Let players do more things

I'm both a GM and a player, and my gaming group was really excited about Roll20 because we've long been frustrated with Maptool. But one issue is keeping us from making the switch: we want to give more power to the players. Not every GM feels the need to control everything in a campaign, or to keep the players on a leash. As a GM, I HATE having to upload character's tokens and portraits for them, and having to check a bunch of boxes to allow them to change their own token's status bars etc. I have more than enough work to do just managing my monsters, maps, npcs, etc--if there's work the players can do, I want them to do it so I can stay focused. I understand that some GMs would rather limit what the players can modify, and that's fine, whatever works for you, but could the app acknowledge that as a style that doesn't work for everyone? We play as a team and limiting the players' options so severely really makes us all uncomfortable I realize multiple GMs are available now, but we don't really want multiple GMs. I still need to be able to use the GM layer to hide things, and the players don't need access to maps or anything. I'd just love a campaign-wide setting to grant wider powers (uploading images, changing statuses, even adding character profiles) to players. Thanks, I think this project is incredibly cool, and I want to be able to use it, I really do.

Well, it is easy to have players as they are now. It is also easy to know what they have access when given the GM status. The problem is the in between. What is the list of the parts of the GM status you want them to receive? I am not sure it shall be very easy to have an in between status that is going to satisfy everyone.

I'd second giving Players the ability to add their own Token. Not only for their PCs, but some games allow for Players to control multiple characters such as hirelings or summoned monsters. Just allowing the Players to add their own Tokens would save time and bother for the GM. Otherwise you may have a problem with finding a Token the Player is happy to use or some such. I assume the main problem comes in with the Marketplace. What if a Player is using a Token from the purchased pack and the other Players or GM haven't brought it? Does it mean that they could get their hands on the image without paying for it? Either way, Players should be allowed to add their own tokens.

Players imho should indeed be able to have a personal file/folder containing their characters with personal tokens and portraits and attached macros. When joining a campaign they would log in directly with the chosen character / token. Problem is indeed certainly the paid for tokens... My guess is that the marketplace tokens should be given an option with attached access rights to, say, two/three email users,when purchased : the player ID and one or two nominated GMs through their roll20 account (who could use the token in his game and thus have it visible by other players). Unfortunately for artists, I guess the problem will be very quickly "solved" through token piracy...

What about adding deputy GMs? Can the software do this? When I run tabletop games there is often a player that tracks initiative, and another who helps to draw the map, and another to track inventory, and so on. Can we delegate tasks to players?

I, too, would like to see a "deputy GM" feature. It's hard enough for our GM to wrangle all of us whiny players, come up with a story, etc. But now he has to make pages, maps, add tokens. Our GM doesn't do this for all of our games, so I feel like we're getting an under-utilized Roll20 experience. I would love to be able to "set the scene" for our GM, but I don't have that ability.

Isn't promoting a player to GM making him a Deputy GM? I don't see the difference....

I agree with Pat. How about this, could you give all players GM rights, let them upload their own tokens etc, then once everyone has their stuff up, demote all of them to player status, and continue on your merry GM way? Sorry if I'm way off-base, Roll20 is actually going to be my first PnP experience...

It's simpler just to allow them to add tokens, full stop. At first they'll need their PCs and Familiars but later on they may need to add summoned creatures. Just all them to add tokens, whenever.