Quick question, what is the best system(s) for playing RPGs online? I know folk who just use skype but I'm thinking there must be a better option.

Thoughts? Opinions? Tirades?

Skype gives the most consistent voice communications.

Roll20 is easy to use and works pretty well, but you gotta pay about $10/month for the full monty. You can pair it up with google hangouts to get most of the functions you need for star wears for free.

Maptools is free, but not quite as user friendly, and it doesn't always play well with firewalls.

I went simple.

I use TeamViewer in meeting mode, Reflector to allow my iPad dice app to show up on my screen and PowerPoint for maps, initiative and Destiny Points. My friends and I went for Ventrillo waaaay back when and use it, though any VOIP system would be quite OK.

I use Roll 20 with my group now but I will give you a few notes about this.

• If you use a laptop the available screen area with roll 20 + dice app + google hangouts is pretty small.
• If you don't use Google hangouts or the dice app you will need the Mentor status (the $10 a month thing they refer to) to have usefulness. There are many advantages to the Mentor status though that make it useful (in my opinion).
• With the roll20 mentor status you can use scripts and a neat character sheet (that gets updated when useful things change).
• Even with Mentor status there can be hiccups (the script sandbox thing "died" in the middle of a session and I had to exit out (as the GM) and save the scripts to restart it to regain the ability to roll dice.)
• Make sure you test connection speeds/video/audio before a session to make sure your players know how to use roll20 and their devices or you will waste a good portion of the session just getting that sorted out.

There are probably other things to note but those stand out for me.

• the script sandbox thing "died" in the middle of a session and I had to exit out (as the GM) and save the scripts to restart it to regain the ability to roll dice.

FYI: you can open the campaign settings page in a separate tab/window, and restart the sandbox there without leaving the game.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Most helpful

We use Fantasy Grounds, it has a ruleset for Edge of the Empire and runs rather well.

I use Roll 20 with my group now but I will give you a few notes about this.

• If you use a laptop the available screen area with roll 20 + dice app + google hangouts is pretty small.

I agree with everything you said.

My workaround for this is to open the Hangout + EotE Tools with Chrome and Roll20 with Firefox.

I use Roll 20 with my group now but I will give you a few notes about this.

• If you use a laptop the available screen area with roll 20 + dice app + google hangouts is pretty small.

I agree with everything you said.

My workaround for this is to open the Hangout + EotE Tools with Chrome and Roll20 with Firefox.

FYI, when you start using advaned features you'll find roll20 works better with chrome.