video conference TFT, for dummies

RobW · 03-21-2020, 02:02 PM

I'm the dummy here

Can anyone point to good resources for getting, let's say, 1 GM and 4 players together to play TFT by video link?

I know basically 0. I've used skype and facetime on a one-to-one basis.

We all want to see each other. We all want to see a map. How do you do that? How do people move during combat? Can it be made to work?

Off my lawn! Any experiences gratefully received. Get off my lawn!

larsdangly · 03-21-2020, 02:25 PM

I use Zoom, for several reasons: It tends to maintain better resolution and audio than other common services; it has a very easy, intuitive way of handling multi-party video conferences (the only trick is to make sure people understand that they shouldn't blather- just say what you need to say and shut up while others talk); and it has fun background visual options.

My group has been playing TFT regularly for about the last year and a half using video links - first using Skype, then a little Facebook Messenger, and now Zoom. It is great; the major trick is sorting out how to let people really see the battle mat clearly.

TippetsTX · 03-21-2020, 02:49 PM

Second vote for Zoom. I'm sure there are more full-featured solutions, but this works great for my group of friends scattered across the world (Texas, Florida, Minnesota and Germany).

I use my wife's laptop plus my phone to capture the tabletop. Pretty simple.

RobW · 03-21-2020, 03:09 PM

I will check out zoom, thanks!

What’s the rough limit on number of players that reasonably fit on a screen?

Are there custom stands to hold the phone? Or how do you like to do it? Feels like even a melee map would take up a lot of screen space?

TippetsTX · 03-21-2020, 03:31 PM

We're pretty low-tech. I usually hold the phone above the battle mat or find something to prop it up with. I've been trying to return to my old-school gameplay roots and only focus on the 'grid' when absolutely necessary.

Shostak · 03-21-2020, 04:21 PM

Check out Mook's blog post about GMing online.

swampthing · 03-22-2020, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobW

Are there custom stands to hold the phone? Or how do you like to do it?

I found it handy to clip a dashboard phone holder to a microphone boom, but then I happened to already have both those things.

zot · 03-23-2020, 12:51 AM

Here's a Google Slides doc I set up ages ago for remote play -- my post about this was long before the corona virus :). Copy and share it so everyone can edit:

https://docs.google.com/presentation...8258fa4_0_2128

Put counters on it and everyone can move their counter(s) around and see all the movement (just import some images for the counters).

I made page layouts for Melee maps, Wizard maps, and a large megahex grid.

We use https://rolz.org/ for dice rolling. It supports lots of different types of rolls and if you create a login, it'll save shortcuts for you for common rolls (like #3d6 for instance, or #2d6+1).

We use discord for voice.

philreed · 03-23-2020, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larsdangly

I use Zoom, for several reasons:

https://twitter.com/mathowie/status/1148391109824921600

https://securityboulevard.com/2020/0...o-be-aware-of/

RobW · 03-23-2020, 01:56 PM

Thanks for all the suggestions. Here's where I've got to.

My main consideration is that TFT is indeed highly visual, the map is key and the focus of everyone's attention, at least the way we play. Two possible approaches.

1. A camera showing a physical map that I control. This is nice because I would get to use all my beautiful megahexes and counters. But on the downside, I'm having trouble with setting up a camera, and I'm a little demoralised about it anyway as I realise we have no good spot where I can leave the setup for an extended time

2. A screen-based map. This means a little deskwork to set up the maps and counters. But as it turned out, I enjoyed the process. I went with roll20.net, it sounds similar to what zot does with google slides. Roll20 seems amazing, although -- caveat -- I'm still waiting on group members to test in serious action. But can't wait TBH -- hex grid, counters that snap to location and facing, multiple status markers you can indicate with a click of the mouse, the players can control their own tokens, which is nice. Health bars if you want, v easy to use. There's video/voice support, and also text chat, which can be public or whispered to specific players. Dice rolls are shown in the chat. I've created a melee map with nice-enough megahex marking and obstacles I can drag in to run DT or DT2 with quick changes to the map. And I've now got all kinds of ideas about terrain and new maps for a campaign. Basically, I'm ready, just waiting on the players for a thorough test drive.

03-21-2020, 02:02 PM	#1
RobW Join Date: Mar 2018	video conference TFT, for dummies I'm the dummy here Can anyone point to good resources for getting, let's say, 1 GM and 4 players together to play TFT by video link? I know basically 0. I've used skype and facetime on a one-to-one basis. We all want to see each other. We all want to see a map. How do you do that? How do people move during combat? Can it be made to work? Off my lawn! Any experiences gratefully received. Get off my lawn!

03-21-2020, 03:09 PM	#4
RobW Join Date: Mar 2018	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies I will check out zoom, thanks! What’s the rough limit on number of players that reasonably fit on a screen? Are there custom stands to hold the phone? Or how do you like to do it? Feels like even a melee map would take up a lot of screen space?

03-21-2020, 03:31 PM	#5
TippetsTX Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: North Texas	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies We're pretty low-tech. I usually hold the phone above the battle mat or find something to prop it up with. I've been trying to return to my old-school gameplay roots and only focus on the 'grid' when absolutely necessary. __________________ “No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.” -Vladimir Taltos

03-21-2020, 04:21 PM	#6
Shostak Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: New England	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies Check out Mook's blog post about GMing online.

03-23-2020, 12:51 AM	#8
zot Join Date: May 2018	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies Here's a Google Slides doc I set up ages ago for remote play -- my post about this was long before the corona virus :). Copy and share it so everyone can edit: https://docs.google.com/presentation...8258fa4_0_2128 Put counters on it and everyone can move their counter(s) around and see all the movement (just import some images for the counters). I made page layouts for Melee maps, Wizard maps, and a large megahex grid. We use https://rolz.org/ for dice rolling. It supports lots of different types of rolls and if you create a login, it'll save shortcuts for you for common rolls (like #3d6 for instance, or #2d6+1). We use discord for voice.

03-21-2020, 02:25 PM	#2
larsdangly Join Date: Dec 2017	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies I use Zoom, for several reasons: It tends to maintain better resolution and audio than other common services; it has a very easy, intuitive way of handling multi-party video conferences (the only trick is to make sure people understand that they shouldn't blather- just say what you need to say and shut up while others talk); and it has fun background visual options. My group has been playing TFT regularly for about the last year and a half using video links - first using Skype, then a little Facebook Messenger, and now Zoom. It is great; the major trick is sorting out how to let people really see the battle mat clearly.

03-21-2020, 02:49 PM	#3
TippetsTX Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: North Texas	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies Second vote for Zoom. I'm sure there are more full-featured solutions, but this works great for my group of friends scattered across the world (Texas, Florida, Minnesota and Germany). I use my wife's laptop plus my phone to capture the tabletop. Pretty simple. __________________ “No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style.” -Vladimir Taltos

03-23-2020, 01:56 PM	#10
RobW Join Date: Mar 2018	Re: video conference TFT, for dummies Thanks for all the suggestions. Here's where I've got to. My main consideration is that TFT is indeed highly visual, the map is key and the focus of everyone's attention, at least the way we play. Two possible approaches. 1. A camera showing a physical map that I control. This is nice because I would get to use all my beautiful megahexes and counters. But on the downside, I'm having trouble with setting up a camera, and I'm a little demoralised about it anyway as I realise we have no good spot where I can leave the setup for an extended time 2. A screen-based map. This means a little deskwork to set up the maps and counters. But as it turned out, I enjoyed the process. I went with roll20.net, it sounds similar to what zot does with google slides. Roll20 seems amazing, although -- caveat -- I'm still waiting on group members to test in serious action. But can't wait TBH -- hex grid, counters that snap to location and facing, multiple status markers you can indicate with a click of the mouse, the players can control their own tokens, which is nice. Health bars if you want, v easy to use. There's video/voice support, and also text chat, which can be public or whispered to specific players. Dice rolls are shown in the chat. I've created a melee map with nice-enough megahex marking and obstacles I can drag in to run DT or DT2 with quick changes to the map. And I've now got all kinds of ideas about terrain and new maps for a campaign. Basically, I'm ready, just waiting on the players for a thorough test drive.