Resources for roleplaying at distance during the lockdown

Hello, how is everything? I hope all of you will be fine.

It seems that we have for a while with the pandemic triggered by virus COVID-19, so today's post offers you a list of useful resources to roleplay at home I'm sure you will find interesting.

Take care.

The inmediacy of online platforms or the relative slowness of playing by turns?

Although most of the resources I have put can be used to substitute the traditional physical gaming table for a virtual one for playing from home, you also may be interested in the more relaxed mannes of the game at distance by turns.

If so, you may read this post in the blog Rol de los 90, the website SMORPG – Slow Motion Online Role Playing Game, the article Play-by-mail at Wikipedia and the series Words on a Screen at RPG.NET (#1, #2, #3, #4 and #5).

Online gaming platforms

A list of platforms allowing to create online gaming sessions (click on the names to go to the websites).

Astral TableTop

Characteristics:

• works through the web browser (Firefox or Chrome recommended)
• online gaming table
• possibility of online map editing
• special effects (light, fog, etc.)
• many rulesets (Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, etc.)
• dice thrower
• text chat
• use your own images for maps and symbols (tokens)
• initiative manager
• animations
• sounds
• English interface

Price: Free ($0) | Pro ($9.99/month for the monthly subscription or $8.25/month for the yearly subscription)

Battlegrounds: RPG Edition

Characteristics:

• downloadable software (Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7/8/19 and Mac OS 10.1.5 to 10.6)
• demo version with limitations
• online gaming table
• can be used with any ruleset
• dice thrower
• text chat with macro support
• advanced characteristics (light and darkness)
• you can use your own sounds and images
• turns manager
• English interface

Price: GM Demo ($0, limited functions) | GM Client ($28.00) | Player Client ($14.00) | Floating License for every GM computer ($14.00 every one or $60.00 for packed 5) | Player Client to GM Client ($16.00)

Dungeon20

Characteristics:

• works through the web browser and also through and app available at Google Play
• online gaming table
• designed for D20 rulesets (Dungeons & Dragons 3.5, Dungeons & Dragons 5, El Resurgir del Dragón
• virtual 3d tabletop in development
• chance of using images as maps (importing them or through public Internet URL addresses)
• dice thrower
• special effects (darkness and invisible walls)
• creation of "d and 3D avatars
• Spanish interface

Price: free (development financed through Patreon)

EpicTable RPG Virtual Tabletop

Characteristics:

• downloadable software (Windows 7, 8 i 10; for 32 and 64 bits systems)
• needs .Net 4.0 or better to work (it is downloaded automatically when the program is installed if it isn't in the operating system)
• online gaming table
• can be used with any ruleset
• dice thrower
• chance of drawing maps immediately or using already included elements
• text chat and chance of sharing elements
• English interface

Price: Demo ($0, 30 days evaluation time) | License for 1 GM ($59.95, "Kitchen Table Licensing")

Fantasy Grounds

Characteristics:

• downloadable software (Windows, Mac and Linux versions)
• online gaming table
• can be used with any ruleset
• there are also many rulesets to be used as modules (Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, etc.) and possibility of creating new ones
• dice thrower
• random tables
• text chat with HTML codification
• use your own images for maps and symbols (tokens)
• programmable with macros
• English interface

Price: Demo ($0) | FGC standard ($3.99/month or $39/single payment) | FGC Ultimate ($9.99/month or $149/single payment), other addons with variable prices

Maptools by RPtools

Characteristics:

• downloadable software (Windows, Mac and Linux versions)
• needs Java virtual machine installed to work (the downloadable program usually has the appropiate version to the user's operating system)
• online gaming table
• can be used with any ruleset
• dice thrower
• text chat with HTML codification
• use your own images for maps and symbols (tokens)
• programmable with macros
• advanced characteristics (light and darkness)
• English interface

Price: free (open code)

Rolisteam

Characteristics:

• downloadable software (Windows, Mac and Linux versions)
• online gaming table
• configurable interface
• character sheet management
• many drawing tools to create maps
• dice thrower
• instant messaging and public and private chats
• use your own images for maps and symbols (tokens)
• chance of eaving/downloading data (individual files and scenarios)
• advanced characteristics (darkness)
• music tracks player
• unit converter (distance, area, temperature, etc.)
• name generator
• interface in many languages

Price: free (open code)

Roll20

Characteristics:

• works through the web browser (Firefox or Chrome recommended)
• online gaming table
• many rulesets (Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, etc.)
• characters repository
• dice thrower
• video and text chat
• use your own images for maps and symbols (tokens)
• programmable with macros
• advanced characteristics (light, fog) available only to subscribers
• interface in many languages (translation volunterrs sought)

Price: Free ($0) | Plus ($4.99/month o $49.99/year) | Pro ($9.99/month o $99.99/year)

Tools for creating maps

A list of tools allowing to create maps for roleplaying sessions (click on the names to go to the websites).

Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator

Characteristics:

• creates maps (randomly or right from the start) with all kind of characteristics (physical, political, etc.)
• works through the web browser, but also as a downloadable program (Windows, Mac and Linux versions)
• English interface (although more translations are planned)
• donations accepted through Patreon to continue developing it

Price: Free (open code)

Campaign Cartographer 3+

Characteristics:

• allows all kind of programs with all kind of styles (fantasy, science-fiction etc.)
• created maps can be exported to graphical design and CAD software compatible formats
• created maps may be used commercially
• downloadable program for Windows
• addons sold to extend functionalities
• English interface

Price: $22.45 | ₤14.95

Dungeon Scrawl

Characteristics:

• allows to create dungeons plans with a typical Old School games style
• isometric plans can also be created
• works through the web browser without downloading or installing software
• maps and images can be imported
• all create4d plans are considered to be with CC0 license (if art and images of other artists are included the corresponding licenses are to be checked)
• register not needed
• English interface

Price: Free (donations accepted through Patreon to help developing the project)

Gridmapper

Characteristics:

• allows to create internal maps
• works through the web browser without downloading or installing software
• register not needed
• English interface

Price: Free

Inkarnate

Characteristics:

• allows to create all kind of maps (worlds, regions, inside maps, scenes, isometric) and download them
• works through the web browser without downloading or installing software
• register as user needed
• there are 2 versions: free and Pro (the latter allows to import your own art and has other advantages, like permission for using the created maps commercially)
• English interface

Price: Free ($0) | Pro ($5/month o $25/year)

Mipui

Characteristics:

• allows to create easy maps
• works through the web browser without downloading or installing software
• maps can be created with online collaboration with other people
• register not needed
• created maps can be used with any type of activities, even commerial ones, but you must respect the CC-BY license of the icons created by others
• English interface

Price: Free

Watabou

A set of tools allowing to create maps and images:

• One Page Dungeon: dungeon map creator
• Procgen Mansion: random mansion creator
• Medieval Fantasy City Generator: medieval cities map creator
• Village Generator: towns map creator
• City Viewer: visualize maps created with Medieval Fantasy City Generator

Language: English

Contents created with these tools can be used with alll kind of projects, including commercial ones (you can support these projects through Patreon)

Price: Free

Wonderdraft

Characteristics:

• allows to create realistic terrestrial maps with all kind of details (coasts, rivers, etc.)
• software downloadable for Windows, Linux and Mac
• created maps can be used without paying royalties
• English interface

Price: $29.99

Campaign managers

A list of content managers for roleplaying campaigns Llistat de gestors de continguts per a campanyes de rol (click on the names to go to the websites).

Campaign Wiki

Characteristics:

• allows to create a website to manage a campaign as a wiki using Oddmuse
• users and creators are encouraged to grant everyone the chance of reusing the contents of the wiki thanks to an appropiate license
• it's not needed to register to use the wiki or create new ones, if you need help you may visit this link
• English interface (also help with translations accepted)

Price: Free.

Epic Words

Characteristics:

• campaign organizer with many options (blogs for characters, wikis, forums, etc.)
• it's necessary to register to use the platform
• the free plan allows to create 3 characters and a campaign as referee
• the paid plan allows to have 10 campaigns, 15 characters, dice thrower an 1 GB of server storage
• English interface

Price: Free ($0) | Paid ($12/year).

Kanka

Characteristics:

• allows to manage campaigns with all kind of tools (character creation, logs, calendars, maps, etc.)
• it's necessary to register to use the platform
• many languages interface
• it's not neede to pay to use it, but subscribers through Patreon may unblock functions and help with its maintenance

Price: Free ($0) | Paid ($5/month o $25/month).

Obsidian Portal

Characteristics:

• allows to manage campaigns with all kind of tools (character creation, wiki, sessions calendar, campaign log)
• it's necessary to register to use the platform
• English interface
• the free plan only allows to have to active campaigns with 2 Mb of server storage for every one, all campaigns are public and only a map can be created
• paid plans allows a more extensive use of the platform

Price: Free ($0) | Paid ($5.99/month o $49.99/year).

Graphical elements and already created maps and plans

Some websites offering already created plans to use in your adventures.

• Dyson's Dodecahedron:
• Artist: Dyson Logos
• Maps
• Maps wich can be used commercially
• The author has a Patreon where you can support him to keep creating maps



• El Tomo Carmesí:
• Artist: Eneko Menica
• Maps and plans
• License
• The author has a Patreon where you can support him to keep creating maps

Dice throwers

List of apps for throwing dice online.

• Dungeons & Dragons Dice Roller:
• allows to roll the typical dice of Dungeons & Dragons
• English interface
• free
• Free Online Dice:
• allows to roll dice and coins
• English interface
• free
• Google - Roll a die:
• allows to roll dice and add numbers to the roll
• language interface depend on Google account and/or predetermined web browser language
• free
• Random.org - Dice Roller:
• allows to roll six-sided dice (D6)
• English interface
• free
• Roll Dice With Friends:
• allows to create a common room for rolling dice
• English interface
• free

This entry it's also available in the following languages:
Castellano Català