Grrl Power #497 – Path finding
For someone who has superpowers, and relatively new powers at that, Sydney doesn’t use them a whole lot. Sure she’s gone flying a few times and sometimes hovers awkwardly in the air with the flight orb, but it seems like she’d be using them all the time. Especially the Lightbee function of the comm-ball.
She’s sort of a Harem light when she’s using it. Very light since there’s only one dupe and it can’t touch anything. Also while Harem experiences everything from all 5 of herselves simultaneously, Sydney has to shift focus between them, kind of like how you have to refocus your eyes between the bug splats on your windshield and signs on the road.
Oh and before anyone points out the seeming inconsistency in panel 9 (bottom left) remember Sydney’s truesight doesn’t work through Holo-Halo. Although this just occurred to me as I’m writing this. If Holo-Halo can stick her hand through someone’s head, couldn’t she have just pushed her face through the dirty skylight? Sydney didn’t think of that either I guess.
I should point out that there is now a Kickstarter running for the Wearing the Cape tabletop Role Playing game. It’s already funded, but obviously pitching in is the easiest way to get your hands on it if you’re interested. Who knows if kickstarted projects like this will ever show up in your local comic/game shop. Sadly I don’t have time for tabletop games anymore, though it would be nice to find a group to play with some time. I suspect it would have to be online though. Someone has got to have cracked the online tabletop thing by now. I know there are a few websites that have tried it, maybe even some stand alone apps, but I’m not aware of a gold standard program that does that stuff, that combines voice chat like Skype or Discord or Google hangouts or what have you with dungeon master tools, dice, map stuff, all that. The most daunting task with a program like that, I imagine, would be implementing all the different game rulesets. Some of them you couldn’t do without licencing stuff, which is a big speedbump. Of course any program like that would have to allow you to program your own rulesets and character sheets, so the community could implement anything they wanted. Obviously if you know of a good solid program that does all this stuff, feel free to share it. Just check the comments first so we don’t get 50 separate recommendations for the same thing. :)
Double res version will be posted over at Patreon. $1 and up, but feel free to contribute as much as you like :)
Check out Wearing the Cape: Team-Ups & Crossovers. Sydney’s first Crossover! I’ve made a dedicated blog post for it, please comment there.
Here’s the link to the new comments highlighter for chrome, and the GitHub link which you can use to install on FireFox via Greasemonkey.
SuperheroThey're super, thanks for asking!
Meatspace ComicSeriously these are awesome. Check 'em out!
Not UpdatingNo longer updating or only updates sporadically, but definitely worth reading.
SeriouslySeriously you guys. If you like Grrl Power the check these out.
"Mature"Mature subject matter and occasionally something explicit but usually safe. Can't guarantee the ads are safe though.
Dongs Ahoy!Full frontal and backal. Lots of skin, sex on some or all pages, explicit or otherwise.
She SHOULD use it more often!
Holo-Halo is my new favorite not real word.
I think that Hallo sould test the lightbee.
Can it go through solid transparent? Fluids? Just air?
Can she NOW change the image of the teleprence?
She has done _some_ experimentation. She mentions that she can’t change the image when she first shows it off years and years ago. Man I’ve been reading this comic a long time.
Yea. But AFTER the power up?
After the power up she gained the ability to switch between “Truesight” and “Magesight”
It doesn’t look like the Lightbee can travel through solid matter – she couldn’t move it through the dirty glass pane in Panel3, she had to find an opening (Panel 4). Unclear if it would move through water.
The power-up she took seems simply to have given her ‘aurasight’, other powers are unaffected, at least that she’s mentioned. Remember, the ‘point’ she took was an ‘orphan’, on it’s own track, so it’s unlikely to affect other powers.
I can’t attest to whether it is the “gold standard” or not, but Roll20 is used by a lot of people.
https://app.roll20.net/sessions/new
Seconded on suggesting taking a look at Roll20
I third this recommendation. I’ve done a bit there, it is exceptionally flexible and well done. They also sell full campaign packages in specific systems with pre-set tokens for players, monsters, and all their abilities and gear, and maps with pre-defined fog of war borders and trigger locations, for people who don’t want to set everything up themselves but still want the fullness of what this platform can provide.
Have used, and am currently running a campaign through it. Though we are using Discord for the voice, due to the mobile friendly bit. But roll20 has a lot of tools, works well once you understand it, and has native support for a bunch of systems.
I’ve used Roll20 a bit, and the tabletop seems good, but the voice chat wasn’t so great, so my group switched to Google Hangouts, and just used it for the tabletop.
Concurring with the recommendation for Roll20. I have played several campaigns through it. It has extensive support for many game systems, including the Fate system that Wearing the Cape is written in. I can hook you up with one of its developers if you need. Would you be looking to play, or to run a game?
That said, it’s entirely possible to do a campaign through IRC if you don’t want voice chat. Use a wiki (or Obsidian Portal) for character sheets (and session logs!), and have a dicebot (there are several around; I know a guy who makes ones for whoever wants), then you have something you can point to for years later if the campaign’s at all worth boasting about. Here are three multi-year-long campaigns I’ve run (the last one is still running as of this posting).
It’s kind of possible to run via Skype or Google Hangouts, though you have to use out-of-channel dice, such as some Web site with a die roller.
I’d love to play something, but realistically I probably don’t have the time.
Well, It could be said that you’re already GM’ing the GrrlPower world campaign. Except that there’s no Players; everybody’s an NPC
;)
Not quite. The patrons get to introduce their characters, and have some input accordingly. Which would make those PPCs (partial play characters, as opposed to Particle Projection Cannons).
@Online Tabletop: There is Tabletop Simulator on Steam. It works pretty well.
Yes, Tabletop Simulator is great.
Tabletop Simulator works well for creating a board or card game and distributing that out to your players, but that takes a LOT of work. I have yet to see any sets publically available that would really be very good to play in. The closest I saw was one with 3D tiles to make dungeon walls, paths, and rooms, but those were more like a virtual demo for the real objects rather than something you could realistically run your game on in the simulator.
Obviously, they have lots of awesome games you can play, such as Super Fight, Cards Against Humanity, or even Epic Spell Wars of the Battle Wizards: Duel at Mt. Skullzfyre. Heck, for a while, they even had the Fire Fly table top game.
I just mean I am unaware of a good way to play general RPGs in Tabletop Simulator.
I believe this is where you are supposed to announce a 3 week holiday.
No, you announce it an hour before the next comic is supposed to go up.
I feel that’s more of a guest comic or unrelated art splash page moment.
If Dave were pausing the comic at this point he would have to put a banner at the bottom of the last panel saying “To ‘bee’ continued… “
Or switch to another plot line for like half a year.
Even if she is invisible, Holohalo would most likley be able to see her. It has been statd as one of the more powerful trusight abilities around, what with being able to see X and trough succubus glamor, as well as otherwise invisible spell effects/auras
It has also been stated, both in comic as just right now in the Under-comic-text, that her truesight doesn’t work through HoloHalo
nope back in conf room is was tested. Only real Syd has truesight not holo syd.
Eh, Sydney herself recognized the issue with that reveal. “So, Tele-me can’t see through the glamor if anyone’s…no one is listening.”
https://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/660
The only inconsistency I see in panel 9 is the light coming in and out of the sewer plate. Beside that, great job as always. :)
Hah hah, yeah, that doesn’t actually make sense does it?
I mean, two strips ago a pink were-jaguar with laser claws turned invisible, so light coming out of the sewer? Fairly mundane.
Time for my arbritary comment.
Anyway, I find Halo’s orbs to be extremely convinient, like they were made (if they were actually made) for almost any situation.
I wonder what the 2 unknown orbs do…
If you are making 7 orbs that grant powers wouldn’t you make them convenient for any situation?
It really is an interesting package. Flight/mobility, defense, tactile manipulation, offense, and scanning/sensors that we know of. That alone is practically a “everything you need to explore hostile environments” suite, even without the other two.
There had been some speculation that the orbs are actually an alien spacesuit/spacecraft. Only thing really missing at this point is functional life support.
I’d buy that. Reminds me of Spectrum, from Malibu’s the Strangers. He was like a Human Torch, but each color of flame gave him a different power. Indigo appeared to do nothing, until they ended up on the moon, where it provided breathable atmosphere.
I’ve long suspected one of the remaining two do that.
Perhaps they were part of an alien craft’s systems, like the Mandarin’s rings.
Although if they did belong to aliens, I’m betting that they had more arms than humans.
Maybe the two extra orbs give user the form and persona of the local dominant form of life so they can blend in until the day they are activated :P
And then Queen Halo shall rule over those minions of Earth, whom she chooses not to crush underfoot.
ALL HAIL QUEEN HALO!
“!”
Maybe Pixel is just Hiding inside the CARDBOARD BOX on panel 9?
Also, saying “POIT” out loud is kinda fun.
You need to read Wapsi Square then, that’s the sound effect of the characters teleporting in that comic.
Yeah, Holo-Halo isn’t saying *POIT* (did DaveB get permission to use that?) anymore than Harem says *VORP*
Oh, you didn’t mean that Sydney said that out loud, but yeah, it is a fun word to say, specially if you don’t say it correctly :P
Waspi Square? That’s not where I was introduced to the “word” poit.
Yeah, it’s already a four-letter word, but it takes hearing it a few times to make it sounds also like a dirty word.
Which makes me respect the person who first named the kumquat…
“Poit” is the sound of an egg being laid in Don Martin’s version of “Swan Lake.” I believe it was also Pinky’s second most often used expression after “narf.”
I was just reading a recent Wapsi Square, and someone teleported in using the sound “vorp”. So, it looks like Mr. Barrack and Mr. Taylor read each others’ comics. Which is pretty neat.
I’m a big fan of “Vootee!” from an issue of Excalibur years ago…
It helps if you say it in a six-month-old’s voice… :D
Voo-tee?
Try it again in a higher register…
It’s just not so convinient that when Halo is talking Holo Halo will talk as well. Use that Mute button (for public) when you want to teamchat!
Well, that’s because Holo-Halo is Halo, not only does she speak when the real Halo speaks, the real Halo has to move if she wants Holo-Halo to look around (makes for fun watching, like someone doing mime or something)
or VR
Something’s down that drain…!
Specifically, a suspiciously spacious sewer.
To answer the question under the comic. I see it more like using a drone to look around. The law has not caught up with capability. But it is not trespass.
My thinking? It may not be trespassing, but it is spying.
It could be taken as Invasion of Privacy, particularly if someone on thee scene notices the “device” doing the spying. But it might also constitute trespassing if the device itself is on someone else’s property…The fact that the operator deliberately injection their presence (if not their own physical self) in a place where it has no lawful business being there.
Online gaming via Skype with Roll20, or Google Hangouts is pretty functional and fun. Roll20 can handled dice rolls and maps (and audio/video, but its a bit persnickety there.)
Anyway, I love Wearing the Cape and am looking for the game, but I still go back to old Marvel Superheroes (Faserip) a lot. Even with my own games out. I just enjoy different tools in different moods for gaming.
“Although this just occurred to me as I’m writing this. If Holo-Halo can stick her hand through someone’s head, couldn’t she have just pushed her face through the dirty skylight? Sydney didn’t think of that either I guess.”
Which proves she is just as human as the rest of us ;)
But can she see through Holo-Halo’s eyes if the lightbee is stuck on the wrong side of the dirty window?
Ohhh, important question. Can the light-bee itself apply any form of force? If it must travel to its destination and cannot, itself, pass through matter, then it likely has mass. So with acceleration, it should be able to apply at least a little force. I could see this used to press elevator buttons or type slowly (ie one finger typing) on a keyboard if she practices with it.
Light moves on it’s own, and can’t pass through solid things. But it still doesn’t have mass
Ever hear of a solar sail? Radiation pressure? Photons have momentum, even in classical electromagnetism, and so they can apply force even if they don’t have mass.
Yea, but not to the point where you can press a button.
Push enough energy in to the photon steam and yes, they can push a button. The the button will explode do to heat shock. That might happen before the button gets pushed all the way. Depends on how easy it is to push the button.
We keep saying “light” but is it? It could be plasma or some supernatural energy form science has no name for.
It probably is. I was just pointing out that just because it can’t pass through matter, doesn’t mean it has mass.
That is true. But it looks like a smaller version of the normal orbs. Which can be held, do have mass and can poke things. Or punch them.
Personally I think it likely that the Lightbee does have a physical presence. If so then Thornbrier is correct that it can be used to push buttons. Or poke a villain in the eye!
The fact that Sydney has to grasp an orb to use it rules out the ultra-casual use of powers.
But she should experiment with combos more. Can the lighthook keep up with the holo-orb, for example? (Giving holo-Halo the ability to exert 16 tons of force.)
. . .
Halo needs to practice with the lighthook until it can do everything she can do with a hand as easily and casually as with one of her hands. And then expand that to learning to mimic Green Lantern-style projections as much as possible.
Mastering the lighthook to the point of using it to create an avatar to fight for her while she stays behind a shield would be showing off, but also kinda cool, and it’d make for an outside-context problem against anyone who doesn’t have super-strength.
” And then expand that to learning to mimic Green Lantern-style projections as much as possible.”
Well, Sydney has already figured out how to make her version of the Serendipitous Tumbleweed.” She didn’t have it at the press conference, when she wanted one.
Two things: loving how Sydney’s eyes change when using the Lightbee (as seen in panel seven) and how Bodie is attempting to see what Sydney is seeing in panel “Personal Space is being violated!” :D
Panel four answers whether Lightbee itself is solid or not (guessing not)
Nice explanation for how the Lightbee works: Sydney has a vague spatial awareness around it while using it, but has to ‘deploy’ Holo-Halo to actually look around
Question: can Holo-Halo fly? or even move around, or does she have to *DEPOIT*, move the Lightbee and *POIT* again if she wants to examine things?
Like, could she have walked over to The Orange box? Or have to *REPOIT* to it?
Sydney can walk around when using the bee, but it may not be the best option in this case considering 1) it would distract her normal vision while using the remote vision and 2) she is standing on a rooftop.
A better way of navigating may bee to to just grab the flight orb and use that to move her real self. No chance of falling off the roof, but I could imagine Sydney thinking “What’s down that drain?” and face-planting herself into the rooftop. Best to start the exploration when flying a decent height above the terrain. This gives her some extra Z axis to use up when exploring her X and Y.
Has hat been confirmed? This is only the third time we have seen Sydney deploy Holo-Halo, and the first two times she did not walk around
If she can move, it might be like in a VR environment: ie she just has to pretend to walk (ieie walk in place)
Panel four answers whether Lightbee itself is solid or not (guessing not)
Why are you guessing “not” ??? If the lightbee was not solid why did it have to fly around looking for a broken window to go through?
Speculation: it acts like light, including not being able to pass through opaque objects – such as really-dirty windows.
Light of longer wavelengths can’t pass through non-opaque glass either. That’s why you don’t get a tan while behind glass.
We keep saying “light” but is it? It could be plasma or some supernatural energy form science has no name for.
Wonder if it has a range or duration limitation.
Also wonder: if she stops wielding the yellow orb and then uses it again, where does the lightbee appear?
When she stops using the Lightbee, it reappears back into the middle of the Comm Orb, I’d say. That’s where it comes from, so that’s where it would go to when she stops using it. I’m not sure if the Lightbee actually has to travel the distance to return, or if it would appear to “teleport” back to the Orb.
She’s in an old, abandoned candy factory, after all. I’m guessing she just found whatever’s left of the Oompa Loompas.
Sydney’s expression of a “Dramatic gasp” is just too mucking fuch for me.
:)
What she just discovered is “Oh thank goodness, they have a bathroom in here!”
My guesses:
1) Her PoV is the lightbee itself, which is in Holo-Halo’s head; so she could not actually push her face through the glass and see anything. She’d have to push the lightbee itself through the glass.
2) The POIT sound (if not entirely narrative) is important: the holo-image does displace air, which means she is materializing something… just nothing much more substantial than air itself. This ‘force feedback’ is what allows her to steer beyond her line of sight.
3) She potentially has 360 degree spherical vision from the Lightbee PoV, but doesn’t know how to turn it on or process it.
Essentially, the lightbee might be basically the same as a lighthook, just optimized for ‘shapeshifting’ rather than exerting force.
So much testing needs to be done!
The actual Lightbee doesn’t leave her hand, it just projects an energy from it, much like the light hook does. That holo energy apparently can travel through the smallest of spaces, the test will be if it can pass through solid objects.
Well the light bee is only the size of a marble, that can go into a ton of locations. The Orb stays in her hand. We don’t know for sure if the bee acually leaves the orb or if it’s just an energy projection.
The Lightbee itself (the marble-sized object) seems to actually leave the Comm Orb itself. The best example I’ve found of that is here, on panel #7 This is the only closeup view I could find of what the Comm or looks like when the Lightbee is deployed. Considering that the Lightbee needs non-obstructed space to move through, it’s not an example of energy projection, but it’s small enough that it needs very little room.
It looks like it can’t go through solid objects, she had to go around to the broken window.
OK, this highlights one limitation and brings up one question:
Limitation: The comm ball cannot pass through solid objects, even though the image it generates can.
Question: Does the whole path show all the time, i.e. does it look like a yellow version of the light hook, or does it fade out and the reason the readers are seeing it is to illustrate the path?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Looks like Holo-Halo is talking, so I guess Holo-Halo talks when Halo talks.
I wonder if it is possible for someone/something to sever the connection between Halo and Holo-Halo, and if so would there be a backlash?
Depends if there is a tangible connection at all, when Holo-Halo *POIT*ed in, the trail dispersed, so it’s probable that that is simply an afterimage, like with a sparkler (people can ‘write’ with them, but it’s just a trick of the light)
But if the lightbee cannot go through solids, maeby a door sutting hermetic could create a shutdown
Actually the ability to ‘write’ with a sparkler isn’t a trick of the light, it’s a trick of the retina and brain.
Normally called Persistence of Vision.
What is the seeming inconsistency in panel 9?
I think this refers to Sydney saying she can’t ‘see’ the invisible Pixel, but she couldn’t anyway because the lightbee copy can’t do the ‘see invisible’ thing.
Wait is the light bee solid? i mean its not the orb thats in syd’s hand is’t it just a holo why can’t it just walk though the wall/window..
Based on what she says in the page above, I think it’s because she’s only detects mass (not light) when it’s in ‘light-bee’ mode. To be visually-aware, she must switch it to ‘Holo-Halo’ mode.
If I’m wrong, I’m sure we’ll hear about it soon enough.
Careful, Sydney, I think there might be a Snake nearby…
“Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?”
“Snake? Snake! SNAAAAAKE…”
I do forum-based roleplays myself, and my friend Thrythlind runs a Skype roleplay whenever he’s free, though it’s more Urban Fantasy then superhero.
Off topic, but I would like to wish everyone a happy Chinese lunar new year. The zodiac rotation makes it the year of the rooster. It is sometimes referred to as the year of the cock. (or as Dabbler says ‘Isn’t that EVERY year?”)
Also, this Rooster occurs during the 12yr. cycle of Fire, so this is the ‘Year of the Fire-Rooster’…
…& in 3 years (after the Years of ‘Fire-Dog’ & ‘Fire-Pig’) we’ll enter the Year of the Earth-Rat.
Matching up my birthday with element and zodiac sign I get metal and rat. So I guess I am an actual ‘Stainless Steel Rat’.
I’m a Metal Dog myself (and Tiger ascendant, based on the time of day I was born). The description seems strikingly accurate, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking.
Well, there is also that photo of you on vacation you posted online.
https://83e2u32cf1b4dlzbl29etyxt.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/K-9-2.jpg
Affirmative!
I think the best appearance of K-9 was during Tennant’s tenure as the tenth Doctor, in the episode with the Krillitanes (“School Reunion”, if I remember correctly.)
Mr. Finch: “Bad dog!”
K-9: “Affirmative!” *destroys the school and the Krillitanes*
Who knew that a robot dog could sound so smug? xD
*wags tail approvingly*
element? Mine is June 22 1970, I think that makes my element… water? for the zodiac sign of Cancer? (and I think year of the dog) [if I’m right]
Nope. You’re a metal dog, like I am. Water dog would be 1982, Wood dog 1994, Fire dog 2006, and Earth dog 2018. The next metal dog would be 2030.
https://pre12.deviantart.net/e47f/th/pre/i/2010/066/0/2/metal_lucario_by_zeiram0034.jpg
closest Pokemon has to a metal dog
So, I turn 60 in the year of the “Fire Dog.” That sounds ominously cool…
https://pm1.narvii.com/6036/c82252b126f9f125a9b3776c361fce5d6185f217_hq.jpg
For Dabbler, that would be every DAY of every year…
Only Antoine has mentioned it so far, but there is a physics dilemma happening in panels 9 & 10.
panel 9: a light is shining up through the grate, so there is a source under it.
panel 10: a light is shining down through the grate, so the source is above it.
I think Dave should just edit his commentary to add something like “lighting for dramatic effect” or ” artistic license, dudes!” and forget about it.
It looks that way because Dave got Michael Bay to provide the dramatic lighting effects for this comic.
‘OK, great guys. We have the light shining both up and down through the floor grate. Now, can we get dramatic lens flares for the Lightbee as it moves across the screen?
No lens flare! NO LENS FLARES!
Howsabout Solar Flare?
I forgot she had true sight. I wonder if she (or Dave) ever thought to try and use one of the unknown orbs and look at herself with it. If she has an aura like ol’ Kevin did then it would be easier to figure out the unknowns.
But Holo-Halo does NOT have Truesight. It plain don’t work. (Maybe if she levels up…)
Doesn’t need to. Even if the aura doesn’t show up in mirrors, she could hold the truesight orb in her left hand, an unknown orb in her right hand, and then inspect her right arm.
I see you sneaky MGS reference.
Is it trespassing if you’re not really there?
Hmm, to this footnote question, there are related questions that may help settle this.
Is it stealing if you never break in, never enter, and only take a copy?
‘Hackers crack Microsoft servers, release source code for Windows 14’ (12? I forgot which version MS is up to..)
I pretty sure that qualifies as theft of intellectual property.
well if we consider software to be a thing that can be stolen, then accessing the servers would by similar token be the same as trespassing. that said would the developer of prince of persia be considered a thief for taking a copy of the game home on a disk after selling it to BroderBund?
Answer to first question: Yes.
Even a private citizen operating a drone (radio-controlled airplane, whatever you want to call it) that’s maneuvered onto someone else’s private property without permission from the owner is trespassing. If the drone is equipped with a camera, then it also constututes Invasion of Privacy.
The person who is controlling the drone is legally responsible for the crimes that are committed by the drone itself. the drone is merely the tool being used to commit the crime.
Solidly answered.
roll20 or tabletop simulator, both are amazing
Whoa, neat! Her eyes turned into the orb!
The rest of the team could check for that during boring staff meetings if it looks like she is not paying attention. “Sydney, are you watching TV in the lounge again?”
She is totally going to use this to sneak into movies.
Yeah, commented on that above :D
Has it been established yet…
1)__…the maximum distance that the ‘light-bee’ can put between itself & Sydney?
2)__…the maximum speed that it can travel?
3)__…whether it must be ‘reeled-in’ when done, or can it simply ‘vanish-&-then-reappear’ within the Truesight_Orb by letting go?
Also, I’m not a great strategist, so I’m asking here…
…I’m assuming that the ‘light-bee’ is slightly stealthier than ‘Holo-Halo’
(& that ‘light-bee’ is (visually) blind except in ‘holo’-mode).
otherwise Sydney would just push straight thru all obstacles in ‘holo’-mode.
But why not have ‘Holo-Halo’ just blunder thru the place on purpose, while ‘Invisi-Pixel’ gathers intel without the ‘Halo’-distracted security noticing her? What kind of downside to this plan am I missing?
The downside is: they don’t want the bad guys to know they are on to them
What is it Sydney? Was Pixel stopped by a giant ball of wool? Or a bathtub of water? Lasagna?
maybe just a very dumb dog with a slobbery rubber tongue
…or maybe a big baking tin full of fresh lasagna?…
Hell, that would entice ME to go off-track. Pity for the passengers on my train…
Bark bark woof!
[Translation: Y’all are missing the point. Pixel has fallen down the well!]
Pixel triggered the defense system. The targeting laser for the automated machine guns came on when she opened the door, but they didn’t fire because they can’t get a lock on her invisible form. She is currently busy chasing the laser dot around the warehouse as it scans the room looking for her.
I know a lot of people use Roll20 and Tabletop Simulator, but in my experience the former is really sort of awkward to learn and rather sort of finicky (probably due to being a browser based interface) and the latter takes a looooooot of work.
My preference, which I used extensively back when D&D 4E was popular, is Maptool (and the various other RPtools), which you can find here: https://www.rptools.net/toolbox/maptool/
Maptool has a pretty solid community. It’s a standalone program that lets you set up your own server for games, passwords, whatever. Java based so it’s pretty light on the processor load. It has chat- I don’t remember if it added integrated voice chat- my groups used to use ventrilo or teamspeak (occasionally Skype)- but it wasn’t a huge issue at the time. It lets you basically make any sort of map you want, as GM, attach notes to objects, code macro buttons to execute in chat (using bbcode), handle things like private rolls, line of sight, condition modifiers, height- that sort. It is purely ‘top down’- it doesn’t do tabletop simulator’s ‘actually a 3D view’ but honestly I find that sort of thing more trouble than it’s worth.
There’s a lot of good tutorials for it, and a lot of good art assets you can get for it. I’ve made a lot of maps and still have a lot of tokens floating around.
One of the neat things I like is that it supports freeform, grid, and hex based movement (as an overlay- and yes, it supports 3.5’s weird diagonal movement rule if you like). One of my greatest moments as a GM was when my players faced an enemy that changed the overlay from grid to hex in 4E (which 4E doesn’t support).
It’s a great program with a lot of versatility, especially once you figure out how to do macros and character sheets (which are stored ‘in’ the tokens that represent a character or an NPC or an object or whatever). There’s a separate ‘token tool’ you can (but don’t have to) use to make tokens independent of the maptool program, and the GM can give players the option to drop their tokens onto the map from their clients (so players can do their character sheets, macros and stuff on their own time, and place the finished product when the group gets together).
From a player perspective maptool was the ‘easiest to learn’ compared to the other alternatives. There’s surprising depth to it, but ultimately it’s very straightforward and uses a lot of ‘real world’ skills that a person is already likely to have, unlike roll20 which is sort of like learning to swim for the first time by being thrown in the deep end.
What is there to learn about Roll20? Register, apply for game, the GM approves your application, one click later you’re in the game room, start typing to chat. Maybe things like “/roll 1d20” to roll a d20, but that’s easy (especially if you’re used to “/me” from other contexts).
For the players, there’s not much to learn.
For the GM’s, there’s a steep learning curve and a LOT of prep-work involved.
I just run games via Skype, and try to avoid situations where a map actually becomes a necessity.
They’ll have to invent a new charge “Telepassing”
And so begins her peeping Tom phase.
To the Archon showers!
Followed by the Archon Brig :P
Sydney is down in the sewers, below what is likely to be a super villain or supernatural monster’s lair. It is most probably a tentacled sewer monster!
Sydney can act out all her hentai fantasies, if she wants!.
Thank goodness she is only there as an insubstantial projection!