Episode 464 - Politics

[ZombieAcePilot]

Dan, what is this about Roll20 not handling hexes? Roll20 handles hexes just fine. Also, you should really look up MegaMek and MekHQ. If you want battletech hex maps, they are the bomb.

[Azhrei Vep]

Dan, what is this about Roll20 not handling hexes? Roll20 handles hexes just fine. Also, you should really look up MegaMek and MekHQ. If you want battletech hex maps, they are the bomb.

Oh man, MegaMek. There's a blast from FtB's past. Like, we are talking double-digit episodes past.

[John]

heh I had a conversation about megamek not two weeks ago.

for the first time in probably eight years

[Dan]

Dan, what is this about Roll20 not handling hexes? Roll20 handles hexes just fine. Also, you should really look up MegaMek and MekHQ. If you want battletech hex maps, they are the bomb.

The best and worst thing about MegaMek is that it automates everything. For a standard map combat brawl, that's awesome. But for something that integrates the RPG—with Edge, GMed events, etc—the features aren't there. Or at least they weren't last I checked. That's why I prefer just moving icons around a hex map and doing the rolls ourselves.

However, if Roll20 handles hexes this is either (1) somewhat recent or (2) flew completely beneath my radar. I looked into doing Battletech on Roll20 a few years back, and while I found a lot of requests for hex support, I didn't find anything indicating it actually did. This changes things!

[Chad]

Dan, what is this about Roll20 not handling hexes? Roll20 handles hexes just fine. Also, you should really look up MegaMek and MekHQ. If you want battletech hex maps, they are the bomb.

The best and worst thing about MegaMek is that it automates everything. For a standard map combat brawl, that's awesome. But for something that integrates the RPG—with Edge, GMed events, etc—the features aren't there. Or at least they weren't last I checked. That's why I prefer just moving icons around a hex map and doing the rolls ourselves.

However, if Roll20 handles hexes this is either (1) somewhat recent or (2) flew completely beneath my radar. I looked into doing Battletech on Roll20 a few years back, and while I found a lot of requests for hex support, I didn't find anything indicating it actually did. This changes things!

It might be a paid feature? They have a lot of packs you can buy so they can stay afloat. Need some skeletons? They have a spooky skeletons decal/icon/whatever they are called pack for X about of monies.

[ZombieAcePilot]

Dan, what is this about Roll20 not handling hexes? Roll20 handles hexes just fine. Also, you should really look up MegaMek and MekHQ. If you want battletech hex maps, they are the bomb.

The best and worst thing about MegaMek is that it automates everything. For a standard map combat brawl, that's awesome. But for something that integrates the RPG—with Edge, GMed events, etc—the features aren't there. Or at least they weren't last I checked. That's why I prefer just moving icons around a hex map and doing the rolls ourselves.

However, if Roll20 handles hexes this is either (1) somewhat recent or (2) flew completely beneath my radar. I looked into doing Battletech on Roll20 a few years back, and while I found a lot of requests for hex support, I didn't find anything indicating it actually did. This changes things!

It’s been around as long as I remember. Anyway, all you have to do it go to the cog wheel on the map itself (located where you drop the player marker to change between maps). There you may select from a drop down box labeled “Type” which is directly under “diagonals”. You may select squares or hexes (either horizontal or vertical). Further, you may set default map settings so you don’t have to do this bit of setup for every map. To access the default settings you need to select the settings button on the game homepage (not the game board itself). Then select game settings. Then select game default settings. You will see a copy of the settings each map has individually. Set them up with whatever orientation of hexes you prefer.

A final option is always to turn off grids all together. This works best if you are importing maps (perhaps the ones generated by megamek). You’ll have to count hexes, but seeing as how you don’t want megamek doing the work for you, that shouldn’t be an issue.

As to Megamek itself, it has advanced quite a bit. I don’t know if it will do everything you want just yet, but you should definately give it another look. Either way, MekHQ is a really cool tool you can use to track your Mek’s even if you don’t decide to use Megamek.

Happy gaming!

[Knaight]

It's nice to see Maptools getting the recognition it deserves, as a vastly superior version of Roll20.

[Hussar]

I have to admit, I agree that Maptools is the best VTT out there. I'm using Fantasy Grounds, mostly against my better judgement, simply because I got outvoted by my group. To be fair, the fact that FG is now very well supported by WotC means that you can pick up one of the 5e modules and start playing with virtually no prep. It's a DM's dream.

But, it just lacks SO many features when it comes to the battlemap. And it's as clunky as hell.

Although, that being said, we did have a lot of issues with Maptools due to Java issues with a couple of the players. Fantasy Grounds tends to have a lot fewer of those problems. And, additionaly, since my router does not support port forwarding, it would be impossible for me to run Maptools, while the work around with Hamachi works perfectly fine with Fantasy Grounds.

[ZombieAcePilot]

It's nice to see Maptools getting the recognition it deserves, as a vastly superior version of Roll20.

Forgive me, but I’ve used both and I can’t help but wonder what you mean. What feature of Map Tools is superior to Roll20?

[Hussar]

Control over the maps and the ability to draw and design maps would be my biggest point. The layers of Maptools is just so nice to use. Plus the tabs on the side and the ability to jump between maps very, very easily.

Granted, to be 100% honest, I haven't used Roll 20 in a few years, so, that might have changed.