What do YOU use to play GURPS online?

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Mateus

In terms of music I am thinking in trying this (http://www.listen2myradio.com/) for broadcasting ambient music.

That is also a solution, yep.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by demonsbane

Currently, free aplications such as Syrinscape seemingly are covering that aspect of streaming sound for virtual tabletops game sessions.

As I say, I think only iTabletop has that extent of sound streaming and mixing built in. The trouble with using external applications is that you can run into some problems mixing the sounds with your outgoing microphone stream.

(For example, on my Windows 7 setup I have a digital USB microphone and headset. Sounds playing on my machine are handled through my soundcard. These are different devices, and Windows can't handle mixing those two devices together. I've tried all sorts of arcane attempts at a solution, including using software patchboards to try to send the output from one into the input of the other, etc. The Mac handles this sort of thing better, I think.)

Graham

[Tinman]

Originally Posted by Azinctus

I use Map Tool and Skype and have done for three years or so, it works great. Map Tools does demand a little effort to get it working, but then so does GURPS. Best of all it is free to use for everyone.

Hexes and conic vision are supported for GURPS.

I really like this program. However, like any hex mapped game it only really suits tactical combat, it can't easily be fudged for a GURPS Action game* or a GURPS Horror** game.

* "With one bound our hero landed... in a prone position two yards away from the bomb, which exploded killing the hostages."
** "Dracula was a malevolent opponent, but seven yards away he presented no immediate danger."

I also use maptools. In fact it was Azinctus who told me about it back when my group was using google docs.
We've been using it for about 3 years too. I have not noticed the Action/Horror problem though. :)

[stilleon]

Originally Posted by Graham

I suspect the demo vids are way out of date now, anyway. They were created using Camtasia, but run in Flash. You may have been trying to play them on a device that doesn't have Flash enabled.

Graham

I'm running the Chrome browser in Windows with the latest Flash update.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by stilleon

I'm running the Chrome browser in Windows with the latest Flash update.

Yup, I can confirm the problem. Under Chrome, IE8 and IE9, with the latest version of Flash, the videos get as far as displaying the Camtasia logo, but the 'loading controls' bar doesn't fill: it looks like the videos get stuck on the first frame.

I've posted the issue on the forum over at iTT.

Graham

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Graham

As I say, I think only iTabletop has that extent of sound streaming and mixing built in. The trouble with using external applications is that you can run into some problems mixing the sounds with your outgoing microphone stream.

The old OpenRPG is-was able to stream sounds, too.

Originally Posted by Graham

(For example, on my Windows 7 setup I have a digital USB microphone and headset. Sounds playing on my machine are handled through my soundcard. These are different devices, and Windows can't handle mixing those two devices together. I've tried all sorts of arcane attempts at a solution, including using software patchboards to try to send the output from one into the input of the other, etc. The Mac handles this sort of thing better, I think.)

I think that such behavior can be sound card dependent. Many "standard" sound cards implemented in PC motherboards can't handle a number of things that any affordable dedicated sound card (such as many Creative Labs models, for instance) is able to do. (I was using two different sound cards in my Win7 PC for a brief time, without issues.)

[Graham]

Originally Posted by demonsbane

The old OpenRPG is-was able to stream sounds, too.

Battlegrounds can as well, but here with iTT I'm talking about the tools to be able to set up and control a whole 'soundscape', with random elements, looping, full control over the volume of each element of the sound landscape, and the ability to trigger additional sounds as required. Soundscapes can be associated with individual maps or backdrop screens, and can crossfade as you move from one to another. Individual sounds can also be triggered from tokens.

It's the fact that this mixing capability is built in that I find impressive.

Graham

[Graham]

Originally Posted by stilleon

Went to iTabletop. It looks good and I noticed it has a fog of war feature for the map. I could not get the demo vids to play, however.

The demo videos are fixed now. You may need to clear your browser cache to get rid of the old version before the new version will get pulled through and run, but try hitting F5 first to refresh if any of them don't play.

They are a bit out of date, though, a point that was noted by James, the developer.

Graham

[stilleon]

Originally Posted by demonsbane

(I was using two different sound cards in my Win7 PC for a brief time, without issues.)

I have two sound systems in my Windows XP computer: I have no problem with outputting to either.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by stilleon

I have two sound systems in my Windows XP computer: I have no problem with outputting to either.

I can output to both systems. The difficulty comes when I want to mix them together, and in particular when I want a stream being generated by device 1: my sound card (e.g. a sound FX loop for an RPG) to be output along with the input collected by device 2: my headset (e.g. my voice) so that both arrive at the player's machine (e.g. over Skype).

It's my understanding that this is due to a basic limitation of Windows, though demonsbane's experience suggests that it may be dependent on hardware.

Anyway, that's getting way off topic, and I think we explored it a couple of years back in another thread!

Graham