The Problem Currently, if players want to reference a large-scale map, like a world map, continent map, or city layout, during a session, GMs are forced to manually switch individuals or the whole party to the map page. While we can create image handouts, handouts lack the core strengths of a dedicated Roll20 page: they cannot be viewed easily in full-screen, they lack scale/measuring tools, and they do not support tokens or dynamic lighting. The alternative is for the GM to manually drag the player ribbon to the map page, which completely disrupts active gameplay on the combat or encounter map. The Proposed Solution Introduce a page-level toggle in the Page Settings called "Always Accessible to Players" or "Set as Reference Page" . GM Control: The GM can flag specific pages (like a world map or city map) as publicly accessible. Player UI: Players would see a small dropdown or icon near their top navigation menu listing these allowed reference pages. At-Will Navigation: Players can click a reference page to view it at any time to check distances, look up place names, or interact with reference tokens, and then switch themselves back to the active gameplay page (where the GM’s player ribbon currently resides). Why This Benefits the Game This feature would significantly reduce GM overhead and game interruptions. During exploration and roleplay, players can independently track their journey and consult regional geography without having to constantly ask the GM to switch pages or dig through a cluttered journal for a squeezed handout image. It maximizes the utility of Roll20's page-rendering engine for non-combat play. Anticipated Concerns 1. Won't this cause performance lag for players with slower connections?
This is a purely voluntary feature. Players with limited bandwidth or older hardware do not have to use it; if they do not click to switch pages, their experience remains entirely unchanged and synced to the GM's active ribbon. 2. Does this add too much UI complexity?
No. The user interface framework for changing active pages already exists on the GM side. This feature would simply expose a simplified version of that existing menu to players, showing only the pages the GM has explicitly flagged as visible. 3. Will this disrupt GM focus or spoil the game?
The GM retains absolute authority. If a GM does not want players navigating away, they simply do not flag any pages as public. For active play, standard table etiquette applies: if a GM asks the players to focus on the active map, players should respect that request. 4. How will this affect token placement and player tracking?
Roll20 already natively supports splitting the party across different pages using the player ribbon. The database and rendering engine are already fully capable of handling players looking at different maps simultaneously. This feature does not introduce new token logic; it merely gives players permission to trigger a page switch they are already permitted to view.
