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By dpadams, in Deathwatch Gamemasters

Posted at
Hi folks


I'd be grateful for advice on mapping software.


I know most people will use MapTool with the Wolph42 framework.


However, I'm a bit hesitant to use it.


I'm computer-illiterate, so need a very "user friendly" programme. Nothing that involves coding or moving files into obscure places and re-writing .txt files.


I don't need all the rule functionality of the Wolph42 framework. I will roll and manage the rules manually. I'm going to be running a play by post campaign, and will be inserting maps into the posts for combat rounds. So I just what a programme which will allow me to create or upload maps which look good and allow me to move objects and tokens around (i.e. it allows for layering) for when PCs or enemies move. Preferably it will have textures and objects which look sci fi.


So far I'm considering Dundjinni. I believe that has a sci fi package.


The price isn't a huge concern for me, within reason.

Posted at

My group is using Roll20. The basic is free so you can poke around and see if you like it. At its most computer illiterate, you just have to tell it whether you want a hex or square map, select a player token from the free selection, and then double click to assign control to the right player. Then free hand draw the map like you would on a white board.

It has built in voice and camera for communications on top of text.

More advanced, you can load abilities on to enemy tokens so you can preload that lascannon shot so you don't have to look it up while playing.

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Thanks Kamikazz - I checked out Roll20 and it looks perfect. Anywhere I can download/buy sweet tiles/textures/objects which would work with 40K setting? Y'know, alien landscapes and space hulk corridors.

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The art library button on your upper right menu. I've been sticking to the free stuff so far. Medieval is definitely more represented.

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Yeah, luckily medieval is not always out of place in 40K universe.

How have you been representing hordes? Taking up multiple squares?

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I've been using one token per 10 magnitude.

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I've been using one token per 10 magnitude.

This or just bigger tokens if I'm lazy

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Do y'all use anything from roll20 in live games? like the map generator for example; that looks useful!

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If I use maps I use roll20 sometimes, because it has an easy fog of war handling. I just log in two times, once as GM, once as player. The player screen goes on my TV, the GM screen on my laptop. But to be honest, that doesn't happen very often. Most of the time we just use sketch maps(it's pen and paper after all ;) ).

Edited by Avdnm