Using Roll20 in a regular in-person game...

Has anyone tried using roll20 in a regular in-person game? I do believe that having all the roll20 tools for use in such a game would greatly enhance it. Instead of having an actual battle map on the table you and your players (players need to have their own lap top or share with another player) will be able to use the tabletop on roll20. Since the game is in-person you can disable vid/chat features and you get to roll real dice. So has anyone tried this? And if so how did it work out?

Moved to On-Topic.  There are people who use Roll20 in person. I partially do so in my F2F group.  The setup is typically to hook up a computer to a large screen (such as a tv) and then use a laptop for the GM.  - Gauss

My group started up with Roll20 when we had two people Skyping in for a D&D 4e game one week, and simply describing the setup of the battlefield would not be sufficient. Since then, we've been using it for all our games, regardless of the number of remote players, simply because the features it offers are so useful. Now, the GM can easily set up in advance of the week's game, a laptop can serve as a GM screen, health bars help any healers, tokens can be labeled to help players with remembering names, etc. For our normal setup, I've also got a mac that's hooked up to a large-screen TV that I'm normally using, so anyone can see a huge representation of the battlefield.

Sounds great, guys! I'm eager to do this myself.

Whats really cool is the fact that if it's the GM that remotes in, the game can just go on  normally. To do this the recommended equipment is 1 computer for the GM 1 computer with the tv display for the players. (use the hdmi cabling if possible for the sound to be used- experiment to eliminate any feedback prior to the game if possible) No mic or camera needed unless someone is doing a remote play then the additional equipment is recommended.  2 web cameras ( allows the remote player see the group so visual interaction is there and allows the group to see the remote player.) optional A good table mic so the remote player can hear the group and be able to respond. A decent headset for the remote player is recommended also. - optional Now with any recommendation, you can pick and choose what you want or can afford so good luck and let us know how it goes.

These are very exciting times for table top RPGs--if people learn to embrace technology (not as a replacement but to enhance the game). For example I just put hero lab on my ipad and it's the greatest thing ever. I might never have to open my book again because all the info is at my finger tips.

Have you tried using your Ipad in the game board? Mobile interaction is still spotty and the devs need all the info on what works and doesn't work so they can make improvements.

I've played around with it. For actual tabletop use I would suggest using a lap top so you have more control. But over time the bugs will be worked out, I'm sure.

i've been using it every week for over a year for our regular saturday gaming sessions on pathfinder.  We have a 73" hdmi tv that we have a laptop hooked up to for "general knowledge" that has say npcs all the players can see. then i have each player control their character from their laptops. It does create an issue sometimes with people getting distracted and going off to surf the web when they aren't engaged 9not their turn, rp going on that doesnt involve them etc) that gets in the way sometimes, but it's ussually isnt a major issue and when it does I make them all just use the "common" display and ditch the laptops.

Additional note: I've started storing my character sheets digitally, so I've got a computer out anyway . Might as well use Roll20! :D

I'm running Rise of the Runelords on roll20 now. 2 sessions in so far.

I use roll20 for map exploration, and then just have one of my players scribe the basic layout for battle. It works really well, The only thing i can gripe about via the tablet version is I cant for the life of me find out how to ping /pan my players to a specific spot like i can on my laptop. I also use roll20 for initiative in combat so it doubles as a good whiteboard.

With a tablet a tap hold (hold finger on screen) or double tap hold is the ping/center but i could be wrong on that.

I did it for the first time the other week and it worked GREAT! I took my 48" HDTV and set it on a nearby table where all could see. Hooked up my son's laptop to the TV, he joined the game and the TV showed from his account (Player View), while mine ran the DM stuff on my own laptop. I gave the Player mouse to the fellas, and let them control where their tokens moved to during the encounters. Additionally, I've used a single laptop for me when I DM  for years, and have Excel sheets that have the cell values of every ability mod linked to every location it's needed, so no need to re-add/subtract something if an ability score is affected. I change the DEX Mod, and every Skill, Save, Base Attack, Init, etc., is auto-adjusted on-the-fly.

Xanthais, that looks like a sweet setup;)

Would be sweeter if that Crown Royal bag wasn't just holding dice. ;) We use Roll20 for a weekly Deadlands Classic game.  Have 2-3 local players + 1-2 remote players.  TBH even with having to find creative solutions for various issues using Roll20 has been significantly easier than when we played just on a table top.  I really doubt I'll want to go back to playing with it.

Has anybody used a setup that is more portable.I run face to face games at our wargames club but I would like to be able to include one or two remote users and I would really like to make use of dynamic lighting/FoW with the whole group. If anyone has used projectors and bluetooth speakers please share what works/doesn't work. Specifically, how many lumens do you need if the room isn't darkened and how do you prevent feedback with a speaker/mic combo?. My guess is that the really portable stuff isn't going to handle background noise/lighting very well but I don't want to buy anything that's more bulky than necessary.

Several people have shown that they use one common screen for everyone to see, and that's fine and great. But it today's society where almost everyone has access to a lap top just tell everyone to bring theirs (or two people can share if necessary). The point is that everyone will see the same thing so you really wouldn't need a projector or anything like that. My plan is to have everyone sitting around the table with their laptops in front of them, logged into roll20. If there are remote players have everyone wear head sets to avoid echos and feed back and you shouldn't have an issue.

Rob Neckar said: If there are remote players have everyone wear head sets to avoid echos and feed back and you shouldn't have an issue. I use a Yeti microphone set to the omnidirectional pattern. All of the local players mute all incoming and outgoing audio, and my fancy microphone captures the whole room's worth of voices while filtering out the voices incoming from the remote players as well as the majority of the random sounds people make as they shift around in their chairs or whatever. It's a lot more expensive than most basic headsets (~$150 today, ~$200 when I bought it several years ago), but it's an extremely powerful tool and I feel that it's been worth the cost. (It's also extremely versatile, if you need a microphone for things other than capturing a room's conversation.)

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B002VA464S" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones-Yeti-USB-Microphone/dp/B002VA464S</a> &nbsp;Amazon shows it for about 100

Huh, BestBuy had it for $149. I did pay $200 at Guitar Center when I got mine, though.

the pro version is higher but I don't know how much more.

My group and I built a table with a large hole in the middle cut out to lay a TV facing up this allows a standard surface battlemap along with traditional face to face interactions. the TV has a piece of Plexiglass over the top to protect the screen

Matt said: My group and I built a table with a large hole in the middle cut out to lay a TV facing up this allows a standard surface battlemap along with traditional face to face interactions. the TV has a piece of Plexiglass over the top to protect the screen That's pretty cool.

Matt said: My group and I built a table with a large hole in the middle cut out to lay a TV facing up this allows a standard surface battlemap along with traditional face to face interactions. the TV has a piece of Plexiglass over the top to protect the screen Take picture and post. I want to see what it looks like.

I've seen rigs like these - Hopefully one of my next projects; you can use wii motes and IR webcams to basically build a simple multitouch (but not guesture based) surface, and project onto a plexiglass/acrylic plate. Roll20 would be prime for that.

Brian said: Rob Neckar said: If there are remote players have everyone wear head sets to avoid echos and feed back and you shouldn't have an issue. I use a Yeti microphone set to the omnidirectional pattern. All of the local players mute all incoming and outgoing audio, and my fancy microphone captures the whole room's worth of voices while filtering out the voices incoming from the remote players as well as the majority of the random sounds people make as they shift around in their chairs or whatever. It's a lot more expensive than most basic headsets (~$150 today, ~$200 when I bought it several years ago), but it's an extremely powerful tool and I feel that it's been worth the cost. (It's also extremely versatile, if you need a microphone for things other than capturing a room's conversation.) I love my Blue Yeti Pro. For a setting where you want to capture voices like that, I also recommend it based on it's stats. I've never actually done it myself.&nbsp; Although, it would be interested to try something like that someday. I'm either pure tabletop or pure on-line. No hybrid games yet.

Something I found out is you can use Chromecast. &nbsp;I just posted a thread about it but you can use 1 laptop (if GM moves everyone) and have the Gm screen in one tab and the play (you only need to move the whole thing here) chromecasting to your HD tv.