Alternative to OpenRPG? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternative to OpenRPG? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Numetal357
03-10-08, 09:14 PM Is there a good alternative to OpenRPG? I downloaded the latest version and tried to get it to work on my Windows Vista rig but it just keeps saying it is not a valid win32 application.
Arkimidies
03-10-08, 10:21 PM Did you install Python and wxPython before trying to use OpenRPG? The resion I ask is I'm using Vista and have no problems with OpenRPG.
heruca
03-16-08, 02:41 AM Here are some alternatives. (http://www.iconvention.org/vts-compare.html)

And here are enough to make your head spin. (http://www.battlegroundsgames.com/links.html#anchor6)
Numetal357
03-25-08, 01:09 PM Thanks for your replies. I was a little concerned that I had posted this in the wrong place after seeing the digital forums and I haven't been able to get back to this site for over 2 weeks. Not sure why it just wouldn't load up for me. Apparently I'm having all kinds of problems, lol. Oh, btw, I did install both pythons as the site said to but it still said it wasn't a valid win32 application. Sucks.
heruca
03-25-08, 01:13 PM Oops! I just realized I had accidentally pasted in the wrong URL in my first link, above (both links were pointing to the same site). I've fixed it now.
SamyMerchi
03-25-08, 07:46 PM I've been trying to figure out a good virtual tabletop for a while now, but I've failed. I'd appreciate any advice. I only have two real criteria:

* the GM is behind a very strict university firewall/NAT, so the tabletop should be able to be hosted by one of the players, or the tabletop should be very adept at punching through firewalls/NATs

* the GM should be able to build a map as the party goes, drawing corridors, putting in door, stairs, pits, secret doors symbols from a symbol library, rather than importing a map as an image and then revealing it little by little via fog of war

Does any such product exist?
geekling
03-26-08, 11:04 AM I've been trying to figure out a good virtual tabletop for a while now, but I've failed. I'd appreciate any advice. I only have two real criteria:

* the GM is behind a very strict university firewall/NAT, so the tabletop should be able to be hosted by one of the players, or the tabletop should be very adept at punching through firewalls/NATs

* the GM should be able to build a map as the party goes, drawing corridors, putting in door, stairs, pits, secret doors symbols from a symbol library, rather than importing a map as an image and then revealing it little by little via fog of war

Does any such product exist?

Both things are doable with openRPG.
The first one is easy, either playing on one of the public servers. Or have any player running the server. Once the DM creates the room, he's got the DM controls in that room. The second one takes a little bit of exploring the options and a one time setting up fiddle for your symbol library. But it is doable using the whiteboard/minimap.

The drawing of corridors, well that's just drawing on the whiteboard. Simple line drawing.

Your symbols for doors etc. use minis set with the proprieties of being locked (players can't move them by misstake) and fixed to the bottom layer.
Takes a bit of getting the hang of, until you've gotten used to the proprieties options avaialble and what they do. I'll admit that.

Apart from that, it's just setting up a normal mini library, create or pick your symbols and upload them somewhere.

You can even use minis as maptiles. If you want to, and build the map slowly that way. By either adding new ones as the map grows, or build the map in advance and hide/show them as you go along. Minis aren't just for player tokens. :)
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 11:32 AM But it is doable using the whiteboard/minimap.The drawing of corridors, well that's just drawing on the whiteboard. Simple line drawing.I was hoping there's a product where I can produce something like this
http://dnd.merchi.org/princessmap.png
rather than this
http://dnd.merchi.org/genesismap.png

Your symbols for doors etc. use minis set with the proprieties of being locked How would I get started with placing, say, a door symbol? What menu is it under? I can't seem to find it.
Etarnon
03-26-08, 12:06 PM you would use OpenRPG, and load that blue line graphic as a background.
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 12:10 PM Doesn't work, then they see the Ses indicating secret doors.

That's why I saidthe GM should be able to build a map as the party goes, drawing corridors, putting in door, stairs, pits, secret doors symbols from a symbol library, rather than importing a map as an image and then revealing it little by little via fog of war
Magrus
03-26-08, 12:15 PM Dump OpenRPG and go to www.rptools.net then download Maptools. You'll need to get used to the controls, but you can do some pretty nice stuff for a free program. Fog of war, spell effects, resizing tokens, dropping pre-made structures and items onto your maps. Use of textures, etc. Nearly everyone I've suggested the program to over OpenRPG has switched aside from the folks developing OpenRPG and their close friends.

It takes a bit of time to do a on the fly campaign with this, but its very possible if the person is familiar with the tools. I've done a simple map with it for combat before, and it didn't slow things down much at all.
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 12:24 PM I tried it yesterday but couldn't find a door symbol anywhere. Where is it?

I can get this far in Maptool:

http://dnd.merchi.org/maptoolmap.png

Do I need to drag a cobblestone from the image explorer to the map each time I want to place a square or is there an easier way to place multiple cobblestone squares?

Why does it leave those odd gaps vertically between the cobblestone squares?
Magrus
03-26-08, 12:34 PM You'll need to dig around for the object items on the website forums and downloads section. Most are free, user-made creations, but because they are, they aren't just bundled into packs on the main site. Asking on the forums for some help should garner someone to point you in the right direction. I had a friend who gave me all of his stuff.

You can create lines of them, why are you placing individual squares? I have no clue, I haven't had the issue before. It must just be in how you are placing that texture. There are mapping tools on there that let you work with the textures and colors. There should be a way to open them up, and use them. Almost like the Paint program for windows, just a bit more complex.
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 12:38 PM How do I create lines? When I drag and drop the cobblestone from the image explorer to the map, it doesn't give me any option to place a line, it just places one square.

I'll try to look for the object bundles. Does each player have to have them on their own machine or just the DM, or just the person hosting the server?
geekling
03-26-08, 12:38 PM How would I get started with placing, say, a door symbol? What menu is it under? I can't seem to find it.

Well step on is to create the graphic. Add it to the map as a mini, just as you would add a player token mini.
The rightclick the mini to get up the menue.
miniature Z order is what layer you lock it to.
Then under properties you have lock and hide. Lock means that it can't be moved, as long as it is locked it can not even be selected.
And hide means your players won't see it.

Then you have a little icon at the miniature tab toolbar. You know that bit where you have the 'auto lable' tick box, the entry field for add minis, the add mini button, the browse button and a couple of more little icons.

One of them have a red ? on it. If you're the DM, players can't use it. Click that one and you bring up a list of all the minis on the map. right click there and choose edit. That way you can access all of them and hide un-hide etc.

The kind of map you want to achive. I'd make a clean one. One without the secret doors etc. Load it as background. Then use minis to add the symbols and 'hidden rooms' if there are any.
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 12:40 PM Well step on is to create the graphic.So I have to go to Photoshop and draw every symbol myself?
Magrus
03-26-08, 12:40 PM I'd suggest reading through the help file within the program, you haven't even accessed the mapping tools yet, apparently. No, you don't. You need to bring up the mapping tools menu and play with that.

Each user needs them imported onto his maptools program, yes, in order to use them. However, in order for everyone to see them? Not so. Generally, the DM needs the stuff. Character tokens are more useful for players if they never DM.

I would really suggest going to that site and posting these questions on the forum there, to be honest. They are directly related to that program, and the people deal with it only a daily basis.
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 12:49 PM I'd suggest reading through the help file within the programI read it yesterday, it didn't really tell me how to lay down multiple squares.you haven't even accessed the mapping tools yetThat's because nothing is labelled as such. :) Under the Map pulldown menu the options are
New Map
Quick Map
Hide from Players
Enable Fog of War
Adjust Grid
Rename
Copy
Delete

Under the Tool pulldown menu the options are
Chat
Run Macro
Center Players...
Enforce Players...
Center Players...
Lock Player...
Display Drawing Distances
Straight Line Width Doubled

In the toolbar right below the pulldown menus, the tools are
Interaction
Drawing
Template
Fog
Topology
Pointer
Stamp
Measure

Nothing about map tools anywhere. :)

You need to bring up the mapping tools menu and play with that. I will as soon as I know where it is. :)

I would really suggest going to that site and posting these questions on the forum there, to be honest. They are directly related to that program, and the people deal with it only a daily basis.
I will.
geekling
03-26-08, 02:18 PM So I have to go to Photoshop and draw every symbol myself?

Unless you can find them somewhere else, yes.

Never mind... I guess openrpg isn't the solution for you.
It don't come bundled with every graphic anyone could ever want for any game and any system anyone could ever think up. If you want a secret door symbol on a mini, you have to find one to use or make it yourself.
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 02:25 PM It don't come bundled with every graphic anyone could ever want for any game and any system anyone could ever think up.Asking for one of the most common images ever is the same as asking for "any system anyone could ever think up"?

You don't think there's just the SLIGHTEST bit of difference between, say, a door symbol, and a "daughter of the fifth house, heir to the sacred chalice of Rix" miniature?
heruca
03-26-08, 02:32 PM Samy, you're more than welcome to download the Battlegrounds: RPG Edition demo (see my sig), and use the tokens that come with it in some other VT program, if you want. Battlegrounds comes with some standard top-down tokens to cover the basics in a fantasy RPG; doors, weapons, shields, bodies, campfires, treasure chests, trees, bushes, etc.

Edit: Oops! Forgot to mention, it also comes with generic icons for secret doors, concealed doors, and trapped doors, and all of them have both a locked and an unlocked version.
heruca
03-26-08, 02:33 PM Oh, and for anything else you might need, symbol-wise, you can download practically anything you can imagine, FOR FREE, on the Dundjinni user forums (http://www.dundjinni.com/forums/active_topics.asp).
SamyMerchi
03-26-08, 02:35 PM Thanks for the idea! I'll definitely check that out!
Magrus
03-27-08, 01:32 PM You are looking for either the drawing or template tool, I think. I've had mine set up to be used as I want for so long, I've forgotten how to put it together to be honest. Whichever it is, it should provide a pop-up menu that appears in the upper right end of the program screen. Thats the menu you need to use to alter color, thickness, texture, etc. On the top bar, there should be a button you click to do ovals, rectangles or lines for drawing on your map.

A lot of the things I've stumbled upon were creations from Dundjinni and from a guy by the username of Steelrat I believe. I found those through the forums on the maptools section of the rptools.net site.
heruca
03-27-08, 02:09 PM Yes, Steel Rat's site is another awesome repository for free top-down maps, mapping objects, and tokens. He'll even do custom renders, on commission.

www.rpgmapshare.com
SamyMerchi
03-27-08, 02:46 PM Thanks! Sounds like there's no ready-to-go alternative, but I can handle a little bit of cobbling together.
Kursk
03-27-08, 03:10 PM Did you install Python and wxPython before trying to use OpenRPG? The resion I ask is I'm using Vista and have no problems with OpenRPG.

I followed the instructions on 2 different vista machines and no go. One out of two of my XP machines didn't work either...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Numetal357 03-10-08, 09:14 PM	Is there a good alternative to OpenRPG? I downloaded the latest version and tried to get it to work on my Windows Vista rig but it just keeps saying it is not a valid win32 application.
Arkimidies 03-10-08, 10:21 PM	Did you install Python and wxPython before trying to use OpenRPG? The resion I ask is I'm using Vista and have no problems with OpenRPG.
heruca 03-16-08, 02:41 AM	Here are some alternatives. (http://www.iconvention.org/vts-compare.html) And here are enough to make your head spin. (http://www.battlegroundsgames.com/links.html#anchor6)
Numetal357 03-25-08, 01:09 PM	Thanks for your replies. I was a little concerned that I had posted this in the wrong place after seeing the digital forums and I haven't been able to get back to this site for over 2 weeks. Not sure why it just wouldn't load up for me. Apparently I'm having all kinds of problems, lol. Oh, btw, I did install both pythons as the site said to but it still said it wasn't a valid win32 application. Sucks.
heruca 03-25-08, 01:13 PM	Oops! I just realized I had accidentally pasted in the wrong URL in my first link, above (both links were pointing to the same site). I've fixed it now.
SamyMerchi 03-25-08, 07:46 PM	I've been trying to figure out a good virtual tabletop for a while now, but I've failed. I'd appreciate any advice. I only have two real criteria: * the GM is behind a very strict university firewall/NAT, so the tabletop should be able to be hosted by one of the players, or the tabletop should be very adept at punching through firewalls/NATs * the GM should be able to build a map as the party goes, drawing corridors, putting in door, stairs, pits, secret doors symbols from a symbol library, rather than importing a map as an image and then revealing it little by little via fog of war Does any such product exist?
geekling 03-26-08, 11:04 AM	I've been trying to figure out a good virtual tabletop for a while now, but I've failed. I'd appreciate any advice. I only have two real criteria: * the GM is behind a very strict university firewall/NAT, so the tabletop should be able to be hosted by one of the players, or the tabletop should be very adept at punching through firewalls/NATs * the GM should be able to build a map as the party goes, drawing corridors, putting in door, stairs, pits, secret doors symbols from a symbol library, rather than importing a map as an image and then revealing it little by little via fog of war Does any such product exist? Both things are doable with openRPG. The first one is easy, either playing on one of the public servers. Or have any player running the server. Once the DM creates the room, he's got the DM controls in that room. The second one takes a little bit of exploring the options and a one time setting up fiddle for your symbol library. But it is doable using the whiteboard/minimap. The drawing of corridors, well that's just drawing on the whiteboard. Simple line drawing. Your symbols for doors etc. use minis set with the proprieties of being locked (players can't move them by misstake) and fixed to the bottom layer. Takes a bit of getting the hang of, until you've gotten used to the proprieties options avaialble and what they do. I'll admit that. Apart from that, it's just setting up a normal mini library, create or pick your symbols and upload them somewhere. You can even use minis as maptiles. If you want to, and build the map slowly that way. By either adding new ones as the map grows, or build the map in advance and hide/show them as you go along. Minis aren't just for player tokens. :)
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 11:32 AM	But it is doable using the whiteboard/minimap.The drawing of corridors, well that's just drawing on the whiteboard. Simple line drawing.I was hoping there's a product where I can produce something like this http://dnd.merchi.org/princessmap.png rather than this http://dnd.merchi.org/genesismap.png Your symbols for doors etc. use minis set with the proprieties of being locked How would I get started with placing, say, a door symbol? What menu is it under? I can't seem to find it.
Etarnon 03-26-08, 12:06 PM	you would use OpenRPG, and load that blue line graphic as a background.
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 12:10 PM	Doesn't work, then they see the Ses indicating secret doors. That's why I saidthe GM should be able to build a map as the party goes, drawing corridors, putting in door, stairs, pits, secret doors symbols from a symbol library, rather than importing a map as an image and then revealing it little by little via fog of war
Magrus 03-26-08, 12:15 PM	Dump OpenRPG and go to www.rptools.net then download Maptools. You'll need to get used to the controls, but you can do some pretty nice stuff for a free program. Fog of war, spell effects, resizing tokens, dropping pre-made structures and items onto your maps. Use of textures, etc. Nearly everyone I've suggested the program to over OpenRPG has switched aside from the folks developing OpenRPG and their close friends. It takes a bit of time to do a on the fly campaign with this, but its very possible if the person is familiar with the tools. I've done a simple map with it for combat before, and it didn't slow things down much at all.
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 12:24 PM	I tried it yesterday but couldn't find a door symbol anywhere. Where is it? I can get this far in Maptool: http://dnd.merchi.org/maptoolmap.png Do I need to drag a cobblestone from the image explorer to the map each time I want to place a square or is there an easier way to place multiple cobblestone squares? Why does it leave those odd gaps vertically between the cobblestone squares?
Magrus 03-26-08, 12:34 PM	You'll need to dig around for the object items on the website forums and downloads section. Most are free, user-made creations, but because they are, they aren't just bundled into packs on the main site. Asking on the forums for some help should garner someone to point you in the right direction. I had a friend who gave me all of his stuff. You can create lines of them, why are you placing individual squares? I have no clue, I haven't had the issue before. It must just be in how you are placing that texture. There are mapping tools on there that let you work with the textures and colors. There should be a way to open them up, and use them. Almost like the Paint program for windows, just a bit more complex.
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 12:38 PM	How do I create lines? When I drag and drop the cobblestone from the image explorer to the map, it doesn't give me any option to place a line, it just places one square. I'll try to look for the object bundles. Does each player have to have them on their own machine or just the DM, or just the person hosting the server?
geekling 03-26-08, 12:38 PM	How would I get started with placing, say, a door symbol? What menu is it under? I can't seem to find it. Well step on is to create the graphic. Add it to the map as a mini, just as you would add a player token mini. The rightclick the mini to get up the menue. miniature Z order is what layer you lock it to. Then under properties you have lock and hide. Lock means that it can't be moved, as long as it is locked it can not even be selected. And hide means your players won't see it. Then you have a little icon at the miniature tab toolbar. You know that bit where you have the 'auto lable' tick box, the entry field for add minis, the add mini button, the browse button and a couple of more little icons. One of them have a red ? on it. If you're the DM, players can't use it. Click that one and you bring up a list of all the minis on the map. right click there and choose edit. That way you can access all of them and hide un-hide etc. The kind of map you want to achive. I'd make a clean one. One without the secret doors etc. Load it as background. Then use minis to add the symbols and 'hidden rooms' if there are any.
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 12:40 PM	Well step on is to create the graphic.So I have to go to Photoshop and draw every symbol myself?
Magrus 03-26-08, 12:40 PM	I'd suggest reading through the help file within the program, you haven't even accessed the mapping tools yet, apparently. No, you don't. You need to bring up the mapping tools menu and play with that. Each user needs them imported onto his maptools program, yes, in order to use them. However, in order for everyone to see them? Not so. Generally, the DM needs the stuff. Character tokens are more useful for players if they never DM. I would really suggest going to that site and posting these questions on the forum there, to be honest. They are directly related to that program, and the people deal with it only a daily basis.
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 12:49 PM	I'd suggest reading through the help file within the programI read it yesterday, it didn't really tell me how to lay down multiple squares.you haven't even accessed the mapping tools yetThat's because nothing is labelled as such. :) Under the Map pulldown menu the options are New Map Quick Map Hide from Players Enable Fog of War Adjust Grid Rename Copy Delete Under the Tool pulldown menu the options are Chat Run Macro Center Players... Enforce Players... Center Players... Lock Player... Display Drawing Distances Straight Line Width Doubled In the toolbar right below the pulldown menus, the tools are Interaction Drawing Template Fog Topology Pointer Stamp Measure Nothing about map tools anywhere. :) You need to bring up the mapping tools menu and play with that. I will as soon as I know where it is. :) I would really suggest going to that site and posting these questions on the forum there, to be honest. They are directly related to that program, and the people deal with it only a daily basis. I will.
geekling 03-26-08, 02:18 PM	So I have to go to Photoshop and draw every symbol myself? Unless you can find them somewhere else, yes. Never mind... I guess openrpg isn't the solution for you. It don't come bundled with every graphic anyone could ever want for any game and any system anyone could ever think up. If you want a secret door symbol on a mini, you have to find one to use or make it yourself.
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 02:25 PM	It don't come bundled with every graphic anyone could ever want for any game and any system anyone could ever think up.Asking for one of the most common images ever is the same as asking for "any system anyone could ever think up"? You don't think there's just the SLIGHTEST bit of difference between, say, a door symbol, and a "daughter of the fifth house, heir to the sacred chalice of Rix" miniature?
heruca 03-26-08, 02:32 PM	Samy, you're more than welcome to download the Battlegrounds: RPG Edition demo (see my sig), and use the tokens that come with it in some other VT program, if you want. Battlegrounds comes with some standard top-down tokens to cover the basics in a fantasy RPG; doors, weapons, shields, bodies, campfires, treasure chests, trees, bushes, etc. Edit: Oops! Forgot to mention, it also comes with generic icons for secret doors, concealed doors, and trapped doors, and all of them have both a locked and an unlocked version.
heruca 03-26-08, 02:33 PM	Oh, and for anything else you might need, symbol-wise, you can download practically anything you can imagine, FOR FREE, on the Dundjinni user forums (http://www.dundjinni.com/forums/active_topics.asp).
SamyMerchi 03-26-08, 02:35 PM	Thanks for the idea! I'll definitely check that out!
Magrus 03-27-08, 01:32 PM	You are looking for either the drawing or template tool, I think. I've had mine set up to be used as I want for so long, I've forgotten how to put it together to be honest. Whichever it is, it should provide a pop-up menu that appears in the upper right end of the program screen. Thats the menu you need to use to alter color, thickness, texture, etc. On the top bar, there should be a button you click to do ovals, rectangles or lines for drawing on your map. A lot of the things I've stumbled upon were creations from Dundjinni and from a guy by the username of Steelrat I believe. I found those through the forums on the maptools section of the rptools.net site.
heruca 03-27-08, 02:09 PM	Yes, Steel Rat's site is another awesome repository for free top-down maps, mapping objects, and tokens. He'll even do custom renders, on commission. www.rpgmapshare.com
SamyMerchi 03-27-08, 02:46 PM	Thanks! Sounds like there's no ready-to-go alternative, but I can handle a little bit of cobbling together.
Kursk 03-27-08, 03:10 PM	Did you install Python and wxPython before trying to use OpenRPG? The resion I ask is I'm using Vista and have no problems with OpenRPG. I followed the instructions on 2 different vista machines and no go. One out of two of my XP machines didn't work either...