Electronic Gaming Environments

[mudpyr8]

I just wondered how many people out there used any electronic battle mats? I use Klooge (http://www.kloogeinc.com/werks/index.htm), and having tested many I think it is the best. I use it for GURPS, Savage Worlds (which is perfect for it), Hero (which works well, but none of the stats mean anything), and more. I find it is very easy to track STUN/BODY, Stunned, and other effects. Plus I can play without hexes and just use meters.

We have found it to be much better than minis. What has your experience been? My thing with these tools is I have to be able to use them for my inhouse games. The internet features are unused.

I run klooge off my laptop which supports dual display. I put the client on one display for the players and run the GM on my screen. It works very well.

I really like both OpenRPG and Screenmonkey, but Klooge has the best feature set, is written in Java (yay), and runs under linux as well as on my Mac.

To give you an idea of how we use it, I have an LCD projector which I use for the player view and my laptop for the GM. We all sit around in comfy chairs and use laser pointers to indicate movement. Now, LCD projectors aren't cheap, but a 19" monitor at the end of a table, or a TV capable of 1024x768 would be just as good. Once you try it you will see.

... anyone want to by my minis collection? I have no need of them any more. :)

Screenmonkey:
http://www.nbos.com/products/screenmonkey/screenmonkey.htm
Great product, windows only. Light and fast and supports GM/Player view on multiple screens. Lots of promise... I hope the feature set continues to grow.

OpenRPG:
http://www.openrpg.com/
Python based and very well supported. GM/Player view is supported. Very close to Klooge functionality, but not quite there. Some features better than Klooge, especially since it easily supports any game system.

KloogeWerks:
http://www.kloogeinc.com/werks/index.htm
Most polished and greatest feature set. d20 specific, although I use it regularly for Hero, Savage Worlds, and GURPS and it works just fine. I don't use any of the die rollers or anything, just the mapping features.

GRIP:
http://www.rpgrealms.com/GRIP/whatis.html

Have I missed anyone?

[mudpyr8]

Wow, apparently nobody uses these tools. Interesting. Well, I renamed the topic since it may not have been entirely obvious what it was about. We'll see if that makes a difference.

[Xiawarr]

Interesting... Unfortunately, I don't own a laptop, but at least two of my players do...

I might have to look into these programs a little closer.

Mudpyr8,
Any difficulties with uploading counters/miniatures or maps? You posted this awhile back, do you still think Klooge is still the best system for Hero?

I'd like to hear more about this.
Thanks for posting!

[mudpyr8]

You think 9 days is a while back? you must live a fast paced lifestyle.

I do *still* think klooge is the best way to go. I have no problem uploading minis/counters. I make a lot of my own using paintshop pro. The players like it because they can find a custom jpeg that fits their character and then they are unique.

You don't need a laptop, just a computer with a dual head video card, which aren't all that expensive, or run windows 2k/xp and have 2 video cards. You can run this on a mac or under linux as well, since it is written in java. I've got a 875 MHz G4 powerbook that it runs on, but it can be a little slow with big maps. My 1.8 GHz P4 runs it just fine however.

I haven't spoke with anyone who has tried to run it using a regular monitor for the players. As long as everyone was close to the monitor I think it would work well.

I'll be at origins and gencon running 2 games at each with this system using a laptop and a 15" LCD panel. Swing by and take a look if you are there. I actually discovered klooge 2 years ago at gencon and I think they really have the best product.

I really should right something for rpg.net. Compared to the cost of a minatures library, these systems are relatively cheap, assuming you already have a computer.

And just to clarify, I don't run games over the net with this system. I've got 5 players sittin' in comfy chairs around a big screen, rollin' dice and chattin'. What's nice is the ability to get up and walk around without disturbing the map.

However, I'm thinking of running a savage worlds game on the nights I'm at school, which are a random string of fridays, over the net to try that out. If you are interested I will let you know and maybe you can hop in to try it out over the net. I'm a little sceptical of net play, but otherwise I'm doin' nothin' on that school night.

[zornwil]

Thanks for this thread, the tool looks pretty interesting.

[The Mad GM]

This also dovetails nicely with some things brought up in the "Roleplaying 2028" thread rather well, though it has disintegrated into a back and forth on the extent of playtesting on d20.

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2382&goto=newpost

If I ever upgrade my laptop, I might try this. I've thought of using an overhead projector and a dry-erase board (I know where I can get one that is metal so magnetic counters would stick to it) to do this, but this looks to be lightyears past that. But my wife would kill me if I bought an LCD projector just for gaming.

I've also thought of using something similar and mounting a 19" computer screen under a glass table (this is the scaled down, possibly affordable variant of the 50"+ touch sensitive plasma screen that just happens to be immune to spilled drinks).

[mudpyr8]

I had planted the seed of the projector thing and then my wife finally said, "Let's do it, I'm tired of seeing your gaming table in my way cluttered with minis".

the rest is history. You can get a setup for $1600, including a screen (if you build it), and now I have, diagonally measured, a 108" TV, wallmounted.

Not bad when compared to a large screen TV. Plus, XBox ROX on it!

[The Mad GM]

Maybe I can buy one for the business and write it off... That's pretty much how I got the laptop, digital camera, and digital video camera. And my van, come to think of it.

Hmm... suddenly a projector seems kind of small potatoes. ;)

[mudpyr8]

inFocus makes the X1 for $1399 and it supports HDTV. The only drawback is that it only runs 800x600 native (XGA) and you really want SXGA (1024x768) to support large maps in the tools.

I followed the guidelines of this guy's site, including building the screen. He was also very responsive to email.

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/Index.html

[mudpyr8]

Oh, and I wrote mine off too since I am a consultant. Ahh, the life of the small business owner.

[The Mad GM]

I envy Steve. He can write off games, dice, books, even the snacks he serves at his weekly games...I mean, playtesting sessions.

Thanks for the site. The projector thing is still a ways off, though. My company builds custom tradeshow booths (among other things), so I could certainly construct the things he was showing.

Argos Designs website (http://www.argosdesigns.com)

[MarkusDark]

Originally posted by The Mad GM
I envy Steve. He can write off games, dice, books, even the snacks he serves at his weekly games...I mean, playtesting sessions.
[/URL]

I do the same thing with a gaming company I run. However, I know a real estate agent who writes off all of his gaming purchases as well. This is how the conversation went with his accountant:

"So, you have over a thousand dollars in receipts from this gaming store. What did you buy with them?"

"Gifts."

"What kind of Gifts?"

"You know, gifts for my clients."

"What type of games would be gifts for your clients?"

"Real estate games."

"What? You mean like Monopoly?"

"EXACTLY! I buy them monopoly games as thank you gifts for working with me!" Whew!