iTabletop Pandoren, Open Beta and free test for free accounts. Options

[Delarn]

Hi guys, I've just got the best news to those who were waiting for iTabletop v2 to get out. It's in open beta.

Subscribe and you can then go on iTabletop Pandoren to test it out.

[sinthalix]

I have the regular subscription and my group really enjoys iTabletop. Looking forward to Pandoren!

[LurkerOutThere]

Ok i never really got a good answer to this and their demo program was a pain, is Itabletop worth it as a supliment to an in person group? I realize it's selling point is it's function as a video confrencer and I'm not knocking that but i've been looking for a campaign aide for a while and it looks slick but i'm not sure.

[Ol' Scratch]

I couldn't give a fig about the video conferencing. But God, that site is a nightmare to navigate. I struggled to find information (any information) on what the "iTabletop" itself was, but ended up with only two things: Jack and squat.

They seem way too obsessed with the video conferencing niche (which is already well covered by other programs), and the demo video just made me want to punch the guy in the face. I mean, how long did it take him just to open the program? Oy. Anyway, a good virtual tabletop would be really great. So far the attempts at one that I've played with have all left a lot to be desired. Was hoping this one might have something to offer but, as previously mentioned, I could find fuck-all about it on their site.

[Delarn]

I have the regular subscription and my group really enjoys iTabletop. Looking forward to Pandoren!

When you log in the site you'll be allowed inside iTabletop Pandoren by clicking on the grey banner.

Ok i never really got a good answer to this and their demo program was a pain, is Itabletop worth it as a supliment to an in person group? I realize it's selling point is it's function as a video confrencer and I'm not knocking that but i've been looking for a campaign aide for a while and it looks slick but i'm not sure.

1- Subscribe to a free account.
2- Login and click on the grey banner to right of the screen.
3- There is a demo video on the site now to explain how to log in.

I couldn't give a fig about the video conferencing. But God, that site is a nightmare to navigate. I struggled to find information (any information) on what the "iTabletop" itself was, but ended up with only two things: Jack and squat.

They seem way too obsessed with the video conferencing niche (which is already well covered by other programs), and the demo video just made me want to punch the guy in the face. I mean, how long did it take him just to open the program? Oy. Anyway, a good virtual tabletop would be really great. So far the attempts at one that I've played with have all left a lot to be desired. Was hoping this one might have something to offer but, as previously mentioned, I could find fuck-all about it on their site.

I think it's because it's the only multi-video chat you can have a dice roller in it imbeded. Tokens have been updated to hold many file type and the more important in all is a PDF. So character sheet that are in pdfs are loadable on the token itself.

[sinthalix]

Since I had to move away from my home group, we had to find a reasonable alternative to meeting every two weeks (a 6 hour drive kills that).

iTabletop allows us to hold a game that pretty well feels like we're all sitting around the table.

The benefits:

1) a battlemat that allows you (or the PCs) to draw anything on it and with pre-loaded tokens, add minis.

2) whiteboards which allow you or the PCs to place notes. I made one for the current adventure and another for the players to keep a running adventure log.

3) backgrounds to which you can add grids (the good ole DMZ maps are great for this as well as the Sprawl Site maps).

4) vidoe or audio conferencing allows you to "tunnel" to one player...so if you have that hacker/technomancer, you can speak with him/her in private.

Drawbacks:

1) the GM MUST prepare everything in advance!!! Loading anything during the game can interrupt it

2) you must have a high speed internet connection...even one player can bog it down

3) if you want to get the most of it, practically everyone needs a GM license or your group needs to fork out the money for floating licenses

Overall, if you can' find a group in your local area and you have a dedicated group that will attend an iTabletop session, it's more than worth it.

Once you play with it once, it's very easy to use and extremely intuitive.

[Delarn]

Since I had to move away from my home group, we had to find a reasonable alternative to meeting every two weeks (a 6 hour drive kills that).

iTabletop allows us to hold a game that pretty well feels like we're all sitting around the table.

The benefits:

1) a battlemat that allows you (or the PCs) to draw anything on it and with pre-loaded tokens, add minis.

2) whiteboards which allow you or the PCs to place notes. I made one for the current adventure and another for the players to keep a running adventure log.

3) backgrounds to which you can add grids (the good ole DMZ maps are great for this as well as the Sprawl Site maps).

4) vidoe or audio conferencing allows you to "tunnel" to one player...so if you have that hacker/technomancer, you can speak with him/her in private.

Drawbacks:

1) the GM MUST prepare everything in advance!!! Loading anything during the game can interrupt it

2) you must have a high speed internet connection...even one player can bog it down

3) if you want to get the most of it, practically everyone needs a GM license or your group needs to fork out the money for floating licenses

Overall, if you can' find a group in your local area and you have a dedicated group that will attend an iTabletop session, it's more than worth it.

Once you play with it once, it's very easy to use and extremely intuitive.

Try the iTabletop Pandoren version. V1 is going to be down when Pandoren gets online officially.

[phillosopherp]

So I went a pulled up the thing but they dont support the Shadowrun game rules natively... that makes it so that I would not be so jazzed about it at all!

[sinthalix]

v1 works fine with SR, so we're happy with it. We don't bother using the dice roller built into it though because it doesn't actually count the number of hits you get...it just displays the individual dice and totals them...I'd rather look at my dice to get the total hits than try to count them on the screen.

[Delarn]

v1 works fine with SR, so we're happy with it. We don't bother using the dice roller built into it though because it doesn't actually count the number of hits you get...it just displays the individual dice and totals them...I'd rather look at my dice to get the total hits than try to count them on the screen.

V1 is going to be down right after Pandoren gets online. The dice roller over Pandoren is a lot better tho.

[Delarn]

So I went a pulled up the thing but they dont support the Shadowrun game rules natively... that makes it so that I would not be so jazzed about it at all!

and ? You know how to play right ?

[LurkerOutThere]

Delarn you seem to take any commentary on the program very personally.

For my part I understand the concern if i'm going to be be investing in a paying tool it damn well better smack the crap out of the freeware utilities like OpenRPG, Skype etc etc. A hit counter is no that much to ask.

[Delarn]

Delarn you seem to take any commentary on the program very personally.

For my part I understand the concern if i'm going to be be investing in a paying tool it damn well better smack the crap out of the freeware utilities like OpenRPG, Skype etc etc. A hit counter is no that much to ask.

The new version (Pandoren) that is made in silverlight and works on Mac, Windows (32 and 64) and when Linux's moonlight catch-up, has the hit counter in it. I've asked it for you guys. And we have it.