Joining and Locking Games

Very new to Roll20 and I am a supporter. I would like to know where I can find detailed instructions (to give to players and know myself) on how players find and join my game on Roll20 (after creating an account). Also as a GM I would like to know how to restrict access to my game to only specific players/users/etc. I have tried searching this topic in the forum and found nothing and the getting started does a great job of an overview of features but fails to address these key and very important areas. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

As long as you don't post the join link from the chat window inside the campaign, no one else can join.

Ok... so is there any documentation that describes the joining process for players 100% new to roll20? How do they find my campaign if its not posted etc. This is all information that is needed.  Thanks.

It seems there is an "Invite Players" on the campaign properties under "My Campaigns". I hope the instructions or link it gives is simple to follow.  Thanks for all the help.

you can email the players you want to invite through the "Invite Players" button when it asks for their email address or you can go into the game itself and in the chat area there is a link that you can copy and paste into an email, pm, IM, etc... that lets the players join the campaign. simple as that. step 1 : send the link step 2 : get the players to accept and enter the game step 3: have fun and play the game.

Metroknight said: you can email the players you want to invite through the "Invite Players" button when it asks for their email address or you can go into the game itself and in the chat area there is a link that you can copy and paste into an email, pm, IM, etc... that lets the players join the campaign. simple as that. step 1 : send the link step 2 : get the players to accept and enter the game step 3: have fun and play the game. Yes I saw the invite option later in the chat as I have been busy trying to learn the software and upload maps, add dynamic lighting (loved that feature in Maptools but it has become too buggy with Java which is why I am using Roll20 now). It seems like it will be easy enough for 100% new players to join which was a primary concern (with any VTT really) for me. So far loving the features (hopefully with the API will be able to recreate Token Labs in the future). Thanks for all the quick replies.

David - as a quick note:  If in the future you need to kick a player, the join link will change automatically.  Watch out you don't send out an old join link in that case if it becomes necessary.  I believe that if players log on to your campaign through their own account it will update automatically for them.  I'm just now in the habit of IMing out the join link to everyone right before each game starts.

Dave D. said: David - as a quick note:  If in the future you need to kick a player, the join link will change automatically.  Watch out you don't send out an old join link in that case if it becomes necessary.  I believe that if players log on to your campaign through their own account it will update automatically for them.  I'm just now in the habit of IMing out the join link to everyone right before each game starts. Good to know. Shouldn't be an isssue unless one of the players connections drop and a "ghost" connection remains. Trust level is high with my group as I don't normally do completely open games (unless I'm running it in person) online. I did see on one documentation that if there is a connection issue with a player (such as ghost connection) that all players need to get released and need to rejoin to resolve, is this true? Thank you. 

The ghost issue won't require changing the join link, that's only for when a player leaves the group.  I've had success resolving the ghost issue in game by having the offending player refreshing his browser - this also hasn't happened to me in a few months. I believe its when a player gets "stuck" in the session - he appears in the game long after everyone's gone home - that you would need to hit the  release button and then have everyone rejoin at your next scheduled session.