updates?

Not even needing graphical objects to move but just a way to draw in a shared space.

Is there such a thing that exists and I've missed it with my weak internet-fu?

What have others used for this?

I seen many that are shared for as long as everyone is logged in but not that is persistent.

Something beside the current uploading of a static image to the site.
geryone
member, 7 posts
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 16:33
  • msg #2

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Roll20 has something like that, I do not believe we have anything like that on this site.  It would be a nice enhancement though.
GreenTongue
member, 839 posts
Game Archaeologist
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 16:56
  • msg #3

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

In reply to geryone (msg # 2):

I thought that for Roll20 everyone (or at least someone) had to be running the system.
What I was thinking of, is more a shareable piece of paper.
Either that the DM gives players access to an image to mark up or a link to somewhere a mark-able image can be shared.

So many times a map would get people "on the same page" and resolve confusion.
What would be even better would be a layer for each person.
MrKinister
member, 38 posts
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 16:57
  • msg #4

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

I second Roll20. They offer an HTML5 VTT that works off browsers. You can get a free account if you are willing to put up with some ads. Then you can add maps, PC and object tokens from uploaded images. Relatively easy to pick up and make work.
GreenTongue
member, 840 posts
Game Archaeologist
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 17:18
  • msg #5

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

In reply to MrKinister (msg # 4):

Not looking to replace here, just to improve the ability to map things out.
MrKinister
member, 39 posts
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 17:28
  • msg #6

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

RPoL does not offer the functionality you are looking for. You will have to go outside of RPoL to get a "shareable, editable" map.
Nintaku
member, 623 posts
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 17:34
  • msg #7

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Unless I'm terribly misunderstanding what you're after, Roll20 offers exactly what you're asking for. I use it for the maps in my forum games, both here on RPoL and in Discord text games as well. Long as a GM sets up the map beforehand, players with the link can log into it whenever they like and move their tokens around. It works great for asynchronous gameplay. The only issue is if you have multiple maps, the players can't hop around them on their own. But you definitely don't need everyone logged in at once.
MrKinister
member, 40 posts
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 17:53
  • msg #8

Re: Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Nintaku:
... The only issue is if you have multiple maps, the players can't hop around them on their own...


Huh... it just occurred to me that you could have several boards on your Roll20 account, each one holding a separate map for your one game. Your players would have to join each game board separately, but you could then have several maps in play at once.
writermonk
member, 242 posts
Freelance Writer
Librarian
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 18:56
  • msg #9

Re: Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Google drive has something called Google Draw - you can easily make a given file(s) shareable and editable to anyone with a link

However, it's not super user friendly. There's a definite (slight) learning curve to get it to do what you want. I'm not positive you could use it with a map, but I bet with some practice it might work.
DarkLightHitomi
member, 1527 posts
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 21:39
  • msg #10

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

In reply to GreenTongue (msg # 3):

Technically, a static image posted here can be downloaded, edited, then reposted.

Certain image hosting sites try to restrict that, but on a desktop computer, you can either just right-click save, or grab it from the temp files (while the page is open).

Most of the time though, no trouble at all.
GreenTongue
member, 841 posts
Game Archaeologist
Fri 19 Apr 2019
at 23:20
  • msg #11

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

In reply to DarkLightHitomi (msg # 10):

I was not aware that a player can upload a map to their assigned Group map.
DarkLightHitomi
member, 1529 posts
Sat 20 Apr 2019
at 02:14
  • msg #12

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

A player can post an image anywhere they can post a link.

I'll be honest, I forgot there was a specific official map tab for a game, and that was because I've never seen it used. GMs usually posted them offsite and put a link in any post where it changed. A couple of times there were posts of in the actual thread, and one game has a thread where I grab the GM's latest link to imgur and update the thread image, since my mobile phone with mere 2g has trouble with the imgur website and making the image viewable here is easier and faster tham trying to view it on imgur.

Truthfully, there have only been two games I played where players were expected to actually edit the map themselves, both on another website and both used google slides (which I could never edit anyway, and rarely got to actually see).
icosahedron152
member, 949 posts
Mon 22 Apr 2019
at 04:35
  • msg #13

Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

I played games of Diplomacy here, where the GM uploaded a map to a thread, then he would update it and re-post in the next message. This gave us a set of maps showing the history of our game, with the last map being the current map.

It should be possible for each player to copy such a map, host it for themselves, modify it, and re-post it as the new current map in a new message.

Not exactly what you were looking for, perhaps, but maybe a workaround - and it has the advantage of creating a movement history, in case you need to check back.

The GM should take copies of all posted maps, of course, in case a player host fails for whatever reason.

Alternatively, can images be posted in a Game Wiki? I've never used one, but I believe they are editable by anyone.
LonePaladin
member, 817 posts
Creator of HeroForge
Mon 22 Apr 2019
at 05:11
  • msg #14

Re: Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

icosahedron152:
Alternatively, can images be posted in a Game Wiki? I've never used one, but I believe they are editable by anyone.

Yes, you can post images there. The wiki can't host images, though.
DarkLightHitomi
member, 1533 posts
Mon 22 Apr 2019
at 11:19
  • msg #15

Re: Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Text maps of course are super easy, especially with easy tables. Not as pretty though.

It'd be pretty neat if we could use an image as a background for an easy table.
GreenTongue
member, 842 posts
Game Archaeologist
Mon 22 Apr 2019
at 17:20
  • msg #16

Re: Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

Seems strange that there is no such thing with all the games that depend on facing and number of squares/hexes in their rules.

I would have expected others to have this worked out already.

I've done the text map of squares using the available code here. Having a player being able to also upload a map and not just the GM would be a great functionality.
Sithraider
member, 204 posts
Fri 8 Jan 2021
at 02:45
  • [deleted]
  • msg #17

Re: Virtual Persistent Maps / Tabletops?

This message was deleted by a moderator, as it was against the forum rules, at 03:15, Fri 08 Jan 2021.
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